For researchers and historians, cemeteries hold troves of information - names, birth and death dates, spouses, parents' names and even places of birth and death.  The older the cemetery, often, the more information.  Unfortunately, there is also misinformation, partial information, illegible markers and misspellings.

The Ladies Memorial Association (LMA), established in Fredericksburg in 1866, is conducting an inventory, or census of the Confederate Cemetery.  The purpose is to update the records made by the late Robert Hodge in the 1970s.  Mr. Hodge, a Fredericksburg teacher, used his spare time to index local newspapers and document local cemeteries.  For years, people have relied on Hodge's diligent work.  Since Mr. Hodge moved from Fredericksburg in the early 1990s, the cemetery records have been updated sporadically.  This latest undertaking is more comprehensive.  Members of the LMA are also identifying markers that are damaged, illegible, incorrect or just need cleaning (to be done very carefully). 

In Section 2, there is a large, elaborate marker in lot 25 with the name, James W. Redwood.  Mr. Redwood was born, according to the marker in 1846 and died in 1871, just 25 years old.  The marker is massive; like a large bathtub with a cross at one end and a slab at the other end that says "Willie Redwood."  The base of the cross has "Erected by his wife Maude, To my husband Willie, and Ah mia Dolores." 

A search of the LMA records, held by the Heritage Center, provides no further information.  Was Redwood a local resident, why is he buried in the Confederate Cemetery, what happened to Maude (she isn't buried with him)?  After consulting several other sources, a dead end.  The Calhoun family is also buried in Lot 25, but there seems to be no connection.  The earliest a Calhoun was buried was in 1953, 82 years after Willie.

The search continues. Perhaps other records at the Center will reveal more about James W. Redwood.