LISA HOBBS - News Editor
Members of a joint meeting of the McMinnville’s Parks and Recreation Committee and Building and Grounds Committee were split on a request by Lucas Holt to place a memorial to Brigadier General Benjamin J. Hill and his regiment at its Old City Cemetery.
“I want to say thank you to the committees for giving the time to hear my proposal,” stated Holt, when contacted by Warren County Way after the meeting. “I wish it to be known that this is not a matter of honoring/representing any kind of hateful feelings or beliefs. This was to remember a man who was a native of Warren County, a mayor and senate member of our community, and the men who put their trust in him during a trying time in our nation’s history. I understand that a Civil War trail marker is by the sidewalk that is in front of the cemetery, but I believe there should be a little more.”
While Aldermen Kara Youngblood and Keri Morton voted in favor of allowing the monument, Aldermen Deitra Dunlap and Rachel Kirby voted against. Alderman Steve Harvey was absent.
Prior to the vote, Dunlap and Kirby expressed concerns about the use of the Confederate flag.
“I will say that while looking over the packet before this meeting the Confederate flag being in our packet caused me to pause,” said Dunlap. “Does he have any monument up at all?”
Holt replied, “He has a headstone.”
“So, he has a headstone and we have this current separate plaque with all his information on it already,” said Dunlap.
The monument proposed by Holt would be dedicated to him, as well as his regiment. Members of that troop are also buried in that cemetery.
“I think the historical value is wonderful, but if you show it to some of the younger people, they get a little uptight,” said Kirby. “That Confederate flag throws me in the picture. I’m just checking to see how everybody else feels about it. If you show it to younger people, there was some concerns.”
Holt stated that the picture was AI generated and that he would not be placing a Confederate flag on the monument.
“I think there has been a lot of effort put into it,” said Morton. “I don’t see anything wrong with it myself.”
Youngblood added, “It’s history.”
“I wouldn’t mind if it came back with, maybe, some changes,” said Kirby, after the vote. “Again, I think it’s great historically. I showed it to some younger people and got some blowback… some pretty serious things, so I’ve got to go with that right now. I wouldn’t mind some changes. I don’t know the significance of the Southern Valor Star. What the means, then and now, seems to be two different definitions.”
Dunlap stated, “For me, we already have what looks to be a very nice monument and plaque here in honor of General Benjamin Hill, with the story about his service and a couple of photos, at the cemetery, and he has his own gravestone. I feel like we are honoring him. Within that story, it talks about the other soldiers.”
Without a majority vote, the measure failed.