Service History of the 14th Kentucky Infantry Regiment

November 8, 1861: Part of the 14th KY participates in the Battle at Ivy Creek, under Gen. "Bull" Nelson.

December 10, 1861: The regiment is mustered in at Camp Wallace, Louisa, KY.

December 17, 1861: General Buell creates the 18th Brigade, Dept. of the Ohio, under the command of General James A. Garfield, future president of the U.S. The 14th KY becomes part of this brigade, under the command of Col. Laban T. Moore.

December 23, 1861: Garfield and his 18th Brigade leave Louisa, KY and move down the Big Sandy Valley toward Prestonburg to face Confederate forces under Brig. Gen. Humphrey Marshall.

January 1, 1862: Colonel L.T. Moore resigns and Col. John C. Cochran is appointed new commander of the 14th KY.

January 5,1862: Skirmish with Marshall's forces on Paint Creek, near Paintsville, Johnson Co., KY.

January 10, 1862: Battle of Middle Creek. Marshall's forces retreat and Garfield's Brigade occupies Prestonburg, Floyd Co., KY. 3 casualties for the 14th KY - 1 man killed, two wounded.

January 14, 1862: Winter quarters established at Paintsville, KY. Disease soon is rampant due to the incessant rain, inadequate quarters and sometimes shortage of food. Hundreds of men have measles, typhoid fever, camp fever, etc. and many die.

January 24-January 30,1862: A detachment (150 men) of the 14th KY is sent to the headwaters of Little Sandy where it disburses two companies of Confederates who were engaged in plundering.

February 10, 1862: Garfield's main force moves to Piketon. The 14th KY is left behind in Paintsville to guard stores and foodstuffs.

Ca. March 20, 1862: Most of Garfield's Brigade, including the 14th KY, are ordered to Louisville, KY.

March 28, 1862: Brig. Gen. George W. Morgan is assigned to command the 7th Division, Army of the Ohio, and ordered to operate against Cumberland Gap. The 14th KY becomes part of Morgan's force, 27th Brigade, under command of Brig. Gen. Absolom Baird.

March 30, 1862: 14th KY arrives in Cincinnati by steamboat.

March 31 - April 5, 1862: The 14th KY stays in Louisville, camping near Cave Hill Cemetery, in a grove known as Preston's Woods.

April 5, 1862:The 14th KY leaves Louisville for Lexington, KY.

April 10, 1862: The 14th KY takes up line of march toward Cumberland Gap to join Morgan's forces

April 27, 1862: The regiment arrives at Cumberland Ford and goes into camp.

April 29, 1862: The 14th KY participates in a skirmish near Cumberland Gap. No casualties.

June 18, 1862: Morgan's force occupies Cumberland Gap

August 3- August 6, 1862: The 14th KY participates in a foraging expedition under Colonel DeCourcy and encounter a heavy Confederate force under Gen. Stevenson near Tazewell, TN on August 6, 1862. Stevenson's Division is part of Kirby Smith's force that is preparing to invade Kentucky.

August 17, 1862: Cumberland Gap is totally surrounded by Stevenson's Division, ca.20,000 men and Morgan's Division is cut off from the outside world. The threat of starvation is facing the Federal forces.

September 17, 1862: Morgan's Division is leaving Cumberland Gap under cover of night and begin a 16 day march across the barren Kentucky mountains to the Ohio River.

October 3,1862: Morgan's Division arrives at Greenup, Ky and a few days later goes into camp near Oak Hill, Jackson County, Ohio.

October 15, 1862: The 14th KY is ordered from Oak Hill to Covington, Kentucky

October 21,1862: Regiment is ordered to Lexington.

October 31 - November 29, 1862: The 14th KY is stationed at Winchester, KY and enjoys a well-deserved rest.

Ca. December 15, 1862- January 26, 1863: The 14th KY is in camp near Danville, KY. until ordered to Lexington, KY.

January 12, 1863: Colonel John C. Cochran resigns at George W. Gallup is appointed new commander of the 14th KY. He is to stay with his men for the duration of the war.

February 1,1863: The 14th KY is ordered home to Louisa, KY.

February 4, 1863: The regiment arrives by steamer at Catlettsburg, KY and soon begins moving down the Big Sandy to Louisa, KY.

Ca. April 14,1863: A detachment of the 14th KY (1 corporal and 13 men) capture in a daring act, 12 Confederates and one canon, the only one that Humphrey Marshall had brought into Kentucky with him. The cannon was taken right out of the Confederate camp and the loss rankled deep in the breast of Marshall.

First week of July, 1863: One company of the 14th KY, Co. G under command of Capt. Collins, participates in the Gladeville expedition but not in the action at Gladeville on July 7, 1863. The company returns with Gen. Julius White to Pikeville, KY.

October 10, 1863: Skirmish at Salyersville with Colonel Prentice, CSA.

November 30, 1863: 800 Confederate Cavalry attack and scatter a Union outpost at Salyersville. Companies of the 14th KY involved: A,D,F,I. Casualties: 1 officer killed, 1 man wounded, 9 missing. 5 men of the missing 9 had been captured and were sent to prison.

February 15, 1864: Action at Laurel Creek, Wayne Co., W.VA. with Col. Ferguson's forces.

April 13, 1864: The 14th KY and 39h KY are attacked at Paintsville.

April 14, 1864: Action at Half Mountain, Licking River, 13 miles above Salyersville, KY.

Mid-May, 1864: The 14th KY is ordered to join Sherman's forces in the Atlanta Campaign. They are part of the 3. Brigade(Gen. Strickland),2.Division(Gen. Hascall), 23. Army Corps(Gen. Schofield).

May 23, 1864: The 14th KY arrives at Cass Station, GA and is ordered to guard one of the supply trains of the 23. Army Corps.

May 24, 1864: Wheeler's cavalry attacks the supply train and captures and burns most of it.

May 27, 1864: On the way from Burnt Hickory to the front, near Pumpkin Vine Creek, where the 14th KY joins the main body of the 23. Army Corps.

June 2, 1864: The 14th KY on the extreme left of the 23. Army Corps and in front of the brigade near Foster's house (close to the junction of the Burnt Hickory and Marietta road with the Dallas and Acworth road). Capt. Patrick is killed, Capt. Whitten severely wounded, 12 privates wounded (2 die shortly after of their wounds).

June 22, 1864: Affair at Kolb's Farm, near Marietta, GA. The 14th KY faces their greatest challenge yet and perform magnificently. Thier actions earn them the admiration of General Sherman, calling the 14th KY the best regiment in the whole 23. Army Corps as well as the compliments of Hooker and McPhearson.

June 23, 1864: General Hascall , Division commander of the 23. Army Corps, issues a Special Order, which is read in front of the entire 2. Division, commending the 14th KY on their gallant actions at Kolb's Farm during the previous day.

June 27,1864: Assault on Kenesaw Mountain, GA.

July 22, 1864: The Battle of Atlanta. The 14th KY takes position in the front line, ca. 1200 yards from the center of Atlanta (and directly in front of Sherman's headquarters). They have the opportunity to view the general in action during this engagement.

August 3 - August 8, 1864: Actions at Utoy Creek, GA.

August 11, 1864: The 14th KY is re-assigned to 2. Division, 1. Brigade (Gen. Cooper), 23. Army Corps.

August 27, 1864: The 14th KY is ordered to move 4 miles south of Mt. Gilead Church (Mt. Gilead Church= on Camp Creek, 4 miles southeast of East Point).

August 31, 1864: The 14th KY is moving in advance of the 1. Brigade, one brigade in advance of the 23. Army Corps, down the East Point road, past Morrow's Mill, toward Rough and Ready Station on the Macon Railway. After reaching the railroad in the late afternoon, the 14th KY, along with the other regiments of Hascall's Division, are employed in destroying the railroad south of Rough and Ready in direction of Jonesboro.

September 1, 1864: The 14th KY marches down the Macon Railroad to within 3 miles of Jonesboro. They arrive at 6 P.M. and go into camp one mile east of the railroad for the night. During the night the men are awakened by the explosions in Atlanta when Hood fires an 80 car ammunition train, magazines and several large buildings.

September 8- October 3, 1864: The 14th KY is in camp in Decatur, GA.

October 4, 1864: The Army of the Ohio (23. Army Corps) begins operations against Hood and the 14th KY leaves camp in Decatur, crossing Peachtree Creek and camp in the evening near the railroad bridge across the Chattahoochee River.

October 9, 1864: At Altoona, seeing the destruction of the recent engagement with Hood's forces on October 5, 1864.

October 11, 1864: The 23. Army Corps assembles with Sherman at Rome, GA.

October 15, 1864: 23. Army Corps reaches Resaca.

October 20, 1864: The 23. Army Corps crosses into Alabama.

October 24, 1864: In camp on the banks of the Coosa River at Cedar Bluff.

October 2 7, 1864: Orders are received to return to Tennessee to join General Thomas' forces at Nashville.

November 3, 1864: Gallup's brigade (Col. George W. Gallup, 14th KY) leaves Dalton by train.

November 4, 1864: Gallup's brigade, with the 14th KY, arrives at Nashville.

November 5, 1864: News reaches General Thomas that Nathan Bedford Forrest had attacked the Federal depots at Johnsonville, Tennessee, and Gallup's brigade, with Moore's brigade, is ordered to proceed to Johnsonville at once. They arrive in the afternoon and begin to build strong fortifications. They observe part of Forrest's men across the river and anticipate an attack at any time.

November 6, 1864: Gallup sends out scouts who report that the enemy has moved out during the night. Gallup remains with his men at Johnsonville as part of the garrison force.

November 15, 1864: The 14th KY is recalled by the governor of Kentucky and receives orders to proceed home.

November 21, 1864: The 14th KY is on their way down the Ohio River toward Catlettsburg, KY.

January 31, 1865: The regiment is mustered out at Louisa, KY.



Prepared by: Marlitta H. Perkins (June 1997; revised and updated December 1997)