The Georgia in the Civil War Message Board

Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign

The reorganization described in my post took place immediately after the Kentucky Campaign. Other changes took place later.

Official Records of the War of the Rebellion are available to you to research from Cornell University.
http://dlxs2.library.cornell.edu/m/moawar/waro.html

Series 1 - Volume 16 (Part II) mentions Generals Heth and Leadbetter quite often, but exact composition of Kirby Smith's Army of Kentucky is not stated. During September 1862, Confederate correspondence places Heth's two brigades (Leadbetter and Davis) at Frankfort, Georgetown, Paris and Mount Sterling. Here are a few examples from the period June to September 1862 -

page 707

KNOXVILLE, TENN., June 25, 1862.

Col. E. P. WATKINS, Commanding Georgia Brigade:
COLONEL: The major-general commanding directs me to inform you that you will hold your brigade, composed of your own and Colonel Johnsons regiments, in readiness, with one day's cooked rations, to proceed by railroad to-morrow morning at 7.30 oclock. You will have your command at the depot precisely at that hour. Wagons will be at your camp at 6 a. m. to transport the baggage of your command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. L. CLAY, Assistant Adjutant- General.

RICHMOND, June 25, 1862.

General E. KIRBY SMITH, Knoxville, Tenn.:
Brigadier-General Heth has been ordered to report to you for duty at Chattanooga and I hope is en route. I esteem him very highly and am sure he will meet your requirements. Re-enforcements to a larger extent than the number named by you have been ordered to Chattanooga, and I will enleavor still further to increase your command.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

page 708

KNOXVILLE TENN., June 26 1862

Brig. Gen. D. LEADBETTER, Commanding, Ohattanooga, Tenn.: Watkins' and Johnson's regiments sent this morning to report to you. Colonel Gillespie's regiment at Charleston [Tenn.] can be ordered up as an additional re-enforcement when absolutely necessary.
H. L. CLAY, Assistant Adjutant-General.

page 723

Maj. Gen. JOHN P. McCOWN, KNOXVILLE, TENN., July 7, 1862.
Commanding, Chattanooga, Tenn.:

Your military district embraces counties of Marion, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Rhea, Hamilton, Meigs, Bradley, McMinn, and Polk. Your command will consist of Brigadier-General Heth's division and your own troops.

R L. CLAY, Assistant Adjutant-General.

page 745

KNOXVILLE, TENN., August 7, 1862.
Brig. Gen. HENRY HETH, Commanding Second Division:

GENERAL: Inclosed is a copy of a dispatch received this morning from General Stevenson, from which it will be seen that he is in no need of re-enforcements. A communication from General Leadbetter to Colonel Grade was brought to these headquarters this morning, and was returned to those officers (Leadbetter and Gracie) with an indorsement countermanding the order for the movement to support General Stevenson. The major-general commanding directs that the brigades of General Leadbetter and Colonel Gracie resume the position originally assigned them before moving toward Tazewell.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. F. BELTON, Assistant Adjutant-General.

page 755

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE, Knoxville, Tenn., August 13, 1862.
General BRAXTON BRAGG, Chattanooga, Tenn.:

GENERAL: I leave here to-night and will reach Big Creek Gap on Friday. On Saturday night I will cross the mountains by Rogers' Gap with four brigades of infantry, 6,000 strong, and march direct upon Cumberland Ford. At the same time Heth, with the artillery and subsistence trains and two brigades, moves by Big Creek Gap upon Barboursville, and Stevenson moves up and takes position close to the Gap in front. Scott, with 900 cavalry and a battery of mountain howitzers, left Kingston yesterday and should reach London, Ky., on Sunday. I inclose a sketch of the scene of my operations. In order to arrange about supplying myself while I am in rear of Cumberland Gap I respectfully request to know the probable time I will have to wait there before you are ready for me to move upon Lexington. I would suggest that before I move far into Kentucky Forrest with his cavalry be ordered to destroy the railway bridges north of Nashville, which are not guarded, as then Buell could not possibly fall back rapidly enough to interfere with me. The nature of the country and the distance between us of course renders his marching up in time entirely impracticable. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. KIRBY SMITH, Major-General, Commanding.

page 812

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KENTUCKY Lexington, Ky., September 11, 1862.
General HENRY HETH, Commanding, & c.:

GENERAL: Your letter of yesterday, partially in cipher, is received. The general commanding says that in view of the fact that General Marshall will not probably be within supporting distance of you for a week or ten days, and of the small force of men you have with you as compared with the force of the enemy, you will not now risk a battle with the enemy, but will, if you can safely do so, withdraw to the vicinity of Williardstown and Falmouth. Colonel Morgan has just been ordered to report to you without delay with a part of his command. Vaughan's brigade, of Smith's division, is ordered to halt for the present at Paris, Leadbetter's and Davis' at Frankfort. The enemy were expected to be last evening at Taylorsville, 8,000 strong. Cannonading reported in that direction this morning. The reports are believed by the general commanding to be exaggerated.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. PEGRAM, Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KENTUCKY,
General D. LEADBETTER, Lexinqton, Ky., September 11, 1862. Commanding Forces en route for Frankfort:

GENERAL: Instead of proceeding to Georgetown, as previously directed, the general commanding orders that you will for the present, with your brigade and that of Colonel Davis, take post at Frankfort, Ky. A courier from Colonel Starnes, who has just arrived from Taylorsville, reports that yesterday evening the enemy were in some force at that place. They are said to be eight regiments of infantry and to have come from Bloomfield. The general thinks the report exaggerated, and leaves it to your discretion what course to pursue with regard to that force. He wishes you to have the country well examined in front of Frankfort and frequent reports sent him as to the movements of the enemy. You are authorized to call upon any cavalry within your vicinity to aid you in obeying the above instructions.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. PEGRAM, Chief of Staff.

page 838

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, Ky., September 17, 1862.
General HENRY HETH, Commanding the Advance:

GENERAL: The general commanding wishes your withdrawal to be a very slow movement, as he wishes you to give as much time as possible to our sympathizers in the border counties to organize themselves. He especially wishes you to leave none of the sick behind you, but that you first send all who may be scattered around at the farm-houses and who can be possibly moved to the rear. He wishes you to occupy Cynthiana as well as Georgetown and Paris. Marshall will be within your support in a day or two. None of us at all credit the boasting reports contained in yesterdays papers from General McClellans army.

I am, sir, respectfully,
JNO. PEGRAM, Chief of Staff

page 864

HEADQUARTER5 ARMY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, Ky., September 22, 1862.
Brig. Gen. D. LEADBETTER:

GENERAL: Information has been received at these headquarters that there are quite a number of Home Guards in the neighborhood of Georgetown. The major-general commanding directs that you take immediate steps to have their arms brought in and the men paroled. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. P. PRATT, Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Page 870

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, Ky., September 24, 1862.
Brig. Gen. HUMPHREY MARSHALL, Commanding C. S. Forces, Mount Sterling, Ky.:

GENERAL: General Leadbetter's brigade, 1,600 strong, has left Georgetown for Paris, where it will be in supporting distance of you at Mount Sterling. You should establish a line of couriers to that point. Colonel Morgan has only a few hundred newly organized Kentucky cavalry. He should be re-enforced by all your disposable cavalry force. Obstructions should be placed on General Morgan's road, and he be delayed as long as possible. Should he move on Mount Sterling you must hold him in check until you can be re-enforced. You can call upon General Leadbetter whenever you need assistance. Should General Morgan turn off at Proctor and make for Salyersville and Louisa he should be pushed by the cavalry, and General Loring, on the Kanawha, notified by a trusty messenger of his line of retreat.

Your obedient servant,
E. KIRBY SMITH, Major-General, Commanding.

Messages In This Thread

56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign
Re: 56th Georgia Infantry in the Kentucky Campaign