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Honoring a Civil War veteran who was lost to history
This past August Army Private Sandy Wills was buried with full military honors at a veterans’ cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Private Wills served his country, though not in this century, or the last. He died in 1889.
He was originally laid to rest in an unmarked grave, a Civil War veteran all but lost to history.
“No one knew about Sandy Wills,” said Cheryl wills, Sandy’s great-great-great-granddaughter. “An enslaved man leaves a plantation, serves during the Civil War with Lincoln’s army, and poof! Like it never happened.”
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Cheryl didn’t know of him, or her family’s long military legacy, until she started researching her ancestry. And it was tragedy that first sparked her interest in genealogy.
Her father, a New York City firefighter and Vietnam-era veteran, was killed in a motorcycle accident when she was a teenager. She recalled, “When I sat at his funeral, the one thing that was burned into my heart was when the military honored him. And then they handed my mother a folded flag. And at that moment, I realized my father was special in the eyes of the greatest army in the world.”
Like millions of Black Americans, Cheryl’s family had left the South as part of the Great Migration. Her grandparents moved from Tennessee to New York City. For the past 30 years, Cheryl, an author and journalist, has been telling other people’s stories, all the while knowing little of her own.
When asking her family about the past, she said, “No one knew anything. And that was one question I used to ask them: ‘What do you know about slavery?’ And they would look at me like, ‘What kind of question is that?’ Those who lived through slavery, it was like they had this pact: We’re not passing this story down. You don’t want to know what it was like. So, Sandy’s story disappeared from our family.”
Combing through census, birth, marriage and death records, Cheryl meticulously traced the roots and branches of her family tree. The earliest ancestor she was able to document: Sandy Wills, who was bought by Willis Wills when he was 10 years old.
The Holy Grail of her search was Sandy Wills’ military records. He’d volunteered for the colored troops in 1863 and was honorably discharged. He worked as a sharecropper on the Moore plantation after the war, and married a woman named Emma; they had nine children. Records showed when Sandy died, but Cheryl could find no trace of where he was buried. “He was nowhere to be found, essentially MIA,” she said.
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Her search did lead her to a living relative, Ethan West, a distant cousin also researching his family. “She was going through finding Sandy, and I’ve been posting a lot of stuff about my lineage,” he said. “And our lineages collided.”
She called Ethan her hero: “He physically went down there.”
“Down there” is Brownsville, in Haywood County, Tennessee. They both had come across records placing some of their ancestors, including Sandy Wills, on a plantation there owned by the Moore family. “I just wanted to know what this place that we’re reading about looked like,” said West. “I found the coordinates to where the property would have been.”
In 2013, West went driving around Haywood County looking for answers, and literally saw a sign: Mooreland. “And when he texted me that sign, I went, holy guacamole,” said Cheryl. “And I think both of our lives changed.”
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Mooreland is 900 lush acres of cotton, soybeans and pecan trees. Over the years, Cheryl and Ethan would visit, and gradually formed a unique bond with the Moore descendants, telling them of their family’s connections to the farm – and their belief that a Civil War veteran was buried on their property.
And the Moores told them something they had hoped to hear – that there is an unmarked African American burial ground on their farm. “They took me there, and for that, I’m eternally grateful,” said Cheryl. “Because we had no idea it was there. We only had a hunch.”
Cheryl hired an archeology team with experience finding America’s missing-in-action from more recent wars. Of the 38 graves they found here, they zeroed in on one – its size, date, and fragmentary remains matched every known detail of her ancestor.
“Sunday Morning” was there with the families and local veterans when Private Sandy Wills’ remains were placed in a casket, and solemnly marched from the knoll, through green fields, to a waiting hearse.
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Edie Moore, the family matriarch, said that for generations the Moores kept that African-American cemetery on their property untouched. “A farmer would come along and say, ‘Oh, if it were me, I would just bulldoze down that clump of trees and plant on top of it,” said Edie. “We said, ‘No, it’s hallowed ground. And we will never ever touch it.’ And my husband, he had daffodils that he planted over the whole cemetery.”
Knowing it was the resting place for Private Wills, she said, “adds depth to the whole experience.”
After the exhumation, the Moores hosted a picnic at the farm – two families connected by this land, and by America’s complicated history.
A headstone now marks Sandy Wills’ grave at the West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. For Cheryl Wills, it’s mission accomplished.
“History really meant for him to be anonymous forever,” she said. “He was a man without a legacy for 135 years. And now, it’s been taken back.”
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Story produced by Jack Weingart. Editor: Ed Givnish.
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The New England Patriots will face off against the Miami Dolphins in a game today at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The Patriots have had an uneven season so far, coming into the game with a record of 3-8, including a 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on November 17. The Dolphins, however, haven’t fared much better this season as they enter the game with a record of 4-6, although they are coming off two wins in a row, the latest against the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend.
Keep reading to find out how and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game today, even without cable.
CBS, Paramount+ and CBS Essentials are all subsidiaries of Paramount Global.
How and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game today
The New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT). The football game will be shown on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ and the platforms noted below.
How and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game without cable
While CBS is available with many basic cable packages, you’ll have other viewing options, too for the Patriots-Dolphins game. Just understand that the below streaming options will require the use of an internet provider:
Paramount+: Watch CBS-aired NFL games without cable
With Paramount+ you’ll have multiple viewing options to choose from. You can catch NFL games on the Paramount+ Essential tier for just $7.99 each month or you can watch college football with a Paramount+ with Showtime subscription for $12.99 monthly. In addition to live streams of NFL games airing on CBS, you’ll get to watch additional live sporting events including NCAA college football, PGA Tour golf, soccer and more.
Get started with Paramount+ here today.
Amazon Prime Video: Add Paramount+ to your existing subscription
Already have an Amazon Prime Video account? Simply add Paramount+ to your current subscription to watch all the CBS-aired NFL games in addition to Paramount+ originals. The same prices from above apply, depending on which tier you choose. Not sure which is best for you? Don’t worry. Both options come with a free seven-day trial that can help you decide.
Watch the Patriots-Dolphins game on Amazon Prime Video.
Fubo: Watch the Patriots-Dolphins game for free
Looking for an inexpensive way to watch football? Fubo could be the best way to do so. The live TV streamer is currently offering a seven-day free trial and $30 off of your first month’s subscription. Once subscribed, you’ll gain access to all of their live sporting events immediately. And there will be a lot to choose from. Not only does Fubo come with access to NFL games airing on your local CBS channel, it also includes Fox Sunday NFC games, “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, “Monday Night Football” on ABC and ESPN and all of the games that air on the NFL Network. So don’t wait.
Get started with Fubo online now.
How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more