Camp Boone
Encyclopedia
Camp Boone, Tennessee was located on Guthrie Road/ (Wilma Rudolph Boulevard) U.S. Route 79
near the Kentucky
- Tennessee border at Clarksville
, Montgomery County, Tennessee
(in the area formerly known as Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee
before annexation by Clarksville, Tennessee
).
Camp Boone was laid out in early 1861 by three men who had been authorized to raise a Kentucky
Regiment
for Confederate
Service: William T. Withers, Robert A. Johnson (of Louisville, KY) and James Moss (of Columbus, KY). They were soon joined by Robert J. Breckenridge, Jr., (of Lexington, KY) and Lloyd Tilghman
(of Paducah, KY).
William Temple "Temp" Withers, a native of Kentucky
and a veteran
of the Mexican War
was living in Mississippi
in 1861 and was appointed by Jefferson Davis
to help confederate
recruiting in Kentucky
. He was appointed the rank of temporary General
and placed in command of Camp Boone.
Another early camp commander was Simon Bolivar Buckner
, CSA. Col. (later Brig. Gen.and the 30th Governor
of Kentucky
). Roger W. Hanson brought here a regiment of Kentucky State Guards, which became the 2nd Ky. Inf., CSA. Other Kentucky units staging here included the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Ky. Cavalry Regiments.
The site selected for Camp Bone was an excellent choice. In addition to its location just 3.5 miles by road from the Kentucky-Tennessee state line, and a little over a mile from a Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad
line still in use and existence now; owned and operated by the R.J. Corman Railroad Group
, the site provided ample supply of water from Spring Creek which flowed around it on two sides and was feed by a cool spring.
The camp was a training site and staging area for the Confederate States of America
Army of Tennessee
. Many of the Kentuckians who were serving in the Confederate States Army
joined the Confederates
at Camp Boone which was its primary purpose. The 2nd Kentucky Infantry
mustered at Camp Boone 17 July 1861 commanded by Colonel
James B. Hawes of Lexington, KY while the 3rd Kentucky Infantry
mustered three days later under the command of Colonel
Lloyd Tilghman
of Paducah, KY.
A Tennessee
Historical Commission marker #3C 40 marks the location of the civil war
camp today at US Hwy. 79 east (Guthrie Road) Clarksville, Tennessee
.
U.S. Route 79
U.S. Route 79 is a north–south United States highway. The route is a northeast-southwest diagonal, with both east–west segments and north–south segments equally mixed. The highway's northern terminus is in Russellville, Kentucky, at an intersection with U.S. Highway 68 and KY 80...
near the Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
- Tennessee border at Clarksville
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
, Montgomery County, Tennessee
Montgomery County, Tennessee
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The county seat is Clarksville. The population was 172,331 at the 2010 census. It is one of the four counties included in the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
(in the area formerly known as Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee
Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee
Saint Bethlehem or St. Bethlehem, also called "St. B" by locals, is a community in Montgomery County, Tennessee, located just northeast of downtown Clarksville. St. Bethlehem has been incorporated into Clarksville city limits and is no longer a separate community, although locals still refer to...
before annexation by Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
).
Camp Boone was laid out in early 1861 by three men who had been authorized to raise a Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
for Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Service: William T. Withers, Robert A. Johnson (of Louisville, KY) and James Moss (of Columbus, KY). They were soon joined by Robert J. Breckenridge, Jr., (of Lexington, KY) and Lloyd Tilghman
Lloyd Tilghman
Lloyd Tilghman was a railroad construction engineer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War, killed at the Battle of Champion Hill...
(of Paducah, KY).
William Temple "Temp" Withers, a native of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and a veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
of the Mexican War
Mexican War
Mexican War may refer to:*Mexican War of Independence *Mexican–American War *French intervention in Mexico *Mexican Revolution *Mexican Civil War *Cristero War *Mexican Drug War...
was living in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
in 1861 and was appointed by Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
to help confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
recruiting in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He was appointed the rank of temporary General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and placed in command of Camp Boone.
Another early camp commander was Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War and in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He later served as the 30th Governor of Kentucky....
, CSA. Col. (later Brig. Gen.and the 30th Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
). Roger W. Hanson brought here a regiment of Kentucky State Guards, which became the 2nd Ky. Inf., CSA. Other Kentucky units staging here included the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Ky. Cavalry Regiments.
The site selected for Camp Bone was an excellent choice. In addition to its location just 3.5 miles by road from the Kentucky-Tennessee state line, and a little over a mile from a Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad
Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad
The Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad received its charter on January 28, 1852, from the state of Tennessee. The line connected with the Memphis and Ohio Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad connects between Memphis and Louisville.The railroad had a major strike in 1868...
line still in use and existence now; owned and operated by the R.J. Corman Railroad Group
R.J. Corman Railroad Group
R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a railroad holding company owned by Richard J. "Rick" Corman. Corman first established the company in 1973. It owns short-line railroad lines in seven states .-Lines Owned:R.J. Corman operates the following subsidiaries:*R.J...
, the site provided ample supply of water from Spring Creek which flowed around it on two sides and was feed by a cool spring.
The camp was a training site and staging area for the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
. Many of the Kentuckians who were serving in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
joined the Confederates
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
at Camp Boone which was its primary purpose. The 2nd Kentucky Infantry
2nd Kentucky Infantry
The 2nd Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was part of the First Kentucky Brigade.-Service:...
mustered at Camp Boone 17 July 1861 commanded by Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
James B. Hawes of Lexington, KY while the 3rd Kentucky Infantry
3rd Kentucky Infantry
The 3rd Kentucky Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was part of the First Kentucky Brigade through August 1862.-Service:...
mustered three days later under the command of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Lloyd Tilghman
Lloyd Tilghman
Lloyd Tilghman was a railroad construction engineer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War, killed at the Battle of Champion Hill...
of Paducah, KY.
A Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
Historical Commission marker #3C 40 marks the location of the civil war
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
camp today at US Hwy. 79 east (Guthrie Road) Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
.
See also
- List of Kentucky Civil War Confederate units
- List of Kentucky Civil War Units
- Kentucky in the Civil WarKentucky in the Civil WarKentucky was a border state of key importance in the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln recognized the importance of the Commonwealth when he declared "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." In a September 1861 letter to Orville Browning, Lincoln wrote "I think to lose...
- History of TennesseeHistory of TennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state, one of the 50 states of the United States. It was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796.-Prehistory:Paleo-Indians are believed to have hunted and camped in what is now Tennessee as early as 12,000 years ago...
- List of archaeological sites in Tennessee
- Tennessee in the American Civil War