History buffs who visit Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi are overwhelmingly white. A new monument in the Civil War battlefield will change that, will be dedicated Feb. 14, honoring black Mississippians who participated in the Vicksburg campaign during the CW. Hopefully it will awaken an appreciation of African-Americans that many of their ancestors did, in fact, fight for their freedom in the Civil War. The monument depicts two black soldiers dressed in Union uniforms, representing the 1st and 3rd Mississippi Infantry Regiments of African descent. One will be in work clothes, to represent the slaves who were pressed into service for the Union & the Confederacy. It will be the only monument in the National Park Service dedicated solely to black soldiers in the CW; a sign at the monument site notes black soldiers' role in the Battle of Milliken's Bend, La., on June 7, 1863. The site up the Mississippi River from Vicksburg was a Union supply & communication post. Vicksburg surrendered to Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant on July 4, 1863, giving the Union control of the Mississippi River...... Here is the rest of the story and a definite Lorain County connection. Glenn Carruthers, who is a charter member of the LC Chapter & former chairperson of First Families of LC, felt honored to be invited to attend the dedication and accepted. Glenn is a direct descendant of the George North Carruthers. George N. Carruthers graduated from Oberlin�s School of Theology, class of 1862. George was the white Chaplain assigned to that first 51st OVI colored troop that fought for Missipppi in the campaign. At that time there was no colored chaplain available to attach to the unit. Following the CW, George made his career within the field of education, serving for several years as Superintendent of the Elyria Schools. He retired to Oberlin. George N. Carruthers died in 1906 at the age of 73 & is buried in Oberlin�s Westwood Cemetery by his wife Mary Elizabeth Chapin. George & Mary has seven children. BTW, Glenn CARRUTHERS, who retired to FL a few years ago, phoned a couple of days ago & told of this dedication. He is also the author of NON-MILITARY DEATH NOTICES FROM THE LORAIN CO. NEWS, 1860-1867reprint, 54 pp with map.(Oberlin OH), 1860-1867, compiled & published in 1983 Glenn is a cousin to Judy Kelble of Norwalk OH (our lorgen�s 1st webmaster) who is a CHAPIN descendant & Lorain County First Family inductee #107. If you care to read G.N. Carruthers obit, see the Oct. 4, 1906 issue of The Elyria Republican at Ancestry.com. ===== Nancy M. Clay Meyers, Lorain OH Life Member of Ohio Genealogical Society http://www.ogs.org/ Genealogy Lookup Volunteer http://www.centurytel.net/lorgen Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness Volunteer http://www.raogk.org __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003 http://search.yahoo.com/top2003