Unsung Heroes - Women During the Civil War

March is Women's History Month. This blog is dedicated to all women and their accomplishments during the Civil War.

During the tumultuous years of the Civil War, women who did not have a right to vote, own property and had few civic liberties of their own, unified in support of the war efforts and assumed an active part. The determination, grit and devotion with which these women served their country was astounding, yet often overlooked.

Women may not have had a voice in the political process or a part in the military actions of the day, but the Union ladies of Greenup, Greenup Co. KY did not hesitate to show their patriotism and voice their opinions to Hon. William C. Ireland, a local Kentucky state representative:

On behalf of Union loving women of Greenupsburg we beg of you to accept the accompaying banner as a slight token of their regard for you as a man and a pariot. Whilst the women of our Country are not permitted to engage in political or military strife, they can approve the acts of the true Statesman and applaud the deeds of the gallant general; excercising this right let us assure you that your course in the Legislative Halls of our noble State meets with our most cordial approbation, and we confidently trust that in the future, as in the past, your efforts may be directed against any measure which may tend to bring the horrors of civil war into Kentucky.
In conclusion let us hope that the present unhappy condition of our beloved country may soon end, and that "not one stripe may be erased nor one star obliterated from our glorious flag.
Believe us
Your friends

Women's patriotism was felt and much appreciated, even in Washington, DC. In January 1862, Congressman John Wadsworth from Mason Co. KY urged Mrs. Ireland and Kate Ross, both from Greenup Co. KY, to travel to the nation's capital, "to give our Presidential Court a little brilliancy." He further stated, "it is a Christian duty urges them them to come here Certainly if they are Union women."

Both Kate Ross, the wife of L. D. Ross, prominent lawyer and furnace owner, of Greenupsburg and Mrs. Parmelia D. Robb Ireland, wife of Hon. William C. Ireland, a state representative and later Provost Marshall from Greenup Co. KY, supported the Union cause with fervor throughout the war.

In September 1862, General George W. Morgan and his 10,000 men strong 7th Division marched from Cumberland Gap to the Ohio River in 16 days and arrived at Greenup on October 3, 1862, starved and half-naked. The soldiers soon found that, "the ladies were baking bread - not ordinary loaves, but nice fine cakes, such as KY ladies delight to spread before chosen guests. One lady, Mrs Ross, baked more than 200 pounds of fine flour, and then, as though regretted that it was not better, spread it out before the Twenty-sixth Brigade, anxious to do still more. The readers can not imagine how well that bread tasted."

Mrs. Ross and Mrs. Ireland also formed the Greenup Aid Society with the other Greenup Union ladies. In 1863, the following women were members:
Mrs. Kate Ross
Mrs. Parmelia D. Robb Ireland
Mrs. Rice
Mrs. Elizabeth Vandyke, wife of Augustus C., Iron manufacturer
Mrs. M. W. Moss
Mrs. Winters
Mrs. Seaton
Mrs. Davidson
Mrs. S. A. Ellis, wife of Dr. Samuel Ellis
Mrs. Myers
Mrs. Pratt
Mrs. Hellen A. DeBard, wife of Dr. A. D Debard
Mrs. Carolina Smutz [Schmitz], wife of John Smutz, a saloon keeper in Greenupsburg. Both were natives of Baden, Germany
Mrs. Culbertson
Mrs. L. H. C. Robb, wife of J. M. Robb, clerk
Mrs. M. A. Rye, wife of merchant H. M. Rye
Miss Hockiday

During the organization of the 14th KY Infantry in the fall of 1861, women found ways to support the soldiers. Charlotte C. Culver, a well-to-do widow in Catlettsburg, made her house and property available to the regiment, perhaps as headquarters or as a hospital.

In October 1861, Elizabeth Pennington, wife of the local miller H. Pennington, was baking for the regiment for two weeks since the soldiers had "no means of baking bread."

Soon, the women were also involved in caring for the sick. An act passed by Congress on Aug. 3, 1861 made their participation, although limited, possible.

AN ACT providing for the better organization of the military establishment...
SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That in general or permanent hospitals female nurses may be substituted for soldiers when, in the opinion of the Surgeon-General or medical officer in charge, it is expedient to do so, the number of female nurses to be indicated by the Surgeon. General or surgeon in charge of the hospital; the nurses so employed to receive forty cents a day and one ration in kind, or by commutation, in lieu of all emoluments except transportation in kind.

Among the women who cared for the sick in the 14th KY in 1861 were Mrs. Elizabeth Steele Frasher, wife of Captain Oliver M. Frasher, Co. C, 14th KY Infantry, as well as Mrs. Hughs, wife of a recruit from Morgan Co. KY, who, in the end, did not make it into the ranks of the regiment.

Many women also organized Soldiers Aid Societies, as in Greenup County. These organizations were instrumental in gathering and distributing items to the hospitals and battlefield.
Not only would the women knit socks and mittens, make uniforms, and distribute blankets and reading material but also took it upon themselves to raise money to support their organizations. Hospitals were supplied with necessities such as crutches, bandages and linens, as well as clothing, pillows, bedticks, even furniture. They also also provided fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, condensed chicken and milk, pickles to aid the recovery of the sick.

During Garfield's Eastern KY Campaign, the Soldiers' Aid Society of Northern Ohio, founded by women in Cleveland, Ohio, as a first of such organization in the nation on April 20, 1861, sent much needed supplies to the 18th Brigade Hospital in Ashland, KY in early 1862, as well as to the regimental hospitals of the 42nd OVI in Paintsville and Louisa, KY.

In February 1862, the patriotic Ladies of Ironton and vicinity contributed two large boxes of goods to the relief of the destitute soldiers of the 14th Kentucky Regiment who were stationed at Paintsville. The boxes contained 27 comfortables, 17 quilts, 8 coverlids, 140 pairs of socks, and some nice mittens, soft flannel shirts, drawers, etc.- One soldier in the regiment remarked that, "the contributions from our Ohio sisters were received with great satisfaction."

The Ironton Soldiers Aid Society also cared for the sick soldiers at the 18th Brigade Hospital in Ashland.
In April 1862, Post Surgeon B. F. Elder acknowledged the receipt of supplies from the following ladies:
To Miss Trumbo, Miss Margaret Trumbo, Mrs. W. H. Kelley, Mrs. A. J. Trumbo, Mrs. J. Trumbo, Ms. C. Austin, Mrs. L. Austin, Mrs. W. Collins, Mrs. W. Kelley, Mrs. Joshua Kelley, Mrs. G. Dovel, Mrs. M. A. Adams -

Ladies: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of boxes and jars containing fruits, chickens, butter, etc. etc. for the use of the sick in this hospital, for all of which we are exceedingly grateful. Please accept our thanks, and those of the sick soldiers under our charge, for the delicacies received.

The ladies provided chickens, cold beef, veal, ham, and chipped beef. Other goods included eggs, butter, milk and rusk [a hard bread] as well as cornbread and mush.

The Brigade Hospital had been set up in the Aldine Hotel in Ashland, an imposing five story structure, built by the Kentucky Iron, Coal & Manufacturing Co. in 1857. Women were hired to do the washing and the sewing society bought 190 yards of muslin to make bedsheets and shirts, and volunteers stitched two afternoons a week.

The ladies of Ashland, Kentucky also took an active part in caring for the sick soldiers.
Mrs. Hannah Weis, wife of Dr. Weis
Mrs. Mahala Warner wife of Larkin Warner, farmer
Mrs. Harrietta Means, wife of John Means, industrialist
Mrs. Narcissa R. Martin, wife of E. W. Martin, cashier at Ashland Bank
Mrs. Mary A. Gore, wife of Thomas Gore, book keeper
Mrs. Mary I. Martin, wife of A. C. Martin, clerk

In 1864, Rebecca Moore Gallup, wife of Colonel George W. Gallup, 14th KY Infantry, commander of the Eastern KY Military District, visited the soldiers in the hospitals.
On April 15, 1864, she wrote, "Mrs Philips has been quite sick. Dr. Philips took me to see those woundid [sic] soldiers. poore [sic] unfortunate men I am sorry for them. I was introduced to him as Mrs Col. G. and he held his hand out and said he was glad to have us come to see him - it cheered him up."

Numerous other aid societies were active during the Civil War throughout the state of Kentucky. In April of 1862, when the 14th KY Infantry arrived in Lexington, the ladies from the city's Soldiers Aid Society, as one soldier noted, "came to our rescue and filled as near as strangers could, the places of mothers and sisters." They supplied food in abundance as well as cared for the sick in the hospital.

Mrs. Ella Dewees Cochran, wife of Col. John C. Cochran, commander of the 14th KY Infantry, who resided with her family near the hospital, "was among the foremost in kind attention to the sick soldiers of the 14th regiment," noted one soldier of the 14th KY.
Mrs. Cochran was a very patriotic woman and took a great interest in the events that were taking place. "She is a Heroic Woman", praised one of the officers in the 14th Ky Infantry, "and Says She does not want the Col to Resign as long as there is a Vestige of the Old Flag Remains."

Some of the women chose to share their husband's fate and accompanied them during their service in the field, even if it was sometimes just for short periods of time. Mrs. Rebecca Moore Gallup and Mrs. Anna Frederick Mims, wife of Captain David Mims, 14th KY Infantry, visited their husbands at Cumberland Gap during the summer of 1862. Clarissa Keeton, wife of James Keeton as well as John Kitchen's wife Mary were in camp visiting their husbands in the 14th KY Infantry while the regiment was stationed at Danville, KY during the winter months of 1862/1863. Mary Kitchen also accompanied the men on their march to Louisville, caring for James Poe, a wounded soldier.

At times, these women would become unwilling participants of important military events as was the case with Anna Meachum, wife of 14th KY Assistant Surgeon Dr. Franklin Meachum. When Morgan's Division evacuated Cumberland Gap in September 1862, attempting to march to the Ohio River, Dr. Meachum voluntarily remained behind, caring for the sick in the hospital. His wife, who was eight months pregnant and not able, for obvious reasons, to make the march with the soldiers, remained with her husband and was accordingly captured by the Confederates. She remained at Cumberland Gap where she gave birth to a healthy son on October 28, 1862.

Ten other women, however, accompanied Morgan's Division on their
march from Cumberland Gap and endured the same hardships as the men. One of them was Sarah Taylor.

In general, women were not allowed to serve in the army but Sarah Taylor, 18 year old step-daughter of Captain Dowden of the 1st Tennessee Infantry, was one of the few exceptions. When the Civil War began she was determined to follow her step-father into the service and served as daughter of the 1st Tennessee Infantry, sharing with the men all the dangers and hardships. According to a contemporary writer, Sarah Taylor became "quite the idol of the Tennessee boys". Mounted on a horse, she carried a highly finished regulation sword and two silver-mounted pistols in her belt, being a master of both type of weapons. Their uniforms were often very similar to the uniforms of the field music of the regiment. As the “daughter of the regiment”, these women commanded the respect of soldiers in ways that other types of camp followers could not.
Though non-essential to fighting regiments, they performed some important duties and gave a wounded or sick soldier immediate attention. In some known instances they carried the colors into battle for their regiment.

Also accompanying Morgan's Division were a group of women refugees who had fled their homes in Barboursville to escape the invading Confederate forces under Kirby Smith. Amelia Cain White Adams was the wife of Captain George Madison Adams and mother of Major Hugh W. Adams, both members of the 7th KY Infantry who served under Gen. George W. Morgan. She was accompanied by her daughters Kate White Adams, Jennie Ballinger, Sallie Letcher and Sue Joplin, with a year-old baby, George Joplin, as well as a nurse and the family’s faithful servant Hiram. After an all night ride, the group was finally able to join Morgan's column near Manchester, KY.
The identity of the remaining three women is at this point unknown which continued research may uncover.

Circumstances during the Civil War forced women to abandon their more traditional roles as wives and mothers, tending to their families. Now Women worked to manufacture arms, ammunition, uniforms, and other supplies for the soldiers. On the home front, they took the place of their husbands and tended to their farms, ploughing, planting crops and harvesting and took care of their live stock. Often left on their own without the protection of their husbands and sons, they were subjects to raids by contending armies as well as guerrilla bands.

America Marshall, wife of William "Doby Bill" Marshall's of Co. D, 14th KY lived with her family on Brushy Fork of Gun Creek in Magoffin Co. KY. The house had been searched a number of times for food, clothing and money. She finally augured a hole in the wall of their log house and put her money in it. Then she drove a peg into the wall and hung her washtub over the spot to keep the soldiers from finding the money.

Frances Elam, mother of Lt. Richard M. Elam of Co. I, 14th KY Infantry, lived on the family farm at Gordon Ford in Horse Shoe Bend of the Licking River in Morgan Co. KY. Due to the family's Union sympathies the farm was raided and Richard’s mother driven off. "they have taken all of our stock and has run Mother away from home and now she is at Portsmouth Ohio and is doing well ther[sic]," noted her son in December 1862.

The Civil War effected all the women in this country on some level and even more so in Kentucky. Regardless of what roles women assumed, their contributions made an enormous impact and proved invaluable to the war effort. Their patriotism, and sacrifices as well as their triumphs should never be forgotten.

A Masterful Retreat

During the Civil War, several armies passed through Owsley County, among them the Union command of Gen. George W. Morgan as it retreated from Cumberland Gap to Greenup, Kentucky in 1862. Kentucky Historical Marker # 645, located on the courthouse lawn in Booneville, titled "A Masterful Retreat", reminds passers-by in a few simple words of one of the most extraordinary events of the Civil War.

During Bragg's massive invasion of Kentucky in late summer of 1862, General George W. Morgan and his 7th Division, Army of the Ohio, ran the gauntlet of 200+ miles from Cumberland Gap by way of Manchester, Booneville, and West Liberty, following in part the "Old Warrior Path", an old forgotten trail used by the Indians, to Greenup on the Ohio River. Morgan marched his men through the barren Eastern Kentucky Mountains with barely any food and water while being harassed in his front, rear and flanks by Confederate Cavalry under John Hunt Morgan and his famed Raiders. Obstructions were overcome and the enemy bravely met whenever he offered battle.


After evacuating the Gap during the night of September 17, 1862, George W. pressed his division on to Manchester, via Cumberland Ford and Flat Lick. On September 21, after allowing his men adequate rest, Morgan left camp at the Goose Creek Salt Works near Manchester and proceeded on his way to Proctor on the Kentucky River, at which point the road to Greenup and Maysville diverged. Reaching Morris' Farm, Morgan divided his troops into two columns - Spears' and DeCourcy's Brigades took the hill road directly to Proctor while Carter's and Baird's Brigades marched via Booneville to Proctor.
By 9 p.m., the last of Morgan's column had left Manchester.

The following morning, September 22, DeCourcy's and Spears' brigades were slowly marching toward Proctor until 10 a.m. and rested until 5 p.m., when their column was set in motion again. Sometime during the march, Confederate cavalry suddenly made its appearance in the rear, capturing 9 men from the 3rd TN Infantry who had straggled off in search of something to eat. When the Confederate cavalry came on again, they were successfully repulsed by the 42nd OVI, which was guarding the rear. The column marched until 10 p.m. when the men were finally allowed to camp for the night, about 19 miles from Manchester.

Meanwhile, Baird's Brigade, with Carter's lagging behind, had proceeded from Clark's before daylight. After marching all day, the troops finally went into camp on the Red Bird Fork of the Kentucky River, in an open field and orchard, near a farm house, which was occupied by Baird and his staff. Col. Coburn of the 33rd IND Infantry took a fence-corner as his bedchamber, which the 14th KY Infantry in less than an hour "turned out to graze" by simply relieving that corner, and many others, of its fence rails. Coburn told the Kentuckians not to take away the ground and went back to sleep...but he did not get to enjoy it for long. The old farmer had a lot of geese which soon were heard squalling and flying over the camp and making more noise than would have waked Rome. Alarmed by the noise, General Baird became nervous about a string of about 30 bee-hives which flanked the path from the house to the gate-way. He sent word to Coburn to have them guarded and a sentinel was posted but no rest was to be had that night.

Only minutes later, Coburn was ordered to take the 33rd Indiana to Booneville to prevent the local mill from being destroyed by the Confederates. Word had been received that none other than John Hunt Morgan had burned the steam mill at Proctor and destroyed all the provisions in town. During the day, Morgan had arrived at Irvine, 18 miles from Proctor, with orders from Kirby Smith to assume command of all the cavalry in that section and to destroy all mills and grain in the Manchester area. Realizing that he was too late to accomplish this particular objective, he set out for Proctor instead, laying waste to mill and forage that Federal Morgan and his men so desperately needed. The possibility that he would attempt to do the same at Booneville were better than great. No time was to be lost - the honey guard was taken off immediately and the men moved out. After a forced night march, the 33rd Indiana arrived in town during the early morning hours of September 23 - the old wheels of the mill were still rattling, making "merry music to the ears of the hungry".

Coburn's march undoubtedly saved the mill at Booneville. John Hunt Morgan appeared to be near town when the Federals arrived, as his dispatch to Kirby Smith reveals, informing his commander that "the forces from Cumberland Gap passed through Booneville." Morgan also reported that he had captured several prisoners of the command who informed their captors that George W. Morgan's column was attempting to reach Maysville.

Little did Confederate Morgan realize that he had been fooled by a well-conceived plan by Federal Morgan. Before leaving Manchester, Morgan had directed Captain George M. Adams, his Division Commissary, to send an officer with an escort of 2 or 3 of Mundy's Cavalry, toward Mount Sterling, with written authority to buy whatever supplies could be found, deceiving the Confederates about his true intentions. Fully aware that they might be captured, the men set out - and the plan worked.

Upon receiving John Hunt Morgan's dispatch, Kirby Smith ordered all his available troops to concentrate at Mt. Sterling, expecting Federal Morgan's troops to pass through town on their way to Maysville. He would use Morgan's Cavalry force to slow the Federal advance long enough to collect all his forces at Mt. Sterling in a timely manner to mount an attack on Morgan.

Back in Booneville, the remainder of Baird's brigade as well as Carter's, with the wagon train and the heavy artillery, had filed into town by four o'clock in the afternoon, "a small place, though it is the Co. seat of Owsley Co.", as one member of the 49th Indiana Infantry remarked.

Accompanying Baird's and Carter's troops were about 120 men of the 4th East TN Cavalry who, upon their arrival at Booneville, paid a visit to Huram Evans and his family. Evans owned a fine horse which was promptly requisitioned. A voucher for the animal, worth $100, was issued to Evans by Maj. Luther M. Blackman, quartermaster of the unit.

While in town, the men rested up, collected supplies, and ate supper. By 9 p.m. the column resumed its march to Proctor. Soon the waning daylight made it too difficult and dangerous to proceed any further over the rough road and steep hills and orders were given to halt, with Carter's Brigade bivouacking within three miles of Proctor.

While Carter and Baird had reached Booneville, DeCourcy's Brigade had passed Burning Spring in the morning and after a march of 9 miles halted at Big Spring. Here the last rations were issued, consisting of a pound or two each of flour, sugar, and coffee for each mess. The soldiers baked some bread and cooked up some coffee before they started again at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The column slowly wound its way to Proctor on the Kentucky River, a distance of 16 miles, having yet another encounter with Morgan's Cavalry which successfully managed to capture a small herd of beef cattle that had been driven in the rear of the column. Morgan then by-passed the Federal column and proceeded to Proctor, coolly awaiting the Federals' arrival. Finally, DeCourcy filed into town at 8 o'clock at night, nearly famished for water. John Hunt Morgan fell back to Irvine.

The following day, September 24, Morgan's two columns finally united at Proctor. Finding the mill burned by J. H. Morgan and all supplies destroyed, the command remained in town only for a few hours. Fully expecting to be attacked at this point, General Morgan threw a brigade and a battery across the KY River and carefully pondered his next move.

A decision was made quickly. Instead of turning toward Mt. Sterling, he chose to proceed on the more difficult path - through the mountains and on to Hazel Green. Once again, the Division was divided. DeCourcy and Spears were to move on the Ridge Road, which was then completely destitute of water. Carter and Baird, as well as Capt. Patterson with his sappers and miners from the Engineers Corps, plus the wagon trains and heaviest artillery, were to march on the North Fork Road, which had water but which had been greatly damaged and in parts destroyed from the torrents of the previous year. The two columns were to meet at Hazel Green, a distance of 25 miles from Proctor.

At 10 a.m., DeCourcy's brigade was the first to leave Proctor and by 3 p.m. the last of Morgan's troops filed out of town. After marching 1 1/2 miles, Carter's men came up with the train of Baird's Brigade and found the narrow road so blocked by it that he was compelled to camp there for the night.

Soon after George W. Morgan's departure for Hazel Green, John Hunt Morgan once again returned to Proctor with his cavalry to renew his pursuit of the Federal column.



Passing through Compton in the early afternoon on September 25, DeCourcy's and Spears' brigades reached Hazel Green late in the evening and camped in a meadow above the town, near the future Hazel Green Academy and set about to collect and obtain forage for the hungry soldiers.

Meanwhile, Carter's and Baird's brigades struggled on their way down the North Fork Road. Water could be found, but only in stagnant pools or climbing down 100 foot cliffs.
Due to the broken country and rough road which was considered impassable by the inhabitants of the area, the trains caused much delay. Finally, after a 10 mile march, Carter and Baird had reached the North Fork of the KY River in the late afternoon and went into camp.

The following morning, September 26, Carter and Baird were faced with more problems. Part of the road had been washed away and a new one needed to be constructed to allow safe passage. Successfully accomplishing this task, the brigades began ascending a mountain with the trains and batteries. Regiments were required to stack arms and lift wagons and guns over the more difficult parts of the ascent.

To add to the difficulties, John Hunt Morgan's Cavalry had swung around the Federals and commenced blockading every suitable point of the road in their front with felled trees and rocks. But Morgan's Raiders were no match to Patterson's Pioneers. A number of wagons were loaded with axes and shovels which were distributed among the regiments and in just a short time the obstructions were removed. Slowly, but steadily, Carter's and Baird's Brigades wound their way through the mountains and on to Hazel Green which was reached at midnight. Exhausted, the men went into bivouac.

Morgan's march to the Ohio River continued for another seven days. Passing through West Liberty and Sandy Hook, his division finally reached Grayson on October 1, despite blockaded roads and attacks by John Hunt Morgan's cavalry, as well as shortness of food stuffs - even the paw-paws had been exhausted. When the famished soldiers discovered some oak trees, the bitter acorns were picked up and devoured like delicacies.

At Grayson, a disappointed John Hunt Morgan finally gave up his pursuit, remarking, "Tis no use trying to stop that damned Yankee Morgan, for he can march over fallen trees faster than I can in good roads, and can take artillery where the devil can't go".



Finally, on October 3, Greenup and the Ohio River began looming up in the distance. The 42nd OVI unfurled their two beautiful banners and Morgan's column, the "lost Division", marched with firm and steady step into town, welcomed by hearty cheers, families lining the street, women offering food and drink to the footsore, faint and hungry men.

Thus ended one of the most daring and spectacular military actions of the Civil War to take place in Kentucky. 28 pieces of artillery were brought through the mountains, including a siege battery, plus 120 army wagons. The fact that General Morgan had accomplished this task with only a loss of 80 men, 4 wagons and none of his artillery pieces, is a credit to his abilities as a General but even more so a high tribute to the perseverance of the 10,000 men who served under his command and the ten women who participated on this march.

© 2003 by Marlitta H. Perkins
us14thky@hotmail.com

Originally published in 2003 in the South Fork Country News, newsletter of the Owsley County Historical Society, Kentucky.