7th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 7th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry


dates= September 22, 1861 to October 5, 1864
country= United States
allegiance= Union
branch= Infantry
equipment=
battles=Battle of Camp Wildcat
Cumberland Gap
Battle of Richmond
Battle of Perryville
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
Battle of Arkansas Post
Battle of Port Gibson
Battle of Jackson
Battle of Champion Hill
Battle of Big Black River Bridge
Siege of Vicksburg, May 19 & 22 assaults

The 7th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

ervice

The regiment was organized at Camp Dick Robinson and mustered in for a three year enlistment on September 22, 1861. It was mustered in as the 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. Another regiment was also mustered in as the 3rd Kentucky, so the designation was changed. Despite the change, members of the regiment continued to refer to it as the 3rd Kentucky Infantry (or "Old 3rd") well into 1863.

While at Cumberland Gap, supplies ran desperately low. General George W. Morgan ordered a handpicked detachment of 400 men be mounted on artillery and supply wagon horses, and move toward Lexington, Kentucky to obtain supplies. Colonel Garrard was with these men at a small skirmish at the mouth of Bear Creek. Garrard then left the detachment in the command of Major Isaac N. Cardwell. These men rode into the Battle of Richmond, and were scattered by a rear attack from Scott's Louisiana Cavalry. Some returned to their homes in eastern Kentucky, others rejoined the army at Cumberland Gap, and a small number retreated with the Union forces to Lexington and then to Louisville. Enough men remained to form one company from the 7th Kentucky, one company from the 32nd Kentucky, and one company from the 3rd Tennessee to form Garrard's Detachment at Louisville. (Garrard joined the shattered remains of General William "Bull" Nelson's army at Louisville.) Many men of the 7th Kentucky were captured and paroled at Richmond, and ordered to report to Cincinnati to await exchange.

The 7th Kentucky Infantry mustered out of service in Louisville, Kentucky on October 5, 1864. On December 24, 1864, veterans of the 7th Kentucky, 19th Kentucky, and 22nd Kentucky who reenlisted were organized with new recruits as the 7th Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This unit mustered out on March 11, 1866. It spent the majority of service on garrison duty in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Detailed Service Timeline

"'Thomas's Command, Army of the Ohio, to January 1862
ordered to Mt. Vernon, Kentucky, October 1861
Battle of Camp Wildcat, October 21, 1861
duty at Mt. Vernon until March 1862

"'12th Brigade, 1st Division, Army the Ohio, to March 1862
reconnaissance toward Cumberland Gap and skirmishes, March 21-23, 1862

"'24th Brigade, 7th Division, Army of the Ohio, to October 1862
Cumberland Gap Campaign, March 28-June 18, 1862
occupation of Cumberland Gap, June 18-September 16, 1862
evacuation of Cumberland Gap and retreat to Greenupsburg, September 16-October 3, 1862
expedition to Charleston, West Virginia, October 21-November 10, 1862

"'3rd Brigade, District of West Virginia, Department of the Ohio, to November 1862
Battle of Richmond, August 29-30, 1862 [part]
march from Louisville, October 1-7, 1862
Battle of Perryville, October 8, 1862 [part]
ordered to Memphis, November 10, 1862

"'2nd Brigade, 9th Division, Right Wing, 13th Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to December 1862
duty at Memphis until December 20, 1862

"'2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, to January 1863
Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, December 20, 1862-January 2, 1863
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, December 26-28, 1862
Battle of Chickasaw Bluff, December 29, 1862
expedition to Arkansas Post, January 3-10, 1863
assault and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, January 10-11, 1863
moved to Young's Point, Louisiana, January 15-23, 1863

"'2nd Brigade, 9th Division, 13th Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to February 1863

"'1st Brigade, 9th Division, 13th Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to July 1863
duty at Young's Point until March 1863
moved to Milliken's Bend, March 8, 1863
operations from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage, March 31-April 17, 1863
James Plantation, near New Carthage, April 6-8, 1863
Dunbar's Plantation, Bayou Vidal, April 15, 1863
expedition from Perkins' Plantation to Hard Times Landing, April 25-29, 1863
Phelps' and Clark's Bayous, April 26, 1863
Choctaw Bayou and Lake Bruin, April 28, 1863
Battle of Port Gibson, May 1, 1863
Battle of Jackson, May 14, 1863
Battle of Champion Hill, May 16, 1863
Battle of Big Black River Bridge, May 17, 1863
Siege of Vicksburg, May 18-July 4, 1863
assault on Vicksburg, May 19 and May 22, 1863

"'3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 13th Corps, Department of the Tennessee
advance on Jackson, July 5-10, 1863
near Clinton, July 8, 1863
near Jackson, July 9, 1863
Siege of Jackson, July 10-17, 1863

Department of the Gulf, to November 1863
ordered to New Orleans, August 13, 1863
duty at Carrollton, Brashear City, and Berwick until October 1863
Western Louisiana Campaign, October 3-November 20, 1863

District of Baton Rouge, Department of the Gulf, to March 1864
duty at Plaquemine until March 1864
moved to Baton Rouge, March 23, 1864

"'2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 13th Corps, to June 1864

"'1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 19th Corps, to December 1864
duty at Baton Rouge until October 1864
at mouth of White River and Duvall's Bluff, October 6-November 10, 1864
muster out, Louisville, December 24, 1864

Casualties

The 7th Kentucky lost a total of 319 men during service; 3 officers and 40 enlisted men were killed and mortally wounded, 2 officers and 274 enlisted men died from disease.

Commanders

*Colonel Theophilus T. Garrard

ee also

*List of Kentucky Civil War Units

External links

* [http://www.7thkentucky.org/modules/news/ 7th Kentucky, Inc.] - a living history organization; includes unit history, biographical information, and military records
* [http://www.geocities.com/civil_war_in_ky/7th-KY.html History, photographs, historical sketch, table of battles, and roll of honor]
* [http://kydgi.ky.gov:2005/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Flags&CISOPTR=38&CISOBOX=1&REC=3 Kentucky Historical Society] - image of the 7th Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry national colors
* [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kymercer/CivilWar/Union/7inf/ Alphabetical roster of the 7th Kentucky taken from Thomas Speed's "Union Regiments of Kentucky"]