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Archiver > KYOWEN > 1998-09 > 0906925720


From: "Gene Hammon" <>
Subject: [KYOWEN-L] 3rd Kentucky Mounted Rifles
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 14:48:40 -0500


The Mounted Rifles were Confederate troops and the Mounted Infantry were
Union. The 3rd Rifles CSA, were recruited in the fall of 1862 in Kentucky
and had many men from Owen County. They were attached to Brig. Gen.
Humphrey Marshal's command in the mountains of southwestern VA. and saw
extensive service in eastern KY including Holston River near Abingdon, VA
in the winter of 62/63.

They were attached to Hodge's Cavalry Brigade in the summer of 1863 and
transferred to the Army of the Tennessee. They fought in many skirmishes
and in the big battle of Chicamauga. After Chicamauga, they continued to
be led by Captain Havens under Col. Clay, who was under Brigade Commander
Gen. Hodge, who was under Gen N. B. Forrest. They took part in the famous
raid into middle TN under Gen Wheeler. They were "cut to pieces" in the
vicinity of Shelbyville, TN on or about 7 Oct., 1863 and many of the Owen
County boys were captured by Union forces from Indiana and transferred to a
prison camp in Indianapolis, named Camp Morton. Those who were not killed
or captured were returned to southwestern VA in early 64 and served in
Gitner's Brigade of John Hunt Morgan's Division. They surrendered at Mt.
Sterling, KY in April 1865.

The captured men languished at Camp Morton until March, 1865 when many of
them "took the oath" and were "galvanized" into the 6th Indiana Volunteers,
U. S. Army. This change was as the result of a remarkably poignant speech
given by the ranking Confederate officer in the camp, wherein he conceded
that the cause was lost and there was no hope that they would be exchanged,
and that every man should do what he thought best for himself and his
family. Ironically, if they had held out for one more month, they would
all have been released anyway. Nevertheless, service in the Union Army got
some of them a pension.

The 6th Indiana was under the command of Captain David Ezekial. He had
his "rebel" forces transferred by rail through Chicago, to Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, and then in early June, 1865, he marched them on foot
over two hundred miles to Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory. These were men
who had just spent over a year in a Prison which had been a stock yard and
fair grounds. They were in poor physical condition at best. My great
grandfather John K. Hammon, got a disability pension as a direct result of
this, although my father, John Jacob Hammon, who was born in 1884 and
remembered talking to him, told me his grandfather had also been wounded
in the battle of Chicamauga.

Anyone researching their Owen County men Re. the Civil War, will benefit by
using an NATF form 80 and submitting it to the National Archives with a
request for the man's service AND medical records. Be sure to mention the
6th Indiana as well as the 3rd KY as most records will originate from their
service in the Union Army.

Gene Hammon

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