Henry Casey Camp honors Clark County’s last Civil War veteran

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Members of Henry Casey Camp 92 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) on Sunday dedicated a bronze plaque at the grave site of Charles William Needles in Springfield at Ferncliff Cemetery recognizing him as Clark County’s last surviving Union Civil War veteran.

The ceremony was organized and arranged by Shawn Cox, a past camp and department commander.

Clinton County military veterans helped the Casey Camp fund the project.

The SUVCW is attempting to identify and honor the last surviving Union Civil War veteran in every county in the nation. They have identified the last Union veteran in 86 of Ohio’s 88 counties and have placed plaques at the graves of about one third of them.

In 2007 the SUVCW placed a plaque at the grave site of Thomas Benton Baldwin, Clinton County’s last surviving Union Civil War veteran. He is buried in the I.O.O.F Cemetery in Blanchester.

After his military service Needles lived in Springfield and worked as a blacksmith, public school custodian and for twenty years was the maintenance engineer at the International Order of Odd Fellows Home (IOOF). He was an active member of the GAR and was one of 16 surviving GAR members in Ohio and was serving as the senior vice commander of the Ohio department of the GAR when he died in 1944 eleven days short of his 97th birthday. For many years he served as the Grand Marshal of the annual Springfield Memorial Day Parade.

Some of the approximately 50 people who attended the dedication ceremony for Civil War veteran Charles William Needles include, front, from left: Charles Rose; John A. Needles, a great-great-grandson of C. W. Needles; Capt. Shane Milburn; Kathryn L. (Needles) Mink, a great-granddaughter of Needles; Donald Darby, Commander of the Ohio Dept. (SUVCW); Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland; Major General Robert E. Grim, national commander of the (SVR); Robert L. Needles, great-grandson of C.W. Needles; and Shawn Cox. Behind Cox is Steven Powell, Henry Casey Chaplain.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/09/web1_Group-photo-1.jpgSome of the approximately 50 people who attended the dedication ceremony for Civil War veteran Charles William Needles include, front, from left: Charles Rose; John A. Needles, a great-great-grandson of C. W. Needles; Capt. Shane Milburn; Kathryn L. (Needles) Mink, a great-granddaughter of Needles; Donald Darby, Commander of the Ohio Dept. (SUVCW); Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland; Major General Robert E. Grim, national commander of the (SVR); Robert L. Needles, great-grandson of C.W. Needles; and Shawn Cox. Behind Cox is Steven Powell, Henry Casey Chaplain. Submitted photos

Henry Casey Camp Chaplain Steven Powell (left) and camp commander David M. Meister.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/09/web1_Photo-No.-2-Clark-County-1.jpgHenry Casey Camp Chaplain Steven Powell (left) and camp commander David M. Meister. Submitted photos

Henry Casey Camp member Charles Rose escorts Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland has he places a wreath in memory of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR).
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/09/web1_Photo-No.-3-Clark-County-1.jpgHenry Casey Camp member Charles Rose escorts Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland has he places a wreath in memory of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). Submitted photos

Captain Shane Milburn (left), Commander of Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) Company C, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Kelly Hopkins post the colors Sunday afternoon.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/09/web1_Photo-No.-1-Clark-County-1.jpgCaptain Shane Milburn (left), Commander of Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) Company C, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Kelly Hopkins post the colors Sunday afternoon. Submitted photos

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