The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-01
MUNFORDVILLE.
The Ceremonies of Unvailing the
Memorial Stone.

Three DAYS before it had been attacked
under the orders of Gen. Chalmers, and
in the sanguinarF battle the Tenth Mis-
sissippi Regiment sustained the brunt
of the fire and was almost decimated.
Its commander, Col. Robert A. Smith,
| fell MORALLY wounded while leading the
charge, and IN testimony of the gallant
~ of his troops they were deputed to
receive the empty honor Of the enemy S
surrender three days later.
On this, the twenty-second anniversary
of the victory, the monument to the
memory of Col. Smith was unyailed
with appropriate ceremonies. 1t was
erected by his brother, Mr.. James Smith,
of Glasgow, Scotland, who, with his
| daughter, son and several friends had
crossed the Atlantic to be present at the
unvaiIing. In spite of the threatening
/ weather, fully 1000 spectators were in
attendance, among them being two OF
the most gallant Generals of the army
to which the dead hero belonged, and
| few of his surviving comrades.
The battle of Munfordville is yet fresh
| in the minds of all survivors of the wal
as one of the most bloody and useless
of the minor engagements between the
two great opposing powers. 1t resulted
from the ill-starred ambition of Gen
Chalmers, and, though victory, it cost
| the Southerners all too dearly.
The engagement took place on the
south side OF Green river, just opposite
| Munfordyille. On the farm, and il
front of the residence of Mr.. A. L
Woodson, the Union forces had thrown
up little stronghold, which they named
Fort Craig. 1t was also depot of sup
plies, and Gen. Chalmers, who had beer
ordered by Gen. Bragg to intercept 8
supply train at Cave City, thought it:
capture could be easily effected. 1t wa:
supposed that the fort was held by about
$500 recruits, but fatal mistake was
made in the carelessness of the attack
The regiments engaged were the Seventh
| Ninth, Tenth, Twenty-ninth and Forty
fourth Mississippi, the Tenth being I'M
der command of Col. Smith. The enemy
was strongly intrenched, and an abattis
of felled beech trees, with their thick
interlacing branches, was death-traE
to the assailants. Col. Smith was shot
down while leading on his command, a:
was Lieut.. Col Billiard and several 9th
er gallant officers. An armistice was
agreed upon and Chalmers withdrew,
but three DAYS later Gen. Bragg moved
up, and Col. Durham, who had succeed
| ed Col. Wilder in command, surrendered
Fort Craig with about 800 men, ord
nance and large supplies. The number
of Confederates engaged in the disas
trous battle of the 18th was-only about
| 1000 or l, 800.
| Col Smith was taken off the field by
Sergt. Maj. VIM. French and Capt. Geo.
| Dobson 10 the residence of Mrs. Patter
son, who is now liyingin Louisville. He
lived until after the fort surrendered.
His remains were temporarily inferred
on the field of battle with his comrades,
but they were subsequently removed by
his sister and nephew to Jackson, Mis-
sissippi, where they now repose. He
was a native of Scotland, and fell in his
10Th year, only eighteen months after
he had entered the army, in which he
had already won distinction, and which
so deeply felt his loss. His brother, Mr..
James Smith, was formerly a resident
of Mississippi, and was an ardent South
ern sympathiser during the war, and his
fraternai devotion is testified by the
erection of the cenotaph.
The unvaiIing ceremonies took place
at 80 o'clock this afternoon.
Mr.. Smith, who arrived from Glasgow
few days ago, came down from Louis
vile in the morning. He was accompa-
MED by his daughter, son and several
others. They were met at Woodson-
vile bya number of other guests whom
he had invited, but had preceded him
to the spot. Their names are as fol
lows:
Alexander Watt, solicitor, Glasgow,
Scotland; John Stuart, Provost of Hell
enburg, Scotland Robert Brown Smith,
of Glasgow, Scotland; Maj. E. T. Sykes,
Mississippi State Senator; Miss Maria
Smith, of Glasgow, Scotland; DR.. r.
Gibson Miller, Glasgow, Scotland; Jas.
Leslie, of Cincinnati, o.; Col. J. w.
White, Ninth Mississippi Regiment,
of fernando, Miss. Mrs. Jane CASTOR,
of Jackson, Miss; Gen. Basil Duke;
Miss Emma MacLennan, of Washing
ton county, Miss; Mrs. Patterson, of
Louisville, KY, to whose house, on the
battlefield, Col. Smith was carried; G.
H. Manship, ex-Mayor of Jackson, Miss.
Mrs. G. II. Manship; Jas. L. Finley, of
TupeIo, Miss, Attorney for First Ju-
dicial district; S. B. Watts, Meridian,
Miss. Mr. Oman, David Douglas, Jos. |
Gibson, Nashville; Christopher Hinckle,
Jackson, Miss.
Besides these there were a number of
other distinguished visitors, including
Gen. Simon B. Buckner; Lieut.. Otis
Baker, of Natchez; Capt. ]. w. Fife,
Lieut.. John w. Clingan, Sergt. J. G.
Rietti, D. C. Rietti, Alfred Moore, L.
Fragiacomo, Rev. DIR. John Hunter,
Jackson, Miss; Henry Mode, Mem
phis, Tenn; Capt. S. w. Walker, J. 7.
Boone; Hugh Gibson, Nashville, Tenn.
Col. White, fernando, Miss; b. S.
Bynum, the latter gentleman was &C.
eompanied by Miss Mary Bynum, Horn
Lake, Miss and many others.
Through the courtesy of the railroad
officials all trains stopped at the southern
end of the bridge. Mr.. Smiths party
we're met by Mr.. A. L. Woodson, who,
With his family, has shown the visitors
very courtesy in his power, and taken
,yer to his house for a brief rest. The
ime was pleasantly employed by the
Id comrades in exchanging gossip that
lad accumulated through so many years :
( absence.
At II o'clock they returned to the
aonument and partook of an elegant
unch which had been prepared by Mr.. :
sufer, of Louisville. After this re- :
reshment the ceremonies were begun. '
A small but rapidly increasing circle =
altered around small table which l
ad been draped with a SCARED and tat
cred war flag. Rev. DIR. Hunter rose,
nd in a few words stated the purpose 2
,r which they had all assembled. U pom Y
le conclusion of his feeling remarks Il
E introduced Mr.. Smith, who had selec- y
d Maj. Sykes as the Chairman of the
Getting. Mr.. Smith spoke as follows: Q
Mr.. JAMES SMITHS REMARKS. h,
MAJ. SYKEs-In requesting you to az
lughter of Mississippi, in this ceremo- al
al unvailing, permit me to say that nj
Y strong desire has ever been to have q
e opportunity and the ability to place th
imperishable mark on this field, the th
enc of as severe and heart-rending to
.uggle as ever occurred, and it gratifes 50
: to see now this great stone firmly u
aced and durable as man can accom- til
sh. It gratifies me, it gratifes those 10
atives and friends of Col Smith who NJ
! here from abroad TO meet you here to
to meet so many of his compatriots sic
m far distant parts of this land on -
IS interesting occasion. or
e is not for me to venture eulogium
him whose name is inscribed on this a
l brought the youth from tn,
native land straight to Mississippi. rel
he grew to manhood, his respect and en-
seton for the generous and kindly ha
1plo be had been thrown amongst do
N with him. He was in his nature aW
dious and mathematical He watch res
with close interest the troubles from he.
side that were pressing his residen- of
/ land. His most intimate historical tbs
owIedge was with his native Sect ".