Stop 2: Cluster of Graves
In this section of the cemetery lie six of our African-American burials representing the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War I.
Both of our Civil War soldiers buried here have connections to the Fredericksburg area. Private Thomas Hill enlisted in the 50 USCT on January 10, 1865 as a substitute for James Emory of Walnut Grove, Illinois. Born in Tennessee and twenty years old at enlistment, Thomas listed his occupation as a farmer. He served with this unit from January 1865 to January 1866 and was discharged in Jackson, Mississippi. He died here in Fredericksburg on October 22, 1930.
The other Civil War burial has a special connection to our park. Private Charles Sprout (he is also listed as Sprow) served with the 1 USCT Cavalry from December 12, 1863 until February 4, 1866. Prior to the war, Charles was owned by James Horace Lacy; he was a slave at Chatham which is now our park headquarters. Sprow must have claimed his freedom for his pension file contains a note that he was free as of April 19, 1861 and he enlisted at Fort Monroe, VA which saw a large number of refugee arrivals. In his mid-twenties by the time he was discharged, Sprow later married and lived until the age of 86 when he died on February 13, 1926.