Delineation of a Historic Grave Site (9ME509), Land Management Compartment L2, Fort Benning, Muscogee County, Georgia

An historic grave site was disturbed during military maneuvers at Fort Benning on 23 June

1996. Delineation of this site (9ME509) was conducted by Brockington and Associates, Inc., under

contract with Fort Benning. Investigations consisting of archaeological survey and archival research

were undertaken during September 1996 through March 1997.

Three possible grave shafts were encountered during archaeological survey, in addition to

the grave identified during military maneuvers. Locations of these graves were flagged and recorded

on appropriate Fort Benning base maps, and a site form was submitted. Background research

provided a complete property history, but failed to definitively identify the occupants of these

graves. Limited archival evidence suggests that the individual in the disturbed grave may be Alice

Johnson Cobb (c. 1840- c.l900) an African American tenant of the R.R. Snellings family.

Recommendations to Fort Benning for disposition of 9ME509 follow policies defined in the

current Historic Preservation Plan for Fort Benning. The disturbed grave should be restored and

stabilized, and all verified and possible graves should be protected.

According to Fort Benning documentation (Scope of Work 1996), on June 23, 1996, a human

skull was encountered by soldiers of Company C of the 119th Infantry during training exercises in

Compartment L2 of the Fort Benning Military Reservation (Figure I). The skull was exposed during

excavation of sanitary slit trenches.

Fieldwork at 9ME509 verified one grave and encountered three additional depressions which resemble filled grave shafts. Background research provided detailed ownership information for the tract and identified one person (Alice Johnson, born c. 1 840. died c. 1900) who might represent the buried remains encountered at 9ME509. The identified grave and the three possible grave shafts were flagged in the field and are shown in a site plan map.

Analysis relevant to recommendations of eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places was beyond the scope of this project.

Following policies defined in the current Historic Preservation Plan for Fort Benning (Elliott et aL 1995; Fryman and Thomason 1995), the disturbed grave at 9ME509 should be restored, stabilized, and protected. No additional archaeological investigations are recommended. All previously removed skeletal remains should be returned to the grave and carefully reburied.

Following reburial, the ground surface over and surrounding the grave should be restored to its original condition (i.e., return pushpile soils into graded ditch). Appropriate grave markers should be erected at the head- and footstone locations of the disturbed grave. Groundcover vegetation should be planted in the disturbed area to deter erosion and to stabilize the surface. To prevent future disturbance. a well-marked boundary with appropriate buffer (15 feet beyond the known grave and the possible grave shafts) should be established, or a fence should be erected. If these recommendations are implemented, it should not be necessary to conduct periodic monitoring of the site area.