Kentucky’s Civil War Heritage Guide

Sesquicentennial
Pulitzer-Prize winning historian Dr. James M. McPherson summarized Kentucky’s role during the
American Civil War (1861-1865):
“It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that the Confederacy would have won the war if it could have
gained Kentucky,” McPherson writes, “and, conversely, that the Union’s success in retaining Kentucky as
a base for invasions of the Confederate heartland brought eventual Union victory.”
When planning for Kentucky’s observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Kentucky
Governor Steve Beshear said, “This will be a four-year commemoration and not a celebration. We
don’t want to glorify war. We want to remember the Kentuckians who fought and died in the conflict,
the suffering of its people and the changes brought by the war, especially the freedom of African-
American slaves.”
Today, through the development of more and better visitor opportunities in a combination of
heritage tourism, education, events and activities, Kentucky is highlighting the Bluegrass State’s
importance during America’s most significant conflict.  Kentucky offers a great combination of venues
for exploring Civil War history including libraries, museums, historic sites, and more which are
sponsoring presentations, living history demonstrations, reenactments, and a host of other programs
and events to showcase the state’s unique Civil War history.
Kentucky’s Civil War sites are varied and nationally important.  They include significant battlefields
like Sacramento, Mill Springs, Camp Wildcat, Richmond, Munfordville, Perryville, and more;
well-interpreted historic sites and house museums like Kentucky’s Old State Capitol, the Kentucky
Military History Museum at the State Arsenal, Camp Nelson, White Hall, and Farmington; the
Jefferson Davis Birthplace and important sites related to Lincoln, including the Abraham Lincoln
Birthplace National Historical Park, Ashland: the Henry Clay Estate, the Mary Todd Lincoln House,
and more. 
All of these sites can be explored through the Kentucky Civil War Heritage Trails, which has
comprehensively linked more than 50 of Kentucky’s interpreted Civil War sites for the first time. 
Visitors now have the opportunity to more easily explore the commonwealth’s important Civil War
past, and by experiencing these sites, visitors can better understand Kentucky’s importance to our
nation’s Civil War history.
Visit these websites for more information:

Kentucky Civil War Kentucky Civil War Sites Association Kentucky Military Heritage
Sesquicentennial Commission kycivilwarsites.org heritage.ky.gov/milsites.htm
Kentucky Civil War Heritage Trails Sites
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Cumberland Gap James A. Ramage
National Historic Site National Historical Park Civil War Museum/Battery
2996 Lincoln Farm Road, 91 Bartlett Park Road, Middlesboro Hooper
Hodgenville (606) 248-2817 Fort Wright City Hall
(270) 358-3137 nps.gov/cuga 1402 Highland Avenue, Ft.
nps.gov/abli Wright
Farmington Historic Plantation (859) 344-1145
Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate 3033 Bardstown Road, Louisville
120 Sycamore Road, Lexington (502) 452-9920 Jefferson Davis State Historic Site
(859) 266-8581 258 Pembroke-Fairview Rd.,
henryclay.org Fort Duffield Fairview
16706 Abbott’s Beach Road, (270) 889-6100
Battle of Ivy Mountain West Point parks.ky.gov
Prestonsburg Convention fortduffield.com
& Visitors Bureau Lexington History Museum
113 South Central Ave., Fort Heiman (part of ) 215 W. Main Street, Lexington
Prestonsburg Fort Donaldson (859) 254-0530
(606) 886-1341 National Battlefield, Murray lexingtonhistorymuseum.org
(931) 232-5706
Battle of Richmond nps.gov/fodo Lincoln Homestead State Park
101 Battlefield Memorial Highway, 5079 Lincoln Park Road,
Richmond Fort Hill Springfield
(859) 624-0013 c/o Capital City Museum (859) 336-7461
battleofrichmond.org 325 Ann Street, Frankfort parks.ky.gov
(502) 696-0607
Battle of Sacramento Lincoln Memorial
Sacramento Fort Smith at Waterfront Park
(270) 736-5114 Smithland Louisville Waterfront
battleofsac.com (270) 928-2919 Development Corporation
129 East River Road, Louisville
Battles of Cynthiana Frankfort Cemetery (502) 574-3768
Cynthiana City Hall Frankfort/Franklin County gotolouisville.com
117 Court Street, Cynthiana Tourist & Convention
(859) 234-7153 Commission Lincoln Statue
100 Capital Avenue, Frankfort Springfield Kentucky
Camp Nelson Heritage Park (800) 960-7200 Tourism Commission
6614 Danville Road, Nicholasville visitfrankfort.com 127 W. Main Street, Springfield
(859) 881-5716 (859) 336-5440
campnelson.org Frazier History Museum seespringfieldky.com
829 West Main Street, Louisville
Camp Wildcat (502) 753-5663 Lincoln Statues
(606) 864-9776 fraziermuseum.org City of Hodgenville
wildcatreenactment.org 200 S. Lincoln Blvd.,
Green Hill Cemetery Hodgenville
Cave Hill Cemetery, Frankfort/Franklin County (270) 358-3832
Lincoln Memorial Tourist & Convention
at Waterfront Park Commission Lloyd Tilghman House
Louisville Convention 100 Capitol Ave, Frankfort and Civil War Museum
& Visitors Bureau (502) 875-8687 121 South Second St., Paducah
One Riverfront Plaza, visitfrankfort.com (270) 443-7759
401 W Main Street, Suite 2300,
Louisville Hardin County History Museum Mammoth Cave National Park
(502) 584-2121 201 West Dixie Ave., 1 Mammoth Cave Pkwy.,
gotolouisville.com Elizabethtown Mammoth Cave
(270) 763-8339 (270) 758-2180
Civil War Fort at Boonesboro hardinkyhistory.org nps.gov/maca
Winchester-Clark County
Tourism Commission Hunt Morgan House Mary Todd Lincoln House
2 South Maple Street, Winchester Bluegrass Trust for 578 West Main St., Lexington
(859) 744-0556 Historic Preservation (859) 233-9999
civilwarfortatboonesboro.com 253 Market Street, Lexington mtlhouse.org
(859) 253-0362
Columbus-Belmont State Park bluegrasstrust.org/ Middle Creek
350 Park Road, Columbus hunt-morgan.html National Battlefield
(270) 677-2327 Prestonsburg
parks.ky.gov middlecreek.org/foundation.htm
Kentucky KCentucky
ivil WarCHivileritage
War THrails SitesTrails Sites
eritage
Mill Springs Battlefield Spalding Hall
Association Bardstown-Nelson County
Nancy Tourist & Convention
(606) 636-4045 Commission
millsprings.net One Court Square, Bardstown
(502) 348-4877
Battle for the Bridge whiskeymuseum.com
Historic Preserve
449 Charlie Dowling Road, State Capitol Rotunda
Munfordville Capitol Avenue, Frankfort
(270) 774-2098 (502) 564-0900
battleforthebridge.org historicproperties.ky.gov/hp/
capitol
National Underground
Railroad Museum Tebbs Bend Battlefield
38 West Fourth Street, Maysville 2218 Tebbs Bend Road,
(606) 564-3200 Campbellsville
bierbower.org (270) 789-3025
tebbsbend.com
Old Bardstown Village
Civil War Museum The Lexington Cemetery
310 E. Broadway, Bardstown 833 West Main Street, Lexington
(502) 349-0291 (859) 255-5522
civil-war-museum.org
The Lincoln Museum
Old Fort Harrod State Park 66 Lincoln Sq., Hodgenville
100 South College Street, (270) 358-3163
Harrodsburg lincolnmuseum-ky.org
(859) 734-3314
parks.ky.gov Thomas D. Clark Center
for Kentucky History
Old State Arsenal 100 W. Broadway, Frankfort
Thomas D. Clark Center (502) 564-1792
for Kentucky History history.ky.gov
100 W. Broadway Street, Frankfort
(502) 564-1792 Waveland State Historic Site
history.ky.gov 225 Waveland Museum Lane,
Lexington
Old State Capitol (859) 272-3611
Thomas D. Clark Center parks.ky.gov
for Kentucky History
101 W. Broadway Street, Frankfort White Hall State Historic Site
(502) 564-1792 500 White Hall Shrine Road,
history.ky.gov Richmond
(859) 623-9178
Perryville Battlefield parks.ky.gov
State Historic Site
1825 Battlefield Road, Perryville Women of the Civil War Museum
(859) 332-8631 310 E. Broadway, Bardstown
perryvillebattlefield.org (502) 349-0291
civil-war-museum.org
Riverview at Hobson Grove
Bowling Green Area
Convention & Visitors Bureau
352 Three Springs Road,
Bowling Green Look for this symbol
(800) 326-7465
bgky.org/riverview

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill

3501 Lexington Road,
Harrodsburg
(859) 734-5411
shakervillageky.org
Abraham Lincoln
Although it could have been a mere footnote in the biography of a most
acclaimed individual in our nation’s history, Kentucky was much more than
that in the life of Abraham Lincoln.
Born February 12, 1809 in a log cabin at Sinking Spring near Hodgenville,
Kentucky, Mr. Lincoln’s humble beginnings became a symbol of the
potential and opportunity that America offers its citizens, even today. And
as he grew into adulthood, Lincoln’s Kentucky connections were extensive. 
His family, business, and political associations were closely aligned to the
commonwealth, and Kentuckians influenced Lincoln throughout his life.
As a child, Lincoln moved to Indiana with his family, and eventually to
Illinois. It was there Lincoln met his wife, Mary Todd, who was from
Lexington.
After practicing law for several years, Lincoln became a state legislator and
served in the U.S. Congress.  During these years, the country grew further
apart as a result of differences in politics, policy and the practice of slavery
and moved closer toward a civil war. When Lincoln was elected president
in 1860, southern states quickly began seceding, and secession soon led to
the Civil War - violent and bloody.
As Lincoln led the Union through its greatest conflict, he was not
personally spared its consequences.  His family experienced the divisions
of war firsthand as several of his wife’s brothers, his in-laws, fought for the
Confederacy – some even killed during the war.  And on April 14, 1865, as
the Civil War drew to a close, Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theater in
Washington, D.C. 
Today, Kentucky commemorates Lincoln’s life and legacy at a number of
sites open to visitors.

For more information, visit:

kycivilwartrails.org kylincolntrail.com
Jefferson Davis
The uniqueness of Kentucky’s Civil War experience is showcased by the
fact that both President Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, the president of the
Confederacy, were born less than one year and one hundred miles apart
– both in Kentucky.  Since Kentucky produced the Civil War’s warring
presidents, it is emblematic of the divisions that tore apart our nation
during the conflict.
Davis was born at Fairview, Kentucky (in present-day Todd County),
on June 3, 1808.  Although his family moved to Mississippi shortly
after, Jefferson received his education at Springfield, Kentucky, and later
Transylvania University in Lexington before he entered the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point.  Davis ultimately became a planter in Mississippi,
fought in the Mexican War, was a U.S. congressman and senator, and served
as U.S. Secretary of War.
After Mississippi seceded from the Union, Davis resigned from the
U.S. Senate.  On February 9, 1861, he was appointed President of the
Confederate States of America.  The only president of the Confederacy,
Davis’ relationship with the Confederate Congress and his generals in the
field was sometimes contentious.  When Richmond fell at war’s end, he fled
the Confederate capital, was captured in Georgia, and was imprisoned for
nearly two years.
After the war, Davis owned a large plantation near Biloxi, Mississippi.  He
died on December 6, 1889, and is now buried in Richmond, Virginia. 
Davis’ life can be further explored at the Jefferson Davis Birthplace State
Historic Site at Fairview.

Jefferson Davis Birthplace State Historic Site

USCT/Camp Nelson
Camp Nelson Civil War site served as a Union military base and recruiting ground for African-American Union
soldiers. It was the largest African-American recruitment camp in Kentucky, and the third largest in the nation.
The original base, named in honor of Kentucky-born General William “Bull” Nelson, encompassed four thousand acres,
and contained nearly three hundred buildings and fortifications. It served as an important base of support for offensive
campaigns into Tennessee and Virginia, and its location along the palisades (cliffs) of the Kentucky River made it an
ideal defensive position.
Because Kentucky did not secede from the Union but was a slave state, the Emancipation Proclamation did not legally
affect slavery here. President Abraham Lincoln attempted to persuade Kentuckians to support the enlistment of free
blacks into the Union Army, but initially the policy was rejected.
One Kentucky Union general told the president that African-American recruitment “will revolutionize the state and do
infinite and inconceivable harm.” President Lincoln realized that the mere sight of African-Americans in uniform was
an experience that would affect the war and forever change the nation. He wrote that, “The bare sight of fifty thousand
armed and drilled black soldiers on the banks of the Mississippi would end the rebellion at once.”
Despite complaints, the enlistment of United States Colored Troops (USCT)—both slave and free—began in earnest
in February 1864.
In all, eight regiments of black troops were organized at Camp Nelson, many of whom gained their freedom upon
enlistment. This self-emancipation was dangerous. In one instance, as a group of potential recruits marched toward
the camp, angry residents shot at them and pelted them with stones. Eventually, more than 23,700 African-American
Kentuckians joined the Union army. Of all states, only Louisiana enlisted more troops into the USCT.
Recruits who traveled to Camp Nelson often brought their families, and soon a refugee crisis developed. The refugees,
women and children, had no legal status, no legal freedom, and Camp Nelson was not legally responsible to provide for
them. Sadly, one winter night in November of 1864, Union Camp commanders forced refugee families away from the
area. Dozens of women and children died as a result. This created a national outcry, and the camp’s leaders were ordered
to make adequate provisions including building proper shelters for the families of enlisted men.
Today, Camp Nelson Heritage Park features a museum, research library, and nearly four miles of interpreted walking
trails. The Oliver Perry House, also known as the “White House,” has period furnishings and offers guided tours. The
Camp Nelson National Cemetery, where hundreds of Civil War casualties are buried, is immediately south of the Civil
War site.
Visit campnelson.org for more information.

Photo Courtesy of Camp Nelson Heritage Park

Battle of Mill Springs
The Battle of Mill Springs, fought on January 19, 1862, was an early
Union victory that helped break a Confederate defensive line that
spanned across southern Kentucky.
With Confederate troops entrenched at Beech Grove, located along
the Cumberland River southwest of Somerset, Union Brigadier
General George Thomas moved his four thousand soldiers to Logan’s
Crossroads, ten miles north of the rebel position. The Confederates,
hoping to strike Thomas before he was reinforced, decided to attack.
The day was rainy and foggy and Union forces were initially pushed
back. The Federals, however, managed to stabilize their lines, and
Confederate hopes for a victory faded when Confederate Gen. Felix
Zollicoffer was killed. The Confederates’ antiquated flintlock muskets
failed to fire because of the rain, and after a Union bayonet charge
against the rebels’ left flank, the Confederates were driven from the
field.
The Confederates, who lost more than 500 troops killed and
wounded, crossed the Cumberland River and left Kentucky. Their
failure at Mill Springs—also called the Battle of Fishing Creek,
Logan’s Crossroads, and Beech Grove—was an early turning point in
the Civil War. It was also one of the Union army’s first major victories.
Today, this important battle is interpreted at the Mill Springs
Battlefield Visitors Center and Museum in Nancy, Kentucky. The site
also includes monuments, a walking tour, a driving tour, and more.

Visit millsprings.net for more information.

Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center & Museum

A House Divided
The Civil War in Kentucky was a fratricidal conflict that broke up
thousands of Kentucky families, including that of President Abraham
Lincoln.
Although Lincoln was the Union commander-in-chief, most of his
in-laws, the Todd family of Lexington, supported the Confederacy.
Lincoln’s brother-in-law, Confederate General Ben Hardin Helm,
was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. Upon
learning of Helm’s death, Lincoln reputedly wept and said, “I feel as
David of old did when he was told of the death of Absalom.”
Mary Lincoln lost several family members during the war, including
her half-brother, Samuel, who was killed at the Battle of Shiloh,
Tennessee, and another half-brother, Alexander, who was killed at the
Battle of New Orleans. Several more of her siblings were Confederate
soldiers or sympathizers.
In addition to the Lincolns, many other families suffered as well.
U. S. Senator John J. Crittenden had one son who was a Union general
and another who was a Confederate general. Union Colonel Charles
Hanson had two brothers fight for the Confederacy, including
Brigadier General Roger Hanson, who was mortally wounded
at the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee. The Reverend Robert J.
Breckinridge, a staunch Unionist who helped sway Federal military
policy in Kentucky, had two sons fight for the North and two fight for
the South.
These scenarios were repeated in scores of Kentucky families as few
families were immune from the divisions of the Civil War.
The Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History is a great place to
find out more about Kentucky families during the Civil War conflict.

Visit history.ky.gov for more information.

Morgan’s Raids
During the Civil War, one of Kentucky’s most controversial individuals was Confederate cavalryman John Hunt
Morgan.  Although he was born in Huntsville, Alabama, Morgan was raised in Lexington, Kentucky.  A Mexican War
veteran, he was also a successful businessman and community leader.
When the Civil War erupted, Morgan joined the Confederacy and quickly earned a reputation for raiding Union
supplies and railroad lines.  His actions kept Federal troops guarding bridges and depots, rather than fighting with the
main armies. 
In July 1862, Morgan led 800 men on his first raid into Kentucky.  As the raiders captured troops and destroyed
supplies, Union authorities grew panicked.  President Abraham Lincoln complained, “They are having a stampede in
Kentucky.  Please look to it!”  In 24 days, Morgan’s men rode more than 1,000 miles, captured and paroled 1,200 Union
troops, and destroyed large amounts of Federal property.  He lost fewer than 100 men. 
When Confederate armies entered Kentucky in the autumn of 1862, Morgan joined them.  During this campaign he
rode into his hometown of Lexington.  Pro-Confederate ladies greeted him with ringing church bells, banners, and flags. 
One Unionist resident, however, called Morgan’s men “A nasty, dirty looking set . . .”
In December 1862, with Confederate armies pressing near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Morgan again raided Kentucky.  In
what became known as the “Christmas Raid,” his 4,000 troopers destroyed railroad lines and captured several Kentucky
towns.  His soldiers captured 1,887 Union prisoners, destroyed $2,000,000 in Federal property, and lost only two
men killed and 24 wounded.  That May, the Confederate Congress thanked Morgan for “varied, heroic and invaluable
services in Tennessee and Kentucky . . .”
In July 1863, with Union troops threatening the vital railroad junction of Chattanooga, Morgan again entered
Kentucky to strike Federal supply lines.  After fighting at Tebbs Bend and Lebanon (where his younger brother was
killed), Morgan disobeyed orders to stay in Kentucky and crossed the Ohio River into Indiana.  He quickly rode into
Ohio, where his men were chased by Union soldiers.  Ultimately, Morgan and most of the Confederates were captured.
Although Morgan was imprisoned in the Ohio State Penitentiary, he eventually made a daring escape.  Upon his
return to Confederate lines, he led troops in East Tennessee.  In September 1864, he was shot and killed in Greeneville,
Tennessee.  He now lies buried in the Lexington Cemetery.
Ultimately… Honor
The Kentucky Historical Society’s Historical Marker
program commemorates many people and events
that contributed to the commonwealth’s Civil War
history. Historical Marker # 2107 in Lyon County
(Land Between the Lakes area) commemorates Andrew
Jackson Smith, an enslaved African-American who
fought in the Civil War and earned the Medal of Honor.
Born into slavery in Lyon County on Sept. 3, 1843,
Smith escaped to Smithland, Kentucky at age 19, where
he became a servant to an officer in the 41st Illinois
Infantry Regiment. At the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee,
fought in April 1862, Smith was wounded while
accompanying that officer.
While Smith recovered from his injury, he learned that
African-Americans could join the Union army. So,
in May 1863, he enlisted in the 55th Massachusetts
Colored Infantry.
On Nov. 30, 1864, while fighting at the Battle of Honey
Hill, S.C., Smith saved the regimental flag when the
color-bearer was killed by an artillery shell. He bravely
carried the colors for the remainder of the engagement.
The 55th Massachusetts suffered heavily in the battle,
and, for his actions, Smith was posthumously awarded
the Medal of Honor in 2001.
Smith died in 1932 and was buried in Mt. Pleasant
Cemetery at Grand Rivers, Kentucky, in Livingston
County. He well-represents thousands of enslaved
Kentuckians who found their freedom by joining the
Union army during the Civil War.

Explore Kentucky history online or on the road with this new app.
Connect historical sites to the statewide story from your computer or smartphone.

explorekyhistory.ky.gov
Civil War: The Home Front

Within the rolling hills of Appalachia, compelling stories of bravery and strength
wait to be discovered.
Kentucky has partnered with the Appalachian Regional Commission and member
states of the ARC Tourism Advisory Council to bring you “Civil War: The Home
Front” a story guide about the Civil War in Appalachia.
Learn about the resilient Appalachian spirit during the U.S. Civil War by visiting
heritage farms, restored homes and historic downtowns, national parks and
memorials, and history museums. Experience the people, places and events in
Kentucky and other parts of Appalachia that shaped this pivotal era in American
history.
To find out more about “Civil War: The Home Front” and the exciting
destinations waiting for you, visit:

VisitAppalachia.com/visit.php
To learn more about Kentucky’s Appalachian destinations,
go to VisitAppalachia.com
 Timeline of Notable Events
1860
November 6, Kentuckian Abraham Lincoln is elected 16th President of the United States.
December 20, South Carolina secedes from the Union. In January 1861, ten other states follow.

1861
February 9, Kentuckian Jefferson Davis is elected as the first President of the Confederate States of America.
April 12, Confederates open fire on Fort Sumter, at 4:30 a.m., commencing the Civil War. Kentuckian Major Robert Anderson
surrenders the garrison the next day at 2:30 p.m.
September 6, Union troops under the command of General Grant move into Paducah and Smithland.
September 18, Kentucky’s Pro Union legislature calls for the expulsion of the Confederates and gives command of the state
volunteers to now General Robert Anderson, who won his fame by defending Fort Sumter.
September 19, The first engagement of the war in Kentucky occurs at Barbourville.
October 21, To counter the Confederate victory at Barbourville, federal forces repel an attack on Wildcat Mountain in Laurel
County.
November 18, Some 115 delegates from 68 counties assemble in Russellville to establish the Provisional Government of Ken-
tucky, and Bowling Green is designated as the capital. Kentucky’s Confederate government remains in exile during the majority of
the war.

1862
July 4, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan leads 875 officers and men westward from Knoxville on his first major raid
into Kentucky.
August 29, The Confederate offensive into Kentucky encounters Union troops as they move north from Big Hill to Richmond.
September 17, Confederate forces commanded by General Robert E. Lee and Union forces commanded by General George
McClellan meet at Antietam near Sharpsburg, Maryland, in the single bloodiest day of the war.
October 8, Fighting north from the Cumberland Gap, as part of the 1862 “Kentucky Campaign,” General E. Kirby Smith con-
trols much of central Kentucky. While General Braxton Bragg, thwarted in his efforts to capture Louisville by Union General
Don Carlos Buell, moves into central Kentucky to link the two armies.
October 8, At Perryville, during the largest battle fought in Kentucky and one of the bloodiest battles of the war, 4,200 Union
and 3,400 Confederate troops were wounded or killed.
December 22, General John Hunt Morgan and 3,100 men cross the Cumberland River. This highly successful, 12-day adventure
became known as Morgan’s “Christmas Raid.”

1863
January 1, On this date, President Lincoln enacts the Emancipation Proclamation.

1864
November 8, President Abraham Lincoln is reelected. His Vice President is Andrew Johnson of Tennessee.

1865
April 9, General Robert E. Lee surrenders the once great army of Virginia to General Grant at Appomattox Court House.
April 14, 1865 John Wilkes Booth mortally wounds President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln dies the following morning and
Andrew Johnson is sworn in as the 17th President of the United States.
December 18, The Secretary of State announces the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, of-
ficially abolishing slavery.
Kentucky Civil War Heritage Trails Sites
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Cumberland Gap James A. Ramage
National Historic Site National Historical Park Civil War Museum/Battery
2996 Lincoln Farm Road, 91 Bartlett Park Road, Middlesboro Hooper
Hodgenville (606) 248-2817 Fort Wright City Hall
(270) 358-3137 nps.gov/cuga 1402 Highland Avenue, Ft.
nps.gov/abli Wright
Farmington Historic Plantation (859) 344-1145
Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate 3033 Bardstown Road, Louisville
120 Sycamore Road, Lexington (502) 452-9920 Jefferson Davis State Historic Site
(859) 266-8581 258 Pembroke-Fairview Rd.,
henryclay.org Fort Duffield Fairview
16706 Abbott’s Beach Road, (270) 889-6100
Battle of Ivy Mountain West Point parks.ky.gov
Prestonsburg Convention fortduffield.com
& Visitors Bureau Lexington History Museum
113 South Central Ave., Fort Heiman (part of ) 215 W. Main Street, Lexington
Prestonsburg Fort Donaldson (859) 254-0530
(606) 886-1341 National Battlefield, Murray lexingtonhistorymuseum.org
(931) 232-5706
Battle of Richmond nps.gov/fodo Lincoln Homestead State Park
101 Battlefield Memorial Highway, 5079 Lincoln Park Road,
Richmond Fort Hill Springfield
(859) 624-0013 c/o Capital City Museum (859) 336-7461
battleofrichmond.org 325 Ann Street, Frankfort parks.ky.gov
(502) 696-0607
Battle of Sacramento Lincoln Memorial
Sacramento Fort Smith at Waterfront Park
(270) 736-5114 Smithland Louisville Waterfront
battleofsac.com (270) 928-2919 Development Corporation
129 East River Road, Louisville
Battles of Cynthiana Frankfort Cemetery (502) 574-3768
Cynthiana City Hall Frankfort/Franklin County gotolouisville.com
117 Court Street, Cynthiana Tourist & Convention
(859) 234-7153 Commission Lincoln Statue
100 Capital Avenue, Frankfort Springfield Kentucky
Camp Nelson Heritage Park (800) 960-7200 Tourism Commission
6614 Danville Road, Nicholasville visitfrankfort.com 127 W. Main Street, Springfield
(859) 881-5716 (859) 336-5440
campnelson.org Frazier History Museum seespringfieldky.com
829 West Main Street, Louisville
Camp Wildcat (502) 753-5663 Lincoln Statues
(606) 864-9776 fraziermuseum.org City of Hodgenville
wildcatreenactment.org 200 S. Lincoln Blvd.,
Green Hill Cemetery Hodgenville
Cave Hill Cemetery, Frankfort/Franklin County (270) 358-3832
Lincoln Memorial Tourist & Convention
at Waterfront Park Commission Lloyd Tilghman House
Louisville Convention 100 Capitol Ave, Frankfort and Civil War Museum
& Visitors Bureau (502) 875-8687 121 South Second St., Paducah
One Riverfront Plaza, visitfrankfort.com (270) 443-7759
401 W Main Street, Suite 2300,
Louisville Hardin County History Museum Mammoth Cave National Park
(502) 584-2121 201 West Dixie Ave., 1 Mammoth Cave Pkwy.,
gotolouisville.com Elizabethtown Mammoth Cave
(270) 763-8339 (270) 758-2180
Civil War Fort at Boonesboro hardinkyhistory.org nps.gov/maca
Winchester-Clark County
Tourism Commission Hunt Morgan House Mary Todd Lincoln House
2 South Maple Street, Winchester Bluegrass Trust for 578 West Main St., Lexington
(859) 744-0556 Historic Preservation (859) 233-9999
civilwarfortatboonesboro.com 253 Market Street, Lexington mtlhouse.org
(859) 253-0362
Columbus-Belmont State Park bluegrasstrust.org/ Middle Creek
350 Park Road, Columbus hunt-morgan.html National Battlefield
(270) 677-2327 Prestonsburg
parks.ky.gov middlecreek.org/foundation.htm
Kentucky KCentucky
ivil WarCHivileritage
War THrails SitesTrails Sites
eritage
Mill Springs Battlefield Spalding Hall
Association Bardstown-Nelson County
Nancy Tourist & Convention
(606) 636-4045 Commission
millsprings.net One Court Square, Bardstown
(502) 348-4877
Battle for the Bridge whiskeymuseum.com
Historic Preserve
449 Charlie Dowling Road, State Capitol Rotunda
Munfordville Capitol Avenue, Frankfort
(270) 774-2098 (502) 564-0900
battleforthebridge.org historicproperties.ky.gov/hp/
capitol
National Underground
Railroad Museum Tebbs Bend Battlefield
38 West Fourth Street, Maysville 2218 Tebbs Bend Road,
(606) 564-3200 Campbellsville
bierbower.org (270) 789-3025
tebbsbend.com
Old Bardstown Village
Civil War Museum The Lexington Cemetery
310 E. Broadway, Bardstown 833 West Main Street, Lexington
(502) 349-0291 (859) 255-5522
civil-war-museum.org
The Lincoln Museum
Old Fort Harrod State Park 66 Lincoln Sq., Hodgenville
100 South College Street, (270) 358-3163
Harrodsburg lincolnmuseum-ky.org
(859) 734-3314
parks.ky.gov Thomas D. Clark Center
for Kentucky History
Old State Arsenal 100 W. Broadway, Frankfort
Thomas D. Clark Center (502) 564-1792
for Kentucky History history.ky.gov
100 W. Broadway Street, Frankfort
(502) 564-1792 Waveland State Historic Site
history.ky.gov 225 Waveland Museum Lane,
Lexington
Old State Capitol (859) 272-3611
Thomas D. Clark Center parks.ky.gov
for Kentucky History
101 W. Broadway Street, Frankfort White Hall State Historic Site
(502) 564-1792 500 White Hall Shrine Road,
history.ky.gov Richmond
(859) 623-9178
Perryville Battlefield parks.ky.gov
State Historic Site
1825 Battlefield Road, Perryville Women of the Civil War Museum
(859) 332-8631 310 E. Broadway, Bardstown
perryvillebattlefield.org (502) 349-0291
civil-war-museum.org
Riverview at Hobson Grove
Bowling Green Area
Convention & Visitors Bureau
352 Three Springs Road,
Bowling Green Look for this symbol
(800) 326-7465
bgky.org/riverview

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill

3501 Lexington Road,
Harrodsburg
(859) 734-5411
shakervillageky.org
Abraham Lincoln
Although it could have been a mere footnote in the biography of a most
acclaimed individual in our nation’s history, Kentucky was much more than
that in the life of Abraham Lincoln.
Born February 12, 1809 in a log cabin at Sinking Spring near Hodgenville,
Kentucky, Mr. Lincoln’s humble beginnings became a symbol of the
potential and opportunity that America offers its citizens, even today. And
as he grew into adulthood, Lincoln’s Kentucky connections were extensive. 
His family, business, and political associations were closely aligned to the
commonwealth, and Kentuckians influenced Lincoln throughout his life.
As a child, Lincoln moved to Indiana with his family, and eventually to
Illinois. It was there Lincoln met his wife, Mary Todd, who was from
Lexington.
After practicing law for several years, Lincoln became a state legislator and
served in the U.S. Congress.  During these years, the country grew further
apart as a result of differences in politics, policy and the practice of slavery
and moved closer toward a civil war. When Lincoln was elected president
in 1860, southern states quickly began seceding, and secession soon led to
the Civil War - violent and bloody.
As Lincoln led the Union through its greatest conflict, he was not
personally spared its consequences.  His family experienced the divisions
of war firsthand as several of his wife’s brothers, his in-laws, fought for the
Confederacy – some even killed during the war.  And on April 14, 1865, as
the Civil War drew to a close, Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theater in
Washington, D.C. 
Today, Kentucky commemorates Lincoln’s life and legacy at a number of
sites open to visitors.

For more information, visit:

kycivilwartrails.org kylincolntrail.com
Jefferson Davis
The uniqueness of Kentucky’s Civil War experience is showcased by the
fact that both President Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, the president of the
Confederacy, were born less than one year and one hundred miles apart
– both in Kentucky.  Since Kentucky produced the Civil War’s warring
presidents, it is emblematic of the divisions that tore apart our nation
during the conflict.
Davis was born at Fairview, Kentucky (in present-day Todd County),
on June 3, 1808.  Although his family moved to Mississippi shortly
after, Jefferson received his education at Springfield, Kentucky, and later
Transylvania University in Lexington before he entered the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point.  Davis ultimately became a planter in Mississippi,
fought in the Mexican War, was a U.S. congressman and senator, and served
as U.S. Secretary of War.
After Mississippi seceded from the Union, Davis resigned from the
U.S. Senate.  On February 9, 1861, he was appointed President of the
Confederate States of America.  The only president of the Confederacy,
Davis’ relationship with the Confederate Congress and his generals in the
field was sometimes contentious.  When Richmond fell at war’s end, he fled
the Confederate capital, was captured in Georgia, and was imprisoned for
nearly two years.
After the war, Davis owned a large plantation near Biloxi, Mississippi.  He
died on December 6, 1889, and is now buried in Richmond, Virginia. 
Davis’ life can be further explored at the Jefferson Davis Birthplace State
Historic Site at Fairview.

Jefferson Davis Birthplace State Historic Site

USCT/Camp Nelson
Camp Nelson Civil War site served as a Union military base and recruiting ground for African-American Union
soldiers. It was the largest African-American recruitment camp in Kentucky, and the third largest in the nation.
The original base, named in honor of Kentucky-born General William “Bull” Nelson, encompassed four thousand acres,
and contained nearly three hundred buildings and fortifications. It served as an important base of support for offensive
campaigns into Tennessee and Virginia, and its location along the palisades (cliffs) of the Kentucky River made it an
ideal defensive position.
Because Kentucky did not secede from the Union but was a slave state, the Emancipation Proclamation did not legally
affect slavery here. President Abraham Lincoln attempted to persuade Kentuckians to support the enlistment of free
blacks into the Union Army, but initially the policy was rejected.
One Kentucky Union general told the president that African-American recruitment “will revolutionize the state and do
infinite and inconceivable harm.” President Lincoln realized that the mere sight of African-Americans in uniform was
an experience that would affect the war and forever change the nation. He wrote that, “The bare sight of fifty thousand
armed and drilled black soldiers on the banks of the Mississippi would end the rebellion at once.”
Despite complaints, the enlistment of United States Colored Troops (USCT)—both slave and free—began in earnest
in February 1864.
In all, eight regiments of black troops were organized at Camp Nelson, many of whom gained their freedom upon
enlistment. This self-emancipation was dangerous. In one instance, as a group of potential recruits marched toward
the camp, angry residents shot at them and pelted them with stones. Eventually, more than 23,700 African-American
Kentuckians joined the Union army. Of all states, only Louisiana enlisted more troops into the USCT.
Recruits who traveled to Camp Nelson often brought their families, and soon a refugee crisis developed. The refugees,
women and children, had no legal status, no legal freedom, and Camp Nelson was not legally responsible to provide for
them. Sadly, one winter night in November of 1864, Union Camp commanders forced refugee families away from the
area. Dozens of women and children died as a result. This created a national outcry, and the camp’s leaders were ordered
to make adequate provisions including building proper shelters for the families of enlisted men.
Today, Camp Nelson Heritage Park features a museum, research library, and nearly four miles of interpreted walking
trails. The Oliver Perry House, also known as the “White House,” has period furnishings and offers guided tours. The
Camp Nelson National Cemetery, where hundreds of Civil War casualties are buried, is immediately south of the Civil
War site.
Visit campnelson.org for more information.

Photo Courtesy of Camp Nelson Heritage Park

Battle of Mill Springs
The Battle of Mill Springs, fought on January 19, 1862, was an early
Union victory that helped break a Confederate defensive line that
spanned across southern Kentucky.
With Confederate troops entrenched at Beech Grove, located along
the Cumberland River southwest of Somerset, Union Brigadier
General George Thomas moved his four thousand soldiers to Logan’s
Crossroads, ten miles north of the rebel position. The Confederates,
hoping to strike Thomas before he was reinforced, decided to attack.
The day was rainy and foggy and Union forces were initially pushed
back. The Federals, however, managed to stabilize their lines, and
Confederate hopes for a victory faded when Confederate Gen. Felix
Zollicoffer was killed. The Confederates’ antiquated flintlock muskets
failed to fire because of the rain, and after a Union bayonet charge
against the rebels’ left flank, the Confederates were driven from the
field.
The Confederates, who lost more than 500 troops killed and
wounded, crossed the Cumberland River and left Kentucky. Their
failure at Mill Springs—also called the Battle of Fishing Creek,
Logan’s Crossroads, and Beech Grove—was an early turning point in
the Civil War. It was also one of the Union army’s first major victories.
Today, this important battle is interpreted at the Mill Springs
Battlefield Visitors Center and Museum in Nancy, Kentucky. The site
also includes monuments, a walking tour, a driving tour, and more.

Visit millsprings.net for more information.

Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center & Museum

A House Divided
The Civil War in Kentucky was a fratricidal conflict that broke
up thousands of Kentucky families, including that of President
Abraham Lincoln.
Although Lincoln was the Union commander-in-chief, most
of his in-laws, the Todd family of Lexington, supported the
Confederacy. Lincoln’s brother-in-law, Confederate General
Ben Hardin Helm, was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga
in September 1863. Upon learning of Helm’s death, Lincoln
reputedly wept and said, “I feel as David of old did when he was
told of the death of Absalom.”
Mary Lincoln lost several family members during the war,
including her half-brother, Samuel, who was killed at the Battle of
Shiloh, Tennessee, and another half-brother, Alexander, who was
killed at the Battle of New Orleans. Several more of her siblings
were Confederate soldiers or sympathizers.
In addition to the Lincolns, many other families suffered as well.
U. S. Senator John J. Crittenden had one son who was a Union
general and another who was a Confederate general. Union
Colonel Charles Hanson had two brothers fight for the
Confederacy, including Brigadier General Roger Hanson, who
was mortally wounded at the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee.
The Reverend Robert J. Breckinridge, a staunch Unionist who
helped sway Federal military policy in Kentucky, had two sons
fight for the North and two fight for the South.
These scenarios were repeated in scores of Kentucky families as
few families were immune from the divisions of the Civil War.
The Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History is a great
place to find out more about Kentucky families during the Civil
War conflict.
Visit history.ky.gov for more information.
Morgan’s Raids
During the Civil War, one of Kentucky’s most controversial individuals was Confederate cavalryman John
Hunt Morgan.  Although he was born in Huntsville, Alabama, Morgan was raised in Lexington, Kentucky. 
A Mexican War veteran, he was also a successful businessman and community leader.
When the Civil War erupted, Morgan joined the Confederacy and quickly earned a reputation for raiding
Union supplies and railroad lines.  His actions kept Federal troops guarding bridges and depots, rather than
fighting with the main armies. 
In July 1862, Morgan led 800 men on his first raid into Kentucky.  As the raiders captured troops and
destroyed supplies, Union authorities grew panicked.  President Abraham Lincoln complained, “They are
having a stampede in Kentucky.  Please look to it!”  In 24 days, Morgan’s men rode more than 1,000 miles,
captured and paroled 1,200 Union troops, and destroyed large amounts of Federal property.  He lost fewer
than 100 men. 
When Confederate armies entered Kentucky in the autumn of 1862, Morgan joined them.  During this
campaign he rode into his hometown of Lexington.  Pro-Confederate ladies greeted him with ringing
church bells, banners, and flags.  One Unionist resident, however, called Morgan’s men “A nasty, dirty
looking set . . .”
In December 1862, with Confederate armies pressing near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Morgan again raided
Kentucky.  In what became known as the “Christmas Raid,” his 4,000 troopers destroyed railroad lines and
captured several Kentucky towns.  His soldiers captured 1,887 Union prisoners, destroyed $2,000,000 in
Federal property, and lost only two men killed and 24 wounded.  That May, the Confederate Congress
thanked Morgan for “varied, heroic and invaluable services in Tennessee and Kentucky . . .”
In July 1863, with Union troops threatening the vital railroad junction of Chattanooga, Morgan again
entered Kentucky to strike Federal supply lines.  After fighting at Tebbs Bend and Lebanon (where his
younger brother was killed), Morgan disobeyed orders to stay in Kentucky and crossed the Ohio River into
Indiana.  He quickly rode into Ohio, where his men were chased by Union soldiers.  Ultimately, Morgan and
most of the Confederates were captured.
Although Morgan was imprisoned in the Ohio State Penitentiary, he eventually made a daring escape.  Upon
his return to Confederate lines, he led troops in East Tennessee.  In September 1864, he was shot and killed
in Greeneville, Tennessee.  He now lies buried in the Lexington Cemetery.
Ultimately… Honor
The Kentucky Historical Society’s Historical Marker
program commemorates many people and events
that contributed to the commonwealth’s Civil War
history. Historical Marker # 2107 in Lyon County
(Land Between the Lakes area) commemorates Andrew
Jackson Smith, an enslaved African-American who
fought in the Civil War and earned the Medal of Honor.
Born into slavery in Lyon County on Sept. 3, 1843,
Smith escaped to Smithland, Kentucky at age 19, where
he became a servant to an officer in the 41st Illinois
Infantry Regiment. At the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee,
fought in April 1862, Smith was wounded while
accompanying that officer.
While Smith recovered from his injury, he learned that
African-Americans could join the Union army. So,
in May 1863, he enlisted in the 55th Massachusetts
Colored Infantry.
On Nov. 30, 1864, while fighting at the Battle of Honey
Hill, S.C., Smith saved the regimental flag when the
color-bearer was killed by an artillery shell. He bravely
carried the colors for the remainder of the engagement.
The 55th Massachusetts suffered heavily in the battle,
and, for his actions, Smith was posthumously awarded
the Medal of Honor in 2001.
Smith died in 1932 and was buried in Mt. Pleasant
Cemetery at Grand Rivers, Kentucky, in Livingston
County. He well-represents thousands of enslaved
Kentuckians who found their freedom by joining the
Union army during the Civil War.

Explore Kentucky history online or on the road with this new app.
Connect historical sites to the statewide story from your computer or smartphone.

explorekyhistory.ky.gov
 Timeline of Notable Events
1860
November 6, Kentuckian Abraham Lincoln is elected 16th President of the United States.
December 20, South Carolina secedes from the Union. In January 1861, ten other states follow.

1861
February 9, Kentuckian Jefferson Davis is elected as the first President of the Confederate States of America.
April 12, Confederates open fire on Fort Sumter, at 4:30 a.m., commencing the Civil War. Kentuckian Major Robert Anderson
surrenders the garrison the next day at 2:30 p.m.
September 6, Union troops under the command of General Grant move into Paducah and Smithland.
September 18, Kentucky’s Pro Union legislature calls for the expulsion of the Confederates and gives command of the state
volunteers to now General Robert Anderson, who won his fame by defending Fort Sumter.
September 19, The first engagement of the war in Kentucky occurs at Barbourville.
October 21, To counter the Confederate victory at Barbourville, federal forces repel an attack on Wildcat Mountain in Laurel
County.
November 18, Some 115 delegates from 68 counties assemble in Russellville to establish the Provisional Government of Ken-
tucky, and Bowling Green is designated as the capital. Kentucky’s Confederate government remains in exile during the majority of
the war.

1862
July 4, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan leads 875 officers and men westward from Knoxville on his first major raid
into Kentucky.
August 29, The Confederate offensive into Kentucky encounters Union troops as they move north from Big Hill to Richmond.
September 17, Confederate forces commanded by General Robert E. Lee and Union forces commanded by General George
McClellan meet at Antietam near Sharpsburg, Maryland, in the single bloodiest day of the war.
October 8, Fighting north from the Cumberland Gap, as part of the 1862 “Kentucky Campaign,” General E. Kirby Smith con-
trols much of central Kentucky. While General Braxton Bragg, thwarted in his efforts to capture Louisville by Union General
Don Carlos Buell, moves into central Kentucky to link the two armies.
October 8, At Perryville, during the largest battle fought in Kentucky and one of the bloodiest battles of the war, 4,200 Union
and 3,400 Confederate troops were wounded or killed.
December 22, General John Hunt Morgan and 3,100 men cross the Cumberland River. This highly successful, 12-day adventure
became known as Morgan’s “Christmas Raid.”

1863
January 1, On this date, President Lincoln enacts the Emancipation Proclamation.

1864
November 8, President Abraham Lincoln is reelected. His Vice President is Andrew Johnson of Tennessee.

1865
April 9, General Robert E. Lee surrenders the once great army of Virginia to General Grant at Appomattox Court House.
April 14, 1865 John Wilkes Booth mortally wounds President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln dies the following morning and
Andrew Johnson is sworn in as the 17th President of the United States.
December 18, The Secretary of State announces the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, of-
ficially abolishing slavery.
Civil War: The Home Front

Within the rolling hills of Appalachia, compelling stories of bravery and strength
wait to be discovered.
Kentucky has partnered with the Appalachian Regional Commission and member
states of the ARC Tourism Advisory Council to bring you “Civil War: The Home
Front” a story guide about the Civil War in Appalachia.
Learn about the resilient Appalachian spirit during the U.S. Civil War by visiting
heritage farms, restored homes and historic downtowns, national parks and
memorials, and history museums. Experience the people, places and events in
Kentucky and other parts of Appalachia that shaped this pivotal era in American
history.
To find out more about “Civil War: The Home Front” and the exciting
destinations waiting for you, visit:

VisitAppalachia.com/visit.php
To learn more about Kentucky’s Appalachian
destinations, go to VisitAppalachia.com