Jessamine County KyArchives History - Books .....Camp Nelson 1898
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com August 6, 2007, 1:49 am

Book Title: A History Of Jessamine County, Kentucky

Camp Nelson.

   Camp Nelson has become quite an important village in the last few years. It
is at the mouth of Hickman creek, near the wooden bridge, that spans the
Kentucky river, on the line of the Lexington and Danville turnpike. It was
established in 1863, and was the principal point for the concentration of
Federal forces and munitions of war on the line of the Cumberland river. It was
named in honor of Gen. William Nelson, who was born in Mason county, was a
distinguished soldier, and was killed in Louisville by Gen. Jefferson C. Davis,
whom he had grossly insulted.

   It remained a military camp until the close of the war, and has a fortified
circumference of about ten miles formed, in large part, by the high hills and
cliffs of the Kentucky river, and partly by breastworks thrown up, that yet
remain. On the land has been established a United States military cemetery, in
which are interred over 5,000 Federal soldiers. The population of the village
is, at this time, about 200, mostly colored people, who have settled on the
cliffs and hills near the Kentucky river.

   Ariel College is located at Camp Nelson. This is an institution for the
education of colored men and women. It is officered by white teachers, and has
been the source of great good and help to the colored people.

   Rev. John C. Randolph was the first native Kentuckian who enlisted negro
soldiers in Jessamine county. A copy of the following letter written by him to
Gen. Burbridge is interesting, historically:

                                Nicholasville, Ky., June 9,1864. 
Gen. S. G. Burbridge,
       Commander, Department of Kentucky:
   Sir-There is a slave in the county jail here, confined for no civil crime,
but because his master feared he would run off. The boy has told me he wishes to
volunteer as a soldier. Have I the right to take him from the county jail and
let him come into the army in the state? Most respectfully,
                                   J. C. RANDOLPH. 
Deputy Marshal and Superintendent of Colored Enlistment at Camp Nelson.

   Another letter written about this time from Nicholasville will prove
interesting. It was sent to the postmaster at Keene, and is as follows:

                                 Office Provost Marshal,
                                 Nicholasville. Ky., July 18, 1863. 
To the Postmaster of Keene, Ky.:

   I am informed that the Cincinnati Enquirer is distributed at your office.
Military authorities forbid its circulation at your office. You will stop it at
once, or you will be arrested by the military authorities.
                                  JOHN PENDLETON,
                              Captain and Provost Marshal.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF JESSAMINE COUNTY, KENTUCKY,
FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO 1898.
By BENNETT H. YOUNG,
PRESIDENT POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY; MEMBER FILSON CLUB; MEMBER CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION, 1890; AUTHOR HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF KENTUCKY, OF "BATTLE OF
BLUE LICKS, ETC, ETC.

S. M. DUNCAN, ASSOCIATE AUTHOR.

Every brave and good life out of the past is a treasure which cannot  be
measured in money, and should be preserved with faithfullest care.

LOUISVILLE, KY.: COURIER-JOURNAL JOB PRINTING CO., 1898.


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