GDG- Memorial Day

[128thpa at comcast.net]

I was privilege today to be able to give honor to many Veterans, but especially to Generals Winfield Scott Hancock, Samuel K. Zook, John Hartranft, Adam J.Slemmer, and Matthew McClennan at Montgomery Cemetery in Norristown, Pa.

As part of the ceremony, I was asked to speak on the lives of Zook, Slemmer and McClennan.  Hancock was covered by the Hancock Society and Hartranft by the descendents of the 51st Pa.

Zook as we know was killed on July 2nd in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg.  He was 41.  He had been involved before the war in the telegraph business.  He grew up in the Valley Forge area,where the family home still stands and is used as a ranger station in Valley Forge National Park.

Slemmer was in charge of Ft. Pickens, Fl, when the war broke out.  Through his tenacity, the Fort was retained by the Union through out the war.    He died at the age of 39 in 1868 while stationed at Ft. Laramie.  He was a graduate of West Point and taught there before the war.  

McClennan, we don't know much about.  He was seriously wounded at Jacob's Ford in Va. In action around Petersburg, his bravery won him a brevet promotion to Br. General.  Exhausted from chronic diarrhea, and effects from fistula and pleurisy, he died at age 38, leaving a wife and 2 small children.  
Paula