Photo of Civil War veterans at Atlantic Highlands church spurs tribute wall

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS — After 104 years, a photo of Civil War veterans gathered on the front steps of Central Baptist Church is being displayed in the hallway of the church.

About a year ago, Burt Talmage, 80, a member of the church and a veteran of the Korean War, came across the photo of the soldiers from the 29th Regiment of New Jersey.

"This (the picture) was too good to be true, too good not to do something to pay our respects to those soldiers," he said. As he pointed at the picture, he added, "The soldiers fought in two of the biggest battles of the war, Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg."

So for about a year, Talmage, with the help of his wife, Jane, and the approval of the Rev. Dr. George Hancock-Stefan, pastor of the church, began working to refurbish the photograph as well as searching through the church's archives for additional pictures and other memorabilia to include as a tribute wall for local veterans.

The church's new history wall includes photographs of the Civil War soldiers and current members who are veterans, and two scrolls, one with names of members of the church that served the country during World War I and the other with names of members of the church that served the county during World War II. Talmage also included the pictures of 10 of the 16 former pastors from the church. According to Hancock-Stefan, there have been 16 pastors at the church since its start in 1893.

The photograph of the church members standing in the exact spot where the Civil War soldiers once stood was taken in June. The veterans are: Talmage, Army 1953-54; Paul Reynolds, Coast Guard 1954-62; Al Emery, Marines 1943-46; Harry Murtha, Navy 1965-69; and Joe Koeppel, Coast Guard 1968-74. In addition, individual pictures of the men while they were serving in the armed forces are on display.

"The display is a work in progress," Talmage said.

He said intends to install overhead lights to shine on the photographs.

There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m. March 6, Hancock-Stefan said.

"Burt did a beautiful job," he said.

And the reason why the soldiers came to the Atlantic Highlands church to celebrate their 30th anniversary after the war will remain a pleasant mystery, Talmage said.