Second Kentucky
Infantry
Contributed by Tim
Downey, Kentucky Department, SUVCW,
Member
One of the active Unionists
at Louisville, in the spring of 1861, was Capt. W. E. Woodruff. He had
served
in the Mexican war and was associated with Lovell H. Rousseau in the
formation
of companies for the defense of Louisville. It was plain to be seen
that there
was a necessity for military organization, but under the ideas of
neutrality
then prevailing, it was thought improper that it should go on in the
state. It
was under these circumstances that Gen. Lovell H. Rousseau established
Camp Jo
Holt, in the state of Indiana, just opposite Louisville, and that Camp
Clay was
established on the Ohio side of the river opposite Newport, Ky. Capt.
W. E.
Woodruff was an earnest, zealous man, and had exerted a strong
influence at
Louisville, among the military companies, for the defense of the city.
Seeing
the need of soldiers for the service of the United States, he concluded
to
recruit a regiment at Camp Clay. He took with him from Louisville two
companies
and these became the nucleus of his regiment, which became the 2d Ky.
Infantry.
It was mustered into the service June 13, 1861, at Camp Clay. In the
same camp
at the same time was the 1st Ky. Infantry, Col. Guthrie, and the two
regiments
were associated together all the time they were in the service. In the
same
month they were both ordered to West Virginia. They went up the river
by boat,
landed at Guyandote and marched at once to Barbourville, from which
place they
drove out the enemy under Col. Jenkins. This movement is mentioned by
Gen.
McClellan, in the following dispatch from Beverly, Va.: "One of Cox's
regiments, the 2d Ky., defeated and drove six hundred of Wise's men out
of Barbourville,
Cabell county, on the 16th." The 1st and 2d had been placed by Gen.
McClellan, under Gen. Cox, July 2d, by an order directing Gen. Cox to
take
command of the 1st and 2d Ky. and 12th Ohio, and proceed into West
Virginia, on
the Kanawha River. From Barbourville, the march was to Camp Poco, on
Scury
creek, where in an engagement Col. Woodruff was taken prisoner; Lieut.
Col.
Neff and Capt. Hurd were also captured. This was a severe blow to the
regiment,
but other officers took the places of the captured ones, and the
regiments
continued in very active duty.
July 25th the 1st and 2d Ky.,
11th and 12th Ohio, and some regiments of militia were constituted into
the
brigade of the Kanawha, under Gen. Cox, the 2d being commanded by Col.
T. D.
Sedgewick. These regiments continued with Gen. Cox, and also under Gen.
Rosecrans in West Virginia, during the fall of 1861, and had numerous
engagements with the enemy, particularly one at Gauley Bridge and one
at Cotton
Hill, November 11th, which Gen. Rosecrans called "vigorous and
brilliant." The 1st and 2d went into winter quarters at Charleston, in
December, but on the 25th of January, 1862, they were ordered to
Kentucky. They
moved at once to Louisville, and February 5th marched to Bardstown.
From thence
they marched to Green river, and after the retirement of the
Confederates from
Kentucky, consequent upon the fall of Fort Donelson, they moved to
Nashville.
They then proceeded with Buell's army to Pittsburg Landing, and look
part in
the battle of Shiloh. The 1st, 2d and 20th Ky. were in Bruce's brigade,
in
Nelson's division. Gen. Nelson says in his report, that his division
was over
the river by 9 o'clock p.m. Ammen's brigade of his division was his
left,
Bruce's brigade his center, and Hazen's brigade his right. In this
order the
movement against the enemy began at 4 o'clock a.m., the next day. Col.
Bruce
speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of the 2d Ky. Being directed
to
charge a battery, he says: "The fight of this regiment in executing
this
order became almost hand to hand, and was of the most terrific
character, Capt.
Spellmayer was instantly killed; Capts. Bodine and Smith, Adjt.
Weindall,
Lieuts. Miller and Alms were carried to the rear all seriouslv wounded.
Lieut.
Miller died on the field." Col. Bruce says: "Col. Sedgewick, Lieut.
Col. Spencer and Maj. Hurd displayed the greatest courage and daring.
Col.
Sedgewick was stricken down by a spent round shot."
Col. Sedgewick, in his
report, mentions the officers above named, and compliments the services
of Capts.
Brown, Baldwin, Whittlesey and Stag, and Lieuts. Cook, Hurd, Bonticue,
Tuley,
Tanman, Thayer, Bell, Martin and Brannan. After the battle of Shiloh,
the 2d
continued with Buell's army in the siege of Corinth, where Col.
Sedgewick
commanded the brigade and the regiment was under Lieut. Col. Spencer.
In the
fighting and skirmishing of that campaign, the reports make
complimentary
mention of the steadiness and soldierly qualities of the 2d Ky. After
the
evacuation of Corinth, the 2d marched with Buell's army to Athens,
Ala.; and
from thence to Murfreesboro, Tenn. July 21, 1862, two companies of the
2d (E
and G) were guarding Mill Creek bridge, between Nashville and
Murfreesboro, and
were attacked and captured by Forrest's cavalry. Three were killed in
the
fight. Gen. Nelson, in his report at that time, says the 2d Ky. "is
much
reduced by losses."
August 13th the regiment was
at Lavergne; August 22d, at Murfreesboro. In September and October it
marched
with Buell's army to Kentucky, being in Crittenden's corps, W. S.
Smith's
division, Cruft's brigade, and Col. Sedgewick commanding the regiment,
from
Kentucky, it returned with the army to Tennessee, and December 31,
1862,
participated in the battle of Murfreesboro. Its casualties in that
battle were
nine killed and fifty-six wounded. Gen. Palmer says: "The 2d Ky.
brought
off three guns abandoned by Negley's division." Col. Cruft, says:
"Col. Sedgewick displayed marked gallantry on the field." And he
expressed his great obligations to him.
Col. Sedgewick's report of
the part the 2d Ky. took in this battle is very graphic. He says:
"Leaving
camps at Nashville, December 26th, the 2d was the advance of Nelson's
division.
One mile from Lavergne it met the enemy and drove them from the ground.
On
27th, bivouacked on Stewart's creek; 29th, advanced, the 2d and 31st
Ind. being
reserve to the brigade, halted at night three miles from Murfreesboro."
On
the 30th, the 2d and 31st Ind., under Sedgewick's command, moved in
advance of
the division in a cedar wood fronting a field, advanced and drove the
enemy
from position; 31st, the engagement became general, Sedgewick's
position was
attacked, held it until it was turned and exposed to enfilading fire;
requested
to be withdrawn, was refused, but the 2d was relieved by the 90th Ohio.
"The passage of lines by the advancing and retiring regiments was
executed
in the most perfect order." The isolated condition of Sedgewick being
apparent, he was withdrawn, in retiring he learned that three guns had
been
left by Negley's division, "double quicked to the spot and brought them
off in safety." This ended the severe fighting. During the next day the
2d
supported Swallow's battery and was exposed to a "terrible artillery
fire." "In the action on the 31st, and during the fight on January 2d,
soldiers never displayed more undaunted courage than those of the 2d
Ky."
Col. Sedgewick specially mentions Lieut. Col. Warner Spencer, Maj. J.
R. Hurd,
Capt. A. J. M. Browne. "In fact, every officer of the regiment is
deserving of the greatest praise." The losses were ten killed and
fifty-seven wounded.
January 30, 1863, the 1st and
2d were still in Cruft's brigade, Palmer's division, Crittenden's
corps, and
they moved with the army in all its experiences in the campaign from
Murfreesboro to Chattanooga. It was at Murfreesboro, until May; in June
and
July, at Manchester; in August, at Dunlap; in September, at
Chattanooga.
September 12th, Gen. Palmer sent a portion of Cruft's brigade up the
valley
toward Pea Vine church, to clear that flank and learn the cause of the
firing
in that direction. "This was handsomely done by Col. Sedgewick and Col.
Ripley, with their respective regiments, and one section of Stannard's
battery." About dusk that day, Palmer's whole division was at Lee and
Gordon's Mills.
In the battle of Chickamauga,
September 19th and 20th, Gen. Palmer says: "Co1. Sedgewick remained
with
his regiment during both days' battles, and kept it in good order,
under the
heaviest fire, and brought it off the field ready to turn upon the
enemy effectively
at any moment. I recommend his promotion." Col. Sedgewick in his report
says: The regiment crossed the Tennessee river, at Shellmound, on
September 3d;
September 6th marched to junction of Murphy's Bottom and Nick-a-jack
roads.
September 8th, at Hawkins Station; September 9th, at Chattanooga, and
went on
to Rossville, six miles south of Chattanooga; September 10th, at Pea
Vine
creek; September 11th, at Ringgold; September 12th, skirmished toward
Lee and
Gordon's Mill, and camped there; September 14th, escorted a train to
Chattanooga; September 15th, returned to Gordon's Mills; September
16th, at
Crawfish Springs. In the battles, 19th and 20th, he describes the
terrible
fighting and says: "The conduct of the officers and men during the
battles
of both days was of the most heroic character. The loss of the
regiment, which
occured on the first day, attests the bravery of the men. I had no
stragglers." He says: "Lieut-Col. Hurd and Maj. Baldwin, as on all
previous fields, displayed the greatest gallantry. Capt. Bodine
received his
death wound while coolly directing the fire of his men, Maj. Baldwin
was
wounded. All of my officers deserve special mention."
The 2d was at Bridgeport
during October, November and December, 1863. In January, at Tyner's
Station,
Ga.; February, March and April. At Cleveland, East Tennessee.
In the organization, in April
and May, 1864, it was in the 4th Corps, Stanley's division, Cruft's
brigade. It
moved with Sherman's army as far as Resaca, and the Etowah river, when
being
much reduced from sickness and losses in the field, it was returned to
Kentucky, and stationed at Covington, in the command of Gen. Hobson.
That
officer mentions the 1st and 2d Ky. as being part of the forces with
which he
would resist the Morgan raid of June, 1864.
It was mustered out of
service June 19, 1864 at Covington.
From Dyer's Compendium:
2nd Regiment Infantry
Organized at Pendleton, Ohio, May and June,
1861.
Moved to the Kanawha Valley, West Va., July 10. Attached to Kanawha
Brigade,
West Va., to October, 1861. District of the Kanawha, West Va., to
January,
1862. 22nd Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to February, 1862. 22nd Brigade,
4th
Division, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. 22nd Brigade, 4th
Division, 2nd
Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division,
Left
Wing 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 1st
Brigade,
2nd Division, 21st Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October,
1863. 1st
Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, to June, 1864.
SERVICE.---Campaign in West
Virginia July to October, 1861. Red House July 13 (Cos. "A,"
"B," "D," "F" and "K"). Barboursville
July 16. Scarrytown July 17. Gauley's Bridge September 1. Operations in
Kanawha
Valley October 19-November 16. Attack on Gauley by Floyd's Batteries
November
1-9. Gauley Bridge November 10. At Charlestown, W. Va., December 4 to
January
24, 1862. Moved to Louisville, Ky.; thence to Bardstown February 5.
March to
Nashville, Tenn., February 14-March 12. March to Savannah, Tenn., March
13-April 5. Battle of Shiloh April 6-7. Advance on and siege of
Corinth, Miss.,
April 29-May 30. Phillips' Creek, Widow Serratt's, May 21. Bridge
Creek, before
Corinth, May 28. Occupation of Corinth May 30. Pursuit to Booneville
May
31-June 6. Buell's Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee June
to
August, March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August
21-September 25.
Pursuit of Bragg to Loudon, Ky., October 1-22. Battle of Perryville
October 8.
Camp Wild Cat October 17. Destruction of Salt Works at Goose Creek
October
23-24. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 24-November 9. Duty at
Nashville
until December 26. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Lavergne
December
26-27. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3,
1863.
Duty at Murfreesboro and Cripple Creek until June. Expedition to
Woodbury April
2. Action at Snow Hill, Woodbury, April 3. Middle Tennessee (or
Tullahoma)
Campaign June 24-July 7. At Manchester July 9 to August 16. Passage of
Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign
August
16-September 22. Pea Vine Creek, Ga., September 10. Lee and Gordon's
Mills
September 11-13. Battle of Chickamauga, Ga., September 19-20. Siege of
Chattanooga September 24-October 27. Reopening of Tennessee River
October
26-29. At Bridgeport, Ala., October 28, 1863, to January 26, 1864. (A
Detachment at Ringgold Gap, Ga., November 27, 1863, and on
Demonstration on
Dalton February 22-27, 1864. Near Dalton February 23. Tunnel Hill,
Buzzard's
Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25.) At Ooltewah, Ga.,
until May
17, and at Resaca until June 3. Ordered home June 3. Operations against
Morgan
in Kentucky until June 19. Mt. Sterling June 9. Mustered out June 19,
1864.
Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 74 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 87 Enlisted men by disease. Total 165.
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