By Steve Huffman
news@salisburypost.com
Rodney Cress believes that somewhere Lorenzo Deming is smiling, proud that his Civil War accomplishments are finally recognized.
“I could not, in good conscience, know we have a Medal of Honor recipient lying here in Salisbury and nothing be done to recognize him,” said Cress, a Vietnam War veteran and former lieutenant with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office who is an advocate for all things veteran-related. “This is my way of letting Mr. Deming know I’m appreciative of what he did.”
Deming was only 20 on Oct. 27, 1864, when, as a crew member of a tiny torpedo boat, he helped stage a courageous attack against the CSS Albemarle near Plymouth, N.C. Under the guise of darkness, the 14 crew members of the torpedo boat gunned their craft to full speed, leaped a log barrier that protected the Albemarle and rammed a spar torpedo into the Confederate ironclad.
Cress describes a spar torpedo as, “Basically, a bomb on a stick.”
The attack resulted in the sinking of the Albemarle, but the crew of the torpedo boat suffered mightily. Two of the crew members died as a result of the attack and two escaped. The remaining 10 ó Deming included ó were captured by Confederates. Deming was taken to the Salisbury prison, where he died of pneumonia on Feb. 8, 1865. He was buried in a mass grave at the prison.
Deming, a native of New Britain, Conn., died unaware that he and six of his fellow torpedo-boat crew members were awarded the Medal of Honor by President Lincoln. It’s the most prestigious award presented to members of the U.S. military, awarded to only 3,447 since its inception in 1861.
For 143 years, Deming’s remains have been buried in a shallow trench grave at the site of the former prison, nothing at the V.A. National Cemetery commemorating the fact that a Medal of Honor recipient lies there.
Cress began working to change that 16 months ago when he stumbled upon Deming’s story while reading a book about the Civil War. He researched the matter and was fascinated by the facts he uncovered ó that the burial site of a Medal of Honor recipient was unmarked.
After six months of work, Cress petitioned officials with the National Cemetery to place a headstone honoring Deming at the facility. Also contacted were officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Cress’ request was initially refused, officials citing the fact that a memorial headstone honoring Deming had been placed at a private family cemetery in New Britain, Conn. A V.A. regulation allows that only one headstone be placed per service member.
“I just wasn’t happy with that decision,” Cress said. “We should honor heroes to the highest level and never forget their sacrifices.”
He persisted by contacting Sen. Richard Burr, who serves as the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Two of Burr’s staff members ó Mindi Walker and Natasha Hickman ó were assigned to assist Cress in his quest for a marker to honor Deming.
In May, Cress was notified that the V.A. agreed to his request. The marker was erected this past week on a hill at the National Cemetery. It tells much of the history of the former prison and also commemorates the efforts of Deming and his fellow torpedo-boat crew members.
Cress said the marker is a fitting tribute to a young man who gave his life for his country. He said it never would have happened had it not been for the efforts of Burr and his staff.
“Not one time did Sen. Burr’s staff falter,” Cress said. “I also want to thank the V.A. National Cemetery Administration for their decision reversal and the Salisbury cemetery staff for their work in placing the marker.”
Cress noted that during the course of the Civil War, almost 12,000 men died at the Salisbury prison, the number incarcerated at the site greatly exceeding that for which it was designed.
“I think this marker will also pay homage to the average soldier who died here doing his part in fighting for their homeland freedom,” Cress said. “There are many horror stories I uncovered about the prison and the suffering the prisoners went through. This marker, I hope, will in some way, show respect for them all.”
Dedication of the marker is tentatively set for May 8, when members of the Sons of Union Veterans travel to Salisbury for a re-enactment of a Civil War funeral.
On a cold day last week, as the wind whipped across the grounds of the National Cemetery, Cress admired the marker that pays tribute to Deming, a young man who died not knowing the attention his passing would more than a century later generate.
“I got the most amount of pleasure doing this,” Cress said, surveying the thousands of white crosses that mark graves at the cemetery. “It’s heart-warming to know that a fellow soldier is recognized.”