GETTYSBURG, Pa. — The planned auction of a skull found at Gettysburg that purportedly was that of a Civil War soldier has been canceled following protests, and officials say the remains have instead been donated by the auction company for burial with honors.
Estate Auction Co. of Hershey, Pa., had listed the skull for sale at auction Tuesday in Hagerstown, Md., drawing protests from the US National Park Service. The listing was removed from a public auction website and replaced by a statement saying the auction company was donating the skull to the Park Service.
Gettysburg National Military Park and the nonprofit Gettysburg Foundation said Tuesday in a news release that the remains had been donated to the foundation late Monday. After they are authenticated, they will be donated to the park ‘‘for interment with full military honors in the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg,’’ the announcement said.
Gettysburg National Military Park superintendent Ed Clark said in a statement that officials were grateful for the opportunity ‘‘to honor what is very likely an American veteran and have his final resting place recognized.’’
The auction site said the remains were found in 1949 as a garden was being tilled on the Benner Farm in Gettysburg. Notarized and handwritten documents said the remains were found 2 miles north of a barn used as a field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg, Taylor said.