Location: Harrison County, Kentucky, United States
As early as May of 1861, formerly enslaved men seeking refuge with Union troops at Fort Monroe, Virginia, were employed as laborers assisting federal forces in the United States Civil War. Just over a year later, in the spring of 1862, the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers was formed (against federal orders at the time). By summer, the Free Black Militias in Louisiana offered to serve the Union and were eventually accepted, and South Carolina followed by organizing an experimental unit of black soldiers. Soon other states were doing so as well.
With the Union pressed for manpower, the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863 brought the official authorization for men of African descent to serve in the Union Army. In May 1863, the Bureau for Colored Troops was created, and all previous units were reassigned regimental United States Colored Troops numbers under the new system. For more information on the USCT and the United States Civil War, see the resources section below.
This project page focuses on adding and improving profiles for USCT veterans that were associated with Harrison County, Kentucky (over a hundred men). If you would like to assist in the effort, feel free to contribute or contact the page manager.
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Servicemen born in Harrison County, Kentucky
To date, enlistment records have been located for 97 men of Harrison County, Kentucky birth. Though these records are not always clear on the legal status of the soldier, initially at least seven were noted as free men; about 18 were documented as enslaved. Their ages ranged from 18 to 45, with 27 as an average: twenty-five men were age 20 and under, thirty-one men were age 21-30, twenty-six men were age 31-40, and five men were over 40. Farming was by far the most common occupation, named by sixty-nine men. Twenty men had been laborers, including a tobacco worker, a steward, a porter, and four waiters. Only seven men had skilled trades, including two blacksmiths, two cooks, one carpenter, one mason and one mechanic.
When the US War Department publicly authorized raising regiments of African Americans in 1863, 25 known Harrison County natives enlisted. They were followed by 48 in 1864, and 24 in 1865. Three initially enlisted as substitutes. Though native to Harrison County, Kentucky, these men enlisted across the country: Alabama (3), Illinois (1), Kansas (1), Louisiana (5), Massachusetts (2), Missouri (1), Mississippi (9), Ohio (23), Pennsylvania (6) and Tennessee (9). Thirty-eight men enlisted in seven locations across the state of Kentucky. In total, Harrison County was represented in at least 31 units, including 46 men in the Infantry, 34 men in Artillery, 15 men in the Cavalry, and 1 in the Navy. At least 11 men served as corporals, 6 as sergeants, 1 as artificer and 1 as wagoner.
Of these 97 men, approximately 6 deserted the service permanently, though 2 or 3 more who deserted were later arrested and returned to duty. At least a couple of files mention soldiers being listed as deserters erroneously due to missing or lost paperwork.
Roll of Honor: Three men were wounded in action, and five were discharged on disability. Three men were killed in action; one died by unknown cause while travelling for transfer; eleven men died of disease.
Table of veterans born in Harrison County GoogleSheet generated from: Ancestry.com database. This GoogleSheet provides a workspace for creating/researching these veterans. After more profiles have been added to WikiTree, the table will be converted and added here.
Servicemen associated with Harrison County
The following men may not have been born in Harrison County, but have been found in other databases with references to Harrison County. Some have been found already profiled on WikiTree. A cursory scan as of Feb 2023 indicates these profiles likely need improvement. After the initial list above is complete, other databases will become the focus: these men will be moved to those lists as they are found.
- David Adair (abt.1843-) - 117th US Colored Infantry, Co. B
- Reuben Corbin (1844-1906) - 117th US Colored Infantry, Co. A https://www.fold3.com/image/305416267 aka Reuben Stansifer, 117th Co. A https://omekas.bcplhistory.org/s/borderlands/item/8145
- Harvey Gillard (abt.1845-1912) 117th US Colored Infantry, Co. C
- David F. Jacobs (abt.1824-abt.1890) 117th US Colored Infantry, Co. A
- Franklin Epp - 124th, Co. E https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-5N9S-9P?i=24&wc=M628-7PD%3A174323101%2C174345701%2C174320903&cc=1877095
- Nathan Harrison, 117th, Co. G
- James Kirtley, 117th, Co. K https://omekas.bcplhistory.org/s/borderlands/item/8087
- Samuel Mack, 116th, Co. I https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-5N9S-ZL?i=25&wc=M628-7PD%3A174323101%2C174345701%2C174320903&cc=1877095
- Soloman Porter, 117th, Co. G
- Horace Rankin, 117th Co. H https://omekas.bcplhistory.org/s/borderlands/item/8424
- George Washington, 116th Co. B https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-5N9S-ZL?i=25&wc=M628-7PD%3A174323101%2C174345701%2C174320903&cc=1877095
1890 Census Pensioners
Pension Files
Roll of Honor
- William Ayers (abt.1846-1865) [51st Inf.] died of disease in Port Hudson, Louisiana.
- Henry Blair (abt.1840-1866) [42nd Inf.] died of disease in Huntsville, Alabama.
- George Bowman (abt.1839-abt.1865) [42nd Inf.] died mysteriously enroute from the 100th to the 42nd.
Research Notes and Page Updates
- This project was begun in February 2023 with the intention of creating profiles for as many Harrison County USCT veterans as can be found. If you know of someone not currently listed, or would like to participate in the project, feel free to make edits or contact the page manager.
- The initial work relies on the USCT Military Service Records found on Ancestry.com ($), whose database is searchable by birth location. When found, links to non-payall sites with the same document set are included as well.
- The primary push for the start of this project is to create profiles. Many will need further research, sourcing, and biography improvement. Current number of WT profiles - 12/107.
Resources
- Encyclopedia Virginiana: The United States Colored Troops
- Ford, Oren: A History of the Bounty System Used During the Civil War
- The African American Civil War Memorial & Museum: USCT History
- The National Parks Service: USCT Battle Unit Database
- WikiTree: Kentucky Resource Page US Civil War: War Between the States
Sources
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