A very young Pvt. Francis M. Graham has the shortest enlistment that I have ever run across.  He enlisted in Company E of the 7th Georgia regiment on March 9, 1864.  There is a brief but touching letter that is part of his service record, which was written by his father, another Confederate soldier with Company B of the 26th Georgia Battalion.  Apparently, father and son met by accident while stationed just outside of Richmond, obviously to the great dismay of the elder Graham who thought his son to be safe at home.  The letter is written to a General S. Cooper and is dated April 13th, 1864.  Following herewith is a literal translation:

"General, I have the honor to ask that my son, Francis M. Graham, be discharged from service.  He is but little over sixteen years of age and has enlisted in Company E, 7th Ga Regt., under command of Lieut Gen Longstreet.  This he has done entirely without my knowledge or consent and I have only today ascertained his whereabouts.  He has probably been in service only about three months.  I am very respectfully, Moses W. Graham"

"Personally appeared before me Private M. W. Graham, Co B, 26th Ga Battalion and makes oath that the foregoing statement is in every respect true and just.  Sworn to before me this 13th day of April 1864   R. A. Heard, Capt. Co. B, 26th Ga Batt."

Although Pvt. Graham's discharge was approved May 2, 1864, young Francis came down with Typhoid Fever and never made it home.  He died at the Camp Winder Hospital in Richmond on June 25, 1864, having been a Confederate soldier a little over 3 months. His service records indicate that at the time of his death, his personal effects consisted of one hat and one vest valued at $4.00.  His records indicate that he "never received pay or commutation".  This young man gave his all for the Cause which he so willingly joined and believed in, and it is an honor to know that he, along with every soldier that we can memorialize, no longer rests in an unmarked grave.  Though Pvt. Francis M. Graham had so little time and so few possessions, he is buried about 20 feet from the sacred Pyramid of Hollywood and when people see his headstone........he will be remembered.

Bill Ward