Sons of Confederate Veterans withdraws Tennessee complaint

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – A Sons of Confederate Veterans chapter in Tennessee has voluntarily dismissed its complaint against the state Historic Commission accusing it of improperly removing Civil War markers.

The Tennessean reports Historic Commission executive director Patrick McIntyre confirmed the dismissal Monday, citing paperwork from the group’s attorney. McIntyre said he didn’t know why the group withdrew their case.

The Franklin chapter filed the complaint in August, accusing the commission of removing six wooden stakes from a Franklin street in April. Each stake symbolized a Confederate general who died in an 1864 battle. The group said in their complaint that the stakes’ removal violated the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act.

The Historic Commission says it removed the markers after an extensive study that found they lacked historical context and confused some commission members.

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Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com