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of 71 Civil War Veterans"WOA EXCITING NEWS UPDATES AS ROSELAWN HONORS OUR VETERANS"
No. 1 - In January 2026, Roselawn spotlighted the Civil War and proudly announced the discovery of Buffalo Soldier Hardy Faulkner, who had been laid to rest in an unmarked grave.
- A government monument will be dedicated to Hardy Faulkner, and the unveiling will be announced at a later date. You will want to attend this memorable ceremony!
- And STAY TUNED, as The Roselawn Foundation will also announce the unveiling of a storyboard to honor the 71 Civil War Veterans laid to rest in unmarked graves. They will be remembered.
No. 2 - ROSELAWN HAS RECEIVED THE SPONSORSHIP MONEY $1,207 IS ALL IN AND ACCOUNTED FOR!
- Updating and sharing exciting news that will make Roselawn's 8th Annual Wreaths Across America Ceremony on Saturday, December 19, 2026, memorable for all.
- Your generosity has made this possible. We will use 71 individual wreaths to create one large wreath on the day of the ceremony on the island east of the Rose Garden, and the 71 Civil War Veterans who were laid to rest in unmarked graves will be commemorated. Our goal was 71 wreaths x $17 = $1,207. Every Penny has been accounted for!
THANKS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU WHO DONATED
FEBRUARY 2026 SPOTLIGHTS THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
- In February 2026, Roselawn spotlights the history of the Spanish-American War. This conflict lasted four months but ended almost four centuries of Spanish presence in the Americas.
- The stately Spanish American War Monument stands proudly over those who served in this conflict; many were laid to rest throughout Roselawn's grounds.
Featured this month is Captain John Stowers Stewart - remembered as a true hero and a legend.
Monthly History Spotlight: THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
The Spanish-American War lasted only four months (April 21 – August 13, 1898) and was fought between Spain and the United States. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in Cuba. The USS Maine was sent to Havana to protect U.S. citizens. After the USS Maine was sunk by a mysterious explosion in the harbor, political pressures pushed President McKinley to receive congressional authority to use military force. U.S. intervention resulted in the U.S. acquiring sovereignty over Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines and establishing a protectorate over Cuba. It marked the U.S. intervention in the Cuban War of Independence and the Philippine Revolution, culminating in the Philippine-American War.
The Spanish-American War ended nearly four centuries of Spanish presence in the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific. The United States, meanwhile, not only became a major world power but also acquired several island possessions worldwide.
The Spanish-American War was an uneven conflict, with a rapidly industrialized United States facing a declining Spanish Empire, exhausted by three years of rebellion in Cuba. The war was defined by decisive U.S. naval victories that destroyed Spain’s ability to supply its forces, making a prolonged conflict impossible.
The U.S. Navy easily defeated the outdated Spanish vessels, and Spain was fighting at the end of long supply lines, far from home, while the U.S. was close to the battlegrounds. Spain was financially unable to support its forces, while the U. S. had a booming economy and industrial capacity.
Spanish forces were worn out after fighting Cuban revolutionaries for three years before the
U. S. intervened. The Spanish army faced both a local uprising and a new American invasion, leaving it with little chance of success.
Following the destruction of their fleet, Spanish commanders in Cuba and the Philippines realized further resistance was futile and requested peace negotiations in July, which led to a cease-fire on August 12, 1898.
Capt. John Stowers StewartCaptain John Stowers Stewart’s final resting place is Roselawn Cemetery. He was a Spanish-American War veteran, but he was actually killed on March 25, 1899, in the Philippine-American War, Battle of Malabon, which was part of the American offensive often called the Battle of Manila, which was to secure towns north of Manila. The battle resulted in the destruction of the town of Malabon.
Captain Stewart’s family has an interesting history. They were originally from Louisiana and relocated to Pueblo after their father's death in 1886. The father, John Stewart, Sr., was a Civil War Veteran and was originally buried in Waterproof, Louisiana, before being moved to Roselawn in 1907.
Captain Stewart was 33 years old, unmarried, and accomplished. In New Orleans, he was involved in the steamboat business and served as a clerk in the Louisiana legislature. He founded the insurance firm Miles & Stewart, was a successful businessman, and was regarded as a man of integrity. He was a member of the Pueblo Minnequa and Rover clubs, the Masonic Lodge, and the Knights of Templar.
He enlisted as a private in 1889 and, by 1895, had earned the rank of Captain. Approximately 20,000 mourners honored Captain John S. Stewart. His funeral was considered the largest in Colorado at the time. In attendance were city and state dignitaries, Governor Charles Thomas, Grand Army veterans, soldiers of the Spanish-American War, and Masonic bodies.
Stewart’s flag-draped coffin was on an artillery caisson drawn by four black horses. It was followed by a horse with an empty saddle. Following the commitment ritual, the honorary firing squad fired the traditional volley over the grave, and a bugler sounded taps.
Captain Stewart was laid to rest in the Stewart family plot in Block 13 at Roselawn Cemetery. His final resting place is with his parents and four sisters.
