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Moultrie Creek on 24 Nov 08March 13, 1998 Letters to the Editor St. Augustine.com Soldiers are honored Editor: As a member of the General W.W. Loring Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, I would like to thank Mr. G.L. Wilson for his kind comments concerning our recent black heritage ceremony in which we honored black soldiers, both Union and Confederate from St. Augustine. To set the record straight as to who was honored, I would like to state that at our ceremony we honored two black Confederate and seven black Union soldiers who are buried in San Lorenzo Cemetery. There are other black Union soldiers buried at various sites around the county. We placed a rose and the appropriate flag, Confederate or United States, on each soldiers grave. Those present found it to be quite a moving ceremony. Union soldiers honored were: # Pvt. Josua Hagerman, 34th U.S. Colored Infantry # Sgt. Richard Hernandez, 8th U.S. Colored Infantry # Pvt. Toby Mongen, 21st U.S. Colored Infantry # Cpl. David Twine, 33rd U.S. Colored Infantry # Cpl. William Vandyke, 33rd U.S. Colored Infantry # Musician John William Welters, 33rd U.S. Colored Infantry # Cpl. Thomas William, 21st U.S. Colored Infantry Confederate soldiers honored were: # Musicians Emanuel Osburn and Anthony T. Welters, 3rd Florida Infantry There are two other known black Confederates from St. Johns County, however we have been unable to locate their graves. These men are: Pvt. Issac Papino, 3rd Florida Infantry Pvt. Tony Fontane, 3rd Florida Infantry If anyone knows the location of the graves of these two men, I would appreciate hearing from you so that we can properly mark their graves and honor these soldiers of the South. William D. Chisolm Heritage Officer General W.W. Loring Camp 1316 Sons of Confederate Veterans St. Augustine
