In a solemn ceremony over Memorial Day weekend, more than 40 Revolutionary War-era soldiers were finally laid to rest in Lake George, New York. This significant event took place in the southeastern foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, where former service members carried the remains in small pine boxes from the New York State Museum in Albany. The procession traveled 60 miles north, accompanied by vintage military vehicles adorned with American flags and black funeral bunting.
A Journey to Rest
The remains, unexpectedly unearthed at a construction site in 2019, included young soldiers, a woman, and a child, highlighting the hardships faced by families during wartime. Lisa Anderson, the museum’s curator of bioarchaeology, emphasized the privilege of sharing their stories as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary of independence.
The soldiers were reinterred at the new Repose of the Fallen memorial in Lake George Battlefield Park, about 200 miles north of New York City. Jennifer Saunders, the museum’s executive director, noted the profound meaning of this reinterment, ensuring these individuals are remembered for their service and sacrifice.
Historical Discovery
The discovery began seven years ago with unmarked graves found during construction work in Lake George. Artifacts such as pewter military buttons from the First Pennsylvania Battalion helped date the remains to the Revolutionary War, linking them to the 1775–1776 Quebec Campaign. The site is believed to have been a burial ground for soldiers housed at a makeshift smallpox hospital at Lake George’s southern end.
Anderson described the hospital conditions as rudimentary, serving primarily to isolate the sick. This discovery has shifted the historical narrative of Lake George, previously more associated with the French and Indian War.
After years of analysis, including the study of skulls and bones of 44 individuals, it is believed most were part of a failed Continental Army campaign to make Quebec the fourteenth colony. Although they did not live to see the Revolution’s end, their dignified burial honors their contributions to America’s fight for freedom.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
