Camp Nelson National Monument facts for kids
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Camp Nelson National Monument
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Camp Nelson in 2008
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jessamine County, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| Nearest city | Nicholasville, Kentucky |
| Architect | U.S. Army of the Ohio Eng. Corps; Simpson, Lt.Col. J.H. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Website | Camp Nelson National Monument |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000861 (NRHP), 13000286 (NHL) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2001 |
| Designated NHLD | February 27, 2013 |
Camp Nelson National Monument is a special place in Jessamine County, Kentucky. It covers about 525 acres and is a national monument, a historical museum, and a park. It's located about 20 miles south of Lexington, Kentucky. During the American Civil War, Camp Nelson was a very important base for the Union Army. It was set up in 1863.
This camp was a major place for the Union Army to get supplies. It also became a training and recruiting center for new soldiers. Many of these soldiers were formerly enslaved people who had escaped to join the fight for freedom. On October 26, 2018, President Donald Trump officially made the site a national monument. This means it is now part of the National Park Service, which protects important places in the U.S.
Contents
History of Camp Nelson
Why Camp Nelson Was Important
Camp Nelson was built to help the Union Army move into Tennessee. It was named after Major General William "Bull" Nelson. The camp was placed near Hickman Bridge, which was the only bridge over the Kentucky River in that area. This location helped protect the bridge and gave the Union Army a base in central Kentucky. It also helped them prepare to secure the Cumberland Gap and eastern Tennessee.
The camp was also used to train new soldiers. The steep cliffs of the Kentucky River and Hickman Creek made the site naturally protected. Only the northern side needed strong defenses against attacks from the Confederate side.
Even though it was a good spot, Camp Nelson had some challenges. It was far from the Cumberland Gap and Knoxville, Tennessee. Also, there weren't many railroads nearby, and bad weather often made it hard to move supplies. These issues sometimes slowed down the Union Army's plans.
Despite these problems, Camp Nelson became very important. General William Tecumseh Sherman decided it should focus on training 10,000 black soldiers. These brave men volunteered to join the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT). Even though General Ulysses S. Grant had doubts about the camp, it continued to supply major battles in 1864. For example, it provided 10,000 horses for the Atlanta Campaign.
Confederate raider General John Hunt Morgan often tried to attack Camp Nelson. In June 1864, the camp faced a serious threat. Civilian workers volunteered to guard the northern defenses day and night. Their efforts helped save the camp from being captured and destroyed.
African American Soldiers and Families
Kentucky was a slaveholding state, but it did not join the 11 southern states that formed the Confederate States of America. This rebellion was mainly about slavery. Black people in Kentucky, both enslaved and free, played a huge role in the Union war effort. They first worked as laborers and later became soldiers in different army units.
Because Kentucky was not in rebellion, enslaved people who escaped there were not immediately freed by the Confiscation Act of 1861. This law only applied to the Confederacy. However, the Union Army in Kentucky began to use thousands of enslaved people for labor. They were often paid wages and given food. If their owners were loyal to the Union, the owners were paid for their labor.
In August 1863, General Jeremiah Boyle allowed Commander Speed S. Fry to bring enslaved men, aged 16–45, from 14 counties to work at Camp Nelson. These men built railroads, forts, and over 300 buildings. Their hard work was vital for setting up and defending the camp. By 1864, some of these impressed workers, like Gabriel Burdett, were able to join the U.S. Colored Troops.
President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863 freed enslaved people only in the rebellious Confederate states. Kentucky was not in rebellion, so the proclamation did not apply there. However, the War Department allowed African Americans in rebellious states to join the army.
When African Americans enlisted in the Union Army, they were freed from slavery. Kentucky became the second-largest contributor of black soldiers, with over 23,000 men joining the USCT. Camp Nelson was the biggest training site in Kentucky, with more than 10,000 recruits. Eight USCT regiments were formed at Camp Nelson, and five others were stationed there during the war.
In March 1864, Kentucky's governor agreed to let African-American men join the U.S. Army. At first, their owners had to agree and would receive $300. But by April, many enslaved men ran away to enlist, even without their owners' consent. The military sometimes sent them back, which led to problems. Camp Nelson became a place where people tried to catch those who had escaped.
By June 1864, owners' consent was no longer needed. This change led to a large increase in black recruits. On July 25, 322 men enlisted in a single day. Groups of recruits often faced danger on their way to Camp Nelson. For example, a group from Danville was attacked with stones and gunfire.
Peter Bruner tried to enlist but was captured and jailed with 24 others. Reverend John Gregg Fee of the American Missionary Association (AMA) noted that many recruits showed signs of past mistreatment. Despite this, army doctors found most recruits to be healthy and ready to serve.
Refugees at Camp Nelson
Families of soldiers and others escaping slavery came to Union camps like Camp Nelson seeking safety. These people were called refugees. At first, the army didn't have a clear plan for them. But they were allowed to build a small village of shacks at Camp Nelson.
In November 1864, District Commander Speed S. Fry ordered about 400 women and children to leave the camp. He had soldiers burn their huts. It was very cold, and many refugees suffered from exposure and illness. Sadly, 102 people died.
Camp Nelson's Chief Quartermaster Theron E. Hall and Reverend John Gregg Fee spoke out against this cruel act. They told newspapers and high-ranking officials in Washington what had happened. Hall collected stories from USCT soldiers about their families' suffering. This led to a public outcry.
General Stephen G. Burbridge ordered Fry to stop the expulsions and let the families return. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton then ordered that a permanent shelter be built for all refugees, even those not related to soldiers.
The New York Tribune published a front-page story about the "Cruel Treatment of the Wives and Children of U.S. Colored Soldiers." It described how over 400 helpless people were driven from their homes and left to starve.
By December 1864, the military changed its policies. They built the Home for Colored Refugees. This included duplex cottages for families, a dining hall, barracks, a school, and a dormitory.
On March 3, 1865, a new law was passed that freed the wives and children of U.S. Colored Troops. This was a big step against slavery. The Home's population grew to over 3,000 people by July 1865. An obelisk at the refugee cemetery honors the memory of about 300 refugees who died at Camp Nelson, some due to the November 1864 expulsion.
The school at Camp Nelson was staffed by the AMA and the Western Freedman's Aid Commission. Two African Americans, E. Belle Mitchell and Reverend Gabriel Burdett, were among the teachers. The AMA believed in racial equality, but some white teachers refused to eat with Mitchell.
The camp also had two barracks that became a refugee hospital. Many refugees suffered from infectious diseases, and about 1300 died at Camp Nelson.
Units formed at Camp Nelson included the 5th and 6th U.S. Colored Cavalry (USCC), and several U.S. Colored Infantry and Heavy Artillery regiments.
Brave Actions of Camp Nelson Troops
The 5th and 6th USCC regiments fought bravely in battles like the Battle of Saltville I and the Battle of Saltville II in Virginia. In Saltville I, the 400 black soldiers showed great courage, even though the battle was a defeat. Sadly, after the battle, 47 soldiers from the 5th and 6th USCC were harmed. A man named Champ Ferguson was later tried and faced serious consequences for these actions.
In December 1864, the 5th and 6th USCC helped win the second attack on Saltville. They destroyed the Confederate saltworks and damaged lead mines and railroads. These actions further built their strong reputation.
In January 1865, the 5th USCC faced another attack in Simpsonville, Kentucky. Eighty soldiers were moving cattle when they were attacked by Confederate guerrillas. Many soldiers were harmed. A memorial was placed at the site of this attack in 2009.
The 6th USCC and the 114th and 116th Colored Infantry took part in General Grant's Appomattox campaign. They were involved in the siege of Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia. These soldiers helped pursue Confederate General Robert E. Lee to the Appomattox Courthouse, where they witnessed the end of the Confederate Army.
Union Supporters from East Tennessee
Even though Tennessee was a Confederate state, many people in its eastern Appalachian section supported the Union. This was partly because there were fewer enslaved people in that area.
Thousands of poor people from East Tennessee came to Camp Nelson for help. They had often lost their homes and property because of the war. One family, for example, wandered for weeks through cold weather to reach Camp Nelson. The husband, a Union soldier, was reunited with his family there after escaping capture.
Several East Tennessee regiments were trained at Camp Nelson, including the 8th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry and parts of the 5th, 10th, 12th, and 13th Cavalry regiments.
After the War
After the Civil War, Camp Nelson became a place where formerly enslaved people received their official freedom papers. Many considered the camp their "cradle of freedom."
The United States Sanitary Commission (USSC) ran a soldiers' home at Camp Nelson in former barracks. This was one of many homes they operated for soldiers.
Many Camp Nelson U.S. Colored Troops achieved great things after the war:
- Angus Burleigh enlisted at age 16 and became a sergeant. In 1875, he was the first black graduate of Berea College. He taught in schools for freed people and later became a Methodist minister. He also served as a chaplain in the Illinois State Senate.
- Elijah P. Marrs led 27 men to join the USCT. He trained at Camp Nelson and taught reading there. After the war, Marrs taught school and became a Baptist minister. He helped found Baptist Normal and Theological Institute in Louisville, which became Simmons Bible College.
- Peter Bruner wrote his autobiography, A Slave’s Adventure Toward Freedom. He had tried to escape many times and faced harsh punishments. After the war, Bruner moved to Ohio and became the first African American to work at Miami University. He also enrolled there. He worked as a custodian and messenger and was known for greeting people in a top hat and tails.
- Gabriel Burdette was enslaved but became a minister. He enlisted in the 114th U.S. Colored Infantry in 1864. He worked as a teacher, nurse, and minister, helping refugees with education and housing. He became the first African American on the Berea College Board of Trustees. He was also active in the Republican Party.
Camp Nelson Today
Today, 525 acres of the original Camp Nelson are preserved as the Camp Nelson National Monument. Most of the old buildings were sold after the war. The camp is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark District. It is also part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, which highlights sites important to the escape of enslaved people.
Unlike other former USCT recruitment sites, Camp Nelson's land was never built over for other uses after the war. This means much of its history is still visible.
In 2017, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke suggested making Camp Nelson a national monument. On October 26, 2018, President Trump used the Antiquities Act to create the Camp Nelson National Monument. This transferred its ownership and management to the National Park Service.
The Oliver Perry House is the only original building remaining from the camp. It was built around 1846. During the war, General Ambrose Burnside used it as officers' quarters. It was often called the "White House" in official letters. Today, it is a historic house museum for the park.
The park has five miles of walking trails, open from dawn to dusk. Along the northern border, you can see remnants of the old forts and defenses with historical signs. Fort Putnam has been rebuilt to look like the original. During the Annual Civil War Heritage Weekend in September, re-enactors fire a Napoléon 12-pound cannon at Fort Putnam. On April 15, the date of President Lincoln's death, a ceremonial firing takes place there. The interpretive center is open Tuesday through Saturday, and tours are available.
Camp Nelson National Cemetery is about a mile south of the park. It has online records of burials, so families can find relatives buried there.
Images for kids
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Tent encampment is on display in Interpretive Center
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The Barracks is close to the visitor center
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Camp Nelson civilian employees pose with materials to make and repair military vehicles
