The Colonel Robert A. Smith Monument, standing tall and forlorn like a forgotten sentinel, hides in a remote corner of Hart County, Kentucky, shunning the bustle of the outdoors. Standing at 25 feet, this 35-ton white Gothic limestone obelisk has a straightforward tale of its making – the Colonel's dear brother, James, erected it in 1884 on private land. However, the character of the man it honors is more convoluted. Colonel Robert A. Smith, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, headed the 10th Mississippi Infantry Regiment in the fiercely fought Battle of Munfordville that took place on the 14th of September, 1862.
On that day, Smith and his regiment played a cardinal role in the conflict, fighting tooth and nail until the Confederate losses piled up, claiming 40 dead and 211 wounded. Smith himself received a mortal wound during the fight and breathed his last only a few days later. His remains rest in Jackson, Mississippi, while his devoted brother, who emigrated to America in 1886, commissioned the erection of the monument as a touching tribute to his fallen brother.
Today, the monument serves as a poignant memorial to a man who gave everything for his country. The monument found its way onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, being part of the Civil War Monuments of Kentucky Multiple Property Submission.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Friendly Jane
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