Munfordville in the Civil War -- Munfordville KY
N 37° 16.296 W 085° 53.402
16S E 598409 N 4125579
A sign at the cannon on the southwest corner of the courthouse in Munfordville KY relates the area's extensive Civil War history
Waymark Code: WM15T6A
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 02/21/2022
Views: 7
This sign is a joint effort of the Munfordville Tourism Commission in the Battle of the Bridge Historic Preserve. It is located on the southwest corner of the Hart County Courthouse grounds in Munford.
The sign reads as follows:
"MUNFORDVILLE IN THE CIVIL WAR
Battle of Rowlett's Station, December 17, 1861
Battle and Siege of Munfordville, September 14-17, 1862
Skirmish of Woodsonville, September 20-21, 1862
A small unassuming county seat village of Munfordville, founded on an old buffalo crossing and home to a well-known tavern, could claim pride of place in 1860 as the spot where the L&N railroad crossed Green River, over what was then the longest iron bridge in the world. But one year later that asset became a liability -- a prize contested by both armies in the Civil War. Within the space of five years, the town solved 3 separate battles, 1 of them perhaps the most strategically important in the struggle for Kentucky; a war long occupation by Union forces that at its height numbered 40,000; the rise of notorious Confederate rater John Hunt Morgan; a town sized garrison of African-American soldiers and havens on the Underground Railroad; and 2 home-grown generals, one for each side in the conflict.
The remnants of that time were still visible on the landscape -- the railroad bridge still spans Green River on its original pilings. Antebellum architecture still stands in the form of the George Wood House, the Robert and Richard Munford Homes, the F.A. Smith House, the Munfordville Presbyterian Church, the old Village School, and the Old Munford Inn. Across the river, the Battle for the Bridge Historic Preserve protects the battlefield, which a soldier of that conflict would still recognize.
But the most enduring echo of Munfordville’s warriors is the faces of his people, many of whom are descended from those who endured the struggle that shaped America. Their eyes reflect the community once strengthened by adversity, and now looking toward the future.
Munfordville’s 2 Civil War Generals:
L: Gen. Thomas Wood, USA
R: Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, CSA
[Seal of the city of Munfordville]
in cooperation with
[emblem of Battle of the Bridge Historic Preserve]"
Group that erected the marker: City of Munfordville & Battle of the Bridge Historical Preserve
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
SW Corner of the Hart County Courthouse
Munfordville, KY USA
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