Posted on 08/15/2025 8:01:22 AM PDT by Red Badger
In a shameful act of vandalism, the grave of Captain William Lytle, a Revolutionary War hero, was found destroyed in a Murfreesboro, Tennessee, graveyard, leading local patriots to set up a GoFundMe in support of the grave’s restoration, along with repairs to other surrounding headstones that were vandalized.
For background, on August 13, 2025, local press accounts confirmed that the grave of Captain Lytle, along with headstones belonging to members of his family, was found destroyed, with local members of the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) responding by working to restore the site as quickly as possible to honor the war hero’s legacy.
Explaining the damage to WGNS, SAR Stones River president Robert Bolyard said of the graves, “They were either broken or knocked over. As you can see, there’s not a headstone that hasn’t been vandalized, someway, somehow.” He added, “And now, we’re just at the beginning stages of finishing up the police report and starting the restoration process.”
Continuing, Bolyard said that his organization “will be setting up a GoFundMe page so that people can help, because we’re getting a lot of people asking, ‘What can I do? What can I do?'” Moreover, WGNS confirmed that a $1,000 cash reward is available to anyone who has “information about the vandalism.”
Additionally, the Sons of the American Revolution launched their GoFundMe page for the grave’s restoration on August 13, 2025, setting their goal at $50,000. On the page, local SAR member Jim Sandman extended a “heartfelt request to support…efforts to restore, preserve, and maintain the Captain William Lytle Historical Cemetery, which was senselessly vandalized in June 2025.” Sandman added, “At least nine graves were damaged or toppled over.”
Providing further background on the hero whose grave was senselessly desecrated, Sandman wrote, “Captain William Lytle served in the American Revolution, and afterwards was granted land, some of which he donated for the founding of Murfreesboro, named after another soldier in the War for Independence, Col. Hardy Murfree.”
Continuing, Sandman explained that the desecrated site was a “Tennessee Historic Cemetery” that has been “the site of multiple community events and ceremonies held by local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).”
Furthermore, on August 14, 2025, WSMV 4 confirmed that an investigation into the vandalism had commenced, with the Murfreesboro Police Department explaining that its property crime investigations division was on the case. In addition, Robert Bolyard told WSMV 4, “We are determined to make it right, get it right,” adding, “Be ready to celebrate his life, his accomplishments, and everything that all our patriots did.” Likewise, SAR member Mark Young said that the restoration of the headstones would be like completing a “700-pound puzzle.”
Watch coverage of the destruction to the graves:
VIDEO AT LINK.....................
Featured image credit: video screengrab
$50,000 for restoration?? Gimme a break.
““At least nine graves were damaged or toppled over.”
There’s your break!
I’m an SAR. Good for my Tennessee brothers.
Colonel, USAF JAGC (Ret)
We need to strongly discourage those people.
If you know what I mean…
Graves are friggen expensive now and with that many it makes sense to me.
The Revolution in Tennessee???
Is this person actually referring to the Civil War being in Tennessee?
Perhaps I’m misinformed, but it simply sounded strange to me that the Revolution was fought in Tennessee.
If the stones were toppled over, why not just stand them up??
Have to find out who it was, actions for justice can happen in the normal process these revolutionaries fought for.
But I agree with the sentiment completely.
Juvenile delinquents.
Because cemeteries are isolated, it’s hard to stop this.
What’s sad is that is was there for so long, and no one bothered it until now.
9 graves for around $5000 each. Stone masons don’t come cheap.
I could speculate the criminals thought it was a Confederate soldier’s grave.
But the fact could be they knew it was someone that fought in the Revolutionary War. A close look will reveal that those who hate Robert E. Lee also hate George Washington.
Anyone that will tear down a Confederate flag will usually burn an American flag.
If experience is any indicator, they were likely not just “toppled”. They were most likely broken off.
Feral kids, late at night, high and/or drunk, doing karate kicks to break them just for fun.
They need to be repaired not just stood back up.
“... a Revolutionary War hero ...”
WTAF !
If he were a CW-1 hero maybe I could understand this because sadly there are many folk still fighting that event. But a hero from the 1770 conflict? It boggles the mind ...
Incidentally, these anarchists didn't have something specifically against Southern Confederates, they just hate memorializing ANYONE from an Age of reason and solid western civilization.
Well stated.
Looks like you need to read up on “The Battle of King’s Mountain,” and other important battles where sons of Tennessee fought in the revolutionary war.
That they were buried in their home state is a testiment to their courage and success in fighting for our Republic. They achieved victory and died of old age in their home state and were honorably buried.
Looks like you need to read up on “The Battle of King’s Mountain,” and other important battles where sons of Tennessee fought in the revolutionary war.
That they were buried in their home state is a testiment to their courage and success in fighting for our Republic. They achieved victory and died of old age in their home state and were honorably buried.
The truly sad part of this post is that so many even on FreeRepublic don’t know which states were involved in the Revolutionary War.
Probably kids
Boro not exactly a hotbed of woke nuts
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.