OSAKIS — A ceremony at Lakeside Cemetery in Osakis on Saturday, May 6 will honor the last Civil War veteran buried in Todd County.
His name is Private William M. Johnson. He died on Aug. 7, 1939 at the age of 94.
The ceremony, which starts at 1 p.m., is open to veterans, those with an interest in Civil War history, and the general public.
Wearing Civil War era attire is encouraged. Johnson's descendants are also invited to attend as special guests.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is conducting the ceremony with assistance from the Todd County Historical Society.
The ceremony will feature a "last soldier" dedication ritual of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and includes the placing of a last soldier marking on Johnson's grave.
Camp 56 of the Department of Wisconsin, whose territory is the entire states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, supports the national goal of identifying and placing a marker on the grave of the last Union veteran buried in each of Minnesota's 87 counties.
The members of Camp 56 say they consider the last soldier ceremony an honor and fitting tribute for a Union soldier whose service helped preserve the liberties Americans enjoy as a nation today.
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