Although Clinton provided many more soldiers for the Confederacy than for the Union, the Civil War
memorial depicts “ordinary soldiers” from both sides of the war. The community commissioned Wayne
Hyde from Bedford, Pennsylvania, to create the bronze statue, which was installed in 2002. The soldiers
hold percussion muskets and are dressed in typical uniforms, complete with belt buckles that clearly
read “U.S.” and “C.S.A.” (Confederate States of America).
During the war, Clinton was often occupied by Union troops. A skirmish known as the Battle of Clinton
occurred in July 1862 when Confederate soldiers sneaked into town to harass Union soldiers guarding a
supply depot; one Union soldier was killed and two were injured. Records from the National Park Service
also show that an attack on Clinton by armed citizens took place in October 1864.
