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Colonel Cross Memorial LbNA #53618 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 27, 2010
Location:
City:Lancaster
County:Coos
State:New Hampshire
Boxes:1
Planted by:The Parsons Family
Found by: Not yet found!
Last found:N/A
Status:aaaa
Last edited:Oct 28, 2015
Col. Edward E. Cross

Colonel Edward Cross was a Civil War hero. He is a very important person to Lancaster. He was born in Lancaster N.H. in 1832, and he died at Gettysburg, PA in 1863. When he was 15 years old he worked for the Coos County Democrat newspaper. He moved to Ohio and Arizona and worked as a printer and a reporter. Col. Edward Cross then moved west in 1857. He was the commander in the Mexican Liberal Army from 1860 to 1861.

He moved back to N.H. in 1861 and became the Colonel of the Fifth Regiment of New Hampshire volunteers. He led the “Fighting Fifth” in the Civil War at the battles of Fair Oaks, Antietam, Federicksburg, and Gettysburg. Cross’s troops loved him very much.

During the battle of Fredricksburg, a shell exploded directly in front of Colonel Cross. While Cross lay on the ground awaiting death, a soldier discovered that he was still alive. He was brought to the mayor’s house, which was being used as a hospital. Soldiers thought he was dead, and when one said so, Cross raised his head and strongly disagreed. During the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Cross was struck in the abdomen by a mini ball. He died from his wound. Colonel Cross had always worn a red bandana during battle so his men could easily find him. On the day he died, he wore a black bandana because he had a vision that he was going to die that day. Soon after his death, he was brought home and buried in Wilder Cemetary - 16 1/2ft. from his childhood home.

Colonel Edward Cross was posthumously awarded the title of Brigadier General, and a sword his men had commissioned for him may be viewed at the New Hampshire State Capital building in Concord, NH.

*Begin at the Welcome Center on Main Street. Pick up a brochure inside if they are open.*


Let’s begin our trip
Colonel Cross’s monument
Will be fun to find.

Begin at front door
Go left of Welcome Center
Look for the four trees.

Walk straight through the trees
Go down slope to parking lot
Courthouse is ahead.

Where the courthouse is
On this land was a brick school
Built in 1912.

Once you arrive there
Look for the granite podium
Read about old school.

From school monument
Travel to the gazebo
Skip around sidewalk.

Stop where sidewalks meet
You will see a big, tall tree
Hiding history.

Move toward the big tree
Walk around to other side
Look, war monument!

Dedicated to
Soldiers who fought in the wars
Read our heroes names.

Walk to the crosswalk
And now travel across the street
Look at real estate.

Turn left, see a house
made in 1892
Called Seven Gables.

Walk now past a church
You will see a rusty gate
Keeping old graves safe.

Open the gate please
At Wilder Cemetary
Look for Cross’s grave.

Please stay on the path
Start walking up the hill now
Past stumps and tall trees.

Walk until you see
A pink, family gravestone
With the name of “Cross”.

Look one grave over
On left, you’ll find Colonel Cross
Buried near his home.

Killed in Civil War
In Battle of Gettysburg
New Hampshire soldier.

When you are finished
Go back the way you came in
Are you having fun?

You are back at church
Look up at the weathervane
Angel with trumpet.

This church is helpful
They give hungry people food
Because they are kind.

Keep strolling forward
To the tall gray monument
It is on the left.

Here his home once stood
Born in 1832
Lived there fifteen years.

Study monument
Now go to the other side
Admire the trees.

Go straight in the woods
Look down to find our treasure
Open box and stamp!