Possible mismarked headstones at Winchester National Cemetery
Not long ago, it came to my attention that there are two headstones in the Winchester National Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia that are mix-match in nature when it comes to inscriptions and design. 
Ezekiel Ashcraft’s stone identifies him as a member of Co. G, 12th West Virginia Infantry. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with that,however, the next line really throws things off as it identifies the unit as in the service of the “CSA.” Other “Confederate identifiers” on Ashcraft’s headstone include the distinctive pointed feature at the top of the stone and the “Confederate Cross of Honor” (with a wreath inside the maltese-type cross). Incidentally, since the 12th West Virginia was a Union unit, the distinctive recessed Union shield is absent from the headstone. Also, note that this headstone has “In Memory Of” engraved on the top, just under the Confederate Cross of Honor, meaning, this soldier isn’t really buried here.
Then, we have the stone of J.V. Sims. First Lieutenant John V. Sims of the 122nd New York Infantry, according to the website created in honor of the 122nd NY Infantry, was a member of Co. H, having served as a 1st lieutenant with the company from 8 July 1864 through until his death at Third Winchester on 19 September 1864. As with Ashcraft’s stone, Sims’ stone has some of the same features that would falsely identify him as a Confederate soldier, but, in contrast with Ashcraft’s stone, that “122nd NY Inf., CSA” stands out like a sore thumb.
So, is this a simple matter of “let’s just get replacement stones that accurately reflect the nature of the service of these men?” Well, it might be a bit more complicated than that. You see, I have it on good authority that an official tied to the cemetery has been telling people that these men were Confederate spies. I’ll keep you posted as more details come to my attention.
Tags: 122nd New York Infantry, 12th West Virginia Infantry, 1st Lieutenant John V. Sims, Battle of Opequon, Battle of Third Winchester, Ezekiel Ashcaft, headstones, Virginia, Winchester, Winchester National Cemetery
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