Friday, 4/13/12, I was honored to ride with the Patriot Guard Riders (over 50 missions completed at this writing)for Peter Jones Knapp, Civil War Veteran, Georgianna Pierson Knapp, Portland, OR, 13/Apr/12
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Patriot Guard Riders, we have been given a very special honor. We have been invited by the great-great-grand niece to stand for Civil War Veteran, Peter Jones Knapp and his wife, Georgianna Eliza Pierson Knapp. They have waited far too long to reach their final resting place, and we are honored to be allowed to stand for them both. After each of their funeral services, they were taken to the Portland Crematorium, but for whatever reason they were never interred. This will be the original burial for them both.
Peter joined the Union Army at a young 19 years old and was thrust into battle immediately. Seven months and several battles later, he came down with typhoid. Deemed too ill to travel the 10 miles by wagon, he and others were left in an abandoned building without medical attention for three weeks. Surviving that, he was active in numerous noted battles of the Civil War. In the Battle of Iuka, war records show his regiment lost more in this one hour and twenty minute engagement than any other regiment lost in any one engagement during the war. He was taken prisoner in the battle at Missionary Ridge. After 17 months, starved and almost blind, he escaped with others. After the Civil War, he later re-enlisted and served 15 months in the Indian War. Mr. Knapp survived in a desperate time and against incredible odds to live a long, full life.
He and Georgianna married in 1870 and remained so for 53 years. They came to Kelso, WA in 1887 and he started in the mill business. He was a justice of the peace and a police judge. He was a G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) commandant for three posts in Kelso and in charge of the indigent soldier's fund for 35 years. Mr. Knapp passed away at the age of 82 on April 13, 1924 -- 88 years ago. Mrs. Knapp lived until 1930 and passed away at the age of 76.
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This was one of those "once in a life-time events" of which I was extremely proud to be a part of.
