Free Web Hosting Provider - Web Hosting - E-commerce - High Speed Internet - Free Web Page
Search the Web

Welcome!

Close

Would you like to make this site your homepage? It's fast and easy...

Yes, Please make this my home page!

No Thanks

  Don't show this to me again.

Close

7th Kentucky Infantry a Union Regiment

Col. Theophilus T. Garrard was one of the men selected by Gen. Nelson, in the

summer of 1861, to raise regiments at Camp Dick Robinson, and his regiment, the

Seventh Kentucky Infantry, was one of the first recruited in the state. It was

organized at Camp Dick Robinson by Col. Garrard and mustered in the United

States service by Gen. George H. Thomas, September 22, 1861. It was at once

ordered to Wild Cat, Kentucky, beyond Mount Vernon, to resist the advance of

General Zollicoffer. Col. Garrard took position upon a mountain, covering the

road, and on the 21st of October was attacked in his camp, which he had

fortified, by a large Confederate force. Wolford's cavalry had encountered the

advancing enemy out upon the road, and fell back to Col. Garrard's position. The

battle was a very severe one. Col. Garrard defended himself against repeated

assaults, and during the fighting reinforcements came up under Gen. Schoepff.

The Confederates were defeated with a loss of thirty killed and one hundred

wounded, the Federal loss being four killed and eighteen wounded. This was the

first general battle fought in Kentucky. From

Wild Cat, the 7th returned to Camp Dick Robinson, and then advanced again on the road leading to Cumberland Gap, as far as Mount Vernon. It remained in this section of the state during the winter, and in the organization made in the spring of 1862, it was placed in general S. P. Carter's brigade of general George W. Morgan's division. This division in

that spring made an expedition to Cumberland Gap, capturing the place June 18,

1862. General Morgan, in his report says of this expedition, that he reached

Cumberland Ford, April 11th, and had the brigades of General Carter and Col.

DeCourcey make a reconnaissance, on which they were attacked, but which was

repulsed. He then crossed the mountains below the Gap, and descended into

Powell's Valley, and proceeded on two roads to the Gap, capturing it on June

18th. The Seventh Kentucky, and also the 19th Kentucky under Col. Landram, were

with General Carter's brigade in this expedition, and the reports show their

valuable service.

General Morgan held Cumberland Gap until the invasion of Kentucky in September,

1862, by Generals Bragg and Kirby Smith.

The occupation of Cumberland Gap by Gen. George Morgan was an interesting event,

but its evacuation by him, and his conducting his force in safety to the Ohio

River, in September, 1862, was one of the most romantic and picturesque events

of the war. In that month the Confederates were invading Kentucky in great force

from three directions. General Bragg, on his celebrated move by way of Glasgow;

Kirby Smith through the mountains by way of Barbourville, directed upon Richmond

and Lexington, and Humphrey Marshall out of Virginia, toward Mount Sterling. In

such conditions General George Morgan's escape seemed impossible. Kirby Smith

sent a demand for his surrender, and Gen. Stevenson went against him with a

force of four brigades. General Morgan described his situation thus: Stevenson

in rear, Bragg to the left and Humphrey Marshall to the right. The only thing to

do was to abandon the Gap and strike for the Ohio at the nearest point.

September 16th, the march commenced. The retreat was across Kentucky, by way of

Manchester, Booneville and West Liberty to Greenupsburg, on the Ohio.

A singular and striking fact is that this route was the old "Warrior's Path"--an

old forgotten track of travel used by the Indians--it is thus mentioned in the

"Wilderness Road." "The 'Warrior's Path' was a trace along which the Indians

traveled back and forth from their towns on the Miami and Scioto. It ran in an

almost direct north course from Cumberland Gap across the eastern end of

Kentucky to the mouth of the Scioto."

The season was dry and water scarce. The country was full of Confederate forces.

General John Morgan was active on the roads which Gen. George Morgan had to

travel. He blockaded them, and fought the retreating Morgan. General George

Morgan says: "Frequent skirmishes took place, and it several times happened that

while one Morgan was clearing out obstructions at the entrance of a defile, the

other Morgan was blockading the exit." In one instance, says he, a road had to

be cut for four miles. For this work, he had one thousand men under the

supervision of Capt. William F. Patterson, of whose company of engineers account

is given in this volume.

Safely crossing Kentucky River at Proctor, eluding Marshall at West Liberty,

feigning toward Maysville, and pushing for Greenupsburg, Gen. George Morgan

reached the Ohio "without the loss of a gun or a wagon, and with the loss of but

eighty men" as he states himself.

The force he had is noticeable: Seventh Kentucky, Garrard; 14th Kentucky,

Cochran; 19th Kentucky, Landram; 22nd Kentucky, Lindsey; Mundy's battalion of

the Sixth Kentucky Cavalry; Patterson's Kentucky engineers. This was one-third

of his force. He also had six Tennessee regiments, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th

and 6th.

Just one year later Cumberland Gap was retaken by the Kentucky general, J. M.

Shackleford, in connection with Burnside's East Tennessee expedition of 1863.

Upon arriving at the Ohio River, the troops of General Morgan, including the

Seventh Kentucky, rested a short time, having crossed to the Ohio side at Oak

Hill. They were then ordered to West Virginia, to General J.D. Cox, in the

Kanawha Valley. Remaining there a short time, they were ordered south to join

the forces under General Sherman, then advancing upon Vicksburg. In the late

fall of 1862, they proceeded by river transport by way of Memphis, and reached

their destination. With this expedition of General Sherman were three Kentucky

regiments, 7th, 19th and 22nd. Three Kentucky officers commanded brigades;

General S. G. Burbridge, Col. W. J. Landram, Col. D. W. Lindsey. All these

participated in the celebrated assault at Chickasaw Bluffs, December 29, 1862,

which was a failure, and great loss was incurred.

These regiments remained with the forces under Gen. Sherman, and also when Gen.

Grant took charge of the Vicksburg expedition, and participated in all the

movements, labors and service incident thereto--moving down the river below the

city, crossing to the east side, and marching out to Jackson, Mississippi, then

turning and fighting the various battles preceding the siege, and in the siege

until the surrender July 4, 1863.

The following are extracts from the official reports of General John A. McClernand:

Battle of Champion Hill

. . . In front of my center, as well as my right, the enemy appeared in great

numbers. Garrard's brigade was hard pressed, and Gen. Osterhaus requested that

it should be supported. All of Lawler's brigade, of Carr's division, except a

reserve of one regiment, also advanced to support Lindsey's, who had pushed a

charge near the mouth of the battery. Lawler's brigade here cast the trembling

balance in our favor, himself narrowly escaping the effect of a shell. His men

joined Lindsey and both dashed forward, shooting down the enemy's battery

horses, driving away his gunners and capturing two pieces of cannon.

. . . The enemy, thus beaten at all points, fled in confusion, the main body

along the road leading to Vicksburg, a fragment to the left of that road.

General Carr's division taking the advance, hotly pressed the former, and

Lindsey's and Burbridge's brigades the latter, until night closed in, each

taking many prisoners.

Battle of Big Black River

. . . Osterhaus' division was ordered to form to the right of the road,

Lindsey's brigade in front and the remaining two regiments of Garrard's brigade

obliquely on the left and rear of Lindsey's, to counteract any movement in that

direction. My right center and left engaged the enemy with increasing effect,

and dashing forward under a heavy fire, across a narrow field, and with fixed

bayonets, carried the enemy's works, capturing many prisoners and routing him.

The defeat was eminently brilliant, and reflects the highest credit upon the

gallant officers and men of General Lawler's and Osterhaus' commands, who

achieved it. It was determinate of the success of the day. Most of the enemy

escaped to the commanding bluff on the opposite side of the river, while others,

hotly pressed by Benton's brigade and the right of Lindsey's, cut off from that

escape and driven to the left and down the river, upon the left of Lindsey's and

the front of Burbridge's brigade, fell into their hands.

Siege of Vicksburg--Storming on 22nd of May

Five minutes before 10 o'clock the bugle sounded the charge, and at 10 o'clock

my columns of attack moved forward, and within fifteen minutes Lawler's and

Landram's brigades had carried the ditch, slope and bastion of the fort, finding

a piece of artillery and in time to see the men who had been serving and

supporting it escape behind another defense commanding the interior of the

former . . . Within fifteen minutes after Lawler's and Landram's success

Benton's and Burbridge's brigades, fired by the example, rushed forward and

carried the ditch and slope of a heavy earth work, and planted their colors on

the latter . . . Men never fought more gallantly; nay, more desperately. For

more than eight long hours they maintained their ground with deathlike tenacity;

neither the blazing sun nor the deadly fire of the enemy shook them. Their

constancy and valor filled me with admiration. The spectacle was one never to be

forgotten.

Meantime, Osterhaus' and Hovey's forces, forming the column of assault on the

left, pushed forward, under a severe fire, upon a more extended line, until an

enfilading fire from a strong redoubt on their left front, and physical

exhaustion, compelled them to take shelter behind a ridge. Here they could

distinctly hear the words of hostile command. Their skirmishers, however, kept

up the conflict . . .

While referring to the reports of division, brigade and regimental commanders,

for particular notice of the officers of their commands most distinguishing

themselves, it is proper, as commander of the corps, but I should recommend

Brig. Gen.'s Hovey, Carr and Osterhaus for promotion; also Colonels Slack,

Stone, Keigwin, Landram, Lindsey and Mudd. The skill, valor and signal services

of those officers entitle them to it.

General McClernand also addressed the following letter to the governor of

Kentucky:

I am most happy, sir, to congratulate you, and, through you, your noble state,

for the victories won by the common effort of her brave sons with those of her

sister states, and to bear testimony to the gallantry, bravery and good conduct

of her officers and men in all these bloody struggles. They bore themselves with

the unflinching steadiness of veterans, both under galling fires of artillery

and musketry, and in making charges upon fortified lines. They have shown

themselves compeers and fit companions in arms with brave men of sister states

in a series of battles in which it has become impossible to make particular

mention of those who distinguished themselves, without mentioning individually

both officers and men.

Your most obedient servant,

John A. McClernand,

Maj. Gen., Commanding 13th Army Corps, Department of the Tennessee.

In December, 1863, the 7th re-enlisted in the veteran organization, and it

received the veterans of the 19th and 22nd Kentucky Infantry. It remained on

duty in the Department of the Gulf, as the following account copied from the

adjutant-general's report shows:

The 7th Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry, composed of veterans and recruits

of the 7th, 19th and 22nd Regiments of Kentucky infantry, was organized on the

24th day of December, 1864, at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in compliance with

Special Order No. 334, Department of the Gulf, Series of 1864, Gen. E. R. S.

Canby, Commanding.

A portion of each of the regiments, which were consolidated to form the 7th

Veteran, veteranized as early as December, 1863, and January, 1864; but, owing

to the fact that many of them had not been in-service "the two years required by

law and the orders of the War Department," they were not mustered as veterans

until March, 1864, and for some time even after that period were refused the

thirty days' furlough promised them upon re-enlistment. In May, they were

ordered to join the Red river expedition, under command of Gen. Banks, in which

campaign they suffered severely in killed, wounded and prisoners. On the 1st of

June, 1864, the expedition returned to Morganza, Louisiana, and about the 1st of

September the veterans received their furlough, at the expiration of which they

rejoined their commands. The consolidation not having been made at the time of

veteranizing, the history of the veterans and recruits constituting the 7th

Veteran is identical with that of the non-veteran organizations from which they

were transferred, viz: 7th, 19th and 22nd Kentucky Infantry regiments up to the

date of their consolidation to form the 7th Veteran, which was commanded by Col.

George W. Monroe, who had succeeded Col. D. W. Lindsey, in command of the 22nd,

and who, having the larger number of veterans, was thus entitled to the position

of colonel in the consolidated veteran organizations.

The regiment remained at Baton Rouge doing garrison duty until May 1, 1865, when

it was ordered to Clinton, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. It remained at

Clinton until ordered to Baton Rouge, where was mustered out on the 11th of May,

1866, and embarked, destined for Louisville, Kentucky, at which place it

received final payment and discharge.

From Dyer's Compendium:

7th Regiment Infantry

"One of the first Recruited in the State. Old 3rd," Organized at Camp Dick

Robinson, Ky., September 22, 1861. Attached to Thomas' Command, Army of the

Ohio, to January, 1862

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 40 Enlisted men killed and mortally

wounded and 2 Officers and 274 Enlisted men by disease. Total 319.

Home

webmaster@civilwar.morganco.freeservers.com

Let Us Pray Our For Troops In Foreign Lands

The Civil War in Morgan County 2003

Free Southern Graphics at:
http://cybergifs.com/confederate/indexr1.html