Note: Marjory Jo Spivey is my still-blushing bride of nearly 45 years.
Looking back five generations, most of Marjory’s ancestors were born in Kentucky with only a few from nearby Tennessee. They lived in the area that the Kentucky Tourism Commission now calls “Daniel Boone Country” – the hills and hollers in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth near the Cumberland Gap. For the most part, people in this area were in support of the Union. Those nearer to the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers had larger farms that could benefit from slave labor, and were more closely aligned with their trading partners to the south.
The divided allegiance between North and South may best be illustrated by Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Both presidents were born in Kentucky.
Kentucky was an important “border state” during the Civil War. The Ohio River that forms its northern border could have made a defensible line for the Confederates. Lincoln once said, “I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky.”
At the outset of the war, the Kentucky legislature declared the Commonwealth to be neutral, but neutrality was not to be. During the war, Kentucky had two governments – one aligned with the Union and the other with the Confederacy.
Volunteers who felt the need to fight left to join military units in other states. Nearly 60 regiments served in the Union Army but just nine in the Confederate. Several significant battles were fought in the Commonwealth early in the war – Mill Springs, Richmond, Munfordville, and Perryville. The Battle of Perryville, as depicted in the November 1, 1862, issue of Harpers Weekly, is shown below. After that battle, the Confederacy made little effort to hold Kentucky.
All of Marjory’s ancestors who served in the Civil War fought for the Union as enlisted men, mostly Privates. Fortunately, all six returned to their families at the end of the conflict.
Isaac S. Fowler (1827-1870) was Marjory’s paternal great-great-great-grandfather. Isaac served in the 26th Kentucky Infantry. The 26th participated in the major Battle of Shiloh in southwestern Tennessee. Two officers and 27 enlisted men were killed. Between March 1862 and July 1865, two more officers and 142 enlisted men passed from disease.
Henry Stubblefield Isaacs (1835-1912), a paternal great-great grandfather, served in the 14th Kentucky Calvary. His Company F mustered in during February 1863 and mustered out on March 1864. This regiment was assigned to the mountains of eastern Kentucky – Henry’s home territory – to reduce and prevent the many guerilla raids by the Confederates. Fourteen enlisted men were killed in skirmishes while another 66 passed from disease.
John M. Isaacs (1845-1899), another paternal great-great grandfather, joined the 3rd Kentucky Infantry for three years of service beginning in October 1861. This unit participated in Kentucky’s Battle of Perryville as well as the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee and the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia. Chickamauga had the second highest casualties of the war, exceeded only by Gettysburg. Six officers and 103 enlisted men from the 3rd Kentucky were killed. Another 192 enlisted men passed from disease.
John Clemmons (1815-1878) served in the 8th Regiment of the Kentucky Calvary. He was also Marjory’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather. Perhaps because of his age, 47 at the time of his enlistment, John served as a teamster or wagon driver. The 8th Calvary’s engagements were limited, losing only one officer and eight enlisted men in battle. However, 108 more passed from disease during their year of service from August 1862 until September 1863.
Henry Harrison Fields (1827-1900), another maternal great-great-great-grandfather, served in the 19th Kentucky Infantry beginning in January 1862. This regiment saw considerable fighting as part of the Vicksburg Campaign, a major turning point in the war, where the Union gained control of the Mississippi River. The Vicksburg Campaign also brought General Ulysses S. Grant to prominence. The 19th Kentucky Infantry lost one officer and 42 enlisted men in combat and another 155 from disease. Henry mustered out of Company D as a Corporal in March 1866.
Samuel H. Standafer (1842-1936) was Marjory’s maternal great-great-grandfather. Like Henry Stubblefield Isaacs (above), Samuel enlisted in the 14th Kentucky Calvary, though Samuel’s Company M mustered in later in May 1863. Private Standafer was fortunate to serve in the mountains near his home.
As I noted in my earlier post about the Civil War, the death from disease was even more staggering than the death toll from combat – 663 men from these five regiments alone.
Because so many Kentuckians fought for the Union, the Commonwealth was not subject to military occupation after the war. However, tensions continued with northern and southern loyalties contributing to feuds in the mountains nearly into the 20th century. A possible future topic is Marjory’s post-war feuding ancestors.
Looking back five generations, most of Marjory’s ancestors were born in Kentucky with only a few from nearby Tennessee. They lived in the area that the Kentucky Tourism Commission now calls “Daniel Boone Country” – the hills and hollers in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth near the Cumberland Gap. For the most part, people in this area were in support of the Union. Those nearer to the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers had larger farms that could benefit from slave labor, and were more closely aligned with their trading partners to the south.
The divided allegiance between North and South may best be illustrated by Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Both presidents were born in Kentucky.
Kentucky was an important “border state” during the Civil War. The Ohio River that forms its northern border could have made a defensible line for the Confederates. Lincoln once said, “I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky.”
At the outset of the war, the Kentucky legislature declared the Commonwealth to be neutral, but neutrality was not to be. During the war, Kentucky had two governments – one aligned with the Union and the other with the Confederacy.
Volunteers who felt the need to fight left to join military units in other states. Nearly 60 regiments served in the Union Army but just nine in the Confederate. Several significant battles were fought in the Commonwealth early in the war – Mill Springs, Richmond, Munfordville, and Perryville. The Battle of Perryville, as depicted in the November 1, 1862, issue of Harpers Weekly, is shown below. After that battle, the Confederacy made little effort to hold Kentucky.
All of Marjory’s ancestors who served in the Civil War fought for the Union as enlisted men, mostly Privates. Fortunately, all six returned to their families at the end of the conflict.
Isaac S. Fowler (1827-1870) was Marjory’s paternal great-great-great-grandfather. Isaac served in the 26th Kentucky Infantry. The 26th participated in the major Battle of Shiloh in southwestern Tennessee. Two officers and 27 enlisted men were killed. Between March 1862 and July 1865, two more officers and 142 enlisted men passed from disease.
Henry Stubblefield Isaacs (1835-1912), a paternal great-great grandfather, served in the 14th Kentucky Calvary. His Company F mustered in during February 1863 and mustered out on March 1864. This regiment was assigned to the mountains of eastern Kentucky – Henry’s home territory – to reduce and prevent the many guerilla raids by the Confederates. Fourteen enlisted men were killed in skirmishes while another 66 passed from disease.John M. Isaacs (1845-1899), another paternal great-great grandfather, joined the 3rd Kentucky Infantry for three years of service beginning in October 1861. This unit participated in Kentucky’s Battle of Perryville as well as the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee and the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia. Chickamauga had the second highest casualties of the war, exceeded only by Gettysburg. Six officers and 103 enlisted men from the 3rd Kentucky were killed. Another 192 enlisted men passed from disease.
John Clemmons (1815-1878) served in the 8th Regiment of the Kentucky Calvary. He was also Marjory’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather. Perhaps because of his age, 47 at the time of his enlistment, John served as a teamster or wagon driver. The 8th Calvary’s engagements were limited, losing only one officer and eight enlisted men in battle. However, 108 more passed from disease during their year of service from August 1862 until September 1863.
Henry Harrison Fields (1827-1900), another maternal great-great-great-grandfather, served in the 19th Kentucky Infantry beginning in January 1862. This regiment saw considerable fighting as part of the Vicksburg Campaign, a major turning point in the war, where the Union gained control of the Mississippi River. The Vicksburg Campaign also brought General Ulysses S. Grant to prominence. The 19th Kentucky Infantry lost one officer and 42 enlisted men in combat and another 155 from disease. Henry mustered out of Company D as a Corporal in March 1866.Samuel H. Standafer (1842-1936) was Marjory’s maternal great-great-grandfather. Like Henry Stubblefield Isaacs (above), Samuel enlisted in the 14th Kentucky Calvary, though Samuel’s Company M mustered in later in May 1863. Private Standafer was fortunate to serve in the mountains near his home.
As I noted in my earlier post about the Civil War, the death from disease was even more staggering than the death toll from combat – 663 men from these five regiments alone.
Because so many Kentuckians fought for the Union, the Commonwealth was not subject to military occupation after the war. However, tensions continued with northern and southern loyalties contributing to feuds in the mountains nearly into the 20th century. A possible future topic is Marjory’s post-war feuding ancestors.
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