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.

Looking For A Defensive Position

A part of the Atlanta Campaign, the Battle of Adairsville was fought northeast of Rome, Georgia on May 17^th 1864 as a Confederate delaying action.

After the Battle of Resaca, Confederate General Joseph E Johnston took his army south, while Union General William T Sherman pursued.  Looking for a good defensive position, Johnson moved on to Adairsville while the Cavalry fought rearguard actions.  Sherman divided his troops into three columns, and advance on a broad front.

On May 17^th 1864 Union Major General Oliver O Howard’s IV Corps began skirmishing about two miles from Adairsville with Confederate Lieutenant General William J Hardee’s entrenched Corps.  The 24^th Wisconsin and 44^th Illinois attacked Confederate Benjamin F Cheatham’s division near the Octagon House receiving heavy losses.  With three Union divisions preparing for attack, darkness fell and called off the fighting.

Sherman concentrated all his troops in the Adairsville area, preparing to attack Johnston the next morning.  Johnston finding the valley at Adairsville to wide, leaving him no place to anchor his flanks, he withdrew his troops.

If you are interested in reading more about the Battle of Adairsville, GA  is a good place to start.

Captured The Flag

Union Captain Thomas J Box was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions May 14^th 1864 at the Battle of Resaca, Georgia.

Thomas J Box was born November 7^th 1833 in Indiana.

Box was a Captain in Company D of the 27^th Indiana on May 14^th 1864, when during the Battle of Resaca he captured the flag of the 38th Alabama.  The Battle of Resaca was fought from May 13^th through 16^th 1864.  Box was one of eight men who earned the Medal of Honor during the action.

Box died December 18^th1914 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is buried in the Green Hill Cemetery in Bedford, Lawrence, Indiana.

An Active Kentucky Unit

The 28^th Kentucky Infantry mustered out of service, after a long battle record on December 14^th 1865.

The 28^th Kentucky Infantry was organized in the New Haven, Kentucky area.  They mustered into Union service for a three year term in the command of Colonel William P Boone on October 8^th 1862.  The 28^th was made a part of the 16^th Brigade of the Union Army of the Ohio in January 1862.

They moved around Kentucky and Tennessee doing guard duty on various railroads protecting them from Confederate raiders.  The men of the 28^th saw action in many battles including Gordon’s Mills, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Jonesboro, and Franklin.  The 28^th was mustered out of duty December 14^th 1865.

The 28^th had 37 officers and enlisted killed, and another 75 died from disease during their service.

A Hard Fought German Regiment

The 26^th Wisconsin Infantry, a German regiment organized in Milwaukee, Wisconsin left the state for Washington, DC October 6^th 1862.

The 26^th Wisconsin Infantry was made up mostly of men of German decent and was organized at Camp Siegel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  They were mustered into the Union Army September 17^th 1862 and left for Washington, DC on October 6^th 1862.  The 26^th joined the 11^th Corps at Fairfax Court House, Virginia.  They saw their first real action in Chancellorsville in May 1863, where they and the 119^th New York were attacked by superior numbers of Confederates in an open field.  The 26^th lost 177 men in that battle.  The 26^th saw heavy losses again at the Battle of Gettysburg.  Their service continued with action at Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain and Sherman’s March to the Sea.  They were part of the Union Army’s Grand Review in Washington, DC.

The 26^th mustered out of Union service in Washington, DC June 17^th 1865.  Of the 1088 men who served in the 26^th, 188 officers and enlisted were killed and 77 died from disease.

A good web site to look at if you want to know more is the History of the 26th Wisconsin Infantry

His Nickname Was Kill-Cavalry

Union General Judson Kilpatrick received an appointment on June 28^th 1863 to command the Third Division of the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Corps.

Hugh Judson Kilpatrick was born on the family farm in Wantage, New Jersey on January 14^th 1836 the son of Simon and Julia [Wickham] Kilpatrick.  He graduated just before the start of the Civil in from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1861.  Kilpatrick received a commission to Second Lieutenant in First United States Artillery.

At the start of the Civil War Kilpatrick was made a Captain in Duryee’s Zouaves, the 5^th New York Infantry.  He was wounded at the Battle of Big Bethel June 10^th 1861, hit in the thigh while leading a company.  Kilpatrick was made a Lieutenant Colonel in the 2^nd New York Cavalry in September 1861.  He was an aggressive, ambitious leader, who had a willingness to use up men and horses in suicidal charges, earning himself the nick name “Kill-Cavalry”.  In February 1863 Kilpatrick moved up to command of the First Brigade of the Second Division of the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry.  During the Chancellorsville Campaign Kilpatrick made a ride around Lee’s Army burning bridges and reaching almost to Richmond, Virginia.

Kilpatrick fought at Brandy Station on June 9^th 1863, receiving his commission to Brigadier General on June 13^th 1863.  Three days before the Battle of Gettysburg June 28^th 1863 he assumed command of a division.  Following Pickett’s Charge on July 3^rd 1863 he ordered a controversial charge against the Confederate infantry located at base of Big Round Top in which Union Brigadier General Elon J Farnsworth was killed. 

In the spring of 1864 Kilpatrick was involved in the Dahlgren Affair.  After this he was sent to the Army of the Cumberland, where he was placed in command of the third Division of the Cavalry under Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman.  Sherman said of Kilpatrick, "I know that Kilpatrick is a hell of a damned fool, but I want just that sort of man to command my cavalry on this expedition."  He started in the Atlanta Campaign and on May 13^th 1864 was wounded at the Battle of Resaca badly enough he out of the fight until July 1864.

Following the war Kilpatrick became active in Republican politics.  President Andrew Johnson appointed him the Minister to Chile.  He married Luisa Fernandez de Valdivieso while in Chile.  Kilpatrick died while in Santiago, Chile December 4^th 1881.  He is buried in the West Point Cemetery at West Point, New York.

Another web site you might want to look at for more about this is Judson Kilpatrick, Vernon's Civil War hero (sort of)

A Druggist, A Soldier

Union General Mahlon Dickerson Manson died February 4th 1895.

Mahlon Dickerson Manson was born February 20th 1820 the son of Davis and Sarah [Cornwall] Manson Jr in Piqua, Ohio. Manson taught school in Montgomery County Indiana, and studied medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. He served with the 5th Indiana Volunteer during the Mexican - American War. Following that war Manson worked as a druggist in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

When the Civil War started Manson was appointed Captain of the 10th Indiana Infantry. He commanded a brigade at the Battle of Mill Springs in 1862. Because of his actions during that battle Manson was promoted to Brigadier General on March 24th 1862. He was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Richmond, but was back in action in time to fight Confederate John Hunt Morgan on his raid into Ohio. Manson led the XXIII Corps during the Knoxville Campaign. He returned to Brigade command in the Army of the Ohio during the Atlanta Campaign. Manson was wounded again during the Battle of Resaca. Do to this wound he resigned from the army in December 1864.

Following the war Manson ran as a Democrat and was elected to the United State House of Representatives in 1871. He was also the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, as well as the State Auditor. Manson died February 4th 1895 in Frankfort, Indiana. He is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Crawfordsville, Indiana.