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Confederate soldier monuments are very controversial in today’s society. A controversial statue in Maryland is that of Benjamin Welch Owens. Benjamin Welch Owens was a Confederate war hero from a battle in 1863. Owens single-handedly held off Union forces in a battle after his comrades were injured. Owen’s was a brave, courageous and decorated Confederate war veteran, who’s monument was tore down and vandalized in 2020. Owen’s legacy as a controversial figure is still unfolding and is not yet complete.

Vandalized Statue of Benjamin Welch Owens

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Inscription On Benjamin Welch Owens Statue

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Benjamin Welch Owens Statue

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Benjamin Welch Owens Statue

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Vandalism of Benjamin Welch Owens Statue

Wheel, Tire, Bicycle, Helmet

      Benjamin Welch Owens was a Confederate War hero from Lothian, Maryland. He was very influential in the Civil War for the Confederate Army. A statue was erected of him from a battle in 1863. He was seen as a hero by many of his comrades. He was viewed as heroic as a result of him single-handedly holding off Union forces after all of his comrades were injured in the battle. The statue is very controversial. He was awarded a medal of honor, but since he was a Confederate soldier, many are outraged by the statue and it was vandalized and torn down.

           Benjamin Welch Owens was born and raised in Maryland. He was a private of the 1st Maryland Artillery. He was seen as a hero by many, both in general and to the confederate cause as well. Owens had continued to fight in a battle after all of the other members on his side were injured. He continued firing his cannon after his comrades were all injured. Owens single-handedly held off the Union forces at that battle. His bravery was noted in other battles he participated in as well. He was awarded the Confederate Medal of Honor.

           The biggest concern when dealing with Confederate soldier memorials and statues, is that many view what the Confederate forces were fighting for as despicable and looked, and continue to look, down upon the Confederate forces. The monument for Benjamin Welch Owens was found to be vandalized on July 2nd in 2020. The statue was torn down by the Methodist Church and safely stored away. This was done to preserve his memory and respect it, as well as to keep the local members of the community happy. The vandalism of the statue included the word ‘Racist’ being spray painted on the statue with red spray paint. The County Executive Steuart Pittman stated that he preferred that the statue was removed and taken down anyway. He said, “The statue offends me. It’s in a place where is was clearly designed to send a message to the public, and it’s a racist message.” He did comment that he disapproved of the way by which the statue was taken down, through the vandalism. A local African American also gave his thoughts on the statue and he noted that he equated the statue and its symbolism to that of an ideal honoring the KKK.

           Benjamin Welch Owens was undeniably brave and courageous. He was a hero both for his comrades and for the Confederate cause. The inscription on the statue noted how he represented the Maryland boys who fought for “a war of ideas, political conceptions, and loyal to ancient ideals of English freedom.” There are many differing opinions on the state and upkeep of Confederate War statues and memorials. 

“Benjamin Welch Owens, CSA Historical Marker.” Historical Marker, 9 July 2020,

www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=152513

Danley-Greiner, Kristin. Controversial Lothian Statue's Future Will Be Discussed, 16 June 2020,

www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/controversial-lothian-statues-future-will-be-discussed/ar-BB15zSka

III, E.B. Furgurson. “Anne Arundel County Has Only Two Confederate Monuments

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Mann, Alex, and Selene San Felice. “Confederate Statue at Lothian Church Torn down,

Vandalized, Anne Arundel Police Say.” Capitalgazette.com, Capital Gazette, 4 July 2020,

www.capitalgazette.com/news/crime/ac-cn-lothian-confederate-statue-vandalized-20200703-

ukbkjrgog5ddpox6g7dojdf3ey-story.html

Maryland Center for History and Culture, 26 Apr. 2021, www.mdhistory.org/

Thakkar, Akash. “Statues and Statutes: Evaluating Iconoclastic Policy Approaches to Addressing

Confederate Statues.” TexasScholarWorks, 1 Jan. 1970, https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/65001