Thompson and Powell Martyrs Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Thompson and Powell Martyrs Monument
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| Location | St. Joseph, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1880 |
| MPS | Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000707 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1997 |
The Thompson and Powell Martyrs Monument is a special memorial in St. Joseph, Kentucky. It honors two soldiers who fought for the Confederate side during the American Civil War. This monument is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It is one of only three places in Daviess County, Kentucky on this list that is not in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Contents
Why Were These Soldiers Honored?
This monument remembers two Confederate soldiers, Charles W. Thompson (18 years old) and Pierman Powell (25 years old). They were killed because of a rule made by a Union general named Stephen G. Burbridge. This rule, called Order No. 59, said that four Confederate prisoners would be killed for every unarmed Union civilian killed by Confederates.
Thompson and Powell were executed because a well-known person from Henderson, Kentucky, James E. Rankin, was fatally wounded. The two soldiers were held in Daviess County. However, Union troops took them to Henderson to be executed. They were killed on July 22, 1864.
An Attempt to Rescue Them
A Confederate officer, Colonel Lee A. Sypert, tried to save Thompson and Powell. He was part of the 16th Kentucky Cavalry. On July 21, he tried to trick the Union forces into leaving.
However, the Union defenders stayed put. Soon, Union gunboats arrived, which are small armed ships. This forced Colonel Sypert to give up and leave. The two Confederate prisoners were then killed by a firing squad. This happened on the banks of the Ohio River in Henderson. Right after the executions, the Union gunboats and all Union soldiers left the city.
At the bottom of the monument, you can see the letters "CSA." These letters stand for the Confederate States of America. Because of where they are placed, some people might mistakenly think that General Burbridge was a Confederate general. He was actually a Union general. Burbridge himself tried for many years to have these letters removed because he did not like them being near his name.
Recognized as a Historic Place
On July 17, 1997, the Thompson and Powell Martyrs Monument became part of the National Register of Historic Places. It was one of 61 monuments in Kentucky related to the Civil War that were added at the same time. These monuments are part of a larger group called the Civil War Monuments of Kentucky.
In Daviess County, the Confederate Monument in Owensboro is the only other Civil War monument on this list. Other monuments honoring people affected by General Burbridge's orders include the Confederate Martyrs Monument in Jeffersontown, the Confederate Soldiers Martyrs Monument in Eminence, and the Martyrs Monument in Midway.
Images for kids
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Back of the monument, showing more details.
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The monument stands in front of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.
