Wreaths Across America and Other Memorials at Stone River National Cemetery December 2017

Today is the 155th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Stones River in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Last week I visited the battlefield to see an adopted Iowa soldier's grave, Christian Brenner. He died following the Battle of Nashville and was later interred at Stones River.

Wreaths Across America, the national organization provides balsam wreaths with hand tied red bows for veteran's graves at participating cemeteries like the Stones River National Cemetery. This year was the second time that I have seen the wreaths placed, in part, within the Murfreesboro landmark.

According to the organization's website their goal is to annually provide wreaths to veterans' graves at all U.S. related cemeteries.

While Wreaths Across America provides a substantial amount of wreaths for Stone River, there is a budget and therefore not all graves receive a wreath. Knowing that Christian Brenner's grave (number 271) is located about two thirds the way from the entrance, his grave doesn't receive an annual wreath. So the 42N team purchased decorative white pine cones and placed them on his grave, having not been able to find a wreath at local floral stores on the day we visited. Nearby another Iowa veteran, I. Harrington, is also buried.  The team placed a white pine cone on his grave too.