Colonel Robert A. Smith Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Col. Robert A. Smith Monument
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| Nearest city | Munfordville, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1885 |
| MPS | Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000693 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1997 |
The Colonel Robert A. Smith Monument is a special memorial located in Hart County, Kentucky. It honors Colonel Robert A. Smith and the soldiers of the 10th Mississippi Infantry Regiment. These soldiers fought for the Confederate States of America and died on September 14, 1862, during the Battle of Munfordville in the American Civil War. This monument is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a significant historical site.
What Does the Monument Look Like?
The monument is a tall, white stone pillar called an obelisk. It stands about 25 feet (7.6 meters) high and is made from limestone. It weighs a huge 35 tons! It was built in 1884 by Colonel Smith's brother. People believe that only one other single-stone monument in the United States, called Cleopatra's Needle, is larger.
The monument is on private land, away from main roads. It's located just east of the CSX railroad tracks and south of a bridge over the Green River. A cast iron fence surrounds the monument, about 250 feet (76 meters) away from it. To the east, there are six smaller marble monuments. Each of these is dedicated to a different Mississippi Regiment that fought in the war. Some soldiers were also buried near the monument.
The monument has a message carved into it. It says: South 42' west and ninety poles distant is the place of The Sacrifice of Col. Robert A. Smith and his regiment the Tenth Mississippi on Sept. 14, 1862. This tells us where Colonel Smith and his regiment made their stand.
A Look at Its History
On September 14, 1862, Colonel Robert A. Smith, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, was given a difficult order. He was told to capture an important bridge during the Battle of Munfordville. After three hours of intense fighting, the Confederate side suffered many losses. About 40 soldiers died, and 211 were wounded. Colonel Smith himself was badly hurt and passed away a few days later.
Colonel Smith's family believed that his superior officer, Brigadier General James R. Chalmers, ordered this dangerous attack. Some thought Chalmers might have seen Smith as a rival for future promotions. It is known that Chalmers did order the attack on his own. Colonel Smith was later buried in Jackson, Mississippi.
Years later, in 1886, Robert Smith's brother, James, moved to America from Glasgow, Scotland. He wanted to find the exact spot where his brother died. James decided to build a monument to honor Robert. He bought the land and spent $4,000 on the monument itself. This was a lot of money back then! The monument was built by a company called Oman & Stewart from Nashville, Tennessee. They used limestone that came from Bowling Green, Kentucky.
On July 17, 1997, this monument was recognized as a very important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was one of sixty different Civil War monuments in Kentucky to receive this honor.
There is also another monument dedicated to Colonel Robert A. Smith in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was born. This memorial is located in the large Dean Cemetery. The monument correctly states the date of the battle, but it spells the town's name as "Mumfordsville" instead of "Munfordville."
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Another memorial to Colonel Robert A. Smith, CSA; this one is in the city of his birth in Edinburgh, Scotland
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The Edinburgh memorial to Colonel Smith in 2013
