Date: September 9, 2009
Contact: John Howard, 301 432-7648
Antietam National Battlefield Superintendent J.W. Howard today announced that the remains of the unknown New York soldier found on the National Battlefield in October 2008 will be transferred to the State of New York for burial. The transfer will take place at 9:00 AM on September 15, 2009 at the Antietam National Cemetery Lodge, located at the cemetery main entrance. The transfer is open to the public and is expected to last 30 minutes.
The unknown New York soldier’s remains will then be transported to Saratoga National Cemetery, Saratoga, New York for internment with Full Military Honors. Funeral services are scheduled to take place at 10 AM on September 17, 2009. This young man was killed in action on September 17, 1862 near Millers Cornfield, at the battle of Antietam.
The remains were discovered by a battlefield visitor in late October, 2008. After a detailed archeological evaluation, the remains and recovered artifacts were sent to the Smithsonian Institution for further evaluation. During this period it was confirmed that the young man was between 17 and 19 years of age, and fought with a New York Unit. He was buried in the Cornfield portion of the battlefield within days of the fight and his remains were not recovered during the reburial process in 1866.
The public is welcome to attend the short ceremony at 9 AM on September 15, 2009. They should park in the National Cemetery Parking lot on Maryland Route 34 just outside the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland.
