The long-lost grave of a 19th century Army soldier has been found at Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park, according to an announcement released this week from the National Park Service.
Park Service archeologists discovered the empty grave in 2024 while conducting a survey as part of work to erect a radio tower.
Soldiers who died at the remote fort were usually buried on the nearby Bird Key, but Private George Tupper died on an October morning as a Category 3 hurricane bore down on the fort.
Rather than risk rough seas to get to Bird Key, soldiers quickly buried Tupper in a lime pit near the fort’s parade grounds. Tupper was the only soldier ever buried in the fort during a yellow fever outbreak in 1873. His body was later exhumed, but the location wasn't marked.
Archaeologists found personal artifacts that offer insight into the daily lives of those who lived and served at Fort Jefferson. Among the items found include shell buttons, ring buckles and a brass fastener.
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