HISTORY: 6th Reg Cav., KY Vols. CSA Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1998 18:45:07 -0500 Submitter: Diana Flynn ADJUTANT GENERAL'S REPORT CSA PAGES 682-685 SKETCH OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT CAVALRY, KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS, CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY The recruiting and organization of this regiment was begun at Stanford, Kentucky, on the 8th day of September, 1862. When the regiment was organized Colonel J. Warren Grigsby, of Lincoln County, Ky., was made Colonel. Thomas and William G. Bullitt, of Paducah, Major. The regimental staff was as follows: E. T. Rochester, Captain and A. Q. M., John S. Hughes, Lieutenant and A. C. S., J. W. Alcorn, Lieutenant and Adjutant, James W. Schooling, Sergeant and Major, John O'Neal, Quartermaster Sergeant, and Smith Hansford, Ordnance Sergeant. The Captains of the respective companies were (A) Robert D. Logan, (B) Thomas H. Shanks, (C) M. B. Perkins, (D) W.W. Cleaver, (E) W. S. Edwards, (F) William Campbell, (G) Thomas W. Gray, (H) B. E. Roberts, (I) Captain Jewett, (K) Captain Ireland. The regiment was first assigned to the brigade of Brigadier General Buford and composed a part of that brigade from September, 1862, until March, 1863. While with that brigade it took part in the battle of Perryville and in various skirmishes incident to Bragg's retreat from Kentucky. It also actively participated in the battle of Murfreesboro, and for its conduct during that engagement received honorable mention from the brigade commander for gallantry and efficiency. In the first days of March, 1863, Brigadier General Buford was assigned to the "Mississippi Department," and this regiment and the Fifth Kentucky Cavalry were then transferred to the command of Brigadier General John H. Morgan, with which it continued in service until nearly the whole of the regiment was captured during the last days of Morgan's Ohio raid. Soon after its assignment to Morgan's command the regiment took part in a severe engagement at Milton, Tennessee in which Colonel Grigsby was severely wounded and Lieutenant Colonel Napier was so severely wounded that he was permanently disabled for active service. When Morgan's command in the closing days of the Ohio raid was nearing the Ohio River it was frequently, each day, attacked by commands of Ohio militia. The Sixth Kentucky was, on the 18th of July, assigned as the advance of the command and was frequently attacked that day by militia and regular troops. In every instance, when attacked it dispersed the enemy so quickly that the march of the rear of the column was not, at any time, seriously impeded. Colonel Grigsby, although suffering from the wounds which he had received at Milton, Tennessee, took active command of the regiment that day. Morgan's command reached "Buffington Ford" of the Ohio River after night fall on the 18th day of July. There General Morgan ascertained that a body of the enemy occupied some earth works in positon to control the ford at which he had expected to cross. Owing to the darkness of the night, he postponed, until next morning, an attack on the earth works. During that night his command rested in column, each man being required to hold his horse by the bridle reins so as to be ready to move at any time. Just before day break the Sixth Kentucky, and the regiment immediately in it rear, received orders from General Duke to move down the river to the earth works and carry them by assault as quickly as possible. In execution of that order the two regiments moved down the river in line perpendicular to the river. It was so intensely dark that a man could not have been discerned ten feet away. After the regiments had moved in this way some six or seven hundred yards, the left of the Sixth Kentucky ran into the earth works and found them abandoned. Word to that effect was passed up the line. The movement of the two regiments was halted for orders, and, while so halted, a considerable force of cavalry was heard moving along about one hundred yards in front and towards the river. It was soon found to be a body of the enemy, and the Sixth promptly moved forward and began firing. The enemy retreated in confusion. From prisoners catpured it was ascertained that the force which had been attacked was the escort and a part of the command of Brigadier General Judah, U.S.A. They fell back to the main body of their force about a mile down the river and very soon began a forward movement with artillery and cavalry. The Sixth attacked that body, and, after capturing its artillery, drove the enemy back on its infantry supports. While the enemy was then held in check the sick and disabled men, including Colonel Grigsby, were sent across the river at the ford. By that time two gunboats appeared, coming up the river and throwing shells at rapid intervals. Owing to the smallness of our force it was deemed advisable to fall back for support. The Sixth fell back and formed a new line in the river bottom and remained in that position until ordered to retire from it. While it was in that position we could also see a considerable body of infantry advancing directly on our front. The gunboats became more active and attempted to shell the gound upon which we were located. When ordered to retire from its position the regiment slowly retreated several hundred yards to the rear, and there formed to protect the retirement of a large force of our command which was still immediately in our rear. The regiment formed with its right flank confronting the cavalry, is center confronting the infantry, and its left flank confronting the gunboats. Of the conduct of the regiment on that occasion General Duke, in his "History of Morgan's Cavalry," says: "The Sixth Kentucky was almost surrounded. This regiment behaved nobly. It stood the heavy attack of the enemy like a bastion." It remained in that position until the men in our rear had left the field; then it began a hasty retreat, the objective point being a ford about two miles up the river. When we reached that ford General Morgan and his staff and a number of soldiers had plunged into the river for the purpose of crossing. In obedience to orders to that effect the regiment did not attempt to cross, but remained in formation on the river bank watching the others who did cross. About the time that General Morgan had reached the east bank of the river the gunboats had found the range of the crossing and commenced throwing shells into the river at the ford. Seeing that a large part of his force was left on the west bank of the river, General Morgan dashed back into the river and returned to us. His face was as placid as if he were on parade. As he passed the line he called out: "Follow me, boys," and with a cheer every man turned and followed him. After going up the river two or three miles he turned to the left almost at right angles to the river and after going several miles, halted to rest his command. About night fall he began the ascent of a large and steep mountain, each man marching in single file, dismounted and with his hand upon the tail of the horse in front. When General Morgan had crossed over the mountain he turned to the left on a road which ran parallel to and down the river. The march was kept up all night long and until about three o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, when a considerable pursuing force of the enemy appeared in sight. The Sixth Regiment was the rear guard of the column and by repeated skirmishes kept the enemy in check until we came near the town of Cheshire, on the banks of the Ohio River. By that time the advance with General Morgan was several miles away. We hoped he was safe. Our aim had been to afford him a chance to get out of reach of the pursuing enemy. We then made our last stand but were run over and captured by the superior force of the enemy. We were, of course, taken to prison and the greater part of the regiment was kept in prison until March, 1865, when a large portion of the enlisted men was taken around to Richmond on exchange. The officers, with a few exceptions, were kept in prison until the close of the war. The regiment, as a regiment, did not after the Ohio raid participate in any of the subsequent engagements of Morgan's command. Signed: J. W. Alcorn Adjutant Sixth Cavalry. ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by noncommercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format, or presentation by other organizations or persons. 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