As a native of Talbot County, I’ve read with interest letters you’ve published in defense of keeping the Talbot Boys statue on Talbot County property.
I would like to respond to these “long winded half truths” (sic). In the interest of brevity, I will cite quotations from someone who was “in the room,” so to speak — the Honorable General Robert E. Lee of the Confederate States of America (CSA) Army. Who better to look to regarding this issue?
From the Lee Family Archives:
Lexington VA 13 Dec – r 1866
My dear Genl
I have considered the questions in your letter of the 8th Inst: & am unable to advise as to the efficacy of the scheme proposed for the accomplishment of the object in view. That can be better determined by those more conversant with similar plans than I am.
As regards the erection of such a monument as is contemplated; my conviction is, that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the South, the attempt in the present condition of the Country, would have the effect of retarding, instead of accelerating its accomplishment; & of continuing, if not adding to, the difficulties under which the Southern people labour. All I think that can now be done, is to aid our noble & generous women in their efforts to protect the graves & mark the last resting places of those who have fallen, & wait for better times….
Very truly yours
R E Lee
Writing in the Republican Vindicator on September 03, 1869, Gen. Lee writes:
Lexington, VA., August 5, 1869.
Dear Sir–Absence from Lexington has prevented my receiving until to-day your letter of the 26th ult., inclosing an invitation from the Gettysburg Battle-field Memorial Association, to attend a meeting of the officers engaged in that battle at Gettysburg, for the purpose of marking upon the ground by enduring memorials of granite the positions and movements of the armies on the field. My engagements will not permit me to be present. I believe if there, I could not add anything material to the information existing on the subject. I think it wiser, moreover, not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
R. E. Lee
Finally, here’s another quote regarding the matter from writer Jonathan Horn, author of The Man Who Would Not Be Washington: Robert E. Lee’s Civil War and His Decision That Changed American History
“It’s often forgotten that Lee himself, after the Civil War, opposed monuments, specifically Confederate war monuments.”
How anyone in the United States of America, including past and present members of the U.S. military, can have the gall to speak for Mr. Lee or deny his wishes — Looking at you, Council members Chuck F. Callahan, Frank Divilio and Laura E. Price — goes well beyond the pale.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Johnson
North Carolina
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The movement to remove the Talbot Boys statue will continue until it’s gone from the courthouse lawn. This is a movement for racial justice that goes far beyond Easton or Maryland. It’s nationwide and is only growing in commitment, size and power.
In that context, please note that 44 Confederate statues have been removed just since the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2010 by cities, counties, states, courts and governors across the nation:
Removal Date City and state Monument/Memorial
June 1 Birmingham, Alabama Confederate Soldiers & Sailors
August 10 Athens, Georgia Athens Confederation Monument
June 30 Rocky Mount, North Carolina Nash County Confederate Monument
June 8 Indianapolis, Indiana Confederate Soldiers & Sailors
June 5 Mobile, Alabama Confederate Navy Admiral Raphael Semmes
June 8 Louisville, Kentucky Confed. Officer John Breckinridge Castleman
June 9 Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville Confederate
June 25 Denton, Texas Denton Confederate Soldier
June 13 Fort Worth, Texas Confederate Monument
July 6-7 Salisbury, North Carolina Gloria Victis Confederate
June 17 Houston, Texas Spirit of the Confederacy
June 17 Houston, Texas Confederate Officer Richard W. Dowling
June 11 Quincy, Florida Gadsden Confederate Memorial
June 24 Dallas, Texas Confederate War Memorial
June 18 Decatur, Georgia DeKalb County Confederate Monument
June 13 Frankfort, Kentucky Jefferson Davis
June 22 Greenville, North Carolina Pitt County Confederate Soldiers
July 14 Asheville, North Carolina Monument to 60th Regiment NC Volunteers
July 10 Asheville, North Carolina Confederate Colonel John Connally Marker
June 11 Plant City, Florida Confederate Cow Calvary Monument
June 17 Brownsville, Texas Jefferson Davis Memorial Boulder
June 18 Little Rock, Arkansas Memorial to Company A, Capitol Guards
June 21 Raleigh, North Carolina Statue of Henry Lawson Wyatt
June 21 Raleigh, North Carolina North Carolina Women of the Confederacy
June 15 Clarksville, Tennessee Confed. Soldiers’ Memorial Bridge sign & statue
June 29 Louisburg, North Carolina To Our Confederate Dead monument
June 29 Beaumont, Texas Our Confederate Soldiers
June 24 Warrenton, North Carolina Warrenton County Confederate Soldiers
June 24 Oxford, North Carolina The Granville Gray
July 1 Kinston, North Carolina Lenoir County Confederate Monument
June 25 Wilmington, North Carolina Confederate Memorial
June 25 Wilmington, North Carolina George Davis Monument
June 29 Charleston, West Virginia Kanawha Riflemen Memorial
June 30 Conyers, Georgia County Confederate Monument Rockdale
July 2 McConnellsburg, PA 2 statues commemorating Confederate soldiers
July 5 Sarasota, Florida Judah P. Benjamin Monument
July 29 McDonough, Georgia Henry County Confederate Monument
July 8 Wadesboro, North Carolina Anson County Courthouse Confed. Monument
June 17 Hwy. 99 near Bakersfield, CA Marker of Jefferson Davis Highway
July 9 Little Rock, Arkansas David O. Dodd Memorial Bench and Marker
July 10 Charlotte, North Carolina 1929 Confederate Reunion Marker
July 11 Clinton, North Carolina Sampson County Confederate Monument
July 23 Phoenix, Arizona Memorial to Arizona Confederate Troops
July 23 Gold Canyon, Arizona Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway marker
In addition, 40 Confederate monuments were removed or plans announced to be removed in Virginia.
The above-noted removal of 84 Confederate monuments since May 25, 2020 does not even include the 21 toppled by protesters, or the 30 where a commitment by a city or county to remove a statue has been made. Six monuments have even been removed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans or the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia!
All these Confederate statues, monuments and memorials were removed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now tell us again why you can’t vote to remove the Talbot Boys statue?
Denice Lombard
Tilghman, Maryland
James Brennan says
I concur with Denice.
The Confederacy was a rebellion, an attempt to overthrow the legally constituted and elected government of the United States for the purpose of continuing and expanding a slave labor economy. Armed rebellion is illegal and was in this case, immoral.
General Lee correctly understood that the Confederacy should not be rewarded with monuments after failing to win the Civil War. Lee knew his world history – rebellions aren’t memorialized when they fail.
Tom Malone says
Well put!