Private Henry J. Brown, C.S.A

( 1839 – October 13, 1862)

 

I drove to Richmond VA in the middle of Hurricane Charlie today.  It was raining hard the entire way except in Richmond.  I went to Hollywood Confederate cemetery to find William Riley Brown's eldest son, Henry J. Brown.  According to his unit records, Henry enlisted on 26 Apr 1862 in Abernathy.  Records show him “absent sick” from 9 Aug 1862 at Cedar Run thru 17 Sep 62 at Sharpsburg.  He appears on the register of Chimborazo hospital #5 in Richmond VA.  He was admitted on 21 Jul 1862 and died on 13 Oct 1862 of continuing typhoid fever.  The register of the Confederate dead has him in plot W-515 at Hollywood Confederate cemetery in Richmond

 

I was lucky to find his grave.  On Saturday, no one is around to help you and nothing is marked.  So I called Teresa on the cell phone and she got on the internet and learned that the soldiers that died during the war are buried around the great 90 foot tall rock pyramid at the cemetery.  Believe it or not it is not very visible because the area is VERY heavily wooded (hence the name Hollywood).

But finally I found it…

the plaque says "to the confederate dead."

 

I walked around for a while and found the "W" section which wasn't well marked

In the W section there were at least 700 graves but I finally found #515

 

The grave marker of Private Henry J. Brown, 48 Alabama Infantry, Company I, CSA.  The marker was filthy so I gently cleaned it with Grant’s baby wipes.  I also put a rock on the marker.  I hope WRB doesn’t mind.

 

In the top of the photo, you can barely see the tip of the pyramid.  Some of the graves had been changed to large named stones.  They were probably sponsored by descendants.  I am going to check into getting Henry a better stone.

 

If you ever want to visit Henry’s grave go through the main entrance and bear right toward the pyramid and the confederate section.  As you pass the pyramid on your right, turn right.  At the bottom of the hill, you will see the John Marshall High School Cadet Monument.  As you directly face the cadet monument while standing in the road, look to your right.  Henry is nine rows in on the far left.

Also if you are interested, the flags above are the Confederate and Alabama state battle flags.