Lost Forty Percent

Colonel Curran Pope

The 15^th Kentucky Infantry was mustered into Union service December 14^th 1861 under the command of Colonel Curran Pope.

The 15^th Kentucky Infantry was organized in New Haven, Kentucky for a three year enlistment. Most of the men came from the city of Louisville, Kentucky and the surrounding area.   They mustered into Union service December 14^th 1861 and were attached to the 16^th Brigade of the Union Army of the Ohio.  The Colonel of the 15^th was Curran Pope a West Pointer

The men started their duty at Bacon Creek, Kentucky, before moving with the army to Bowling Green, Kentucky, Nashville, and Murfreesboro, Tennessee. They saw their first fighting at the Battle of Perryville on October 8^th 1862, where their Colonel was killed, and the regiment lost about 40% of its strength.  The 15^th would also see action at the Battles of Chickamauga, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Jonesboro, and other western theater battles.

The 15^th mustered out of Union service January 14^th 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky.  The regiment had 10 officers and 243 enlisted men die of wounds or disease during their service.

Shot Off His Horse

Union Brigadier General Charles Garrison Harker was killed June 27^th 1864 during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Charles Garrison Harker was born December 2^nd 1835 in Swedesboro, New Jersey.  As a young man, he worked in a store owned by United State Congressman Nathan T Stratton.  Stratton worked to get Harker an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point.  He graduated in 1858 and joined the 2^nd United States Infantry on garrison duty at Governor’s Island in New York Harbor.  He would go on to see service in the Oregon and Washington Territories.

When the Civil War started he assigned to train new recruits in Ohio.  With a couple of promotion he was by October 24^th 1861 the Captain of the 15^th United State Regulars.  He would then move onto the 65^th Ohio Infantry and become their Colonel on November 11^th 1861.  Harker and the 65^th would be in the Battles of Shiloh and Corinth.  He would move up to command a brigade in the Army of the Ohio and the Army of the Cumberland.  For his actions during the Battle of Chickamauga on Snodgrass House Hill, Harker received a promotion to Brigadier General on September 20^th 1863.

As the Atlanta Campaign got rolling in 1864, Harker was commanding a brigade in Union Major General Oliver Otis Howard Corps.  Union General William Tecumseh Sherman made an attempted to push Confederate troops out from behind their lines on Kennesaw Mountain.  During the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain while leading his men on June 27^th 1864, Harker was shot off his horse, receiving a mortal wound.  He died the same day.  Harker is buried in the Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery in Swedesboro, New Jersey.