United States Colored Troops Memorial Statue (Lexington Park, Maryland)

The life-size bronze sculpture of a United States Colored Troop soldier, rifle held over his shoulder as he strides forward. The figure stand on 6-foot granite pedestal, which features two bronze plaques bearing a dedicatory inscription, as well as the names of the 700 black soldiers from St. Mary’s County who fought for the Union Army during the Civil War. The plaque takes special care to note the three men from St. Mary’s County who received a Medal of Honor during the war. Two of the men, Sgt. William Barnes and Sgt. James Harris were members of the 38th Colored Troops. The third Medal of Honor recipient, a white man, was U.S. Navy Quarter Master Joseph Hayden. Just in front of the statue, is a placard with didactic information that describes the important role of African Americans during the Civil War.