On November 6, 2004, we were blessed with beautiful weather for the resetting of Harrison Byrne's military head stone and the setting of his brother John's military head stone at the Memphis, MO. City Cemetery.

Volunteer workers started arriving at the cemetery before 8:00 a.m.  Part stayed to help set up the headquarters/mess tent while others headed to Payne Funeral Chapel to load up John's stone.  Randy Dickerman of Guardian Angel Film Co. was on hand to start the filming process for the documentary film.
 
 
 

Roger Shannon and Leo Fikes push and pull the heavy stone up on to the trailer for it's trip to the cemetery.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Meanwhile back at the cemetery, the headquarters/mess tent had been pitched.  Cook tables were moved in and quickly laden with food and drink for the noon day meal.  The ladies showed off their cooking skills knowing they had to feed a bunch of hard working men.  Rick Fisher of KMEM radio in the middle of the picture had arrived to do interviews for the news programs.  Members of the Sons of Union Veterans, the Daughters of Union Veterans, Civil War reenactors and reenactresses, Byrne family members and citizens were arriving in force.  Even passerbys turned their vehicles around to pull in and check out what was happening!!

Roger Shannon is starting with the first shovel of sod and dirt.  The shovels were passed on to others until they had a hole big enough for John's stone.  They then carefully removed Harrison's stone.  You can see how deep it has sunk into the ground at the right side of this picture.  The silver wash bowl, a potato brush, dish detergent and water applied to the stone did wonders in removing vegetative growth and dirt.
 
 

10:00 a.m. and now begins the ceremony of bringing in John's stone in the cradle.  The sun rose higher and the blue wool got hotter to work in, but no complaints came from these guys.
 
 
 

The ground has been opened and John's stone has arrived and is resting still in the cradle on the ground between the soldiers.  Harrison's stone which is lying in the foreground will be reset first.
 
 
 

Easing Harrison's stone back into the ground as young and old look on entranced by something they probably have never seen before and may never see again.
 
 
 

Front view of the resetting of Harrison's stone.  In front on the right is John Helenthal, G.G. Grandson of Harrison Byrne.
 
 
 
 
 

A close up view of Harrison's after resetting.  Notice the color difference from the years of being sunk into the ground.
 
 
 

Harrison's stone is reset and now the task of setting John's stone next to him.
 
 
 
 
 

Front view of sliding John's stone down into the earth.  After finishing, the men lined up at the silver wash bowl to wash up and get in line at the mess tent for a much earned meal and a little rest.
 
 
 
 

1:00 p.m.  The GAR dedication service was presented by the Sons of Union Veterans as per the 1879 GAR ritual on services, led by MO. SUV Dept. Commander Charlie Funck.  Maj. Jack G. Grothe, Commander of the 4th Military District, Sons of Veterans Reserve, read the Memorial Orders:  "By authority of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, we gather here today to dedicate the military grave stone of Corporal John Peyton Byrne, Company I of the 21st MO. Inf.  He served our Union honorably in it's time of need."
Roger Shannon, Past Dept. Commander of Iowa assisted with vocal music tributing the ceremonies.

Ozzie Thompson, National President of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, standing in the middle of the audience gave the following Address:  "This gathering here today to dedicate the military grave stone of Corporal John Peyton Byrne marks the beginning of his long journey home.  We have begun the preparations for his final resting place near his brothers and other family members.  His grave stone marks the spot where we shall gather again next May to lay his cremains to rest.  He once was lost but through the amazing grace of God, he has been found.  We, the Sons and Daughters of Union Veterans, Civil War historians and the citizens of his home town of Memphis, MO. shall see to it that his name will be known and remembered by all.  We thank-you for attending and being a part of this dedication."

Infantry gun salute for the resetting and setting of the military head stones.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Followed by the first cannon salute for Harrison Byrne's stone resetting.
 
 

                   AND THEN...................