Civil War Times in Harrison County: Introduction by William A. Penn

The Civil War@HarrisonCountyKy.US

Generals John Hunt Morgan and Basil Duke discuss terms of surrender with Federal troops. (Photo by Philip Naff)

www.HarrisonCountyKy.US

Message Received!

William A. Penn, author of Rattling Spurs and Broad-Brimmed Hats - the Civil War in Cynthiana and Harrison County, Ky. (Battle Grove Press, 1995) and editor of the historical society's monthly newsletter, has reported that he is revising his book for a third printing and is renewing his quest for more information about the Battles of Cynthiana (1862 & 1864), including journals, diaries, photos of soldiers, and soldier memoirs of being at Cynthiana during the Civil War battles, whether Union or Confederate.

He is also offering to answer any and all queries there might be regarding the Battles of Cynthiana.

If you can help or have a query, he would like to hear from you; just click on his name above.

The Civil War

in Harrison County

By William A. Penn

After the fall of Fort Sumter in April 1861, Harrison County responded with six Confederate and two Union companies, along with several Home Guard units. Over 1,400 eventually went to war, split 63% Confederate and 37% Union. At least twenty-eight slaves joined Union companies. In September 1861, the 35th Ohio established Camp Frazer just north of town to guard the railroad. Union troops arrested over sixty local citizens during the war for alleged disloyalty, and some, like State Representative Lucius Desha, were incarcerated for months at Camp Chase, Ohio.

John Hunt Morgan’s Confederate cavalry raided Cynthiana twice during the Civil War. The first raid occurred July 17,1862, when Morgan, with 850 men and two cannons, surrounded Cynthiana about 3 PM. Cynthiana was defended by 345 men under Lt. Col. John J. Landram, consisting of mostly Home Guards with a 12-pounder. Simultaneous Rebel cavalry charges at the covered bridge (near present U.S. 27 bridge), Falmouth Pike and Magee Hill (today called Standpipe Hill) forced Landram's men to withdraw from those locations toward the depot. After making a brief stand the Federals withdrew on the Old Lair Pike where everyone except Landram was captured.

Two years later, Morgan’s Raiders, with 1,200 men, again attacked Cynthiana on June 11-12, 1864. The battle took place in three locations: The covered bridge, Keller’s Bridge and the present site of Battle Grove Cemetery. On June 11th, Colonel Garis defended Cynthiana with 300 men of the 168th Ohio and the local Home Guards under Colonel George W. Berry. At dawn, Morgan attacked at the covered bridge and Magee Hill. The Union troops first retreated to the depot, and then fled toward Pike Street, where they fired from buildings. To flush out Union soldiers, and with the excuse he had no artillery, Morgan ordered several buildings to be set fire. The flames spread rapidly, consuming thirty-seven downtown structures. Col. Garis and his men surrendered after using the Rankin Hotel and courthouse for protection. Colonel Berry was mortally wounded at the depot.

The same morning at dawn, unaware of Morgan’s proximity, the 171st Ohio under General Edward Hobson arrived by train one mile north of Cynthiana at Keller's Bridge. The Confederates fought Hobson on the back pastures of the present Switzer farm that lies on the west side of the Licking River. Hobson retreated north to the adjoining hill leaving a deep railroad cut between the two forces. After three hours of intense fighting, Hobson surrendered.

Morgan, despite being outnumbered, low on ammunition, and with the high-banked Licking River impeding a possible retreat, was optimistic he could defeat General Burbridge, who was pursuing the raiders from Paris. Morgan placed his dismounted cavalry about one mile east of Cynthiana on the Millersburg Pike near Poplar Hill, home of John W. Kimbrough east of the present site of Battle Grove Cemetery. Colonel Smith, protecting Morgan’s right line, was deployed on Magee Hill, a site overlooking the New Lair Pike near the present Harrison County High School. Burbridge, with 2,400 men and two cannons, arrived at dawn June 12th on the Millersburg Pike and attacked Morgan's position. Morgan’s center and left line soon collapsed and they were forced to run for their horses. Colonel Smith held Morgan's right line somewhat longer behind a stone wall, but both a determined Union frontal attack and a cavalry flanking movement from the south compelled Smith's last resisting men to retreat. Morgan escaped and his men who were not captured dispersed in all directions, ending the last Civil War engagement in Harrison County.

William A. Penn is author of Rattling Spurs and Broad-Brimmed Hats: The Civil War in Cynthiana and Harrison County, Kentucky and editor of the Harrison Heritage News, the monthly newsletter of the Harrison County Historical Society.

The County Goes to War!

The main military regiments which contained soldiers who were native to Harrison County, Kentucky were:

Union

18th Kentucky Infantry Regiment

20th Kentucky Infantry Regiment

40th Kentucky Infantry Regiment

53rd Kentucky Infantry Regiment

6th Kentucky Cavalry Regiment

7th Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (A company of 100 men from the area of Berry, Kentucky were in this regiment)

Confederate

Company A., 1st Battalion Cavalry

1st Kentucky Mounted Rifles

2nd Kentucky Infantry Regiment

5th Kentucky Infantry Regiment

9th Kentucky Infantry Regiment

There were other Civil War units, Union and Confederate, that included Harrison County soldiers, however, the companies and regiments listed above seem to have had the most members from Harrison County, Kentucky.

The Kentucky State Department of Libraries & Archives maintains an interesting web page for Civil War Research in Kentucky.