In the summer of 1995, I helped to get a street named after our city's last MIA from Viet Nam, Capt.Douglas M. Seeley. That street is off Pike street next to Walmart.
On August 5th 1997, myself and the Amvets Post 1788 helped bring the portable Viet Nam wall to Marietta, Ohio.
On November 7th 1997, as Commander of the 1st Corps, 24th Virginia Confederate Army, we had our second memorial for a Confederate soldier buried in Washington County, Ohio.
On September 24 1999, I moved to Tampa, Florida. Looking for new roots and to start my quest looking for Civil War Veterans here in this state.
Anyone knowing of any of these Veterans, Please contact me at this e-mail address rvenham@neo.rr.com
Confederate Soldier Honored
by STEVE HEMMELGARN
Staff Writer
With Veteran's Day just around the corner, it seemed appropriate that 100 people gathered on a sun-splashed hillside Saturday to honor the first of 57 Confederate soldiers buried in Washington County.
With the great-grandson and the great-great-grandson of Pvt. Levi Plaugher in attendance. Plaugher's gravesite in Hopkins Cementery on County road 3 off Ohio Route 7, was rededicated with a new headstone, and a ceremony.
"Myself as a veteran, I consider that these men (Confederate Soldiers) fought and died for our country too, even though it was a war between the states," said Marietta's Robert Venham, organizer of Saturday's event.
"They have to be recognized too," said Venham, a Civil War re-enactor as a Confederate Colonel. "So what I'm trying to do now is look for the rest of the 57 Confederate veteran's buried here in Washington County.
In his quest, Venham has found the final resting place of only seven of the Confederate soldiers so far, but "I'm still looking for the other ones," he said.
Venham said his task is further complicated by the fact that with a lot of the smaller cemeteries in the county, "there's no (discernable) markers." Or the markers have been worn away by the passage of time and the ravages of weather," or nobody has any idea where they (the graves) are," said Venham.
So Venham has resorted to combing through whatever available records he can find at various libraries in the county.
He has been helped, though by a man who belongs to the Sons Of The Confederacy. "That organization has some records, so whenever he finds out any information, he gets back to me with it." said Venham.
Saturday's ceremony began with two patriotic songs,"America The Beautiful" and "God Bless America" by a 40 member-strong choir from Marietta Bible College.
That was followed by a prayer, dedicated to"all veterans who believed enough for all their convictions and beliefs."
Then Venham, as Col. William R. Terry, presented Plaugher's descendants, great grandson Gilbert along with his great-great-grandson, with his old grave marker and a Confederate flag to commerate the occasion.
"He fought in Louisiana (during the Civil War)" said Gilbert Plaugher of Levi Plaugher,"After The war was over, he moved to Washington County." where he died in 1912 and was buried in Hopkins Cemetery. His wife is buried next to him and his son is also buried next to him in the same cemetery.
An 18-musket salute by members of an honor squad of uniformed Civil War re-enactors preceded by the playing of "Taps" and the choir ended the ceremony with a rendition of "Amazing Grace."
Close to two dozen persons, both men and women involved in the event dressed in period costumes, including those portraying Confederate generals Robert E. Lee, George Pickett, and James Longstreet.
Encouraged by Saturday's turnout, Venham said "he'd like to try and do this as an annual event."
