Kentucky in the American Civil War facts for kids
Kentucky was a very important border state during the American Civil War. At first, Kentucky said it would stay neutral. This meant it would not pick a side. But after a try by Confederate General Leonidas Polk to take Kentucky, the state asked the Union Army for help.
Even though the Confederacy controlled much of Kentucky early on, the U.S. Army took control after early 1862. Historians study Kentucky's role in the war. They look at how people were divided, the battles, and how slavery ended.
Kentucky was the site of many big battles. These included Mill Springs and Perryville. Famous military leaders like Ulysses S. Grant for the Union and Nathan Bedford Forrest for the Confederacy fought here. Forrest caused trouble for the Union Army in western Kentucky. He even attacked Paducah. Kentuckian John Hunt Morgan also led many cavalry raids through the state.
Kentucky was the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary Todd, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Lincoln once said, "I think to lose Kentucky is nearly the same as to lose the whole game."
About 25,000 to 40,000 Kentuckians fought for the Confederacy. But many more, about 74,000 to 125,000, fought for the Union. This included 24,000 to 25,000 Black Kentuckians, both free and enslaved.
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Kentucky Before the War
People in Kentucky had different ideas about the Civil War. In 1860, about one-fifth of the state's people were enslaved. Many Kentuckians who supported the Union still thought slavery was okay. The state also had strong ties to the South because of the Mississippi River. This river was key for trade.
Kentucky had some of the best schools in the South. Transylvania University was a very respected college. Other schools like Centre College and Georgetown College were also becoming well known.
Politically, Kentucky had many famous leaders. These included former Vice Presidents John C. Breckinridge and Richard M. Johnson. Other important figures were Henry Clay, John J. Crittenden, and both U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis. By the time of the war, Kentucky's politics were a bit messy. Many politicians joined the Democratic Party. Some joined the new Republican Party. Others joined smaller groups like the Know Nothing Party. In the 1860 election, the Constitutional Union Party won in Kentucky.
Kentucky was important for both the North and the South. It was the ninth largest state by population in 1860. It produced a lot of crops like tobacco, corn, wheat, and hemp. Geographically, the Ohio River gave the South a strong border along the state.
Kentucky governor Beriah Magoffin believed Southern states had the right to leave the Union. But he wanted to avoid war. In December 1860, he suggested a plan to other slave states. This plan included enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act and dividing new territories. He hoped to find a peaceful solution.
Magoffin called a special meeting of the Kentucky General Assembly. He asked them to let Kentuckians vote on leaving the Union. But most lawmakers supported the Union. They feared voters would choose to secede. Instead, they sent delegates to a peace meeting in Washington, D.C.. They also asked Congress to consider the Crittenden Compromise.
President Lincoln knew how important Kentucky was. In September 1861, he wrote that losing Kentucky would be like losing the whole war.
How Did the War Start in Kentucky?
On April 15, 1861, President Lincoln asked Kentucky to send soldiers to stop the rebellion. Governor Magoffin, who supported the South, refused. He said he would not send "a man nor a dollar" to fight his "sister Southern states." Most Kentuckians wanted to stay neutral. They hoped Kentucky could help both sides find peace. On May 20, 1861, Governor Magoffin officially declared Kentucky's neutrality.
Both the Union and Confederate armies respected Kentucky's neutrality at first. But they set up camps nearby. Union forces built Camp Clay in Ohio and Camp Joe Holt in Indiana. Confederate troops built Forts Donelson and Henry just south of Kentucky in Tennessee. Many Kentuckians left the state to join the side they supported.
Neutrality became harder to maintain. Six important Kentuckians met to discuss the problem. They included Governor Magoffin and John J. Crittenden. They agreed to keep neutrality. They also called for a board to manage the state's defense. The General Assembly created this board.
Kentucky's military forces were also divided. The State Guard mostly supported the Confederacy. The new Home Guard were mostly Unionists. There were many close calls that almost started fighting within the state. But General Simon B. Buckner worked to keep Kentucky neutral through the summer.
Kentucky's Elections in 1861
Public opinion in Kentucky began to change. In a special election on June 20, 1861, Union supporters won nine of Kentucky's ten seats in Congress. Confederate supporters won only one area, the Jackson Purchase. This area had strong economic ties to Tennessee. Many Confederate supporters did not vote.
Governor Magoffin faced another setback in the August 5 election for state lawmakers. Union supporters won a huge majority in both the House and the Senate. From then on, the General Assembly often overrode Magoffin's vetoes. Magoffin eventually resigned because he disagreed so much with the Assembly.
After the 1861 election, William "Bull" Nelson set up Camp Dick Robinson. This was a Union recruiting camp in Garrard County. Crittenden complained that this broke Kentucky's neutrality. But Nelson said it was a camp for loyal Kentuckians. Governor Magoffin asked President Lincoln to close the camp, but Lincoln refused. Meanwhile, Confederate volunteers gathered at Camp Boone in Tennessee, just south of Kentucky. Kentucky's neutrality was almost over.
Even though Union support seemed strong, it was not always firm. Many older Kentuckians supported the Union. But their sons often joined the rebellion. Some Union supporters also felt the South had been wronged. They hoped the war would end by meeting the South's demands. Many Kentuckians supported the Union mainly because they did not want their state to become a battlefield.
Neutrality Ends in Kentucky
On September 4, 1861, Confederate Major General Leonidas Polk broke Kentucky's neutrality. He ordered his troops to take Columbus. This city was important because it was a railroad end point and on the Mississippi River. Polk built a fort there with many cannons. He called it "The Gibraltar of the West." He even tried to stretch a huge chain across the river to stop boats.
In response, Union Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant moved into Paducah, Kentucky, on September 6. This gave the Union control of the Tennessee River's mouth. Governor Magoffin criticized both sides for breaking neutrality. He asked both armies to leave. But on September 7, the General Assembly voted to make only Confederate forces leave. Magoffin vetoed this, but the lawmakers overrode his veto. The U.S. flag was raised over the state capitol in Frankfort. Kentucky officially sided with the Union.
With neutrality broken, both sides quickly took positions. Confederate forces under Albert Sidney Johnston set up a line from Columbus in the west to Cumberland Gap in the east. Johnston sent Simon B. Buckner to fortify Bowling Green. Buckner built strong defenses there. A Union officer later said the Confederates must have spent all their time building these defenses.
Confederate Line Broken
Many small fights happened in Kentucky in 1861. But major battles did not start until 1862.
Battle of Mill Springs
In January 1862, Union General George H. Thomas moved toward Confederate General George B. Crittenden at Mill Springs. It was rainy, and Thomas's army moved slowly. Crittenden attacked them before Union reinforcements could arrive. The battle began on January 19, 1862. At first, Crittenden's forces were winning.
But in the fog and rain, Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer rode into the Union lines by mistake. He was shot and killed. This made the Confederates lose heart. Thomas's reinforcements arrived, and Crittenden's forces had to retreat across the flooded Cumberland River. Many soldiers drowned. Crittenden was blamed for the loss.
Forts Henry and Donelson
General Johnston learned about the defeat at Mill Springs from a newspaper. But he had bigger worries. Ulysses S. Grant was moving toward Forts Henry and Donelson. Union gunboats had already beaten Confederate boats on the Mississippi River. General Polk had moved most of his troops to Columbus, thinking Grant would attack there.
Lloyd Tilghman was left to defend Fort Henry with fewer than 3,000 men. Union troops attacked on February 5, 1862. Tilghman surrendered the next day.
General Johnston then sent Pillow, Buckner, and John B. Floyd to defend Fort Donelson. No one was clearly in charge, which caused problems. Grant arrived at Donelson on February 13. He was outnumbered. But Floyd did not use this advantage, and Grant got more troops the next day. On February 15, the Confederates almost created an escape route. But arguments among the generals delayed their retreat. Floyd and Pillow fled. Buckner was left in command and asked Grant for a cease-fire. Grant famously replied that only "an unconditional and immediate surrender" would be accepted. This made Grant a hero and earned him the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant.
Confederate Retreat
With Forts Henry and Donelson lost, Polk's position at Columbus was weak. The Confederates had to leave "The Gibraltar of the West." Johnston's defense line was broken. He left Bowling Green on February 11, 1862. He retreated south to join other Confederate generals. Cumberland Gap, the last part of Johnston's line, fell to Union forces in June 1862.
Morgan's First Raids
After the Confederates left Kentucky, General John Hunt Morgan began his first raids into the state. In May 1862, Morgan's riders captured two Union trains. He let everyone go and sent one train back to Louisville. This raid mostly aimed to bother Union forces. It also made Morgan bolder for a bigger raid in July.
On July 4, 1862, Morgan and his men left Tennessee. They captured Tompkinsville five days later. After a quick stop in Glasgow, they took Lebanon on July 12. They then went to Harrodsburg and Georgetown. Seeing that Lexington was too strong, they attacked Cynthiana. Morgan won again at Cynthiana.
With Union troops closing in, he released all captured soldiers. He then rode to Paris. As they left Kentucky, Morgan's cavalry picked up 50 new recruits. They also stopped in Somerset. There, Morgan's telegrapher sent teasing messages to Union generals and a newspaper publisher. Morgan claimed to have captured 1,200 enemy soldiers. He also recruited 300 men and got hundreds of horses. He destroyed supplies in seventeen towns. All this with fewer than 100 casualties.
Smith and Bragg Advance
Morgan's success encouraged Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith to move into Kentucky. Smith and General Braxton Bragg planned to capture Cumberland Gap. Then they would join forces and attack Nashville. After that, they would invade Kentucky.
But the fight at Cumberland Gap lasted too long. Smith decided to go straight to Lexington instead. This changed the plan. Bragg then also entered Kentucky on August 28. As Smith moved toward Lexington, Indiana's governor thought Kentucky's governor was not doing enough. He sent troops into Louisville and considered himself governor of both states.
Battle of Richmond
When General "Bull" Nelson heard about Smith's advance, he prepared to fight at the Kentucky River. He wanted to wait for more troops. He ordered his brigades not to attack Smith, but to retreat to Lexington. But these orders were not followed.
Smith's army met Mahlon's brigade at Richmond, Kentucky, on August 30. Smith's more experienced troops broke the Union line. Mahlon's men fell back. In the afternoon, General Nelson arrived. He tried to encourage his troops. Nelson was soon hit twice by Confederate gunfire. He was badly wounded but escaped. The Union lost many men: 206 killed, 844 wounded, and 4,303 missing. Smith's army had only 98 killed, 492 wounded, and 10 missing. This was a big Confederate victory.
Battle of Munfordville
While Smith went to Lexington, Bragg entered Kentucky on August 28. Bragg had heard there were many supplies in the Glasgow area. But when he learned Bragg was in Kentucky, Union General Buell moved his army to fortified Bowling Green.
Meanwhile, Smith sent Colonel John Scott to find Bragg. On September 13, Scott met John T. Wilder at Munfordville. Scott demanded his surrender. Scott got help from another Confederate brigade. The attack started the next morning. Scott's smaller force caused over 200 casualties. Later, another Confederate general tried to scare Wilder into surrendering. Wilder replied, "Thank you for your compliments. If you wish to avoid further bloodshed, keep out of the reach of my guns."
Wilder soon got more troops. Scott and the other general asked Bragg for help. Bragg was angry but arrived the next day. He surrounded the town. Bragg sent another request for surrender. Wilder asked to inspect the Confederate forces to see if he should surrender. Bragg's general, Simon B. Buckner, agreed. After seeing the strong Confederate line, Wilder surrendered.
Wilder's 4,000 men were released. Bragg hoped they would use up Buell's supplies. The delay caused by this battle might have cost the Confederates a bigger prize: Louisville.
Governor Hawes Takes Office
While Bragg rested, Buell marched north and reached Louisville on September 25. Bragg saw that his main goal, Louisville, was now in Union hands. He went to Bardstown, expecting to meet Smith. But Smith was acting alone near Frankfort. Bragg realized that not working with Smith could ruin their plans. He spread his troops out for defense.
Both Bragg and Smith were disappointed. Not many Kentuckians joined the Confederate army. Bragg hoped to get more recruits by having Richard Hawes become governor of Kentucky's Confederate government. The elected government had fled to Louisville.
The ceremony happened on October 4, 1862. Bragg spoke first, promising to defend Kentucky. Then Hawes gave a long speech. He said the new government would protect people and property.
But their promises did not last long. Before the celebration could end, Buell's forces attacked Frankfort. Artillery shells broke the happy mood, and the Confederates fled. Bragg had underestimated how fast Buell could move. While Hawes's inauguration was happening, Buell was already pushing the Confederate army from Shelbyville. Bragg ordered his troops to retreat to Harrodsburg to meet Smith. Smith prepared to defend Lexington.
Battle of Perryville
By October 7, Bragg's forces had moved to Perryville. It had been a dry summer, so water was scarce. When Union troops found water in Perryville, they moved toward the Confederate position. Bragg thought the main Union attack would be on Lexington and Frankfort. He ordered his troops to attack the approaching Union force. But the Confederate soldiers in Perryville knew a much larger force was coming. They took up defensive positions.
Bragg also misjudged the situation. When he learned his men had not attacked, he went to Perryville himself. As the Confederates got ready to attack, they kicked up so much dust that the Union thought they were retreating. This gave Bragg's men the element of surprise when they attacked at 2 PM on October 8. The Union's left side was pushed back, but the center held strong.
It was late afternoon before Buell learned of the fighting. He sent more troops to help. This stopped the Confederate advance. Meanwhile, small Confederate groups met two large Union forces. Only then did Bragg realize he was facing Buell's main army and was greatly outnumbered. As night fell, the battle stopped. Bragg decided to retreat to Harrodsburg to meet Smith. From Harrodsburg, the Confederates left Kentucky through Cumberland Gap. The Confederacy never again tried to hold Kentucky.
On December 17, 1862, many Jewish families were forced from their homes by a military order. A local Jewish businessman, Cesar Kaskel, sent a telegram to President Lincoln. He met with Lincoln and got the order canceled.
Morgan Strikes Again
Because General Buell could not stop Bragg and Smith from retreating, he was replaced by General William Rosecrans. Rosecrans stayed in Nashville during late 1862. Bragg thought Rosecrans would start a campaign soon. So, he sent John Hunt Morgan back into Kentucky in December 1862. Morgan's job was to cut the Union supply line, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. This raid was part of a plan to disrupt Union supplies.
The Christmas Raid
Morgan's men entered Kentucky on December 22. They captured a Union supply wagon. On Christmas Day, Morgan's men rode through Glasgow. They were headed for a railroad bridge. After fighting off Union resistance, Morgan's men destroyed the bridge and several miles of track. They had successfully cut Rosecrans's supply line.
From there, Morgan rode to Elizabethtown, arriving on December 27. The Union commander there demanded Morgan's surrender. But Morgan surrounded him and, after a short fight, accepted his surrender. Again, Morgan destroyed railroad property. Then he planned his escape back to Tennessee.
On December 29, Union artillery shelled Morgan's force as they crossed the Rolling Fork River. First Brigade commander Basil W. Duke was seriously wounded. He was taken to Bardstown for medical care. He recovered and rejoined the Confederate retreat the next day.
Freezing rain hit Morgan's men as they camped at Springfield on December 30. Scouts reported a large Union force nearby. Morgan decided to move out after midnight in the bad weather. He ordered some companies to pretend to attack Lebanon. They burned fence rails to look like campfires. The main force went to Campbellsville. The plan worked. After a very difficult march, Morgan's men reached Campbellsville safely on New Year's Eve. They captured some needed supplies. The next day, they went through Columbia and returned to Tennessee on January 3.
Morgan Crosses the Ohio
After the Christmas Raid, there were only small attacks in Kentucky. Union commanders were frustrated by these unpredictable raids. Morgan soon made his next raid very visible.
People said Morgan had lost his courage after getting married in December 1862. Morgan wanted to prove them wrong. He was also tired of guarding Bragg's army. He suggested a raid through Kentucky and across the Ohio River. Bragg welcomed the idea. He hoped it would distract Union forces from his own army. Morgan gathered his men. On June 10, he told them Bragg had approved a raid to Louisville. If possible, they would go into Indiana and Ohio. He only told his trusted friend Basil Duke that Bragg's real orders were to stop at the Ohio River.
The raid was delayed. Morgan's men had to try to stop a Union raiding party. But after three weeks of struggling through mud, they still had not found the enemy. They finally entered Kentucky on July 2, 1863. Two days later, Morgan fought Colonel Orlando Moore at Tebbs Bend. A bridge crossed the Green River there. Morgan demanded surrender. But Moore said, "It is a bad day for surrender, and I would rather not." Moore's forces won. Morgan, having lost 71 men, decided to go around the bridge.
Morgan again met resistance at Lebanon. The Confederates won, but Morgan's nineteen-year-old brother Tom was killed. From Lebanon, Morgan's men hurried toward Bardstown. They learned Union soldiers were close behind. Louisville was also preparing for an attack. Morgan had the element of surprise. He chose Brandenburg as his target. He sent a group ahead to prepare for crossing the Ohio. On July 7, they captured two steamboats. By midnight, all of Morgan's men were in Indiana.
For the next few weeks, Morgan rode along the Ohio River. He raided Indiana and Ohio. On July 19, Union forces captured Duke and 700 of Morgan's men. But Morgan escaped with 1,100 others. Union troops chased them hard. Morgan lost tired men every day. His group shrank to 363 men by the time he surrendered on July 26, 1863.
Morgan was sent to a prison in Columbus, Ohio. But he escaped with several officers in November 1863. Even though Bragg might have punished him for disobeying orders, the Confederacy needed leaders badly. So Morgan was given his command back.
Forrest Raids Paducah
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After Morgan's capture in 1863, there were no major battles in Kentucky until spring 1864. Some Confederate soldiers wanted to become mounted infantry. But the Confederacy had no horses. So, Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was in Mississippi, planned a raid on western Tennessee and Kentucky. Besides getting horses, Forrest wanted to cut Union supply lines. He also wanted to get supplies for Confederate forces. And he hoped to stop Black Kentuckians from joining the Union army.
On March 25, 1864, Forrest attacked. He met Colonel Stephen G. Hicks at Fort Anderson. Forrest demanded surrender. Hicks knew Forrest mainly wanted supplies and horses, so he refused. Hicks was mostly right that Forrest would not attack the fort. But a Confederate colonel, Albert P. Thompson, did try to capture it. He was killed with 24 of his men. Forrest held the city for ten hours. He destroyed Union headquarters and supply buildings. Forrest also captured 200 horses and mules. Then he left for Mayfield. After the raid, Forrest gave his Kentuckian soldiers time off. They could get better clothes and horses. Every man returned to Tennessee on April 4.
Union newspapers boasted that Union forces had hidden the best horses. They said Forrest only captured horses stolen from private citizens. Forrest was angry. He sent his general, Abraham Buford, back into Kentucky. Buford's men arrived on April 14. They forced Hicks back into the fort. They then captured 140 more horses from a foundry, exactly where the newspapers said they were hidden. They rejoined Forrest in Tennessee. The raid not only got horses but also distracted Union forces from Forrest's attack on Fort Pillow, Tennessee.
Black Soldiers Join the Union Army
After the U.S. Congress passed the Confiscation Acts and Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved people from Confederate states could join the Union Army. Even though Kentucky slaves were not freed by the Proclamation, many left their masters. They fled to Louisville and Camp Nelson. There, they joined the U.S. Colored Infantry. About 24,000 Black Kentuckians, both free and enslaved, served as Union soldiers. Kentucky had the second-highest number of African American Union enlistments, after Louisiana.
Military Rule in 1864–1865
In response to growing guerrilla attacks in 1863 and 1864, Major General Stephen G. Burbridge took command of Kentucky in June 1864. This started a long period of military control. Lincoln authorized martial law. To bring peace to Kentucky, Burbridge strictly stopped disloyalty. He also used economic pressure. His policy on guerrillas caused the most controversy. He ordered that four guerrillas would be publicly executed for every unarmed Union citizen killed. After disagreements with Governor Thomas E. Bramlette, Burbridge was removed in February 1865. Confederates called him the "Butcher of Kentucky."
Union support among native Kentuckians dropped a lot by the end of the war. This was due to the Emancipation Proclamation, Burbridge's strict military rule, and the enlistment of Kentucky slaves into Union regiments. A journalist named Whitelaw Reid visited Louisville in 1865. He noted that there was more loyalty in Nashville than in Louisville. He also saw enslaved people serving dinner, which was the last time he would see slavery on American soil. This feeling also led to daily violence between Louisville citizens and Union soldiers leaving the city. This period was known as the "war after the war" throughout the state.
Images for kids
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Civil War battle map of Kentucky, published in Harper's Weekly October 19, 1861
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"Kentuckians, to arms!!!" Confederate recruitment broadside published Louisville, 1861 (Duke University Libraries)
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Albert Sidney Johnston was charged with maintaining a Confederate defensive line in southern Kentucky and northern Tennessee
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Broadside by James Brown Clay, October 1862
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The Battle of Perryville battlefield as depicted in Harper's Weekly, November 1, 1862
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1863 abstract return showing Union Forces in Kentucky.
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Historical marker noting Morgan's activities at Brandenburg, Kentucky, where his forces captured two steamboats, the John B. McCombs and the Alice Dean, before crossing the Ohio River into Indiana
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Abstract of the Returns of the XXIII Corps, Department of the Ohio, responsible for the Military District of Kentucky (1st and 2nd Divisions), and the District of Western Kentucky
See also
In Spanish: Kentucky en la guerra de Secesión para niños
