Good morning, I am Mark Day, and I represent the Sons of
the Union Veterans of the Civil War, the successor organization to the Grand
Army of the Republic, and whose members are the descendants of the brave men
who fought the War to Preserve the Union.
More over today, I stand here as the Commander of the Department of the
Chesapeake Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, of which Maryland is part,
to honor the men of Western Maryland, both Black and White, who fought to
ensure the survival of the United States of America and the long standing
ideal, which had been inculcated in our national identity, that "All Men
are Created Equal."
The men of Western Maryland, whose Grand Army of the Republic Post's , we
recognize today all believed in the causes of Liberty and Union; for which they willingly suffered
and in many cases had witnessed friends and family die to preserve. They were patriot hero's in every sense of
the word and we owe them a debt, which can never be fully paid through either
our oration or humble tokens of honor.
Just for a moment try to place yourself in
the position of these men and particularly in the shoes of the African American men who would answer
the call to take up arms. On January
first 1863 Abraham Lincoln through the Emancipation Proclamation declared "All persons held as slaves
within the said designated states and parts of states are, and henceforward
shall be free . . . And, I further declare and make known that such persons, of
suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United
States . . . " In the towns and
cities of Western Maryland men with names such as Samuel Broom, Oliver Hicks,
and Benjamin Brooks stepped up to the recruiting table to join units such as
the 19th USCT and 1st United States Colored Infantry. Free men fighting for the freedom of an
entire race and the right to enjoy the fruits of their own labor called
Liberty.
Following
the War the Grand Army of the Republic was represented by two post here
in Hagerstown, the Reno Post and the Lyon Post. During the terrible ordeal of the Civil War
these men were brothers in arms and in the post war they continued to work
within the communities to support the widows and children of lost comrades and
they worked to honor the memory of the sacrifices made by the Union soldiers
through the patriotic education the public and participation in local civics.
It is fitting therefore that we, the
recipients of their sacrifice in the name of Liberty and Union, take time to rededicate the Reno Post monument and dedicate
a new monument to the Lyon Post. These
brothers have done their duty and passed the torch to us. Now it is our duty to continue their yet unaccomplished
task of preserving our nation's history and remembering that, the cost of our
Liberty was found in the sacrifice of patriot blood.
May God grant us the wisdom to always be a
people who remember and may God bless our great Union and preserve our belief
in Liberty for all mankind..
Written by Mark R. Day 16 September 2013, copyright by Mark R. Day, 16 September 2013, all rights reserved
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