This year marks 250 years since the founding of the United States. Two and a half centuries of declaring, defending, and defining freedom! But the cost of the liberty we enjoy today has often been through the service and sacrifice of those in uniform. This December there is an inspiring opportunity here in the Winchester, Virginia, community to pause and remember the service members buried in Winchester National Cemetery.
Dedicated in 1866, Winchester National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 5,000 men and women who defended the United States. The majority of fallen and veterans are from the Civil War years, though others from 20th Century conflicts were also laid to rest with honor within the 4.9 acres. Each year Winchester Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (Auxiliary of the United States Air Force) partners with Wreaths Across America and the local community to fundraise and place evergreen wreaths on the veterans graves in December.
Will you join us in this mission to place a wreath on every headstone in Winchester National Cemetery? Will you join in demonstrating our communities patriotic gratitude to those who have defended and defined freedom during the course of our nation’s 250 years? There are 5,561 gravestones in need of wreaths and every donation—large or small—makes a different and shows respect.
Free Virtual Events
November 9
Yankees in the Valley: Campaigns, Battles, and Burials in the Lower Shenandoah
7pm to 8:15pm (Eastern)
In this free, virtual program, historian Sarah Kay Bierle takes you on a journey through Shenandoah Valley Civil War history and uncovers the stories of some of the Civil War soldiers who rest forever in Winchester National Cemetery. From literal battlefield to hallowed ground, this history intertwines with local sentiment, military moments, and memory to create a powerful micro-study of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley. The program includes a “virtual walk” through the cemetery to learn more about its layout and monuments.
November 18
Civil War Veterans Return: Monuments and Closure at Winchester National Cemetery
7pm to 8:15pm (Eastern)
Join historians Jon Tracey and Sarah Kay Bierle for a free virtual program and discussion about Winchester National Cemetery as a place of history and memory for Civil War veterans. From reunions, monument dedications, or individual journeys, veterans and their families returned to Winchester, seeking meaning in the post-Civil War years and their stories offer insight to grief and healing after war. These accounts from post-Civil War Winchester are a lesser-known chapter of reconciliation and remembrance.
Sarah’s Note
For the past six years, I’ve been researching the lives of service members buried in Winchester National Cemetery, with a focus on the Civil War soldiers. The research has had many twists and surprises and along the way, I’ve teamed with nonprofits and fellow historians to share these stories and fundraise for Wreaths Across America.
You can explore the podcast “The Story of How Ye Fell” created in partnership with Wreaths Across America Radio and featuring several seasons of historical and remembrance storytelling.
This year it’s an honor to partner directly with Winchester Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol in their fundraising and coordinating efforts with Wreaths Across America. We are striving to have a wreath on each headstone in Winchester National Cemetery this year and it’s a volunteer team effort, sharing the opportunity with the local community and the Civil War history world.
Come attend a FREE virtual event to learn more about Winchester National Cemetery’s history (details above). Donate one wreath or many wreaths! And if you’re able and nearby, come out on December 19 to “say their names” and place wreaths on these veterans’ graves. It is a choice to remember them and not forget the sacrifices for the ongoing pursuit of liberty in our country’s history.
