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| A life size statue of a Confederate soldier overlooks the gravesites |
The Brick Church on Well's Hill, now known as Old Blandford Church of Bristol Parish, was erected in 1735. Rich
in Colonial, Revolutionary, War of 1812, and Confederate history, this old church was abandoned after the building of another
Episcopal church in Petersburg, when the Town of Blandford had been absorbed by Petersburg. Necessary repairs for its preservation
were made by the City of Petersburg in 1882.
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| Memorial Arch Inscribed |
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| "Waiting The Reveille" |
There are over 30,000 Confederate Soldiers buried on these grounds. Most are buried in mass graves without individual
markers. They are buried by their State of origin when known. Those who could not be identified by name or state are buried
with stone markers simply marked Unknown as shown above. There is a marker here for all the Southern States that participated
in the war.
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There are fifteen Tiffany stained memorial windows in the Old Blandford Church that were designed by Louis Comfort
Tiffany. Each one represents one of the Confederate States. All but Kentucky are represented there. At the
time the windows were being done Kentucky was unable to afford to participate.
The window at the front of the church has the Confederate Flag. It is thought to be the only window that
the Tiffany Company ever designed displaying the Confederate flag. The Saints for each state were chosen by Louis Comfort
Tiffany and each window bear his name. The first windows were unveiled in 1904.
Above is the oldest marked grave in the cemetery that dates from 1702.
It is inscribed:
Richard Yarbrouch
1702
Aged 87
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| Cockade Monument |
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I wish I could have taken pictures of the windows from the inside to show the detail that went into these windows.
but due to how old the windows are it's not permitted.
Present day City of Petersburg was originally formed as Fort Henry in 1645, renamed Peter's Point and then renamed
Petersburg in 1733. Established in 1748, it was incorporated as a town in 1784 and incorporated as a city in 1850. Parent
counties for the City of Petersburg were Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and Prince George County. In 1784, the towns of Blandford,
Pocahontas and Ravenscroft were added.
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