The Battle of Camp Wildcat (also known as Wildcat Mountain and Camp Wild Cat) was one of the early engagements of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

(Civil War). It occurred October 21, 1861, in northern

Laurel County, Kentucky Laurel County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,613. Its county seat is London. After a special election in January 2016 alcohol sales are permitted only ...

during the campaign known as the Kentucky Confederate Offensive or Operations in Eastern Kentucky (1861).This should not be confused with the 1862

Confederate Heartland Offensive The Confederate Heartland Offensive (August 14 – October 10, 1862), also known as the Kentucky Campaign, was an American Civil War campaign conducted by the Confederate States Army in Tennessee and Kentucky where Generals Braxton Bragg and ...

or Kentucky Campaign. The battle is considered one of the first Union victories of the Civil War, and marked the second engagement of troops in the Commonwealth of

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

Background

Kentucky neutrality

On April 15, 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil War,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

called upon the States remaining in the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

to provide volunteers to suppress the insurrection in the seven StatesAlabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. which had seceded from the Union by that date. Eicher, David J. ''The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. . p. 53. Pro-Confederate

Kentucky Governor The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-el ...

Beriah Magoffin Beriah Magoffin (April 18, 1815 – February 28, 1885) was the 21st Governor of Kentucky, serving during the early part of the Civil War. Personally, Magoffin adhered to a states' rights position, including the right of a state to secede from t ...

refused to send troops, but since the majority of the members of the

Kentucky General Assembly The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It comprises the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets annually in the ...

were pro-Union, Lincoln's call for volunteers did not prompt the State to secede.Hearn, Chester G. ''The Civil War State by State''. Devon: RedBlue Press, 2011. Maps by Mike Marino. . p. 157.Four more States, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, did soon secede. On May 16, a Kentucky legislative committee recommended that the State remain neutral in the conflict and Governor Magoffin proclaimed the State's neutrality on May 20. In elections on August 5, 1861, Kentucky voters returned a veto-proof majority of pro-Union members to the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

and

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

. On August 6, 1861,

Camp Dick Robinson In mid-May 1861, U. S. Navy lieutenant William "Bull" Nelson armed Kentuckians loyal to the Union and that soon became the foundation for his receiving authority to enlist 10,000 troops for a campaign into East Tennessee. On August 6, 1861, those r ...

, a Union camp, was established near Lexington. On September 2, 1861, the Kentucky General Assembly raised the

U.S. flag The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the c ...

over the

Kentucky State Capitol The Kentucky State Capitol is located in Frankfort and is the house of the three branches (executive, legislative, judicial) of the state government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic P ...

at Frankfort.Long, 1971, p. 114.

Confederate movements

On September 3, 1861, Confederate

Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Leonidas Polk Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk (April 10, 1806 – June 14, 1864) was a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and founder of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America, which separated from the Episcopal Chur ...

ordered

Brig. Gen. Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Gideon Pillow Gideon Johnson Pillow (June 8, 1806 – October 8, 1878) was an American lawyer, politician, speculator, slaveowner, United States Army major general of volunteers during the Mexican–American War and Confederate brigadier general in the Americ ...

to seize

Columbus, Kentucky Columbus is a home rule-class city in Hickman County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 170 at the 2010 census, a decline from 229 in 2000. The city lies at the western end of the state, less than a mile from the Mississippi Ri ...

on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

before Union forces could do so. This ended Kentucky's neutrality, led to Union

Ulysses S. Grant's seizure of

Paducah, Kentucky Paducah ( ) is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky. The largest city in the Jackson Purchase region, it is located at the confluence of the Tennessee and the Ohio rivers, halfway between St. Louis, Missour ...

on September 6, 1861, and other military movements and actions by both Union and Confederate armies in Kentucky soon afterwards. Brig. Gen.

Felix Zollicoffer Felix Kirk Zollicoffer (May 19, 1812 – January 19, 1862) was an American newspaperman, slave owner, politician, and soldier. A three-term United States Congressman from Tennessee, an officer in the United States Army, and a Confederate brigad ...

's Confederates had moved from

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

to push from the

Cumberland Gap The Cumberland Gap is a pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, within the Appalachian Mountains, near the junction of the U.S. states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. It is famous in American colonial history for its rol ...

into central Kentucky in an effort to gain control of that important border state. On September 14, 1861, ten days after his 5,400-man force left their base, Zollicoffer occupied the

and took a position at the Cumberland Ford (near present-day

Pineville, Kentucky Pineville () is a home rule-class city in Bell County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 1,732 as of the 2010 census. It is located on a small strip of land between the Cumberland River and Pine Mountain ...

) to counter Unionist activity in the area, where Union supporters had been organizing and training recruits from Kentucky and east Tennessee at Camp Andrew Johnson near

Barbourville, Kentucky Barbourville is a home rule-class city in Knox County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 3,165 at the 2010 census, down from 3,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city was formally established by ...

Battle of Barboursville and aftermath

On September 19, 1861, Zollicoffer sent about 800 men under Col. Joel A. Battle against Camp Andrew Johnson, which had largely been vacated, with the Union recruits having moved to nearby Camp Dick Robinson, where several thousand Federal troops were gathered under the command of Brig. Gen.

George H. Thomas George Henry Thomas (July 31, 1816March 28, 1870) was an American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and one of the principal commanders in the Western Theater. Thomas served in the Mexican–American War and later chose ...

. As Battle's men approached Camp Johnson, they met a force of 300 pro-Union Home Guards under Capt. Isaac J. Black, who hastily removed the planking from the bridge to prevent the Confederates from crossing it. Sharp skirmishing broke out, but Battle's superior numbers prevailed and Zollicoffer's Confederates drove off Battle's men, with the Union force suffering 1 killed, 1 wounded and 13 captured and the Confederates losing 7 dead. His men seized the camp, destroyed the buildings, and captured the arms and equipment left behind by the retreating recruits.Sanders, 2013, p. 19.Daniel, Larry J. ''Days of Glory: The Army of the Cumberland, 1861–1865''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004. . p. 22.Historian Larry Daniel writes that the Home Guard had 150 men and that the buildings that were burned were "several houses." Daniel, 2004, p. 22. Although Zollicoffer briefly withdrew to his camp at Cumberland Ford near Cumberland Gap, he sent a detachment of his men to drive off another Union Home Guard force at a camp at Laurel Bridge, in

soon after the Battle of Barboursville.Fowler, 2004, p. 47. On September 28, another Confederate detachment seized 200 barrels of salt and destroyed the Goose Creek Salt Works in

Clay County, Kentucky Clay County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county population was 20,345. Its county seat is Manchester, Kentucky, Manchester. The county was forme ...

. They returned to camp at Cumberland Ford on September 30. On October 16, Zollicoffer returned to the offensive in an effort to move into central Kentucky.Fowler, 2004, p. 48.

Union Army response

In response to Zollicoffer's actions, Union Brig. Gen. Thomas sent troops under Col.

Theophilus T. Garrard Theophilus Toulmin Garrard (June 7, 1812 – March 15, 1902) was a politician, Union general in the American Civil War, farmer, and businessman. Early life and career Garrard was born in Clay County, Kentucky near Manchester at the Goose C ...

to set up Camp Wildcat at Rockcastle Hills, near

London, Kentucky London is a home rule-class city in Laurel County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 7,993 at the time of the 2010 census. It is the second-largest city named "London" in the United States and the ...

, at the base of Wildcat Mountain north of the salt works, in order to secure the ford on the Rockcastle River, and to obstruct the

Wilderness Road The Wilderness Road was one of two principal routes used by colonial and early national era settlers to reach Kentucky from the East. Although this road goes through the Cumberland Gap into southern Kentucky and northern Tennessee, the other (mo ...

passing through the area. Col. Garrard informed Gen. Thomas that if he did not receive reinforcements, he would have to retreat.McKnight, 2012, P. 42. He reported he was outnumbered seven to one. Thomas sent Brig. Gen.

Albin F. Schoepf Albin Francisco Schoepf ( pl, Albin Franciszek Schoepf; March 1, 1822 – May 10, 1886) was a Polish-born artillery officer who became a Union brigadier general during the American Civil War. Obtaining professional military training in Austri ...

with what amounted to a

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

of men to Col. Garrard, bringing the total Union force to about 7,000. Schoepf arrived on October 20, 1861, a day before Zollicoffer moved against the camp. The Union force awaited Zollicoffer's Confederate troops who had to pass the stronghold at Camp Wildcat to proceed into central Kentucky. Zollicoffer was unaware that the camp had been reinforced and further mistook a column of Union reinforcements arriving during the afternoon of October 20 as the entire Union force preparing for battle.McKnight, 2012, p. 43. Union pickets skirmished with the Confederates on the evening of October 20 and returned to camp to report that a large Confederate force was nearby.

Battle

As the Confederates started up the Wilderness Road on the morning of October 21, 1861, Gen. Schoepf moved four companies of the

33rd Indiana Infantry Regiment The 33rd Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 33rd Indiana Infantry was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on Septe ...

, 350 men, to the east of Camp Wildcat to Round Hill, a steep, high point along the road. Confederate pickets attacked the Union force just after they arrived at Round Hill, but the Confederates soon withdrew to report the situation to Gen. Zollicoffer.McKnight, 2012, p. 44. Zollicoffer sent most of two regiments, the 11th Tennessee Infantry Regiment and several companies of the 17th Tennessee Infantry Regiment to attack the Union detachment at Round Hill. Just before the attack, the companies from the 33rd Indiana were reinforced by 250 men of the 1st Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (U.S.) and a small number of home guards. The Confederate regiments attacked the steep hill but after an hour of fighting the 11th Tennessee Infantry retreated. Soon thereafter Union reinforcements arrived, forcing the 17th Tennessee Infantry to retreat as well. Zollicoffer then sent the 29th Tennessee Infantry Regiment and several companies of the 17th Tennessee Infantry to attack a location called the South Rim across the road from Round Hill. By then, the Union had fortified this point and the Confederate attack on this point also failed. Later, the Confederates failed to detect a gap between the 33rd Indiana Infantry and the 7th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment (U.S.) before Col. Garrard sent reinforcements to close it.McKnight, 2012, p. 45. With casualties mounting to no effect, Zollicoffer ceased attacking the Union position. The Confederates withdrew during the night. They continued their retreat to Cumberland Ford, which they reached on October 26.

Aftermath

Union casualties were 5 killed and 20 wounded while the Confederates suffered 11 killed and 42 wounded or missing. After Union Army defeats earlier in the year, especially at the

Battle of Big Bethel The Battle of Big Bethel was one of the earliest land battles of the American Civil War. It took place on the Virginia Peninsula, near Newport News, on June 10, 1861. Virginia's decision to secede from the Union had been ratified by popular vot ...

and

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

, and on the same day at the

Battle of Ball's Bluff The Battle of Ball's Bluff was an early battle of the American Civil War fought in Loudoun County, Virginia, on October 21, 1861, in which Union Army forces under Major General George B. McClellan suffered a humiliating defeat. The operation was ...

, a Union victory was welcomed in the

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

. In November, the Union force completed the Big Sandy Expedition. This set the stage for the

Battle of Mill Springs The Battle of Mill Springs, also known as the Battle of Fishing Creek in Confederate terminology, and the Battle of Logan's Cross Roads in Union terminology, was fought in Wayne and Pulaski counties, near current Nancy, Kentucky, on January 1 ...

and the death of Gen. Zollicoffer on January 19, 1862.

Battlefield

The battlefield, about nine miles northwest of modern-day

, is located on land held by the

Daniel Boone National Forest The Daniel Boone National Forest (originally the Cumberland National Forest) is a national forest in Kentucky. Established in 1937, it includes of federally owned land within a proclamation boundary. The name of the forest was changed in 1966 ...

and is in private hands. The Confederate Monument at Crab Orchard miles to the west memorializes some of the Confederates that died at the battle. Much of the battlefield, almost , was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1979. Another area, embracing two sections of the battlefield that had been designated historical archaeological sites, was added to the original designation in 2006. The

Civil War Trust The American Battlefield Trust is a charitable organization ( 501(c)(3)) whose primary focus is in the preservation of battlefields of the American Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 through acquisition of battlefield land. Th ...

(a division of the

American Battlefield Trust The American Battlefield Trust is a charitable organization ( 501(c)(3)) whose primary focus is in the preservation of battlefields of the American Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 through acquisition of battlefield land. Th ...

) and its partners have acquired and preserved 264 acres of the battlefield.

"Saved Land" webpage. Accessed May 22, 2018.

Notes

Citations

References

* Brown, Kent Masterson. ''The Civil War in Kentucky: Battle for the Bluegrass State''. Conshohocken, PA: Da Capo Press, 2000. . * Clark, Donald A. ''The Notorious "Bull" Nelson: Murdered Civil War General''. Carbondale, IL: SIU Press, 2011. . * Daniel, Larry J. ''Days of Glory: The Army of the Cumberland, 1861–1865''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004. . * Eicher, David J. ''The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. . * Fowler, John D
''Mountaineers in Gray: The Nineteenth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment''
Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2004. . Retrieved June 26, 2014. * Hearn, Chester G. ''The Civil War State by State''. Devon: RedBlue Press, 2011. Maps by Mike Marino. . * * Long, E. B. ''The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861–1865''. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1971. . * McKnight, Brian D. ''Contested Borderland: The Civil War in Appalachian Kentucky and Virginia''. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 2006. Paperback edition: 2012. . * Sanders, Stuart W. ''The Battle of Mill Springs Kentucky''. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2013. .

External links

Reenactment of the Battle of Camp Wildcat
{{DEFAULTSORT:Camp Wildcat Battles of the Operations in Eastern Kentucky of the American Civil War Battles of the Western Theater of the American Civil War Battles of the American Civil War in Kentucky Union victories of the American Civil War 1861 in Kentucky 1861 in the American Civil War Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky National Register of Historic Places in Laurel County, Kentucky American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places October 1861 events