No one here discusses the real history of the guerrillas who after the rebellion was over claimed to be part of the 10th Ky. I realize we all want to glorify the service of our ancestors but someone should speak to the truth. (I have 3 ancestors who claimed they were with the 10th, or May's Bn, or Diamond's Bn.) this was NOT a unit recognized either by the Confederate Government nor the Confederate military. It was a group of men band together for many differing purposes. Some good soldiers who fought with the Real 5th Ky wanted to band together to protect themselves from the Union Home Guard units and arrest by the military adjutants combing the area. MANY others were deserters, bandits, and even thugs who made the entire area a hell hole.

Please be aware of the horrible cost paid the the people of Eastern Kentucky because of the rebellion. A Union military adjutant reported in May 1865 that not a single man dared live on his farm for fear of roving bandits operating under the guise of military units. Murder, vendetta, and banditry reduced the people to utter destitution and near starvation. The adjutant reported that the women and children were dressed in rags, some even naked, and were so enured to their situation that they had no shame in their nakedness! The war fought in the mountains bore no relationship to that on the fields of Virginia. It was merciless, pitiless, and steeped in blood. i could find you dozens of examples of atrocities committed (by both sides), and a disportionate number by the men of the partisan guerrilla band you are writing about. Murder, banditry, emasculation, executions of prisoners are a few i can report to you.

Some of these men were trying to band together to protect hearth and home and found themselves caught up in bad times. Many others took advantage of the chaos to do their worst. Please take care against perpetuating a false glorification of a war that devastated the people of Eastern Kentucky. Remember the madness didn't reach the area until Sept of 1861 (long after the war was well under way) when one crazy old man with a shotgun started taking potshots at a Union company marching through West Liberty. He was given three warnings to quit and the company commander asked the people to restrain him. After his third shot a squad returned fire and killed him. Overnight a peaceful region was beset with hatred, anger, lies, propaganda, and the madness began. A preacher led a mob to chase his own brother out of Morgan County because rumor had it he voted for Lincoln. (Morgan County had zero votes for Lincoln!) In no time the entire area was a hell hole of violence... Funny thing is, before all the outsiders brought in their insanity Morgan County was a peaceable place with only one hanging ever recorded.

I'm asking that you look at the facts and not rehash the false "Lost Cause" myth of every man being a chivalrous knight and every woman a Southron belle... A GREAT place to get an idea of the area is to google Marlitta Perkins. She is a wonderful local historian who has written a dozen unbiased articles using and sources.

Thanks, and remember I too have family members who fought with this group. One was nicknamed "Kukluck" because of his activites after the war in Menifee County.