Welcome
The Civil War Memorial Cemetery Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, is in existence to accomplish two main objectives:
-
To bring up to standard, by code, the cemetery in its current condition
-
To enhance the visitation experience by family and friends to this hallowed ground.
Please take a moment to watch a short 7-minute video on the cemetery’s current condition.
HOW WAS THE NUMBER UNCOVERED?
I have been asked many times since producing the seven-minute video how it was not uncovered that so many Civil War Veterans were buried in the cemetery.
The answer surprises even me, Robert Moore, Director of the Foundation. It began when I was asked, at the time by the Home director Marcella McCormick, to write a history of the Home.
I began gathering data for the book by scouring the Home library, along with all the libraries in the surrounding towns. After a few weeks gathering as much information as possible, the head librarian felt comfortable enough to allow me to enter the Home archives. Very few, had ever been given permission to spend time, in this special massive room.
I was allowed to probe through countless items with one mission and one mission only, and that was to unlock the history of the Home. That is where I found the key that would unlock the hidden past.
There were two large 8”x14” ledgers that told the story of all who had passed. Next to each name was a symbol, 1 for World War 1, SP for the Spanish American War, 2 for World War 2, and believe it or not, C for the Civil War.
The war was fought back east, not here in California, so there must be some mistake. Now my curiosity had the better of me, I turned to the first page of the ledger and started searching for names with the C. I went through each page jotting down the number on the page and two hours later I was able to total the numbers.
How could it be?
The explanation is quite simple. The Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865, and many young men in California went back east, primarily Illinois, New Jersey, and New York and joined the Union Forces because California had entered the war as a Union State.
After the war ended, those that survived returned to California.
The Veterans Home in Yountville opened its doors in 1884, nearly twenty year after the Civil War had ended. Now these young soldiers are no longer young, they are in their forties and older. By the turn of the century, one thousand veterans were living in the Home.
This staggering number, of Civil War Veterans, here-to-fore, had been lost to time, forgotten and uncounted.
The number is staggering, there are 2308 Civil War Veterans buried at the Veteran Home in Yountville California.
If you ask the average Californian how many Civil War Veterans are buried at the Home, they would give you a puzzled look, and the average answer would be zero.
The Cemetery needs to be brought up to today's standards and this is the mission of the Civil War Memorial Cemetery Foundation.
These forgotten Civil War Veterans need to be honored for unifying our Nation.
The history of the Home was never written, but with the information I gathered, I created a one-hour video on the history.
The video is entitled “Pearl of the Valley”.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING
The Foundation is NOT accepting cash contributions to improve the cemetery but is asking those who would like to be a part of this endeavor to provide the Foundation with your name and e-mail address to be used to collectively show, to both State and Federal Agencies, your support for this Special Endeavor.
Enter your name and e-mail address in the Contact Form on the right and your name will be added to the list.
Thank You
Robert Moore / Director
