Here in the keeping of the Ladies Memorial Association are the remains of the Fort Stedman heroes, killed March 25th, 1865, many of whose bones were then bleaching in the sun.
Besides the reburials on Memorial Hill, many thousands of soldiers from other battlefields were brought to Petersburg for hospitalization from 1861-1865 and died here. Many of these were buried in Blandford Cemetery, a record of whom is kept in the church, showing their native state, their rank,
age, cause of death, and beside whom buried north, south, east and west. The markers in the sections where these are interred are marked:
"Confederate Soldiers 1861-1865"
Base of the life size statue of a Confederate soldier facing north overlooking the gravesites.
Memorial Arch Enscribed
"Waiting The Reveille"
The Grounds overlooking the Grave Markers.
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.
The Petersburg campaign cost the North about 42,000 men and the south about 28,000. In cold calculations and neutral nomenclature of many statisticians, these men fell in six major battles, eleven engagements, forty four skirmishes, six assaults, nine actions, three expedition's, and one affair.
It was the longest military investment of a city in United States history. The nine and a half months of operations left its mark in the form of miles of trenches and strong points, many of which remain today to remind us of the events which took place from mid-June 1864 to early April 1865.
These rounded yet still impressive mounds offer silent tribute to the courage, valor, and fortitude of the "Billy Yanks" and "Johnny Rebs" who so long battled for the city. If duration and endurance are the prime measurements of sacrifice, then Petersburg is indeed the most "hallowed of ground."
Services Are held on Memorial Hill in Blandford Cemetery each year. The services are held not only for the 30,000 Confederate dead who are buried here, but for service members of all wars.
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