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Harlan County Battalion - Daily Reports

    On the 5th of September, 1862, in response to petitions from a multitude of

    the counties, the Kentucky State Legislature authorized "home guard

    companies of free white male citizens between 16 and 65 years to be

    organized for home and self-protection

   "On the 13th day of Oct 1862 there was a batalion of State Guards formed at

    Jonathan Lewis's on Poor Fork, Harlan County, Ky, consisting of 3 companies

    styled A, B, & C. Co A commanded by Capt G W Morgan, Co B by Capt Ambrose

    Powell & Co C by Capt Joshua C Perkins, denominated the 1st Harlan co

    batalion Ky State Guards."

    Not mentioned in the daily reports is the formation of the additional

    companies of this battalion: D, E, F, G.. the rosters for the entire

    battalion are accessible at this site - click here.

    "On the 14th we moved 4 miles up the river to Widow Lewis's and struck up

    camp and remained there untill 17th. We then removed 3 miles further up the

    river and camped at Alex Creeches untill 19th. We then returned to Widow

    Lewis's and on the same day a party of 40 men, 25 from capt Powell's & 15

    from capt Morgan's companies, were detailed to go to the Salt well at mouth

    of leatherwood Creek in perry County, Ky to form a junction with some home

    guards who stated that they wished to join our company. They had not

    proceeded very far when they were attacked by a company of rebels under capt

    D J Caudill numbering 100 men. Our men returned their fire and the contest

    was severe for about 15 minutes when the rebels retreated leaving 5 dead on

    the field and mortally wounding D J Caudill their Capt. Our loss was one

    wounded who since died."

    Voucher dated 1862 for $81.10 to Elizabeth Lewis, for corn, rations,

    molasses, 1 side of leather, beef, hay and for feeding 1 wounded soldier for

    22 days.

    "We returned to camp on the 20th and on the 21st the rebels marched upon us

    500 in number and we had to retreat whereby they pilaged our Camps & the

    settlement around us and carried off about 3000 dollars worth of property.

    They remained in the neighborhood untill the 24th when they departed, carry

    off two cuitrizens who made their escape from them the next day. The

    citizens and a small squad of the battalion who had took to the brush fired

    upon them during their stay occasionally and killed 3 of them before they

    got away."

    Oct 25 - Heavy snow, from 4 to 12 inches deep, all over the state, heaviest

    in the mountain region of south-eastern Ky...(1) This may be the timing of

    the voucher dated only 1862 to Thomas Creech for $26.88 for foodstuffs and

    "2 gallons of Brandy by order of the major for tired soldiers."

    "We returned to camp on the 30th and remained there without further trouble

    untill Nov 11th at which time we marched upon the rebells at Whitesburg

    under Capt Caudill. We landed in Whitesburg on the 12th but the rebels had

    evacuated their Camp whereby we captured some beef hides, castings & other

    small notions and returned to camp on the 14th..,,On the 15th, under Capt

    Powell, 50 men marched to Manchester Ky to get arms and ammunition that had

    been laid in for the company and on the 18th the rebels, 75 in number,

    marched across the country in order to cut off our arms and ammunition. I

    accordingly took 32 men and went to meet them. We came up with the rebels on

    the 19th at Wallons Creek and a battle ensued in which the rebels were

    routed with the loss of 4 men killed and a good number of them wounded. Our

    loss was nothing. We also captured 11 head of horses, 8 saddle pockets, 8

    sabres & a number of halters, bridals &c together with ? guns & several

    Blankets and then we returned to camp and our arms & ammunition came in

    about the same time."

    Voucher dated Nov 1862 to Andrew Sergeant for $135 for "use of one 4 horse

    wagon & team for hauling arms and ammunition to the 1st Battalion Harlan Co

    State Gds, 18 days and use of 1 two horse wagon & team for same."

    "We spent our time in making camps and laying in provisions untill the 28th

    when Capt Perkins made a raid in to Crab Orchard Va with 30 men and took two

    prisoners of Capt Sam Salyers regiment, viz: T Halcomb & H Flanery, and

    captured 5 head of horses, 5 guns & a number of blankets and returned to

    camp."

    There is a note inserted here that "Halcomb was paroled on 6th Nov and

    Flanery volunteered." Harvey Flanery on roster as private, Company C.

    Nov 6 - "9 Confederate soldiers captured and hung, near Hackneys Corners, 21

    miles from Big Rockcastle river in Rockcastle co.-said to be retaliation for

    the hanging, near Cumberland Ford, in Josh Bell Co., by some pickets of Gen.

    Kirby Smith's army, of Capt H King, his two sons, R M Singleton, and 12

    others, mostly volunteers for the defense of Crab Orchard, but who were

    charged with being bushwhackers. Fearful inauguration of the most horrible

    feature of civil war!" (1)

    "On the 30th, Serg John Farley of Capt Perkins Co at the same time took 15

    men and went to Clover Fork near the Virginia line and undertook to arrest

    two noted rebels which they resisted and consequently one of them was killed

    & the other wounded. On the 31st the rebels, 400 in number, made a raid on

    Cumberland and were marching in direction of our camp. I accordingly ordered

    84 men under command of Capts Powell and Perkins to arrest their progress.

    They met them near Mill Cliff about 15 miles from our camp and were fired

    upon by the rebel pickets. Our men took position in a spur of the mountain.

    Meanwhile, the rebels were advancing and in a few minutes the battle became

    general which lasted about 20 minutes when the rebels were routed with the

    loss of 1 man killed and 12 wounded, a (confession?) of their own. Our loss

    was nothing, not even a man wounded. We captured 1 horse, one gun and

    several blankets, coats and other clothing. The rebels retreated back to Va

    and our men returned to camp on Dec 1st ... On the second Dec, 26 men under

    command of Ajt Lewis was ordered to Whitesburg Ky to investigate the

    movements of the rebels and landed there on the third but the rebels were

    gone and nothing occured of any note during his stay up there with the

    exception of the capture of two Rebel soldiers who had run away from

    Caudill's command. The prisoners were paroled on the 4th Dec and set at

    liberty. Their names were William D & Drury Adams who belonged to Co A of

    said Caudles Command. On the 5th the rebels returned to Whitesburg, 100 in

    number, and Ajt Lewis consequently had to abandon the place which retreat he

    made safe by about ? hours"

    "Nothing more of any note occured up to the 12th Dec when Maj Blankenship

    marched in the direction of the rebel camp at Whitesburg and arrived on the

    morning of the 13th at the hour of (10?) clock at the rebel pickets when a

    severe skirmish ensued in which two of our men were killed and learning that

    the rebels were heavily reinforced he marched his forces back to camp and on

    the 15th detailed 100 men to march to Manchester Ky after arms and

    clothing..."

    An undated Special Requisition lists the following: 400 pr shoes; 400

    blankets; 400 hats and trimmings; 400 jackets; 800 shirts; 400 prs pants;

    800 drawers; 800 sock ; 400 overcoats; and 400 haversacks. The line on the

    requisition stating the circumstances reads: "the entire destitution of the

    Batallin of the above articles." A second copy of the requisition has

    notations that suggest that all the articles were supplied except the

    jackets, drawers and socks. An additional requisition requests 5 copies of

    US Infantry Tactics and 1 Army Regulations.

    Major Blankenship "...took command in person & the rebels hearing that they

    were down there on that business marched from Cumberland Gap to Cumberland

    River near Mt Pleasant in order to cut them off and capture their arms and

    clothing but in this they were deceived for Ajt Lewis who had command of the

    remaining forces detached 100 men under Capt Spurlock & Capt Howard to stop

    communications between the Confederate States and this state. Capts Spurlock

    & Howard marched to within 1½ miles of the rebels and found they were too

    strong for them and retreated across the mountain and that night a dispatch

    reached camp that they, Spurlock and Howard, was going to give them battle

    and wanted reinforcements. Ajt Lewis accordingly marched early the next

    morning with 53 men to their aid but on arriving at the supposed scene of

    action was surprised to not find either rebels or his own men, both parties

    having evacuated the place. The no. of rebels were 400. They retreated back

    to the Gap taking with them 85 head of beef cattle. Nothing more of any note

    occured up to the 24th when Lev? Carter march through by Mt Pleasant and

    made a raid into East Tenn and destroyed some bridges there. That raid eased

    us of fighting to the present time for so out done were (the reb)els that

    they are afraid to penetrate (the bor)ders of this county ever since

    Carter's (raid)".

    This last sentence was partially lost due to a torn corner as are a few

    words in the following section ... the probable words are in ( ). There is

    no individual named Carter on any Harlan County Battalion roster and it is

    possible he was another military unit.

    "Ours arms and clothing arrived on the 5th Jan 1863 and all has remained

    quiet with exception of scouting and capturing some rebel scouts up to Jan

    20th when our scouts captured the following named prisoners of Col Slemp's

    regiment Rebel Volunteers,

James M Adams, Andrew Spangler, Samuel Cornet of

    Caudills regiment, Robert More(?), James Clarkston, John Clarkston and

    Nathan Cox, also Isaac J Whitaker & Harry Caudill of Caudills regiment and J

    Boothe of Zolicoffers old Corps all of whom was exchanged on the 3rd Feb

    1863 with exception of H Caudill & J Boothe. We also captured John Campbell

    of Caudills regiment who they would not exchange for. On the 13th Jan there

    was an election ordered for Maj of this batalion which resulted in the

    Election of B F Blankenship the present Maj by a majority of 90 votes over

    Capt A B Calton who opposed him. Lieut Jones took 8 men on the 24th Jan 1863

    and waylaid a still house in Letcher County whereby he captured Capt H H

    Stamper of Col Caudills Regiment CS volunteers who was exchanged for Capt

    Hezekiah Webb of the U S forces who was captured by Caudills command. Lieut

    Mattingly & Sergt ? Polly were Flagbearers on our (part) and Maj Chensworth,

    Capt. Trimble, Segts (.......) and Caudill on part of the rebels. We a1so

    captured 2 rebel scouts on the 7th Feb and paroled them on the ninth. Their

    names were Thomas Clarkston and Elkanah Elkins of Col Slemp's regiment CS

    Volunteers. The men exchanged for on our part were Samuel Williams, Samuel

    Blair, Jesse M Brown, Edmond Gross and Capt H Webb. We also captured J

    Garrison, a rebel scout belonging to Slemp's CS regiment on the 11th Feb and

    paroled him on the 12th.'

Harlan Battalion - Company A

George W Morgan Captain

Abner Lewis1st Lieutenant

Moses Isom- 2d Lieutenant

 Joshua B Hall3d Lieutenant

Daniel T Hall- Sergeant

Henry Polley- Sergeant

Benj. F Adams- Sergeant

      Hiram M Cornet

      James M Halcomb

      Squire Adams James B Franklin

      Larken Cornet

      James M Stallard

      John W Hall

     Privates:

- Company B Roster Harlan County Battalion

      Ambrose Powell Captain

Enoch Blair

 Elisha Huff

William M Jenkins

Bennett Bailey

Jonathan Cornett

Isaiah Creech

      Lewis B Singleton

      Samuel J Powell

      Charles Blair

      Archibald C. Jenkins

      Gilbert Creech

      Israel Jenkins

      John Creech

      Privates:

Harlan Battalion - Company C

      Joshua C Perkins

      Josiah B Spurlock

      Wright Kelly

      William Gilbert

      Chadwell F C Nolan

      John J Lewis

      John Farley

      Calvin Creech - Captain

      Calvin Pace

      Silas W Kelly

      Allen Morris

      Andrew Sergeant

      Daniel B Creech

      Daniel Pace

      Matthew Brown

      James M Nolen - Sergeant

      Privates: