Civil War

Published on May 9th, 2018 | by Newt Rayburn

Two University Greys Confederate Soldiers Receive New Tombstones in Oxford, Mississippi – Photographs by Newt Rayburn

On May 6, 2018, a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Oxford, Mississippi, the local Camp 1803 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans held a memorial service and dedication of new tombstones for two Confederate soldiers of the famous University Greys regiment.

The event featured Civil War era music by Alan Sibley & The Magnolia Ramblers, plus speeches by SCV Camp Commander Larry Mardis, historian Starke Miller, and Jefferson Davis (played by Wes Teel). Confederate Reenactors, women in period dresses, and a color guard ushered in the laying of wreaths, while 56 Confederate battle flags marked the graves of Confederate veterans in the cemetery.

“History is neither good or bad,” spoke Wes Teel, who was portraying Confederate President Jefferson Davis. “It is just history.”

“No matter how you seek to forget or ignore history, no matter how you seek to twist history to serve your political or social point of view, history will surface. No matter how you try to erase, history will reappear for those who value it to study it and to learn by history.”

The new tombstones were needed at the graves of two members of the University Greys, Company A in the 11th Mississippi Infantry during the Civil War. Almost all of the Greys were students at the University of Mississippi. Nearly the entire student body (135 men) enlisted in May of 1861; only four students reported for classes in fall 1861, so few that the university closed temporarily.

The most famous engagement of the University Greys was at Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg, when the Confederates made a frontal assault on the Union entrenchments atop Cemetery Ridge. The Greys penetrated further into the Union position than any other unit, but at the terrible cost of sustaining 100% casualties—every soldier was either killed or wounded. Other battles in which the Greys fought included Sharpsburg, First and Second Manasses, Gaines Farm, Seven Pines, and others.

The two Confederate soldiers receiving new tombstones were William J. Burkhead and Mitchell Adrian Reynolds.

Local farmer William Burkhead, 24, enlisted with the University Greys in April of 1861. He returned to Oxford in September 1861 and died soon after from an unknown disability. Mitchell Reynolds, 19, was a student at the University of Mississippi and enlisted the same day of Burkhead. He died of typhoid fever in Lynchburg, Virginia in August 1861 and his body was brought home to Oxford.

Both are buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Oxford, Mississippi and their original tombstones were damaged and broken.

Alan Sibley & The Magnolia Ramblers. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Confederate soldier reenactors. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1803 Commander Larry Mardis with Jefferson Davis (portrayed by Wes Teel). Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1803 Commander Larry Mardis with Civil War historian Starke Miller. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Wes Teel portraying Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Civil War historian Starke Miller. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Larry Mardis shows off a replica flag of the 11th Mississippi Infantry from the Civil War. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1803 Commander Larry Mardis. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Lani Burnette Rinkel and Dore Dorris lay wreaths at the graves of Confederate soldiers. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Lani Burnette Rinkel at the gravesite of Mitchell A. Reynolds, a Confederate soldier from the University Greys company. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

A new tombstone at the grave of Mitchell A. Reynolds, a Confederate soldier and member of the Company A of the 11th Mississippi Infantry, the “University Greys”. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

A new tombstone at the grave of William J. Burkhead, a Confederate soldier and member of the Company A of the 11th Mississippi Infantry, the “University Greys”. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

The original tombstone at the grave of William J. Burkhead, a Confederate soldier and member of the Company A of the 11th Mississippi Infantry, the “University Greys”. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

The original tombstone at the grave of Mitchell A. Reynolds, a Confederate soldier and member of the Company A of the 11th Mississippi Infantry, the “University Greys”. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

The gravesite of Mitchell A. Reynolds, a Confederate soldier and member of the Company A of the 11th Mississippi Infantry, the “University Greys”. Photograph by Newt Rayburn – © May 6, 2018.

Tags: 11th Mississippi Infantry, Alan Sibley & The Magnolia Ramblers, Antietam, Battle Flag, Battle of Gettysburg, Bull Run, Camp 1803, Cemetery, Cemetery Ridge, Civil War, Company A, Confederate, Dore Dorris, First Manasses, Gaines Farm, Greys, Jefferson Davis, Lani Burnette Rinkel, Larry Mardis, Lynchburg, Memorial, Mississippi, Mitchell Adrian Reynolds, Oxford, Pickett's Charge, Reenactment, SCV, Second Manasses, Seven Pines, Sharpsburg, Sons of Confederate Veterans, St. Peter's Cemetery, starke miller, tombstone, typhoid fever, Union, university, University Greys, University Greys Memorial, University of Mississippi, Virginia, Wes Teel, William J. Burkhead

About the Author

Newt Rayburn Newt Rayburn founded THE LOCAL VOICE in March of 2006. Previously, Newt was Editor of PROFANE EXISTENCE in Minneapolis, and Art Director for Ole Miss' LIVING BLUES magazine. Newt won a National Magazine Award in 1999 for his SOUTHERN MUSIC ISSUE with THE OXFORD AMERICAN. A seventh-generation Lafayette County, Mississippian, Newt Rayburn's alter ego—Neuter Cooter—lead the Mississippi band THE COOTERS to Rocknoll Glory across the USA from 1993-2018. Newt is a family man who also is a publisher, photographer, writer, musician, landlord, and Civil War enthusiast.