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Civil War vet finally being laid to rest with his wife

by Mason••13

KoB sends in word on this heartwarming story. The Star Herald reports;

Cynthia Vest Kinkead has rested alone beneath a white headstone in her family’s large burial plot near the east entrance to Plattsmouth’s Oak Hill Cemetery ever since her death, in 1910.

She’s about to get some company in that lonely patch of grass.

Later this month, her husband, Civil War veteran Benton Kinkead, will be laid to rest beside her — just a few weeks after the unlikely discovery of his cremated remains in a Seattle funeral home 105 years after his death.

It’s believed he will be the first Civil War soldier buried in Nebraska in almost 75 years.

Kinkead, an Army private, fought for the Union forces to save the divided country more than 150 years ago, and was wounded in battle. On Oct. 30, he’ll finally be buried with full military honors — the folded flag, the bugled taps, the rifle salute — honored by veterans whose grandparents weren’t yet born when he performed his patriotic duty.

“He’s a veteran. He’s going to get a proper burial,” said Kermit Reisdorph, an Air Force veteran and former Plattsmouth American Legion commander, who is helping plan the event.

Bill Kinkead, 65, of Duvall, Washington, was stunned to get a call from Nebraska earlier this month about the discovery of the remains of a great-grandfather he barely knew existed. He is probably Benton Kinkead’s closest living relative.

“Well that’s interesting!” Bill Kinkead said of the discovery. “I think he deserves to be put to rest. It’s kind of interesting that he hadn’t been.”

We agree! Rest easy Private Kinkead. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to unite you with your beloved.

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13 thoughts on “Civil War vet finally being laid to rest with his wife”

  1. Beautiful and now united for…eternity Thank you for sending this in KoB and thank you Mason for posting it. I’ve always counted myself as lucky that I went to a school that spent an entire school-year teaching it’s students about what really led up to and caused the Civil War. Thank you Captain Harless, wherever you are…

  3. Pvt Kinkead, you may have taken the long road around but may you finally be at rest next to your beautiful bride.

  4. How could his cremated remains be in a funeral home for 105 years? In any event, glad he will be finally buried with dignity and honor. R.I.P.

  5. Kinda gets ya right in the feelz, don’t it. Every Warrior deserves their resting place…and a Marker for that Resting Place. The 77th Ohio gave a good accounting of themselves during the War. We won’t talk about how higher fornicated Fido during the Red River Campaign, much to the detriment of the Soldiers. The Sacrifices at Marks’ Mill kept Little Rock in the hands of the Union forces.

    A quick Wiki linky gives some of that story;

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Marks%27_Mills

    1. Yes, the Ohio 77th Volunteer Infantry was in the war from the very beginning. My great-great-grandfather was part of it until involuntarily becoming a guest of the Rebs at the Battle of Marks Mill. About 15 years after the war, he returned to Arkansas to put down roots as a farmer. He’s buried there in a cemetery guarded by a statue of a Confederate soldier. FYI, the Confederate after action report is posted on the Internet and is interesting reading.

  7. OK. If they don’t get 21 Blue Belly’s in clean and complete uniforms, to fire, in echelon, an inspiring and smoky rifle salute from their Springfields (double charge, of course), they will have failed this ever patient Civil War Veteran.

  10. A good thing happened. I suppose the VA will soon have his grave marker ready.

    With the popularity of DNA analysis these days, I wonder if anyone has thought of identifying the remains of those soldiers who died in places like Andersonville. Or if there are remains, or if they even know exactly where the ditches they were thrown into are.

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