On Saturday, September 14th, 2024, Baker-Fisher Camp #101, of the Pennsylvania Department, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) conducted the Last Soldier Ceremony for Bucks County’s last surviving Civil War veteran in Newtown Cemetery in Bristol. The ceremony was attended by many individuals and organizations including numerous SUVCW camps, the great-great granddaughter, the great granddaughter, and a few great-great nephews of the deceased, the Bucks County Civil War Roundtable, Newtown Historic Association, Bucks County Commissioners, State Senator Steve Santarsiero, and a representative for U.S. Senator Bob Casey. Governor Josh Shapiro also sent his greetings.
The purpose of the Last Soldier ceremony is to recognize the last surviving veteran of each respective county. The Last Soldier project has been a project of the SUVCW since 2003, and the counties’ respective camps conduct ceremonies to honor the last surviving boys in blue.
The honoree at Newtown Cemetery was Sgt. Charles Duckworth, serving with the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry, where they saw action in the 1864 Overland campaign which included the battles of the Wilderness, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Yellow Tavern, and the siege of Petersburg. He was eventually transferred to the 3rd Provisional Pennsylvania Cavalry, a regiment comprised of veterans of the 18th and 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalries.
Duckworth also served as the last Post Commander of H. Clay Beatty Post #73, Pennsylvania Department, Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), with the post being headquartered in Bristol. Duckworth lived to the age of 102, passing away in early 1949. The descendants brought to the ceremony photos of Duckworth and a scrapbook full of newspaper clippings documenting Duckworth’s involvement with his post. They also had his commemorative medallion from the 75th anniversary reunion (1938) of the battle of Gettysburg.
Sgt. Duckworth not only marks Bucks County’s last veteran, but he is also the last surviving veteran for the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a state that had sent thousands of men into the nation’s bloodiest conflict. The commonwealth at that time was under the leadership of Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin, who answered President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops and attended the dedication of the National Soldiers Cemetery in Gettysburg. Governor Curtin also had multiple cousins and nephews who served in the war with numerous regiments.
With Duckworth’s passing in 1949 and with the presence of multiple descendants of Sgt. Duckworth in attendance, it gives us a reminder that the Civil War was not too long ago as we think, and that patriotic education about American values, holidays, civics and history, especially about the Civil War, is more important now than ever.
By Kyle Purchase
