Confederate Memorial Day Service National Park Service ~ Manassas National Battlefield Park Groveton Confederate Cemetery May 25, 1998

By virtue of a long-standing agreement with the National Park Service, the 42nd Virginia assists with the maintainance of the fences and grounds at Groveton Confederate Cemetery, located in the Manassas National Battlefield Park. In return for this assistance, every Memorial Day the 42nd is invited to participate in a ceremony sponsored by the Park Service to honor the 266 Southern soldiers killed at the Battles of First and Second Manassas and buried in the cemetery. This year's ceremony was marked by a day-long living history encampment next to the cemetery, a speech by Museum of the Confederacy staffer John Koski, and the presence of reknowned period brass musician Mark Elrod.

Doug Koupash explains the fine art of stacking arms to a visitor

Civilian member Katie Fraser entertains the younger crowd before the memorial ceremony begins

The color guard

Noted period bugler and musical authority Mark Elrod plays "Taps" in honor of the Confederate dead

National Park Service Ranger James Phelps (far right), an honorary member of the 42nd, addresses the crowd

John Koski (Museum of the Confederacy)