Talbot County, Maryland has the most unique history in the United States when it comes to the civil war era. Yes, it is by far the most unique, period. And, it is long overdue for us to market our incredibly unique national treasure.
When I watched a local attorney, Ms. Lynne Mielke, speak to the Talbot County council about the Talbot Boys statue during a recent meeting, it became quite obvious that none of us are focused on the right issue. During her well-crafted presentation about the uniqueness of the Talbot Boys, she spoke of Culp’s Hill in the civil war battle of Gettysburg. If you do not know what Culp’s Hill is, please look it up. It is one of the many important parts of our local history from that era.
During council comments at the end of that meeting, Mr. Pack addressed many issues. When he talked about the Talbot Boys monument, he spoke to Ms. Mielke and told her that he appreciated her recounting the story of Culp’s Hill. As Mr. Pack did so he made a very innocent, yet very important comment. “I had actually forgotten about that story”.
These were citizens of Talbot County fighting to KILL one another at the battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863 and they are forgotten. Let that sink in. They were killing each other. Yet, we forgot them.
I do not fault Mr. Pack for forgetting the story. That is not my point. But, I do fault the many generations our local leadership – including the present one – who have not embraced our local history and made an effort to tell these important stories. They should be at the forefront of our Talbot County marketing identity – not hidden from view. Our incredibly rich history is a true national treasure. These stories should be told over and over again, and never forgotten.
Let’s be pragmatic. We own our history and it is very valuable. As a marketer, I can tell you it does not get any better than this if you care about the future financial well-being of Talbot County that depends greatly on tourist revenue. Look at the history of Harriet Tubman and what Dorchester County had done with it in the past few years. Our Talbot history is far more unique than theirs. It needs to be utilized to benefit our county starting now.
Here are just a few of the parts or our history – and there is so much more.
– We had two groups of Talbot residents fighting each other on opposite sides in the battle of Gettysburg… How did that happen?….
– There were plantations throughout the county… Where were they?… Who owned them?… There were more than just the Lloyds and Wye House…
– The oldest free black neighborhood in the United States was located in downtown Easton just a few miles away from plantations… How did that happen in the 1790’s???… Who were the 400 people located on the hill?… Who are their descendants?
– The slave market was a few blocks away from that neighborhood… How could all of this happen at the same time??… Do we know more about that market?… Tell it all…
– Frederick Douglass’ rise from Talbot County slavery… Give all the details… A statue is not enough… Read his writings and encourage everyone to do so!…
– Admiral Frank Buchannan and others of note on the Talbot Boys statue… Who are they?… Why are they on the monument?… Why were their lives significant?…
– How and why was the Talbot Boys statue was placed there?… That story is a different than 99% of all monuments from that era…
– The pistol whipping of Judge Richard Bennet Carmichael at the Talbot County courthouse, his arrest, his release 6 months later having never being charged with a crime… Why?… How?…
– Unionville and its soldiers!.. Who were they?… Who are their descendants still here in Unionville?…
– The Cowgills – the owners of the Lombardy plantation… How and why did they end up helping those black soldiers settle the area after the war?… What a story that is!…
– Imagine adding a complimentary statue of a Unionville soldier next to the Talbot Boys and telling the whole story of all of our civil war veterans… That is a powerful story that can garner national news coverage… Why are we not doing it???… Yes, it takes effort – not talk…
The list goes on and on. Yet there has been no concerted effort to tell the whole story of our role in that period in history. WHY??? Shame on all of us in Talbot County. For those who say, “history should be in a museum”, our history should be right in your face. We don’t need a museum. It should be displayed prominently in public view. All of it.
It is time for us to embrace what we have and come together united as one Talbot County to tell our story – THE WHOLE STORY – and not just parts that fit political narratives. We need to tell the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly. It’s all there to tell. A Frederick Douglass statue does nothing. A Talbot Boys statue does nothing. There is so much more that needs to be done and the time to start working on this marketing project is now before it is too late.
For those who have a hard time seeing the big picture, let me remind you that there is not one soul who can testify to anything about the intent of the men whose names are on the Talbot Boys monument. None of us knew them. None of us were there. And while we can pontificate and say they were traitors, racists, supporters of slavery, etc – that is not the whole story. It is far from it. If our whole story had been told starting several generations ago, you would understand that statement is a fact.
Today, we could have been showing the world why we did not remove our Talbot Boys statue as part of our history and why we the citizens of Talbot County have come together, united, to tell our whole story. Instead, we have no united leadership. We have no efforts to unite our citizens. We have nothing. All we have is a diatribe of local social media posts with $5 opinions that are absolutely worthless.
Our history is very marketable and extremely valuable to our county – more so than waterfront restaurants. Speaking of restaurants, imagine how many people would be eating in downtown Easton this weekend if we would had built our historical reputation over the last 50 years using all of the incredible tools we have. We damn sure would not be wasting time right now trying to make something out of nothing with a promenade. We would have plenty of traffic.
In closing, I want to address Mr. Pete Lesher. I invite you to reconsider your position and be the leader of the effort to tell our local history using the incredible tools we have to do the job, including the Talbot Boys. You are more than qualified to help sort it all out. I would be happy to join you in forming a group whose goal is to put Talbot County at the forefront of our nation’s conscience using our very unique history. Let us be the beacon to show how to overcome our differences.
I also ask that you reconsider the following statement you made last night before the vote on whether or not to remove the Talbot Boy statue. “Our failure to act to remove this monument from the courthouse square, in our failure to do so, Talbot County increasingly puts its tourist economy at risk along with our legendary reputation for hospitality.” That is far from the truth today. It will be even further from the truth tomorrow if we all work together to share our rich unique history in our efforts to market the county.
In order to get Talbot County to a new and better place it is going to take leadership without bias. It is going to take leadership with purpose. Choose to lead in that manner and all will follow. Just as the men who fought the civil war eventually united to move in a new direction, it is time for all of us in Talbot County to do the same.
We have the tools we need to generate more interest in Talbot County than ever before. More importantly, everything we have can unite our county and make us proud. It takes vision. It takes leadership.
It can be done.
Stephen Hunter
Talbot County
Lynn Mielke says
Stephen, spot on! I wholeheartedly concur and could not have expressed those points better. In support of your viewpoints,I would like to bolster two of them.
One, to your marketing point, as I shared in a written public comment to the County council on August 10, a couple of Fridays ago as I and a couple of friends were leaving promenade dining at Doc’s, we had a chance conversation at the Talbot Boys statue with a gentleman and a couple visiting him from New York. The gentleman from New York was enthused to see the statue, was smiling and appeared impressed, not outraged, commenting “Wow, so this is the sole remaining confederate statue in the North!”
Two, that Councilpersons Price, Callahan and Divilio have the vision and leadership to take us to that new and better place.
Bruce Corley says
Thank you for the non divisive words of wisdom. We do not need to be like other cities in removing historical statutes and monuments. Rather, we can and should be the model for other cities too follow.
Paul Callahan says
Thank you Mr. Hunter! I couldn’t agree more. Don’t forget General Tench Tilghman a true leader in agricultural mechanization or the editor if the Easton Star imprisoned for exercising his first amendment rights or Mr Ridgeway who died on the CSS Hunley the first submarine used in combat. The list goes on and we haven’t scratched the surface. We have African Americans who fought for the Union, some were slaves who earned their freedom by their service – what a great story that would be.
The more I have learned about our history the more I am fascinated and amazed. It is an incredible history that should be cherished, told and yes marketed!
Dan Watson says
Many of us who believe the monument must be removed from its place of honor on the Count House lawn recognize that the TBS could be repurposed elsewhere to benefit the community. See for example the Aug ’17 proposal for a small history park incorporating, among many other things, both the base and the statue itself as part of the story of race relations in the early 20th century. I agree that all the varied facets of our unique 400 year history of race relations should be presented–and could bring many interested tourists to Talbot County.
And I agree that we are sorely lacking leadership and imagination from this County Council.
DW
Troy Whaley says
“A Talbot Boys statue does nothing.” If it does nothing, why fight to keep it. The statues we choose to “put on a pedestal” shows what we honor. Do we really want to honor the Jim Crow era and those who fought against the United States and for slavery. Monuments to the Lost Cause have no place in front of our courthouse.
Anne Stalfort says
Agree 100%
Sandy Kaufman says
Thank you Stephen Hunter for making a cogent case for telling Talbot County’s history more fully rather than erasing one part of it. Historians of every race, color, and creed have called for a more full telling of our diverse history – across the country – but it takes courage, effort, and leadership to address a complex issue in a way that lifts, unites, and educates us all. I too believe we could be a model for the country about how our rich story could be more fully told, learning from the inequities of the past and showcasing the courageous ways fair-minded people worked together to abolish slavery. A walk around the courthouse grounds could be an amazing history lesson of how this county made the journey from slavery to freedom and justice for all. What stands today doesn’t go far enough to achieve that, but the proposal by Mr. Hunter certainly lays the groundwork for doing so.
Anne C Stalfort says
I am astounded that anyone thinks the Talbot Boys are a marketing plus. No matter what else you cram into the Courthouse space to tell our story, the fact remains that you want to place a symbol of the Confederacy on a place where all come for justice. Some might not have noticed, but other towns and cities are removing symbols of bigotry, white supremecy, and racism from their public spaces. In fact, by leaving that monument in place, tourists might avoid our county, thinking that, if Black, they might not be welcome. And others might not want to spend money in a town that does not share their values.
Peter Rohman says
Outstanding visionary commentary!
Peter Rohman says
What does “moderation” mean?
Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D. says
I appreciate the issues m=Mr. Hunter raises. However,truth and justice should outweigh marketing in sharing Talbot County history. When the truth is neither popular nor profitable, we should still honor it.
Having a Confederate monument at the courthouse entrance is an affront to American notions of justice and fairness, especially given the history of lynchings on courthouse lawns. Conserve the Talbot Boy in a museum and perhaps replace it with a statue of a Unionville soldier.
Mr. Hunter praises Dorchester for leveraging its history – and surely the new Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (a museum) is the major draw. I have always wondered why Talbot County does not celebrate Frederick Douglass beyond a single statue. What are the possibilities for a public-private partnership to create a similar museum honoring Frederick Douglass while covering the major social and political issues he addressed? As David Blight’s brilliant biography of Douglass makes clear, that would cover from slavery up to Jim Crow, an era given short shrift in history classes.
I too have wondered why the Hill in Easton gets such scant attention beyond a pamphlet for a self-guided tour. There should be bold markers in front of or on the places of note with interpretive signs. Community pride should be noticeable!
A Frederick Douglass Museum and the Hill could become as big a draw as the Plein Art and Waterfowl festival. They would be educational and create a positive image of the area, while attracting new visitors who would otherwise bypass Easton on their way to the beach.
Stephen Schaare says
Dear Mr. Hunter, Powerful words and ideas. My spirit is soaring to finally read something positive and hopeful regarding Talbot County. A beautiful day indeed.My sincere thanks.
Clive Ewing says
Stephen – thank you for offering a vision for this community! It is an incredible story how these 84 heroes risked everything to defend our liberties. Let’s get it done!
Charlie Bohn says
Finally some common sense. Excellent ideas. Thank you.
Carol Voyles says
I agree with Mr. Watson that this statue might be repurposed more effectively in another location.
The Talbot Boys are part of our history; but this monument does not tell our history. Statues erected on public property are generally perceived as honoring and celebrating, and a museum or similar venue would better achieve the worthy goal of preserving our history.
Suzanne Todd says
Dear Mr. Hunter,
At the close of your letter, you said, “the men who fought the civil war eventually united to move in a new direction.” It seems the people of Talbot County who erected the Talbot Boys Statue were not united or the funding for a Union statue would have been established so both statues could have been built.
We do not know why the men and boys whose names are engraved on the base decided to join the Confederacy, maybe to protect state rights or maybe to protect the right to own slaves. We do know that Alexander Stephens, the Vice President of the Confederacy said this. The Confederacy was “founded upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and normal condition.” The Confederate flag on the statue is a symbol of this sentiment. The statue should not be destroyed but should be moved to a different location as it does not represent equality and justice for all citizens, something that the courthouse should represent.
Anne C Stalfort says
Thank you.
Rev Julia Hart says
I cannot believe what I just read. How disgusting and shameful. That goes for any respondents supporting this very sad viewpoint. Just because it’s history doesn’t make it right. Is that really how you want to sell tourism in Talbot County!? Once again making a buck off of slavery and selling blacks “down the River.”
Well, let’s do it right. Let’s get a working plantation going again. Maybe for $7.50 an hour some persons of color will go out into the fields with hoes and rakes. Oh, and don’t forget the White Overseer on his horse with his whip. Oh, and slave cabins. Posters! Yes, Posters advertising for the return of runaway slaves. Tourists can dress in Massr’s and Misus clothes and get their pictures taken on the porch of the big house. Oh for sure, THIS is the true picture of Talbot County. If you think this is ridiculous, that is how Mr. Hunter’s little parade of “special Talbot history” is. Ridiculous. Many States were divided; had divided counties and towns. We are NOT special or a unique specimen. What I read disgusted and embarrassed me. I have roots back to 1672 in Talbot County, so don’t tell me I don’t know what I am talking about.
Mr. Hunter or any of the respondents… Did you even think to run this past Mr. Richard Potter? Or speak with any of our fine well educated well spoken Black Pastors? Or White clergy? to test the reality of your proposition for Tourism? Of course… Once again, it’s about white supremacy making money off of a history they tried to skew to their favor… and still are. Disgusting.
I am ashamed that THIS is how anyone wants to bring Tourists to Talbot County. Let’s be proud of our misplaced values that created The Talbot Boys. The Civil War is nothing to be proud of. Our country was broken. But so many want to continually open those festering wounds… and continue to fight that war over and over.
How about putting that energy toward the healing of relationships in our County, State, and Country?…especially when it comes to the great racial divide. No kudos for those who want to wave the banner of divisiveness; and celebrate a war, past or current, which shows our brokenness.
There are many discussion groups forming in Talbot County to talk about where we are, how we got here, trying to better understand each other, and make Talbot a better place to live for all people regardless of race, creed, sexual persuasion, or color of skin… Looking and moving forward!
The Rev Julia Hart, retired
St Michael’s
Anne Stalfort says
Agree 100%
Anne Stalfort says
This makes me furious. No to a Confederate flag on public property. Monuments are to honor the subject of the monument, especially those on the courthouse grounds. Why the Talbot Boys fought for the Confederacy might be interesting but is not relevant to the issue of giving Confederate soldiers a place of honor. This is not hard. Honoring those who fought to keep the institution of slavery, fought to keep other humans in bondage; to own them like cattle is unspeakable. What will you say to a child who ask Why her county, her home, is honoring those who enslaved her ancestors; who bought and sold her ancestors like they were animals? Get rid of it and plant grass.
Richard Marks says
Well, the monument remains despite overwhelming opposition to its presence there. I do find it remarkable to read the voices, several on this thread, who want to tell more of Talbot’s history, particularly in regard to Frederick Douglass and The Hill Project. Where have these voices been? Perhaps a few are recent arrivals to our county and unaware of some local efforts, but Lynn Mielke has lived here for at least 40 years. Why no outrage until now Lynn? Do these other authors know what “monumental” effort it took to get the Frederick Douglass statue placed? Do they know how TCHS has been slow to recognize the contributions from and history of our African American citizens here? I am quite pleased to acknowledge there has been effort from the TCHS the past few years with good recognition of Unionville’s 150th Anniversary and the establishment of permanent exhibits at the museum, but more can and should be done. I do applaud their recent progress and, as well, the county is making headway on the Frederick Douglass Park. So, perhaps we can all work together and tell about our “unique history”. I would be most pleased to serve on the group Mr. Hunter is promoting as soon as the Talbot Boys monument has been removed from the courthouse grounds!
Anne Stalfort says
Agrre Richard. Thanks.
George Merrill says
I understand Mr. Hunter’s ‘big picture’ very differently. His research recommendations obfuscate it. A recent critic trivialized Dan Watson as ‘DW,” suggesting his recent analysis of race was “emotional” and “sensational.” Watson laid out the ‘big picture’ as succinctly as any white man could. Was he emotional? Absolutely! Was he sensational? You bet. But he saw the big picture clearly. The Talbot Boys are a symbol to blacks. Whatever it does for whites, that symbol stands for blacks’ historic suffering and humiliation by whites.
Racial oppression, north and south , inflicted horrendous misery on blacks. Racism’s mutated like a virus, continually infecting us with new strains. Scrupulously documenting the historical pedigree of the Talbot Boys, obscures the matter. What the statue signifies to blacks then and now is the ‘big picture.’ Historically, swastikas have a long and venerable history. A Jew will never see a swastika as venerable. He’s suffered too much under its flag to see it other than oppressive. The confederate flag waved unchallenged over racism.
Blacks are convinced that white America doesn’t hear them. They’re right. That’s the big picture, then and now. Parsed history won’t assure them they are being heard. Their cries are being obscured by legalese. Acknowledging the suffering is regularly dismissed as emotional, sensational. In the recent historical analyses, black suffering is barely mentioned in the discussions. Blacks feel whites trivialize their suffering. They feel disenfranchised and furious. That’s the big picture as I see it now.
Jahnae says
The County Council has voted on the issue and decided not to remove the statue yet here is another dissertation about why the monument should remain. Maybe that has more to do with the fact that in your heart of hearts you know it’s racist and inappropriate to stand in front of a public courthouse. So who are you really trying to convince?
Mike mccarthy says
Thank you for this well written view! History is awesome, if you take the time to understand it!
Donald L Martin says
Mr. Hunter’s letter is a powerful statement with excellent points about the complexity of Talbot County’s unique civil war related history. I don’t think anyone who cares about the welfare of Talbot County and its residents would disagree that this history is a valuable asset that has not been well exploited for the good of its residents and the edification of those who would visit here. He makes a compelling argument the the Boys Statue, as well as other such memorabilia, has a useful and important role to play for Talbot County.
What his letter doesn’t do is begin to address the controversy over the location of the Statue and what that means to a significant portion of the local population. For them, and perhaps others, the irony is almost palpable. Located on the very grounds of the civil institution that is dedicated to the dispensing of justice for all is a symbol, as they must see it, of injustice meted out for the many. It is all the more offensive because it is supported in part by their hard earned tax money. If public money is to be used to promote the rich, complex and fascinating history of Talbot County lets do it in a way and at a location(s) that gives that history context rather than to confuse it with the delivery of justice for all.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
Could it just be that this whole issue has become political rather than rational? We have a president who does not want to rename military bases in the south named after Confederate generals. This, while the DOD wants to change the names. The Talbot Boys was erected as a white supremacist piece of propaganda. Look at the time it was put up. I agree with Dan Watson and George Merrill.
BTW, a relative who is a military historian from Virginia told me that the reason those bases were named as they were was to assist in recruitment in the south during WWI. Consider that in a fully integrated military.
Paul Callahan says
Instead of tearing down why don’t we construct? If half the effort that has been expended to take down this monument had been used towards creating new monuments in remembrance of important people and events we could have had several new ones by now! Instead of protests how about fund raisers?
Why don’t we just pick a productive project that everyone can come together and work towards? Mr. Potter keeps talking about coming together on common ground and common understanding. Just pick a worthy project for all of us to work towards and build together and that advances the common good. Let’s unit instead of divide – let construct instead of tearing down.
Richard Marks says
In a second read of Mr. Hunter’s opening letter, I noted he used the “marketing” word or form thereof at least seven times. As well, there are other direct references in leveraging our local history for economic gains. No hidden agenda that I can see since he does refer to himself as a “marketer” and not an historian. Well, I certainly must agree with Reverand Hart, however, that to propose or present such an argument as a reason to keep the misplaced monument on the courthouse property is cruel and insensitive to say the least. To the best of my knowledge, no one has been asked for the monument to be broken into pieces for souvenirs like the Berlin Wall. Mr. Potter and others have shown remarkable restraint in seeking “common ground and common understanding”. Let’s join him in a “project” to remove this unfortunate symbol of oppression if we do truly want to ‘advance the common good’ of our community. That would be constructive!!
Kimberly Seavolt says
1958 Law
In 1958, the U.S. Congress gave Confederate veterans the same legal status as U.S. Veterans (U.S. Public Law 85-435, Section 410) and all Confederate graves were declared those of U.S. war dead. Those desecrating Confederate graves and Confederate monuments are defiling United States veterans, same as WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam or Middle East vets.
This is verbatim.
Keith Alan Watts says
While widows of Confederate soldiers received federal benefits and the soldiers themselves were in some cases accorded headstones, Confederate Soldiers were never accorded full U.S. veteran status as some may understand it.
As with all things, especially “history,” it’s complicated — and it’s easy to see why those ideas become conflated . . .
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/confederate-soldiers-veterans/
Keith Alan Watts says
“This is not a battle of abstractions. It’s a deeply personal fight about inclusion and exclusion. We’re determining whose history counts and whose voices get heard, and reckoning with the many ways in which injustices—and ideals, met and unmet—have made us who we are.
The fury of this debate grows from its implications. It’s an argument over what we want the United States to be.
The current clash over commemorative statues brings that argument to life. From roughly 1890 to 1920, people erected statues of key Confederates, staking claims in public spaces and endorsing the Confederates’ defense of slavery in the process; more than anything else, these statues express the values of the people who erected them.
In the 21st century, people are taking down the statues to revoke that endorsement. Statues are public tributes to ideas in human form; they’re not objective history. Their meaning goes far deeper than their surface.”
And meanings change.”
~ From “I’m a Historian. I See the Contingency of This Moment”, by Joanne Freeman, The Atlantic
Paul Callahan says
I just saw a video clip of the Talbot County Council meeting in 2015. During that meeting Mr. Potter and Mr. Black told the council that Talbot’s NAACP’s position was that they wanted a monument on the courthouse lawn that honored both Union and confederate soldiers. I had to play it back to ensue I heard that correctly. Just a few years later our council members are labeled racist for taking a position Mr. Potter supported in 2015. Just amazing! No wonder common ground can’t be found- it keeps shifting!
James Brennan says
So much misleading information here. I hope that is not the intention.
This is simple. The Talbot boys statue was erected during the Jim Crow era. It honored the Confederate cause which was the continuation and expansion of slavery and the overthrow of the United States government by force. It celebrates a history of violent and virulent racism.
In 2020 there can be no confusion over what this statue means to the citizens of Talbot County who respect racial equality, equal justice for all, and the rule of law in these United States. The statue may have a place in some museum or cemetery, where citizens are not confronted with its meaning on their lawn in front of their County Courthouse, but it must be removed immediately from County property.