CampCampwww.campnelson.org NelsonNelson DispatchDispatch CAMP NELSON CIVIL WAR HERITAGE PARK VOL. 10, ISSUE 1 • SPRING 2009 After 144 Years, You are invited to Fallen Cavalry Unit Gets Camp Nelson’s Memorial Service Annual Marker placed at ‘Simpsonville Slaughter’ site. Meeting he sacrifices of nearly 30 Camp Nelson heard of this,” Miller said. “I’m a Civil War soldiers killed in an ambush 144 years buff and I’ve never heard of this. I couldn’t Saturday, March 28 Tago have finally been recognized. believe it.” A roadside historical marker to the war dead About 150 attended the dedication Sunday, was unveiled on Sunday, January 25 at a which included musical performances 10:00 a.m. ceremony at the Whitney M. Young Job Corps and several historical presentations. The See other upcoming events Center in Simpsonville. reactivated 12th Colored Heavy Artillery, The marker describes the battle and the which is based at Camp Nelson, was color on page 3. mass grave where the men were buried and guard for the ceremony. will be installed on U.S. 60 near where the “Simpsonville Slaughter” occurred. On Jan. 25, 1865, soldiers of the 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry were moving a herd of cattle from the Camp Nelson Union Army Supply Depot to a railhead near Louisville when Confederate guerrillas ambushed them. Twenty soldiers died during the battle and another six later died of wounds. According to a newspaper account, about 15 guerrillas ambushed the soldiers and attacked “yelling like very devils and shooting their pistols in the air.” The guerrillas escaped after attacking the column’s rear guard. The citizens of Simpsonville helped care for the wounded and buried the dead nearby in a mass grave. The Union army, encamped in Louisville, was indifferent to the ambush. No ambulances were sent until three days after the battle and the dead soldiers are still listed as missing in action. Jerry Miller, a member of the Shelby County Historical Society who helped spearhead the effort to fund a memorial marker, learned about the event only three years ago while conducting David. E. Brown, a guest speaker at the event, poses with the highway marker. genealogy research. Brown’s g-g-grandfather, Private Samuel Truehart, served with Company E of “I’ve lived in this area 50 years and I’d never the 5th United States Colored Cavalry. Photo credit: David E. Brown CAMP NELSON DISPATCH SPRING 2009 The Old Mailbag: Visiting Camp Nelson Camp Nelson Heritage Park is located along US 27 about 20 miles Pvt. Wm. H. McCarty south of Lexington (6 miles south of Nicholasville.) The Park entrance is on KY 3026, which runs parallel to Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry. Dear Camp Nelson, US 27, one mile north of the Camp My G.Grandfather, Pvt. Wm. H. Co. B, 9th Tn. was organized at Camp Nelson National Cemetery. McCarty, was enrolled on July 12, 1863, in Nelson and was in service in that state Co. “H” 9th Reg’t. of Tenn. Cav. Vols. He during the Summer and Fall of 1863. On White House Tours: Tuesday - was mustered into service at Camp Nelson their return to East Tn. in Oct. 1863, after Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on August 15, 1863. a long absence from their homes, a short Call Alice at 859-881-5716 Sincerely, leave of absence was given the men to David Lyke enable them to look after their families. The Heritage Park is open for The siege of Knoxville, guided tours Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to Dear David, where the Co. was at the 5:00 p.m. The Interpretive Trails are Thank you for time of it with the Reg’t. open daily from dawn to dusk. contacting Camp Nelson. closed them out. I hope that you can The Reg’t. was The Camp Nelson Story visit sometime. Do you ordered away (Capsule Version) have any additional immediately after, Camp Nelson was established along information about your leaving a good number the Kentucky River in 1863 by the ancestor? Do you have of them in the enemy’s Union Army; serving first as a 4000 acre supply and training camp for any photos? Also, what lines unable to join their the Army of the Ohio and District part of the country do command. of Kentucky. In May of 1864 Camp you live in? --Editor McCarty was 19 years Nelson became a recruitment point old when he enrolled for black soldiers and later a refugee Dear Camp Nelson, for 3 years. He was camp for other freed slaves and their Thanks for the note enrolled on the 12th day families. Today the story continues to and would you believe I of July, 1863, at Camp be told at the Camp Nelson Civil War visited Camp Nelson on Nelson, (In another Heritage Park. Wednesday on my way place it shows that he Foundation Meetings back from Clinton, Tenn. enlisted at Barberville, The Camp Nelson Restoration and What a beautiful place. Kentucky.) Preservation Foundation meets the I bought the DVD that He was mustered first Monday of every month in the was shown and also Pvt. McCarty died July 6th, 1872, out with that Co. on Interpretive Center at the Camp Nelson Heritage Park at 7:00 p.m. the Map showing the “with disease of the stomach and Sept. 11, 1865. Pvt. The public is welcome to attend the location of bldgs., etc. bowels contracted while in the McCarty died July 6th, I live in Monroe, 1872, “with disease of meetings and provide their input. service of the United States while Michigan. the stomach and bowels on raid from Ky to East Tenn. More Information I have put together contracted while in the caused by horse kicking him.” For vendor, reenactor, and tourism some bits & pieces about service of the United information contact Mary Kozak at Pvt. William McCarty from my research States while on raid from Ky to East 859-881-9126. at the National Archives in Washington, Tenn. caused by horse kicking him at D.C. He served with Capt. Peterson’s Co., Knoxville sometime in the Summer of 1863.” Send newsletter 1st Batt., E. Tenn. Cav. Also served in Co. All the best, comments or submissions B, 11th Reg. Tn. Cav. and with Co. H, 9th Dave Lyke to: Jeff McDanald Camp Nelson Dispatch Editor Camp Nelson Heritage Park is proud P.O. Box 1170 to be designated a Kentucky Lincoln Nicholasville, KY 40356 National Bicentennial Site & part of the Email: [email protected] Kentucky Lincoln Heritage Trail. Website: Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park www.campnelson.org is grateful for the support of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. CAMP NELSON DISPATCH SPRING 2009 Lincoln and Liberty A unique program of music and lecture held in the Upcoming barracks at Camp Nelson Heritage Park Annual Meeting elebrating President Saturday, March 28 Lincoln’s Bicentennial, Membership dues and the upcoming the Jessamine County C Docudrama will be discussed. Fiscal Court, Camp Nelson Foundation, and Bluegrass Arts Time: 10 a.m.. Lunch to follow. Association provided a program of President Lincoln’s favorite songs and a lecture on Lincoln. Lincoln Funeral The special program was held Memorial Saturday, February 21 in the newly constructed barracks replica Saturday, April 18 building at Camp Nelson Civil War A ceremony modeled after the actual Heritage Park. 1865 memorial service held at Camp During the musical program, it Nelson as the country grieved. Will was noted that Lincoln’s favorite include a reading of the original order song was not a Northern song like and a 21-gun salute. Plans call for three “Battle Hymn of the Republic” or Kelly Sikorki shows his hammer dulcimer skills. artillery units to each fire 7 rounds in “Battle Cry of Freedom,” although this dramatic reenactment. Time: Noon. he was fond of those. Instead, it was a The musical program was presented by: favorite song of the Confederacy. As told University of Kentucky student vocalist in the president’s own words in April 1865, Nick Davis; Jessamine County Schools Education Days “I propose now closing up by requesting Orchestra Director Kelly Sikorski along you play a certain piece of music or a tune. with some of his students; and keyboard May 27, 28 & 29 I thought ‘Dixie’ one of the best tunes I accompanist Larry Crawford. The musical Hundreds of 5th graders from across ever heard… I had heard our adversaries program was sponsored by the Bluegrass central Kentucky will have a field day over the way had attempted to appropriate Arts Association. of history and fun. it. I insisted yesterday that we had fairly The lecture was provided by Dr. W. captured it... I presented the question to the Stephen McBride, Director of Interpretation Attorney-General, and he gave his opinion and Archaeology at Camp Nelson Civil Camp Nelson that it is our lawful prize… I ask the Band War Heritage Park. Dr. McBride discussed Docudrama to give us a good turn upon it.” Lincoln’s role as it related to Camp Nelson. Auditions: April 25 Performance Date: Sept. 19 & 20 “Blow Ye the Trumpets Blow” is an original docudrama written by Georgie Riddell and Donna Phillips. The play is subtitled “The African American Refugees Struggle for Freedom at Camp Nelson During the Civil War.” The first casting call is scheduled for April 25 when auditions will start at 10 a.m. Auditions can be a prepared monologue or read from the script. For more information contact Mary Kozak at (859) 492-3115. Civil War Days Of the Confederate favorite ‘Dixie,’ Lincoln thought it “one of the best tunes I ever September 12 & 13 heard.” Photos courtesy Bluegrass Arts Association.