Folks, Here are two articles from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. One from yesterday and one from today regarding the graves near Cold Harbor Battlefield. It appears they were of Civil War soldiers. Below the two articles are other links from local television stations in Richmond on the same subject. My personal thanks to those of you who emailed me privately w/more info. Conveniently enough, there is indeed a Civil War/Antique Show in Richmond this weekend. For those who are not local who want to be kept up-to-date on this, please let me know and I will do so privately. Thanks again! Sheri Millikin Remains thought to be those of Civil War soldiers BY BOB PIAZZA TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Feb 01, 2002 Virginia State Police are investigating whether the remains of Civil War soldiers were removed from their graves near Cold Harbor Battlefield Park in Hanover County and stripped of valuable artifacts.State investigators searched land adjacent to the park Wednesday and found four boxes of human remains, one bag and a box of assorted artifacts and a defaced Civil War gravestone. State police believe the remains were dug up from an original grave on the private property and reinterred nearby."They should be remains of soldiers killed in the 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor," state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. "It's believed there were at least four bodies in this particular grave site."An affidavit attached to the search warrant said a resident described for police a site on Old Quaker Road where he said the remains of several bodies were buried in a makeshift grave. The site was under a pile of stones at the foot of a tree. The affidavit said the property appeared to belong to William I. Peele. Peele's wife, Kelley Peele of Strain Avenue in Mechanicsville, said she and her husband were trying to reach their attorney."There is no information that will be disclosed right now until the lawyer is talked to. And that is the way that will be," she said. No charges have been filed. Hanover Commonwealth's Attorney Kirby Porter acknowledged the probe but said he couldn't comment on an ongoing investigation.State police said they could not find any articles often found buried with Civil War soldiers in either the original grave or the new grave at the foot of the tree."They had been stripped of any kind of cloth, of buttons, buckles, items and artifacts that are usually found with remains from that period buried in that area," Geller said. "And that's what the investigators are trying to determine - obviously, the motive behind the desecration of these graves."David Ruth, assistant superintendent of the Richmond National Battlefield Park, said Civil War artifacts have considerable value. Ruth, who has been out of town, didn't know of Wednesday's search."There's a market for buckles, for buttons, and it's a very high priced market," he said. "Just a Union standard buckle that at one time was very common now sells on the market for over $100." Contact Bob Piazza at (804) 559-8408 or [email protected] Police Probe Civil War Remains Case Jan 31, 2002 http://www.timesdispatch.com/frontpage/MGBR0JSH5XC.html Virginia State Police are investigating whether the remains of Civil War soldiers were removed from their graves near Cold Harbor Battlefield Park in Hanover County and stripped of valuable artifacts. State investigators searched land adjacent to the park yesterday and found four boxes of human remains, one bag and a box of assorted artifacts and a defaced Civil War gravestone. State police believe the remains were dug up from an original grave on the private property and reinterred nearby. "They should be remains of soldiers killed in the 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor," state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. "It's believed there were at least four bodies in this particular grave site." No charges have been filed. Hanover Commonwealth's Attorney Kirby Porter acknowledged the probe but said he couldn't comment on an ongoing investigation. Television stations - WWBT - NBC Channel 12 http://www.msnbc.com/local/WWBT/448989.asp?cp1=1 WRIC - Channel 8 http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=645665&nav=0Rcw73NN WTVR - Channel 6 http://www.wtvr.com/Global/story.asp?S=644936