West Virginia Bugler
at Surrender of General Robert E. Lee

Wheeling Register
October 11, 1918

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Famous Veteran Dies

Special to the Register:
Washington, Pa., Oct. 10. - Alexander Rankin, to whom fell the honor of announcing by bugle call the surrender of General Lee at Appomatox in 1865, and for 35 years a member of the local police force, died in his bed early this morning after performing his duties as desk sergeant yesterday and retiring in good health. He was 83 years old. He went out with the first company of Washington soldiers in the Civil war, serving as bugler with the First West Virginia Cavalry. He was with Union armies at Appomatox and was designed by General Grant as the bugler to blow the surrender announcement.

Civil War