The Civil War in Trimble, Shelby, Henry, Carroll, Gallatin, Owen, Counties in Kentucky

1. Stories from the Home Front The Civil War in Trimble, Shelby, Henry, Carroll, Gallatin, Owen, Counties in Kentucky

2. How Locals Got the News

3. Events Leading to War The 1850s, Nationally 1850 Compromise - Slavery into Western Territories 1850 Fugitive Slave Act and Abolitionists 1850s Cotton Gin and Cotton Economics 1852 “Uncle Tom’s Cabin" 1856 Bleeding Kansas 1857 Dred Scott decision - U.S. Supreme Court 1858 – Lincoln-Douglas Debates 1859 – Raid on Harpers Ferry 1860 – Lincoln wins the Presidency

4. Breakdown of the Great Compromise of 1850 and Bloody Kansas

5. 1850s Cotton Economy and Slavery Eli Whitney’s cotton gin of 1787 took several years to prove in the original patents. It opened up a lucrative cotton industry with raw material for the textile industry of Great Britain and the Northern United States. Cotton was the number one export from the U.S. and the increasing value of slaves to harvest the cotton fields made Slavery the number 2 economic engine of the South.

6. Harriet Beecher Stowe 1852 Serial Format 500,000 books sold worldwide Based on Kentucky Slavery Slave auction at Washington in Mason County Humanized Slaves and Slave Families

7. 1856-1861 Bleeding Kansas Kansas Territory push for statehood as Anti-Slavery Plurality of anti-Slavery settlers 1856 pro-Slavery forces coming north from Missouri disrupt Kansas elections; John Brown and his sons and neighbors go down into Missouri to seek vengence. Breaks the Missouri Compromise, inflames Abolitionist and anti-Slavery citizens.

8. 1856 The Dred Scott Decision Considered to be the worst decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in its history prior to Citizens United. A slave who was taken into a Free State for an extended period of time and left there by his owner, then reclaimed and taken to Louisiana. His daughter was born as a Free Black in a free state. Interference in the case by President Elect James Buchanan. Decision: Dred Scott to be returned to slavery, because otherwise Negroes would be free to travel to any state they wanted, and a slave owner’s property rights were more significant legally than any federal or state law supporting Negro rights. Language extremely racist.

9. 1858 The Slavery Issue Debated Seven debates between Abraham Lincoln a candidate opposing Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas on the future of slavery in the United States. Gained national attention and propelled Lincoln to represent the new Republican Party in the 1860 presidential election. . “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” he declared. “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divided.”

10. October 1859 Raid on Harpers Ferry John Brown and his sons with a rag-tag militia of 24 abolitionists mounted a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Maryland. Brown wanted the rifles in order to achieve a series of slave insurrections all over the South. Brown was captured by marines led by Robert E. Lee and hanged, and became a hero of radical Abolitionists.

11. 1850s Locally • Madison UGRR impacting slave owners; losses mount along the river bottoms • 1852 Delia Webster buys Mt. Orison • 1854 Delia Webster jailed at Bedford • 1856 Richard Daly escapes with family • 1856 Elijah Anderson trial at Bedford

12. Trimble Co, Kentucky AFRICAN AMERICANS IN TRIMBLE COUNTY, KENTUCKY Because of the rugged ravines in much of Trimble County, there were never a large percentage of slaves here. Most of the slaves were concentrated in the river bottoms and the uplands around Bedford and along the Little Kentucky River. From 1850 to 1860 there was a drop from 941 slaves to 831, a major testimony to the effectiveness of the Madison Underground Railroad. By 1870 many former slaves had crossed over into Indiana, and there were only 456 still left in the county.

13. Carroll County KY AFRICAN AMERICANS IN CARROLL COUNTY, KENTUCKY Even though Carroll County Kentucky had a substantial amount of river bottoms and upland pasturage, it never had more than 1,050 slaves because it is one of the smallest counties in Kentucky. Over half of all African Americans in the county went north or to Louisville or Cincinnati after the Civil War for wage paying jobs and education for their children as the black population dropped from 1045 to 540.

14. Late 1860 the Winds of War • Abraham Lincoln elected, Kentucky backs Seward by large margin • Kentucky legislature debates secession; wants neutrality for economic reasons • Defensive measures sought

15. Simon Bolivar Buckner’s Home Guards 1861 - Governor Beriah Magoffin appoints West Point graduate and Mexican-American War veteran Simon Bolivar Buckner to mobilize Home Guard defenses for Kentucky. Late 1860, 50 men and boys in Hunter’s Bottom formed “The Invincibles,”under Capt. W. J. Hoagland, 1st Lt. William H. Bradley, 2nd Lt. Henry Spillman, and 3rd Lt. Jarrett Banks. Brothers Harvey, George, and Clinton Conway were among the privates, swept into Buckner’s State Guards. Later 8 joined the Union and 16 joined the Confederates, most with Henry Giltner’s 4th KY Cavalry.

16. 12April1861 Secession 04March1861 – Six Southern states secede from the United States 12April1861 – Firing by Confederates on federal Fort Sumpter in South Carolina starts the Civil War

17. 25April1861 Initial Response to Secession Mutual Defense Pact drafted between Madison (Jefferson County, Indiana), and Trimble and Carroll counties in Kentucky as a citizens border declaration against secession.

18. CSA Recruitment Centers at New Liberty and Lusby Mills, Owen Co. Early 1861 - CSA recruiting and training camps at New Liberty north of Owenton and Lusby Mills south of Owenton at the Grant County line. September 1861 – Trimble and Carroll county men including Moses T. Pryor and Gideon B. Giltner and Henry Liter Giltner joined General Simon Bolivar Buckner at Camp Boone, Clarksville, Tennessee to form the 2nd and 4th KY Cavalry.

19. May 1861 Huge Fire at Milton Corn cribs, stable with wagons, carts, gear and over 600 barrels of whiskey attached to the distillery at Milton burned and destroyed; the Madison Fire company crossed over treacherous waters in the ferry boat to aid Milton’s Fire Department, all part of the Mutual Defense Pact between Milton and Madison. 16 May – Lindsey Cooper’s barn burned and destroyed while at Milton for meeting of Home Guards.

20. 30Oct1861 Battle of Paint Lick, Gallatin County Jonathan Howe, storekeeper at Sugar Creek, whose son Silas was Capt. in 18th KY Infantry, formed a Home Guards unit of 18-20 Unionists at Camp Boyle on Paint Lick Creek just east of Warsaw, KY. Newly recruited Confederate Luther Green captured 2 of the Home Guards threatening to hang them. Howe’s guards pursued. Confederates Robert Herndon and T. J. Hughes were killed; Luther Green was taken prisoner and sent to Cincinnati, Ohio, via steamboat to be incarcerated at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. The two captured Home Guards were freed unharmed and a quantity of small arms and personal equipment were confiscated in the Battle of Paint Lick.

21. 24Dec1861 Col. Whittlesey and the Eagle Home Guards Camp Dennison – Cincinnati OH - a deputation of Union citizens from Boone, Gallatin, Grant, Owen and Carroll counties requested protection from Confederate recruits led by Col. Humphrey Marshall who were terrorizing local unionists. Brig. General Wade sent Col. Charles Whittlesey to investigate and secure the Eagle Home Guards arms and munitions. Warsaw – Col. Whittlesey arrested many of the CSA ringleaders and sent them to Camp Chase, a union prison . Other local CSA supporters about 150 were requested to sign a bond. Knowing that a pledge of loyalty was useless in this heavily CSA area, Whittlesey demanded a bond putting all their worldly goods at risk in the bond. Whittlesey secured the Eagle Home Guards arms and then posted small detachments of cavalry at Warsaw in Gallatin County and Arnold Creek in Grant County.

22. Ohio River Valley The Western Front

23. Louisville Wharf Union Troops Pour into Kentucky 1862 – Landing Union troops at Louisville for the Ohio River Valley and the Western Front. Ohio River secured for the Union as far as Henderson, KY. Troops at Carrolton, Warsaw, Louisville. Home Guards given rifles and stores, Provost Marshalls established in most towns and cities in Kentucky.

24. 1862-1863 Early Confederate Victories in the East The early Confederate victories sent alarms through the North and Washington politicians ending in the massive losses at Antietam and Gettysburg in 1863. Manassas (First Bull Run) Peninsular Campaign Second Manassas (Bull Run) Fredricksburg Antietam Gettysburg Last big CSA win – Chancellorsville

25. February 1862 Loss of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson Ulysses S. Grant takes Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River to open up the Union advance on Nashville and the Mississippi River valley. 12,000 Confederates and stores surrendered by Brig. Gen Simon Bolivar Buckner. Permits Brig Gen. John B. Floyd and Gideon J. Pillow to escape.

26. Buell vs Bragg Confederate Kentucky Homeland Invasion In August 1862 Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Army of the Mississippi left Chattanooga and Maj. Gen. Kirby Smith left Knoxville to invade Kentucky, meanwhile Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell raced his Union regiments toward Louisville and then toward Covington to cut off the Confederate advance. 04October – Confederates inaugurate Conf. Gen. Richard Hawes as the CSA governor of Kentucky at Frankfort. The bloodiest battle on Kentucky soil then took place at Perryville near Danville KY with 7,000 killed and Bragg forced to return to Tennessee.

27. New Liberty, Owen Co ALARMS AND RUMORS 17June1862 – Squad of CSA Cavalry (est. 18) rode into New Liberty, stayed one hour, interviewed Dr. English, the Provost Marshall but did not molest him.

28. Monterey, Owen Co SUMMER 1862 - SKIRMISHES 11June1862 – Skirmish between Partisans and Unionist supporters. Near Monterey on the Kentucky River. Major Gen. Don Carlos Buell (Union) chased Gen. Braxton Bragg of the Confederacy from Tennessee into Kentucky. Meanwhile Col. John Hunt Morgan, then commander of the 2nd Cavalry CSA was recruiting throughout the Bluegrass and Northern KY counties. The Union was establishing home guards and its presence in Ohio River ports and along railroads.

29. Cynthiana, Harrison Co BATTLE OF CYNTHIANA 17 July 1862 - the Battle of Cynthiana, Harrison County, John Hunt Morgan ‘s Cavalry defeated the Union 18th and 7th KY Infantry supported by Bracken Co and Newport Home Guards, took 400 prisoners, 300 guns, and overran Camp Frazier, a Union training facility, where they destroyed a large number of federal stores.

30. Lusby Mills, Owen Co OWEN AND GRANT COUNTIES 20July1862 – attack on 22 Home Guards by CSA Cavalry (30-40 men) near Lusby Mills, 2 men and one horse killed, William Osborne, wounded rebel captured, a Mr. Nash (rebel) killed. 28Jul1862 - Lt. Col. John J. Landram, 18th KY Infantry had re-taken Camp Frazier and recovered some guns and stores, captured 300 -400 secessionists in Grant Co and Owen Co . Those that did not sign the Loyalty Oath were sent to Lexington and their horses, saddles and arms taken by the Union infantry.

31. September 1862 Defense of Cincinnati September 1862, 5,000 Confederate troops under General Henry Heth of Virginia moved within 10 miles of Covington. Governors of Ohio and Indiana moved 25,000 men to defend Cincinnati and the Ohio River valley. Subsequently a series of defensive forts and batteries were established on the Kentucky side of Cincinnati, including Fort Mitchell, Fort Wright, Fort Whittlesey, and Fort Lee along with numerous batteries on the Kentucky and Ohio side of the river.

32. 14Sep1862 Union Ladies at Carrollton offer refreshments Several strong Unionist families lived in Carrollton. In an interesting dispatch dated September 14, 1862, a letter from Unionists in Carrollton to Capt. Joseph H. Williams, commander of the gunboat Cottage, was quoted in the Cincinnati Daily Commercial: “Respected Sir—Please accept these refreshments from the undersigned Union ladies, with our many thanks to you and your command for your timely protection; and we remain, respectfully, your obliged friends, Mrs. Mary D. Nely, Mrs. H. Hamilton, Mrs. F. Rabb, Mrs. S. McClure

33. 07Sep1862 Henry Giltner’s Raid on Carrollton Henry L. Giltner, previously the Sheriff of Carroll Co., now a CSA Col., and Captains Moses T. Pryor, Nathan Parker of Bedford, Ky., Peter Everett of Montgomery, Ky., and sixteen other officers sought additional Confederate troops, especially for the cavalry. The CSA recruiters found a substantial number of entrenched Union forces in the region. They were part of the Union troop positioned along the Ohio River in defense of General Bragg’s incursion. On September 17,Giltner, astride his dapple-grey warhorse, “Billy,” led about one hundred Confederate cavalrymen into Carrollton, Ky. In an act of retaliation for the recent arrest of rebel leaders [Thomas] Dugan, Southgate [probably William, John or James Southard], and Barnum [Edwin Burnham], the Confederate calvarymen seized the courthouse, tore down Union flags and hoisted the Confederate flag, arrested a number of citizens, including Charles Emery, R. H. Jett, and Monticue T. McClure, and hunted unsuccessfully for the Provost Marshal, Benjamn E. Archer. A number of Union supporters had already fled across the Ohio River to Ind. The Cincinnati Daily Commercial claimed that the Carrollton raid was backed up by 1,200 CSA nearby, but that may have referred to CSA cavalry activities relating to the sweep across to Lawrenceburg in Ind. and back to Perryville in central Ky. that culminated October 8, 1862. .

34. Battle of Perryville, Oct 7-8, 1862 Confederate Units from Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, only 1stKy Cavalry involved. Union Units from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, 1st and 3rd KY Cavalry involved.

35. Local Soldiers Confederates and Union Units

36. John Hunt Morgan 11862 into 1863, early skirmishes Raised the 2nd KY CSA Cavalry at Camp Boone in summer of 1862. His cavalry brigade by October 1862 included Col Duke’s 2nd KY Regiment, Col. Gano’s 7th KY Cavalry, Col. Cluke’s 8th KY Cavalry, Col. Chenault’s 11th KY Cavalry, Maj. Breckinridge’s 9th KY Battalion, and Capt. Arnett’s Howitzer Battery. They engaged in the Cumberland Mountains harassing Federal troop supply lines, then 23Dec-1862 to 01Jan1863 they raided into KY taking Glasgow and burning the L&N railroad bridge, then taking Elizabethtown, before falling back into Tennessee.

37. 4th CSA Cavalry Organized Oct 1862 at Salyersville Col. Henry LyterGiltner Lt. Col. Moses T. Pryor Major Nathan Parker Co A Trimble – Capt. Wm R. Ray Co B Carroll/Owen – Capt J.G. Scott Co C Owen – Capt J. T. Alexander Co D Pendleton – Capt T. E. Moore Co E Trimble/Carroll – Capt Samuel Duncan Co F Carroll – Capt. T. M. Barrett Co G Grant/Owen - Capt J. Willis Co H Oldham/Henry – Capt R. Gathright Co I Henry/Carroll – Capt J. Marshall Co K Various – Capt E. D. Whitaker

38. 1862-1863 CSA 4th Kentucky Cavalry Major Successes Giltner’s 4th Cavalry Initial successes in eastern KY mountains, protecting recruiters, raiding for supplies, harassing Union supplies. One large capture of cannon, rifles and supplies. Losses mounted when sent to Virginia protecting Shenandoah valley and the salt mines. KIA 1862 J.E. Fisler, D. F. Stafford, A. H. Patton; KIA 1863 Thomas Burrows, Bobbit Crafton, Moses Candada, Alexander Edington, William Farley, A. G. Haskins, Robert E. Humphrey, Joseph Johnson, Albert r. Smith, W. D. Thompson, Humphrey May, Thomas r. Powell, Albert Martin, Alfred Morgan, Joseph H. Scott, J. W. Harmon.. Captured/Wounded – David Kent, W. T. Trulove, William Tindle, William T. Parks, Henry L. Smith, W. W. Hunt, Thomas Forsee, A. J. Richmond, Joseph Rolston

39. Jan-May 1863 USCT - U.S. Colored Troops 22Sep1862 Preliminary Emancipation of Slaves in Confederate States 01Jan 1863 Official Emancipation of Slaves in Confederate States 22May1863 – General Order No. 143 established Bureau of Colored Troops 175 units 178,000 soldiers Recruitment at Louisville and Camp Nelson in Jessamine County, Training at Camp Nelson.

40. 16Aug1863 Bank Robbed at Carrollton August 17 1863 Madison CourierLast night the Southern Bank of Kentucky at Carrollton was robbed of one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, one hundred thousand dollars of it in specie (coins) and thirty thousand in notes (paper). About one o'clock the Bank was entered by sixteen men in uniform, who represented themselves as belonging to Scott's (rebel) cavalry. After possessing themselves of the money, they burnt all the papers in the vault. They were discovered by Mr. Crawford, the Cashier, who resides in the rear of the Bank, but they shot at him there until they had succeeded in accomplishing their object. Mr. Crawford telegraphed the circumstances to Gen. Burnside, and to the military authorities of Kentucky. Vigorous measures will be taken to capture the thieves, who are thought to have fled in the direction of Owen.

41. 25Aug1863 City of Madison Steamboat Explodes at Vicksburg August 25, 1863 The Madison CourierCincinnati, Aug. 25. - Some particulars of the explosion of the steamer City of Madison at Vicksburg, were received here last night:The steamer was being loaded with ammunition, and had received nearly a full load, when a negro carrying a percussion shell on board, let it fall, causing an explosion. The boat took fire, which communicated to the ammunition on board. The steamer was entirely destroyed. Out of 160 men on board, only four are known to have escaped.The City of Madison was a large side wheel boat, owned by Capt. J.S. Neal, of Madison, Ind. She was valued at about $40,000.Note: It was later determined that the incident was caused by a boiler explosion, not the dropping of a shell. 

42. August 1863 United States Hospital at Madison Indiana From the Madison Daily Courier August 18, 1863A very brief notice of this institution may be of some interest to our general readers both at home and abroad. We hesitate not to pronounce it one of the very best General Hospitals established, by the Government, upon which it reflects great credit.It consists of sixty-five commodions, well ventilated, separate wards, located on various avenues with a view to beauty, health and comfort - making the whole cluster appear like a neatly laid out New England village of tastefully built white cottages....As to the capacity of this Hospital, we understand it is intended to accommodate at least two thousand patients. And if there is any one spot where sick, wounded or invalid soldiers can get well, better than another, surely that place is the U.S. General Hospital at Madison, Indiana. We feel proud of our country when we look at such institutions as these established at such great expense, with every comfort, for the benefit of our soldiers, disabled in this war for the Union.

43. Jun-Oct 1864 Morgan’s Raid Morgan’s CSA Cavalry Brigade crossed the Ohio River at Brandenburg Jul 2nd North Vernon, Dupont, Napoleon, Versailles, Osgood, and Sunman in Southern Indiana – search for horses, food, burned railroad bridges and Home Guard supplies. Destroyed 34 bridges, over 3,000 horses stolen, seized thousands of tons of supplies, including 2,000 smoked hams at Dupont, Indiana. Captured at West Point, OH before they could cross into West Virginia, sent to State Prison at Columbus, many of the enlisted men to Camp Douglas stockade in Chicago.

45. Summer/Fall 1864 6th KY Cavalry CSA Col. George M. Jesse of New Castle, Henry County, headed three divisions of the 6th KY CSA Cavalry Battalion. In the summer of 1864 Jesse was ordered to round up remnants of John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry units then loose in Henry, Trimble, Carroll, Grant and Shelby counties. Numerous incidents of CSA cavalry squads and several attacks on unionist families operating in the region that summer and fall.

46. 05Jul1864 Martial Law Declared in Kentucky Outraged by a series of murders and arson on Unionist families in Kentucky by pro-Confederate guerilla squads roaming through central and western Kentucky, President Lincoln issued General Order 233 that suspended Habeas Corpus in Kentucky and invoked martial law. General Stephen GanoBurbridge, a native of Georgetown, thus became the military governor with absolute authority. 16July – Burbridge ordered “Whenever an unarmed Union citizen is murdered, four guerillas will be selected from the prison and publicly shot to death at the most convenient place near the scene of the outrage.” Just such action took place near Christiansburg, Shelby County, the prisoners were Confederate soldiers taken from the prison at Louisville. This earned General Burbridge the sobriquet, “Butcher of Kentucky.”

47. 23-29Aug1864 Gex Landing Massacre Ghent, KY – Detachment of Co C 117th USCT under Lt. Fredrick D. Seward arrested James Southard, the ferryman/ Confederate sympathizer at Ghent. Word sent to Col. George Jesse at New Castle who caught up with the USCT squad at the plantation of Lucien C. Gex. In the skirmish Southard was freed, one Negro killed, two wounded, one later dying on the boat to Cincinnati, and the others captured. Louisville newspapers carried headline news that Negro troops were being massacred by the Confederates. Jesse released the captives a week later in Grant County. The newspaper printed a retraction story the next week.

48. August/Sep 1864 Confederate Units “Lost Cause” Actions Nearby Shelbyville 24August Shelby County– Home Guards repulsed 25 Confederates under command of Capt. Dave Martin, locals lost 3 KIA and 5 wounded. LaGrange 05September Oldham County– 30th KY Union Infantry drove the CSA 30th KY Mounted Infantry and Confederate Rangers under the command of Col. George Jesse from the field, taking seven prisoners. Guerillas operating in the area – William Clark Quantrill caught 10May1865 by Edwin Terrill, of Spencer Co , “Sue Mundy” Capt. M. Jerome Clarks from Morgan’s raiders caught 12Mar1865, hanged 28Oct1865.

49. 02October 1864 The Saltville Massacre Saltville, Virginia - Acting Brig. Gen. Henry L. Giltner and the 4th Kentucky Cavalry CSA were assigned a last ditch effort to protect the salt mines and the supply lines in the Shenandoah Valley. The Union Army attacking was under command of Maj. Gen Stephen Burbridge, old foes from 1862. Also fighting were the 5th and 6th U.S. Colored Cavalry trained at Camp Nelson in Jessamine County KY. Starting on October 2nd, CSA renegade soldiers murdered unarmed black Union soldiers in a hospital unit and in barracks. George Mosgrove, the 4th KY Cavalry regimental historian testified at the trial of Champ Ferguson one of the ringleaders.

50. 15Dec1864 Col. Jesse’s Cavalry Defeated at New Castle, Henry County New Castle – Captain James Bridgewater with 150 Home Guards and Kentucky State Militia defeated Col. George Jesse’s irregular CSA cavalry, the last hold out of the 6th Cavalry and remnants of John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry brigade.