UNIONVILLE — Unionville, a historic town in Talbot County founded by African Americans who fought in the Civil War, was home to an early Memorial Day remembrance today organized by the Col. David L. Stricker Camp 64.
These grounds of Unionville were home to 18 veterans of the United States Colored Troops who served in the Civil War. Today, the St. Stephens AME Church in Unionville still serves as their final resting place.
The land was bought after the Civil War from the Cowgill family. Their descendant, Dan Cowgill, helped organize the event to provide a tribute to their shared past.
“They worked with the colored troops who didn’t have much when they came home. They had been slaves; some had been free blacks, and they worked with them and helped them build this small town. It may be, I’m not sure, but this may be the first black town in the county,” Cowgill said.
Each of those men were remembered today with a ceremonial reading of names, a rendition of amazing grace, a ceremonial wreath laying, and remarks from descendants and historians.
Historians say the introduction of colored troops helped turn the tide in the Union’s favor. Bernie Siler, a reenactor and speaker today, says sadly the world wasn’t kind to them after,
“The county was maybe not ready for that. The war was over; the Union won, the country was one again, but people weren’t in a mood to pile on black rights in and of themselves,” said Siler.
He says each passing year their names and their sacrifice shine a bit brighter,
“There was a time where everything we would say, everybody would say, ‘We’ve never heard that before!’ So I would say we’ve made progress. Now, people have actually heard the story, and we do our best to continue that story,” Siler added.
Over 150 years later, a story of heroes and sacrifice was continued today in Unionville.