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Contributed By: Mark Fields
The 10th
Kentucky Volunteer infantry was
organized at Lebanon, Marion
Co., KY under Col. John M.
Harlan. In November 1861, it
was assigned to the 2nd Brigade,
1st Division of the Army of the
Ohio. Commander of the brigade
was Col. M. D. Manson.
Commander of the Division was
Brig. Gen. George H. Thomas. On
December 31, 1861, the 10th KY
commenced a march from Lebanon,
KY to Mill Springs. Although it
did not participate in the
battle of Mill Springs, being on
detached duty, it joined the
division in time to be the
first to enter the Rebel
fortifications. From Mill
Springs, the 10th marched via
Somerset, Danville and Bardstown
to Louisville, KY where it left
by steamboat for Nashville, TN.
From Nashville, it went to
Pittsburg Landing and took part
in the siege of Corinth.
A few days
after the Battle of Shiloh, the
brigade was sent by Gen. Grant
up the Tennessee River on
transports guarded by gunboat,
all under the immediate command
of Gen. W. T. Sherman. The
forces landed at Chickasaw, the
object of the expedition being
to penetrate the country from
Chickasaw and destroy the large
railroad bridge east of Corinth
and near Iuka. The expedition
was successful.
In June
1862, the 10th marched to
Tuscumbia, AL, and then
garrisoned at Eastport, MS
during July 1862. It then
marched through Tennessee and
rejoined the division at
Winchester and garrisoned
there.
In July
1862, Co. A and Co. H of the
10th was on duty in Courtland,
AL where they were surrounded by
an overwhelming force of enemy
and captured.
The 10th
composed part of Buell's army in
his pursuit of Bragg into
Kentucky, after which it
returned to Gallatin, TN.
On December
25, 1862, the 2nd Brigade
started from Gallatin under the
command of Col. John M. Harlan
in pursuit of rebel Gen. John H.
Morgan, and to protect the
Louisville & Nashville
Railroad. Morgan was overtaken
on December 29th at Rolling Fork
and driven from the line of the
railroad. Gen. Duke of Morgan's
command was dangerously wounded
there.
The
regiment returned to Nashville,
TN and was immediately sent by
Gen. Rosecrans, with other
troops, in pursuit of Forrest
and Wheeler on the Harpeth River
when it suffered terribly from
cold and rain. It was then
stationed at Lavergne, TN, where
on March 7, 1863, Col. Harlan
resigned due to the death of his
father, the Honorable James
Harlan.
After
Harlan's resignation, William H.
Hays was promoted to Colonel and
remained in command until the
10th mustered out of service on
December 6, 1864 at Louisville,
KY.
The 10th
also was with Rosecrans in the
summer campaign from
Murfreesboro to Chickamauga,
participated in action at
Hoover's gap, Fairfield,
Tullahoma, Compton's Creek and
Chickamauga, returning with the
army to Chattanooga.
CREDIT:
Taken from Adjutant General's
Report, Federal Kentucky
Volunteers - War 1861-1866, Vol.
1, Page 823 |
