2nd Kentucky Infantry

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The 2nd Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment from the Commonwealth of Kentucky that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was a key part of the famed Orphan Brigade.

The 2nd Kentucky was organized in August 1861, at Camp Boone in Tennessee, and became part of the Orphan Brigade or "Louisville Legion." The men were from the counties of Hickman, Fayette, Bullitt, Jefferson, Graves, Franklin, Harrison, Scott, Owen, Bourbon, and Anderson. In October of that same year, the regiment contained 832 men and, in the fight at Fort Donelson, its force of 618 was captured. After being exchanged, the reconstituted regiment saw action at Shiloh. It later was assigned to Hanson's, Helm's, and J.H. Lewis' Brigade. The 2nd Kentucky was involved in the battles of Murfreesboro and Chickamauga. It reported 13 killed, 70 wounded, and 21 missing at Murfreesboro, lost fifty-two percent of the 302 engaged at Chickamauga, and totalled 293 men and 214 arms in December 1863.

The following summer, the 2nd Kentucky participated in the Atlanta Campaign. During the fall of 1864, the unit served as mounted infantry and took part in the defense of Savannah and the subsequent Carolinas Campaign in early 1865. On April 26, 1865, it surrendered with the Army of Tennessee.

The field officers were colonels Roger W. Hanson, James M. Hawes, Robert A. Johnston, and James W. Moss; lieutenant colonels James W. Hewitt and Philip Lee; and majors William P. Johnston and Harvey McDowell.

[edit] References

• Files of the National Park Service