Sue Mundy facts for kids

Sue Mundy was a made-up character created by George D. Prentice. He was the editor of a newspaper called the Louisville Journal. Prentice used Sue Mundy to show his disagreement with General Stephen G. Burbridge. General Burbridge had very strict military rule in Kentucky during the American Civil War.

Who Was Sue Mundy?

In June 1864, Union General Stephen G. Burbridge took charge of Kentucky. This happened after many attacks and killings by guerrilla groups. General Burbridge then declared martial law, which meant the military had control over everything.

George D. Prentice created the "Sue Mundy" character to make General Burbridge look bad. Prentice wanted to show that Burbridge was not good at protecting the people of Kentucky.

Guerrilla Groups in Kentucky

During 1864 and 1865, many guerrilla groups were active in Kentucky. These groups often acted like bandits. They took advantage of the war to cause trouble and steal from people. Some of these groups even claimed to be part of "Sue Mundy's gang." They did this because the name was popular and brought them attention.

Prentice wrote articles in the Louisville Journal about these attacks. He blamed them on "Sue Mundy." He wanted to highlight how he thought General Burbridge was failing to keep people safe.

The Name "Sue Mundy"

When Prentice first wrote about the character, he spelled her name 'Munday'. But after that, he always spelled it 'Mundy'. He always described her as a guerrilla fighter.

Real People and the Sue Mundy Legend

Some people believed that a real person was the model for Sue Mundy.

Marcellus Jerome Clarke

One person thought to be "Sue Mundy" was Marcellus Jerome Clarke. He was a 20-year-old Confederate captain and a guerrilla. Clarke was known for having long hair and a smooth face. Federal soldiers caught Clarke in Meade County on March 12, 1865. He was put on trial in Louisville and faced serious consequences a few days later. George D. Prentice always said that Clarke was not Sue Mundy.

Henry C. Magruder

Another guerrilla, Henry C. Magruder, also rode with Clarke. Magruder claimed that he was the original Sue Mundy. He wrote about this in his book, Three Years in the Saddle: The Life and Confession of Henry Magruder: The Original Sue Munday, The Scourge of Kentucky (1865).

Magruder's group of guerrillas were caught after they were involved in a bank robbery. Clarke was put on trial and faced consequences soon after. Magruder was hurt during his capture. He was allowed to get better in jail before he also faced consequences.