Oakdale Cemetery - Monument to the Rt. Rev Alfred Augustine Watson.

The Rt. Rev. Watson (1818-1905) was a chaplain in the Second North Carolina Infantry of the Confederate army. Ill health forced him to resign his commission in 1862. Shortly afterwards, he became the rector of St. James Episcopal Church and faithfully prayed for the Confederate President during all worship services. After the fall of Fort Fisher in January 1865, federal troops occupied Wilmington and the Rev. Watson continued to pray for the Confederate President, which angered the federal occupiers. Two of the generals sent the minister rather curt notes demanding that he pray only for the President of the United States. The Rev. Watson refused and the matter was referred to the Washington headquarters of the Union army. The reply from Washington was to leave the Rev. Watson alone as detaining him in prison would serve no good purpose. However, the local commanders took their revenge out on the St. James's church building. They tore the pews and other appointments out of the church and turned the building into a hospital. Meanwhile, the Rev. Watson continued to pray for the southern president and was later the first Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Carolina (1884-1905) . He died 21 April 1905, at the age of 86. (Sec. C, Lot # 5). (Also see #10 for more about Oakdale Cemetery)

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