While Clay County did have some Confederate sympathizers, the area was actually a recruiting ground for the 7th Kentucky Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Very few men from this region served the Confederacy. They had few choices if they wanted to wear the gray. They would have had to go into Tennessee or east into the area of the 13th Kentucky Cavalry, under Ben Caudill, or two of the three Kentucky Mounted Rifle units. Morgan and his men passed through the area during the Kirby Smith excursion, but they noted that the recruiting for their forces in the area was slim. I may be wrong, but there are very few Confederate grave markers in the area. The Harlan, Bell, Whitley, Knox, Laurel, Pulaski, and Rockcastle County area was probably the most loyal to the Union in the entire state and the Bakers and Howards mostly wore the blue. I would suggest that you contact Mike Cox at Hunter Hills School in south Laurel County as he is the self-proclaimed expert on the Civil War in this area. I must admit that my own expertise is centered more in the area of Pike, Floyd, and Letcher Counties, as well as the Virginia counties bordering Kentucky.

Robert