attends the funeral for Mrs. Alberta Stewart Martin
THE CASKET OF MRS. ALBERTA STEWART MARTIN AS SHE LIE IN STATE AT THE ELBA BAPTIST CHURCH
The 15th AL INF CO E was requested as a unit to be the honor guards over the casket for Mrs. Martin as she lie in state at the Elba Baptist Church. On Saturday, June 12, 2004, from the hours of 0800-1200 we as a unit assembled at the church to begin our honor guard duties. During the time we were there two soldiers stood guard at the front door of the church and two soldiers stood at the casket. This was done in 45 minute increments then rotating out. It was an honor to be a part of such an historic event.
Mrs. Martin, at the time, was the last known living confederate civil war widow in Alabama. During the process of her funeral it was learned that another lady now survives her that lives out west. I hope that her representatives take as good care of her as Mrs. Martin's representatives did for her. We are nearing the end of all direct contact with the civil war as far as living persons are concerned. It becomes the duty of the descendants of our civil war ancestors to pick up where they left off and preserve this history so it will never be forgotten.
With this in mind, we who are re-enactors, try to continue events such as recreating battles and putting on living histories so that the public can see the way of life for our civil war soldiers and the way of life for families as it was during the 1860's. I have placed on this website a few chosen pictures of the funeral for Mrs. Martin and the part that we had in it. There is no implication of any intrustion into the intimacy and privacy of her funeral. I am only presenting the fact that we as a unit were proud to do our part as was requested.
