I decided to research Capt. Nutting a year ago. An internet search showed a group of Canadian reenactors called the Maritime Civil War Living History Association and representing the 20th Maine Regiment was looking for graves of CW veterans buried in Canada. He is one of three MOH winners buried in Nova Scotia. The MOH Society found his grave and installed a plaque in a 1990 ceremony. But no family was present. That was a shame.

Corresponding with regiment president Terry Middleton of Pisquamsis, New Brunswick, I learned his group wanted to conduct graveside ceremonies for CW vets in Nova Scotia during the summer of 2006. We agreed on a June 10 date for Capt. Nutting. So my cousin Sally Sanford and I made the trip. A professional singer, Sally sang “Amazing Grace” at the end of the moving 45-minute ceremony attended by about 50 people including 20 from the 20th Maine reenactors who shot a 10-gun salute. They also planted a Grand Army of the Republic marker signifying he was finally relieved of duty. Members of the local Canadian Royal Legion Post provided a color guard and placed their own marker.

It was a great experience to make the long weekend trip to honor a hitherto forgotten relative who has apparently been well remembered by others, including the 61st New York Infantry, for which the family is grateful.

by Bill McDonald (great grandson of Lee Nutting)

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