Ortonville Cemetery Walk and Decoration Day Report

In 1864, Pvt. Thomas Tucker of Brandon Township stood guard at Union Army headquarters near Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 17-year-old soldier penned poignant reflections in his diary about the ongoing Civil War, which had raged for over three years. He described a fierce battle, captured Confederate prisoners—many of whom were just teenagers—and their shared desire for the war to end. Tucker’s diary entry from 160 years ago offered a vivid snapshot of the war’s human side. View a copy of his diary at the Ild Mill Museum or the Brandon Township Public Library. 

This past Memorial Day, 27 re-enactors highlighted Tucker’s story and those of 11 other local Civil War veterans at Ortonville Cemetery. Historians and reenactors shared these soldiers’ experiences at their gravesites, bringing history to life. The event culminated in extensive research by Carol Bacak-Egbo of Oakland County Parks and Recreation and Alan and Tina Allgaier of the Ortonville Community Historical Society. Additionally, women in 1860s attire reenacted early Decoration Day traditions by placing flowers on the graves of all 53 Civil War veterans buried in the cemetery. The Old Mill Museum in Ortonville also refreshed its Civil War display, offering a special historical Decoration Day exhibit.