This week, the people of rural Nevada paid their respects to a black soldier who fought during the Civil War.
Almost 100 years later, historians hosted a proper burial for Private Scott Carnal, who died in Dayton, Nevada in 1917.
He was a member of the 1 st Kansas Colored Infantry.
The remembrance and the funeral were due in large part to Linda Clements, the president of the Historical Society of Dayton Valley.
She told KNPR's State of Nevada that she's always been interested in the area's cemetery, which has been around since 1862 and is still active.
She became fascinated by the letters that followed Scott Carnal's name on his grave marker. She didn't know what the inscription, '79th U.S.C. INF' meant.
Clements researched Carnal's history and found it stood for the regiment he served in during the war. He was in the 79th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry, which became the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry.
Clements went on to learn that Carnal had been born into slavery in Virginia. Later, he and his mother had been sold to someone in Missouri. When he was 7 years old, he was sold again to another person in Missouri.
While in Missouri the Civil War broke out, the Kansas Jayhawkers came through the area Carnal was living, looking to free people from slavery. He joined with the group and became part of the 79th U.S. Colored Infantry.
He fought in the Battle of Honey Springsin Oklahoma. The battle was one of the fiercest fought in what was known as Indian Territory. Despite being outnumbered, Union forces won thanks in large part to the efforts of African-American soldiers.
Carnal's leg was injured during his time in the service and eventually he had amputated. Clements said after the war he tried farming and mining, which eventually led him West to Nevada.
She said that many people in Dayton have also served in the military and the community wanted to make sure Private Carnal was honored for his service.
“Everybody deserves a military funeral, if they served and if the family wants to do so," Clements said, "We didn’t have his family. We needed to be his family for now.”
She said they don't know for sure that Carnal was not given a military funeral, but they suspect he was not honored the way he should have been.
“The man now knows he is our brother," Clements added, "He is our family member and he is honored for his incredible service. His huge sacrifice to keep our Union together.”
Linda Clements, president, Historical Society of Dayton Valley