BUNCOMBE COUNTY CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL
Approximately one-half of Buncombe County's 5,350 male residents served in the military during the Civil War. At least 551 of these men died in the war, or more than 10% of the County's male population. The burial site for many of these men is unknown; some never had a proper burial. Yet, the loss of these men had a tremendous impact, both emotionally and economically, and it would take decades for the region to recover from its loss. The purpose of the Buncombe County Civil War Memorial is to identify and honor these men, whether they served the Confederacy or the Union.
Dedicated on October 21, 2001, the Buncombe County Civil War Memorial is housed on the grounds of the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville, North Carolina. Smith-McDowell House was home to Major William Wallace McDowell who organized the first Confederate troops in Western North and to George Avery who enlisted in the 110th Regiment of the U.S. Colored Volunteers. During the Civil War, Smith-McDowell House was frequented by troops, including Colonel Isaac Kirby and the 101st Ohio Infantry. Today, this restored plantation house is a museum and a designated site on the North Carolina Civil War Trail.
Consisting of a circle of 19 engraved granite stones, the Buncombe County Civil War Memorial lists all known soldiers from Buncombe County who died during the war, arranged by company. This Memorial is a labor of love for volunteer Eric Emory who not only spent countless hours researching and collecting the data regarding the Civil War Dead from Buncombe County, but also raised the funds to create the Memorial. Supporting documentation for the Memorial is available at Smith-McDowell House Museum, including date and cause of death for each soldier. This information is also available in the publication Civil War Dead from Buncombe County which is available for purchase through the publication section of this web page.
The Memorial is open to the public free of charge.
The Smith-McDowell House Museum is an official site on the national Civil War Discovery Trail (www.civilwar.org/discoverytrail.htm).