Edward R. Campbell

Major
U.S. Army (Retired)
Age: 92
Grave # 41

The 1936 interment form, Q.M.C.Form No. 14, summarizes the story.

Edward (or Ed.) Romanzo Campbell enlisted in company G, 1st Vermont Heavy Artillery on September 1, 1862. (The regiment was called the 11th Vermont Volunteer Infantry at that time.) He was honorably discharged on May 13, 1865, died on March 10, 1936 and was buried at Battleground National Cemetery on March 12, 1936.

He was in the skirmish line at Fort Stevens on July 12th and was member of the detail that buried the dead at Battleground National Cemetery. After the war he was a member of the DC National Guard where he optained the rank of Major. He was an employee of the Pension Bureau in Washington D.C. between 1882 to 1915. In his later years lived with his daughter and her husband, Mr. & Mrs.Goodrich at 30 Elm Avenue in Takoma Park. He died of pneumonia on March 10, 1936, at Mt. Alto hospital, and was interred at Battleground National Cemetery on March 12, 1936.

This 1902 photo of Major Edward R. Campbell appeared in The Vermonter: The State Magazine, Volume 9, Number 12, July 1904, Page 383.

The article says that “Major Campbell is a veteran of the Civil War and is an official of the U. S. Pension Bureau.”

In July of 1935 Major Campbell was interviewed by Hoyt Barnett of the Washington Evening Star. This photo appeared in the resulting article entitled “Recalls Gen. Earyl's Raid” (The Evening Star, Washington, D.C. July 14, 1935, Page F-4.)

Maj. Edward R. Campbell of the old Vermont Brigade on a visit to old Fort Stevens in Washington, where, as a young private of 20 years of age, he saw President Lincoln standing and directing the attack of Union troops which drove Lieut. Gen. Jubal A. Early and his Confederate troops out of Washington. —Harris–Ewing Photo.

An historical marker displays these two photos of Major Campbell's rainy funeral. (See HMdb)

Funeral for E.R. Campbell, the last veteran of the Battle of Fort Stevens to be buried here, 1936.

An Army bugler plays taps at the 1936 funeral of E. R. Campbell, the last veteran of the battle.

Read the obituaries that appeared in the Washington Post and the Washington Star, and the Post's description of his burial Battleground Cemetery.