Opening Up Kentucky

A Confederate victory the Battle of Richmond was fought August 29^th and 30^th 1862 in the Richmond, Kentucky area.

In August 1862 two Confederate armies moved into Kentucky looking to threaten Union areas along the Ohio River and do some recruiting.  These were commanded by Brigadier General Edmund Kirby Smith and Major General Braxton Bragg.  They moved more or less parallel across the state, with Smith moving from Knoxville and Bragg from Chattanooga.

Smith’s men moved north on August 29^th 1862 from Big Hill, Kentucky toward Richmond, Kentucky, where they met Union skirmishers.  Shortly after noon Union artillery and infantry came up, forcing Smith’s cavalry under Confederate Colonel John S Scott to retreat back to Big Hill.  Union troops in the area were commanded by Brigadier General Mahlon Dickerson Manson, and they pursued and skirmished with the Confederates into the late afternoon.  That night Manson reported to his commander Major General William Bull Nelson.

The fighting continued the next day with each bringing in more troops.  In the end the Union troops retreated.  The Confederates captured about 4,300 Union men.  The Union also had 78 men killed and 372 wounded and 1 missing.  This battle laid open the way for the Confederate to move north towards Lexington and Frankfort.

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.