It doesn’t matter where you may travel there will be monuments and memorials. As I continue my Chesapeake County Road series I’ll talk about ones I’ve photographed on my travels between Chesapeake City and Kent Island. These are a few of them.
On the MD20 on the way to Rock Hall, Maryland, is one of the oldest is the Memorial for the Battle of Caulk’s Field. This photo is from 2014 during the Bicentennial celebration of the Battle. The memorial was erected in 1902 with two stones added on either side of the steps in 2012.
Between the burning of Washington and the attack on Fort McHenry was the Battle of Caulk’s Field on the Delmarva Peninsula in Kent County, MD.
Taking place on the night of August 30 and early morning hours of August 31, 1814, Captain Sir Peter Parker, commander of the frigate HM Menelaus, learning of a a company of Maryland militiamen in Belle Air, now called Fairlee, lead a force of about 140 marines and sailors onto the shore near Tolchester.
The two units came together at around 1am. The battle ultimately would have fourteen British soldiers and sailors, including Parker, dead. Twelve are buried in unmarked graves. As many as 27 were wounded, some seriously, with only three Americans with minor wounds.
The Battle of Caulk’s Field was declared a militia victory, one that was sorely needed at the time.
The Town of Rock Hall located on the Chesapeake Bay has a long history of Watermen working to make a living off of the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay. The Oysterman Monument, dedicated in 1995 to the area’s watermen, is modeled after Stanley Vansant of Piney Neck by Sculptor Kenneth Herlihy.
Chestertown is the County Seat for Kent County, Maryland. One of the attractions in Chestertown is the Fountain in the park in the center of downtown. Across the street from Fountain Park is another small park that is devoted to those who have been in the military during Wars with memorials from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War.
Like Chestertown Centreville is a County Seat. For Queen Anne’s County. Along with the old Court House there is a monument for Queen Anne, the namesake for the county and a War Memorial. The bronze statue of the British monarch, Queen Anne was dedicated on June 17, 1977.
Queen Anne’s County’s Fallen Heroes Memorial, located on MD18, is dedicated to emergency services workers who have given their lives protecting and serving Queen Anne’s County citizens.
The Fallen Heroes Memorial was first dedicated in June 2003 with stone markers inscribed with the Fallen Heroes names and the dates of their deaths.
The Maryland Watermen’s Memorial at Kent Narrows honors those who worked as commercial Watermen. This photo is from the 2020 Holiday season and the monument was decorated with lights. In the distance the Basket Tree, which made its debut in 2020, can be seen.
—–
Each Friday a photo-essay by photographer SG (Steve) Atkinson will appear with information and photographs of ‘Points of Interest’ on the MD Eastern Shore. Click Here to see previous photo-essays.
Visit his Website ShoreToBePhotographs.com for more information about him and his work.