The focal point of Concord’s historic Monument Square is the Civil War Monument. A bronze plaque on the obelisk honors the names of 48 local men who lost their lives in the Civil War; however, 49 Concord men paid the ultimate price. Private George Washington Dugan’s name is missing.

Private Dugan was the only Black man from Concord to fight in the Civil War. He joined the 54^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first all-Black regiment in the north, and took part in the assault on Fort Wagner. After the battle, Private Dugan, and 50 other Black soldiers, were listed as missing. 

The tablet on the memorial today is not the original. The plaque was changed in 1882 and again in 1915 to add names inadvertently left off. Unfortunately, Private Dugan’s missing status made him ineligible to have his name on the plaque, as only the names of the confirmed dead are listed.

In 1932, the adjutant general of Massachusetts compiled information published in the Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War, Volume IV. This collection officially changed Private George Washington Dugan’s classification from missing to supposed killed 17 years after Concord last replaced the tablet.

Recently, Concord’s Civil War Monument Task Force Committee received approval from the Select Board to move forward in replacing the current tablet and preserving and conserving the 155-year-old monument. The town appropriated $7,305.77 in the budget for the project. The Committee used some of the funds to have a conservation firm examine the memorial to provide the committee with a rough estimate of potential work involved in preservation and conservation. The cost could be as much as $150,000. Now we need to find funding for the project.

The Committee will request funds from the Community Preservation Committee, but it will not know until 2023 if the project will receive funding. This is where you can help us recognize Private Dugan by donating to the War Memorial Gift Account. We hope to be able to raise funds quickly and have a re-dedication of the Civil War Monument next year with a plaque unveiling that will include the names of all 49 Concord men who lost their lives during the Civil War.

Please visit the website, concordma.gov/3149/Civil-War-Monument-Task-Force to join us in recognizing Private Dugan’s sacrifice and restoring the monument. Donations are tax-deductible (on federal taxes) and you can request a letter acknowledging your donation when you send in your gift.

Thank you for helping us honor all those who gave their lives in the Civil War and in preserving this important piece of Concord history.