The Confederate Monument in Cynthiana is located on the outer edge of

Cynthiana, Kentucky Cynthiana is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city in Harrison County, Kentucky, Harrison County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 6,402 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is the county seat, seat of its ...

in Battle Grove Cemetery. It was the first monument to the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

dedicated in the State of

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, and long believed to be the first Confederate memorial anywhere.The Confederate Monument (Battle Grove)
Due to the

32nd Indiana Monument The 32nd Indiana Monument, also known as the August Bloedner Monument, honors the Union soldiers of the 32nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as Indiana's "1st German" regiment, who died in the Battle of Rowlett's Station on Dece ...

having been moved from its original location, the Cynthiana monument is the oldest Civil War monument still standing at its original location, where the second

Battle of Cynthiana The Second Battle of Cynthiana included three separate engagements during the American Civil War that were fought on June 11 and 12, 1864, in Harrison County, Kentucky, in and near the town of Cynthiana. This was part of Confederate Brigadier G ...

started, in the then-new town cemetery.Civil War in Kentucky
/ref> The Cynthiana Confederate Monument Association, a group of women, spearheaded the movement to build the monument, although the money required to build it came from men. It was built in 1869 by the Muldoon Monument Company of

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, at the cost of $2,200. The white

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

obelisk An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by Anc ...

stands high on a four square foot

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

base three feet high (25 feet high combined), with a

Confederate flag The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...

draped atop it. The graves of 47 Confederate veterans who died during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, many of whom are unknown, and a substantial number of

John Hunt Morgan John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was an American soldier who served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861–1865. In April 1862, Morgan raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (CSA) and fought in t ...

's 2nd Kentucky Cavalry who twice raided the town of Cynthiana during the War, were transferred from another cemetery to encircle the monument. David M. Snyder died in 1896, and per his wishes to be buried with his companions, was placed as part of the circle. The Cynthiana monument set the tone of many of the first Bluegrass monuments in the Confederacy, being reminiscent of death, particularly grave markers. This is best represented by the

Confederate Monument of Bowling Green The Confederate Monument of Bowling Green, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is among the sixty-one monuments of the Civil War Monuments of Kentucky Multiple Property Submission, all of which became part of the National Register of Historic Places on ...

, Confederate Monument at Crab Orchard, Confederate Monument in Georgetown, and the

Confederate Monument in Versailles The Confederate Monument, in the city cemetery of Versailles, Kentucky, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 1997, as part of the Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS. The monument, with it unique shape, was made of w ...

.Brent On the back of the monument is a verse from the ''

Bivouac of the Dead "Bivouac of the Dead" is a poem written by Danville, Kentucky native, Theodore O'Hara to honor his fellow soldiers from Kentucky who died in the Mexican-American War. The poem’s popularity increased after the Civil War, and its verses have been f ...

'', which six other monuments would also include a verse from. The '' Cynthiana Democrat'' said the monument was not just for the local citizenry, but "for every man and every nation, whose children and whose people have shed blood in defense of their Homes, in defense of their country, in defense of Justice and Truth".''Cynthiana Democrat'', May 13, 1869 The dedication ceremony for the monument, held on May 27, 1869, involved a parade, speeches, and food. Colonel W. C. P. Breckinridge gave the dedication speech, highlighting the virtue of the Confederate cause and the bravery of its soldiers. Soon thereafter, his cousin's wife,

Mary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge Mary Cyrene Breckinridge ( Burch; August 16, 1826 – October 8, 1907) was the wife of John C. Breckinridge and served as the second lady of the United States from March 4, 1857, until March 4, 1861, while her husband was the 14th vice presiden ...

, founded the Ladies Memorial and Monument Association of Lexington. This group raised the funds to create and install the

Ladies' Confederate Memorial The Ladies' Confederate Memorial is an American Civil War monument erected in 1874 in Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Kentucky. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 1997, as part of the Civil War Monuments of Kent ...

in the Lexington Cemetery. On July 17, 1997, the Cynthiana monument was one of sixty-two monuments included in the

Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS This is a list of American Civil War monuments in Kentucky — Union, Confederate or both. The earliest Confederate memorials were, in general, simple memorials. The earliest such monument was the Confederate Monument in Cynthiana erected in 1869 ...

Gallery

File:Confederate Monument in Cynthiana 3.jpg, Front view File:Confederate Monument in Cynthiana 2.jpg, Rear view

References

{{American Civil War monuments in Kentucky Buildings and structures completed in 1869 Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS National Register of Historic Places in Harrison County, Kentucky Obelisks in the United States Confederate States of America monuments and memorials in Kentucky 1869 sculptures Marble sculptures in Kentucky 1869 establishments in Kentucky Cynthiana, Kentucky