The American Civil War was a conflict that saw more than 100,000 Kentucky residents take up arms. Of those, 75,000 joined the Union army and 25,000 enlisted in the Confederate forces. In addition, 20,000 of the Union soldiers were African-American. Sadly, nearly 30,000 of these brave men and women lost their lives in the war.
Kentucky's stance on the war was initially one of neutrality. However, in September 1861, a pro-Union element gained control of the legislature and the state never seceded from the Union. Despite this, there was still a strong pro-Confederate presence in Kentucky. The service records of these soldiers can be found in both the FamilySearch Library and the National Archives. The National Archives in Washington D.
C. holds all of the records for those who served in both the Union and Confederate armies. In 1862, the Kentucky General Assembly declared that President Lincoln's assumption of power was unconstitutional and that it had a tendency to subordinate civil authority to military authority. This resolution was passed to protect citizens' rights and preserve constitutional and free government. The information for Kentucky's military units can be found on the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors website. The American Civil War was an incredibly significant event in United States history, and it is estimated that over 2 million people fought in it. Of those, an estimated 100,000 were from Kentucky.
Of those 100,000, 75,000 joined the Union army and 25,000 enlisted in the Confederate forces. Additionally, 20,000 of the Union soldiers were African-American. The state of Kentucky initially declared neutrality during the war but eventually sided with the Union after a pro-Union element gained control of the legislature in September 1861. Despite this, there was still a strong pro-Confederate presence in Kentucky. The service records of these soldiers can be found in both the FamilySearch Library and the National Archives. This resolution was passed to protect citizens' rights and preserve constitutional and free government. The information for Kentucky's military units can be found on the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors website. Sadly, nearly 30,000 of these brave men and women lost their lives during this conflict. It is important to remember their sacrifice as we reflect on this period of history.
