Camp Boone Letter

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KENTUCKY BRIGADE for the CONFEDERATE STATES' SERVICE

Clarksville, Tenn., July 13, 1861

Camp Boone Letter First Kentucky "Orphan" Brigade

Mssrs. Editors:

I have just returned from Camp Boone, named in honor of the hunter of

the "dark and bloody ground." The camp is seven or eight miles distant

from this point, one mile distant from the Clarksville, Memphis, and

Louisville Railroad. This place was selected by General W. T. Withers, who

is now organizing a brigade composed exclusively of Kentuckians, for the

service of the "Confederate States." General Withers has put forth every

exertion to accomplish his end, and is succeeding beyond his own

anticipations. He has now in camp about thirteen hundred volunteer

Kentuckians, who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the

constitutional liberty of the Confederate States. The only difficulty the

General is in is deciding which companies he will accept, each officer

being anxious to be first on the list. General Withers will have his full

complement of men in less than two weeks. He is anticipating authority

from the President, extending the number to [text unclear] thousand. I

believe firmly that he can get six thousand Kentuckians if he desired

them.

Col. Hawes has just arrived from Richmond to take command of one of the

regiments. No one is better (as I am informed) capacitated to fill the

position; and I think before the war is over, that you will hear a good

account of the Kentucky Brigade.

Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. IV, pp.

367-68, 373-74, 376-80, 407.

Col. James Morrison Hawes was the first commander of the 2nd Kentucky

Infantry, which was officially organized on 17 July 1861.

Let Us Pray Our For Troops In Foreign Lands

The Civil War in Morgan County 2003