Georgetown Historical Society defends flying Confederate flag

As our name confirms, for decades, our members and volunteers have been actively engaged in our beloved community to further, present and honor its history, without fear or favor, and remain dedicated to educate in that history with fidelity and truth.

Consistent with our mission, on or about 2005, we issued a mutual invitation to both representatives of Delaware Union and Confederate veterans to erect a monument honoring each of those Delawareans who demonstrated valor in battle toward the ultimate sacrifice that shaped our history in the late War Between The States prosecuted between 1861-65.

The Union representatives declined our invitation which continues, while the SCV acceptance led to their significant investment in treasure, research and time ongoing, leading to the erection of a 9-foot obelisk memorializing more than 100 Delawareans who supported or enlisted in Southern armies, including General Leonidas Polk and Delaware Gov. William Henry Harrison Ross. The unveiling ceremony was held May 12, 2007, including the memorial obelisk flanked by 25-foot flag poles punctuated on each side, featuring both the Delaware flag and the Confederate Battle Flag – also inscribed upon the obelisk, featuring a 14th star for Delaware. The event included joint proclamations from Georgetown Mayor Mike Wyatt and Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, both in attendance, who declared May 12-18 as Confederate History and Heritage Week, covering both the town and entire State of Delaware. Also in attendance was noted Southern patriot H.K. Edgerton, who led the gathered crowd of 300 in singing “Dixie,” performed his rendition of “I Am Their Flag,” and spoke passionately about the need to preserve Southern history.

While there are monuments honoring those who joined the federal armies at Gettysburg and Sharpsburg, Md., no memorial to Delaware’s Confederate history exists in their struggle seeking independence, other than ours. Memorials of accuracy in history don’t always generate universal acceptance or endorsement. Our society appropriately gave its word of binding commitment to SCV, allowing them to exclusively select the flags to be evidenced as part of their memorial in perpetuity, upon which promise they have justifiably and materially relied continuously since. We note that both GHS and SCV have and continue to regard the institution of slavery as a moral and political evil for all time, as Gen. Robert E. Lee consistently maintained in his public pronouncements and private correspondence.

The GHS intends to keep its word to SCV, particularly on the choice of flags to adorn the memorial, and call on all citizens of good character and good faith to commit to the environment of unity, pluralism and tolerance demonstrated at the unveiling May 12, 2007, allowing those who chose to honor their dead to do so with respect for their election, all in furtherance of the advancement of education and history that defines the noble object of GHS.