Berry Uncommon Kindness: The Grave of Hugh Berry
by adminIn the Salisbury National Cemetery of North Carolina, originally known as the Salisbury Confederate Prison, thousands of Union soldiers found their final resting place. They sleep on a soft, rolling hill, many without individual markers because the specifics are unknown. After the Civil War, it was officially named a National Cemetery in 1870 and enclosed in a stone wall. Of the numerous Union soldiers far from home in states including Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts to name only a few, stones were placed for any identified resting place as well as mass graves. Salisbury ws the sight of unspeakable horrors, malnourishment, and suffering as the men despaired and prayed for deliverance.You can find a quick rundown here There were acts of kindness. One that stands out as a beacon of hope for humanity is the personal efforts made by a local woman, Sarah Johnston, a neighbor of the prison. She opened her home, with permission from the prison commander, to care for recovering soldiers, regardless of which side was theirs. One soldier in her care, Hugh Berry, was from the Union and unfortunately did not survive. Ms. Johnston was a mother, took pity on the young man and buried him in her garden.