The Civil War Monument in Vanceburg, Kentucky

By Charles H. Bogart · Originally published August 2022 · p. 30

The city of Vanceburg, Ky., is located in northeast Kentucky on the Ohio River. The city is the county seat of Lewis County. In 1884, the citizens of Lewis County, using only private donations, erected a monument on the courthouse lawn to the men of Lewis County who had served in the Federal Army during the Civil War. It is claimed that this is the only Union monument paid for by private donations and erected on a courthouse lawn that exists south of the Mason Dixon Line. Other Union monuments do exist south of the Mason Dixon Line recognizing Union soldiers; however, they were not erected during the 19th century on local public property and financed by private donations. Interestingly, some fifteen Kentucky courthouse lawns or city parks have Confederate commemorative monuments and fountains. There is something strange about the fact that Confederate monuments outnumber Union monuments in the Blue Grass State because Kentucky was loyal to the Union and supplied two Union soldiers for every man who joined the Confederate Army. Why Kentucky came to embrace the Lost Cause after the Civil War has been the subject of a number of books. The limestone Vanceburg Civil War monument stands 34-feet tall. The monument’s top displays a statue of a Union soldier dressed for cold weather. He is wearing a kepi and holds a musket, its stock resting on the ground between his feet. On the front of the monument’s pedestal are written the following words, “Erected AD 1884 by the Citizens of Lewis County.” On the base is carved, “To commemorate the bravery and patriotism of our soldiers who lost lives in the war for the preservation of the national unity 1861-1865.” On the righthand side of the monument’s pedestal are the words, “Resaca, Vicksburg, Atlanta.” On the base, the lettering reads, “On fames eternal campaign grounds their silent tents are spread and glory guards with solemn rounds the bivouac of the dead.” On the back of the monument the following is boldly proclaimed, “One Country One Flag - The war for the Union was right, everlastingly right, and the war against the Union was wrong, forever wrong” On the left side of the pedestal is recorded, “Chickamauga, Mission [sic] Ridge, Stone River” and on the base, “Nor shall your glory be forgotten while fame her records keeps or honor points the hallowed spot where valor proudly sleeps.” Just below the statue on all four sides of the column are listed the names of 107 men from Lewis County who died during the war. In 1860 Lewis County had a population of 8,361. These dead are listed as having served in the following Kentucky regiments, 10th Cavalry, 4th , 16th , 22nd , 23rd Infantry, 40th, 45th and 54th Mounted Infantry. In front of the Civil War monument is a smaller monument recognizing the men from Lewis County who died during World War I and off to the right is another smaller monument listing those from Lewis County who died in World War II. Vanceburg was home of the Rousseau GAR post, named for Major General Lovell Harrison Rousseau.