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The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War provided a lasting memorial to a Union soldier killed in the Civil War. James D. Cain is a Great Great Grandson to Private Gerke. He told the assembled crowd that it was his son who encouraged him to begin the family search. Along his genealogical search he met other descendants who were also present for the ceremony.
The program began with an introduction from Patrick H. Lovett, Director of the National Cemetery Complex. Master of Ceremonies was Thomas Griswold of The E.P. Marrs Camp 5. Members of the Gerke family unveiled the stone and laid a wreath of flowers during the ceremony.
As the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War begins (the first battle of the war was on April 12,1861) it was especially fitting to see this ceremony which included a firing salute, a cannon salute and the playing of Taps by Past Kentucky Department Commander, John Burch, Sr.
Private Gerke was killed during the battle of Chickamauga in September of 1863. The battle marked the end of a Union offensive in Southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. The battle was the most significant Union defeat in the the Western Theater of the war and involved the second highest number of casualties - second only to the Battle of Gettysburg.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War cite part of their purpose as seeing that soldiers are remembered as individuals instead of as unknown soldiers.
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