The Great Read: His Unmarked Grave Lay Forgotten for 200 Years. They Had to Fix That.
The identity of a Scottish sailor killed in Connecticut after a skirmish during the War of 1812 long remained a mystery until two local history buffs got involved.
The New York Times
The Great Read
October 9, 2026, 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

On weekdays and Sundays, we recommend one piece of exceptional writing from The Times — a narrative or essay that takes you someplace you might not expect to go.

A gravestone with a plaque in front of if.

Sarah Meftah for The New York Times

His Unmarked Grave Lay Forgotten for 200 Years. They Had to Fix That.

The identity of a Scottish sailor killed in Connecticut after a skirmish during the War of 1812 long remained a mystery until two local history buffs got involved.

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