Flag Lowering Ceremony July 10, 2012

As the sun sets, a group of men dressed in Civil War uniforms load their rifles in unison and fire to the fourth beat of a drum. The group reloads and waits for the drum signal again. After three volleys, some in the group fire a Civil War cannon, and three of the soldiers step forward to lower the American and regimental flags. The American flag, folded into a perfect triangle, is not just taken down for the evening. Rather, it is given to one of the hundreds of families that typically attend the weekly retreat ceremony conducted at the tomb by the 114th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry Reactivated.