Civil War soldiers honored on Veterans Day in Wyandanch ceremony, 160 years after they served

On a Veterans Day ceremony held 160 years after they served their country, four Civil War soldiers were finally honored Tuesday at Greenlawn Cemetery in Wyandanch.

It was believed to be the first ceremony of its kind to pay tribute to the men, whose remains were reinterred in 1903 from a cemetery belonging to the Bridge Street A.W.M.E Church in Brooklyn. The soldiers, who were farmers, served in the 20th and 26th regiments of the United States Colored Troops and survived the war.

They included; Pvt. William Anderson, Pvt. Cornelius A. Holmes, Cpl. James Anthony Johnson, and Pvt. Corney Johnson, all of Brooklyn.

Local current and former elected officials spoke at the ceremony, which was organized by Wheatley Heights resident Ron Wells, a veteran 30-year Navy chaplain. Wells said it was a bittersweet moment "for these Civil War veterans to finally be remembered for what they did, for things that many of us take for granted."

As snowflakes began to swirl, Babylon Town Councilman DuWayne Gregory, who served in the Army, said the flurries were symbolic of the soldiers "looking down on us and sending angel feathers to acknowledge and appreciate that we’re recognizing them today."

The soldiers’ graves had been unmarked until last year. Retired Suffolk County Police Officer Tom Crist, 71, of Melville, petitioned to get plaques from U.S. Veterans Affairs to use as grave markers after discovering the cemetery.

Greenlawn, which is owned by Pinelawn Memorial Park but is separate from their other cemetery property, contains the remains of more than 375 Black and Indigenous individuals in largely unmarked graves, including the reinterred remains from Salem A.M.E. church’s Mt. Zion Cemetery in East Hills. It is believed there are possibly four other Civil War veterans from that cemetery who are buried there.

On Tuesday, Pinelawn placed bouquets of flowers at the markers. Girl Scouts adorned the plaques with American flags, while Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War members donated Civil War veteran markers. After leading the group in prayer, Wells read proclamations that had been signed by President Joe Biden and had those in attendance say the soldiers’ names aloud.

Linda Rhodes Jones, 81, of Brooklyn, who is history chair of Bridge Street’s board of trustees, told those gathered that she was "overwhelmed" by the amount of people who turned out.

"It’s 122 years later, but better late than never," she said, noting that she’s looking for the soldiers’ descendants. "I hope this is just the start of our recognition of those who came before us and sacrificed and on whose shoulders we stand."

According to the website for the African American Civil War Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., New York had 4,125 enlistees in the United States Colored Troops. The Colored Troops made up more than 10% of the Union Army and 25% of the Union Navy, despite the men being banned from enlisting until over a year into the war.

Bruce Weidenburner, from the Society of the Grand Army of the Republic, attended the ceremony in a traditional Union Army coat.

Weidenburner, whose great-great grandfather was a Union Army veteran in the war, said he was stunned to read Newsday’s Monday story about the ceremony and discover there are war veterans buried there. He said his group has been raising money to get markers for U.S. Colored Troop veterans buried in unmarked graves.

"We just had no idea these four veterans were here," he said. "I’m very moved to be here."

Former Babylon Town Councilwoman and retired Army Lt. Col Jackie Gordon, challenged each person in attendance to educate others about the soldiers.

"Black folks in this country have been through so much," she told everyone. "It’s not only this recognition, it’s what comes after ... find two people you know and tell them what happened here."

Wheatley Heights resident Phyllis Stewart, 72, whose grandfather served in World War I and father in World War II, said the ceremony brought tears to her eyes.

"It’s well-overdue," she said. "Our veterans deserve more, they deserve better and we’re going to make sure they get that.”

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.