Clay County Kentucky Military History

William Bishop 14^th Ky Cav
Perry Bishop 14^th Ky Cav
James S. Baker 14^th Cav
James B. Gay 14^th
Stephen Standifer 14^th Ky Cav
William Baker 14^th Ky Cav
David Gibson 14^th Ky Cav
Alfred Davidson 14^th Cav
Messenger Brumley 47^th Ky
Daniel Allen 47^th Ky
Leander Wagers 47^th Ky
William Wages (Wagers) 7th Ky
John Murray 47^th Ky
F. M. Eagle 47^th Ky
George W. Ball 47^th
Samuel Calahan 47^th
Thomas Campbell 47^th
Joseph Allen 47^th
Pleasant Wilson 47^th
Joseph Depew 47^th
Martin Morgan 7^thT. T. Garrard, 7th Ky
Joe Clark 7^th Ky
Robert Stivers 7^th Ky
John Bowlen 7^th Ky
E. Bowlin 7^th Ky
J. Steward 7^th Ky
Reuben McDaniel 7^th Ky
Hugh Valentine 7^th Ky
John Hacker 7^th Ky
Felix Hibbard 7^th Ky
Martin Morgan 7^th Ky
Lt. E. L. Allen 7^th Ky
James Byrd 4^th Tenn Inf
Job Allen Sr. 4^th Ky Inf
Job Allen Jr. 4^th Ky Inf
Jefferson King 49^th Ky Inf
Maisenia Smallwood 49^th Ky Inf
Montgomery Hounchell
William J. House 24^th Ky/6^th Ky Cav
John Hoskins 24^th Ky/6^th Ky Cav
xxxxx Hoskins 24^th Ky/6^th Ky Cav
William Collins 24^th Ky/6^th Ky Cav
Charles Collins 24^th Ky/6^th Ky CavSwintfield Collins 24^th Ky/6^th Ky Cav
Benjamin Finley 24^th Ky/6^th Ky Cav
Henry Fields 2^nd Ky Inf N.G.
Lt. Col. Rueben May 8^th Ky
J. L. Bundy 8^th Ky Inf
Marshall Webb 8^th Ky Inf
Benjamin Robinson 26^th Ky Inf
Alex Goins 26^th Ky Inf
George W. Greer 6^th Ky Cav
Ira McCrary 6^th Cav
Robert Baker 193 Ohio Inf
Lt. F. M. Herd, 17^th Ky Inft (Conf.)
Dudley Wagers 120 Ind Inf
? Jarrett 3^rd N. C. Inf
J G Gibson
Milton Hodge Jones

The Union steals a page from the Confederate playbook and conducts a daring guerrilla-type raid behind enemy lines from their base in Manchester

     In December, 1862, Clay County's Colonel T. T. Garrard was in Memphis, on his way to Vicksburg and a brigadier generalship, when he received a telegraph from headquarters ordering him to Manchester, where he was to join with Brigadier General S. P. Carter to conduct a super-secret raid behind Confederate lines in Tennessee. Manchester was chosen as a staging ground for the nearly 1000 cavalry troops apparently because its remoteness offered the best chance for the guerrilla-type raid to be carried out in secrecy. It didn't hurt that Garrard knew the territory like the back of his hand.
     The special Union regiment left their supply wagons in Manchester and, lightly equipped, made their way up Goose Creek, across Asher's Fork to the Red Bird, then up Phillips Fork and on across Pine Mountain. From there, on an exceptionally cold day, they crossed the only unguarded pass on Cumberland Mountain -- unguarded because the Rebels had not expected a cavalry unit to be able to traverse the extremely rugged trail -- and made their way into Virginia and on down into the Powell Valley in Tennessee.
     Though Garrard was now 50 years old he had no trouble keeping up with the brutal schedule kept by Carter. The troops rode round the clock for three days through enemy territory, skirmishing with Rebels all the way, and on the 30th December they accomplished their mission by blowing up two railroad bridges crucial to the Confederates.
     Getting back to Manchester turned out to be a replay of the trip from Manchester, riding nonstop in freezing conditions, being harrassed by Rebels and bushwhackers all the way. But Carter's and Garrard's troops made it back and basked in accolades from the top Union brass, including the top one of all, General-in-Chief Halleck in Washington, who said, "The daring operations and brilliant achievements of General Carter and his command are without parallel in the history of the war, and deserve the thanks of the country."
     Garrard then resumed his original journey and was promoted to brigadier general during the battles around Vicksburg leading up to the famous seige.

A few of the Clay soldiers
who served during the
Civil War

Brigadier General T. T. Garrard