Mill Springs National Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Mill Springs National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery
located in the town of Nancy
, eight miles (13 km) west of the city of Somerset
in Pulaski County, Kentucky
. It encompasses 6.3 acres (25,495.2 m²), and as of the end of 2005, had 3,011 interments.
, Sunday 19 January 1862, initially designated Logan's Cross Roads Cemetery. Soldiers who fell in the battle were buried in large trenches. After the Civil War
, it became an official National Cemetery and had its name changed. Many battlefield cemeteries in the region had their remains transferred to Mill Springs.
In 1867, additional land was donated to the federal government for the cemetery by William H. Logan, and he and his wife were buried in the cemetery upon their deaths.
Mill Springs National Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
in 1998.
Mill Springs National Cemetery was on the list of the first National Cemeteries created. As small as it is, the cemetery still receives burials. It is one of the oldest National Cemeteries still in operation.
United States National Cemetery
"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so...
located in the town of Nancy
Nancy, Kentucky
Nancy is an unincorporated community eight miles west of the city of Somerset in Pulaski County, Kentucky.On January 19, 1862, during the American Civil War, Union forces achieved their first significant victory, defeating the Confederates at the Battle of Mill Springs near Nancy.-Landmarks:*Mill...
, eight miles (13 km) west of the city of Somerset
Somerset, Kentucky
The major demographic differences between the city and the micropolitan area relate to income, housing composition and age. The micropolitan area, as compared to the incorporated city, is more suburban in flavor and has a significantly younger housing stock, a higher income, and contains most of...
in Pulaski County, Kentucky
Pulaski County, Kentucky
Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 63,063 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Somerset6. The county is named for Count Kazimierz Pułaski. Most of the county is a prohibition or dry county...
. It encompasses 6.3 acres (25,495.2 m²), and as of the end of 2005, had 3,011 interments.
History
The site of Mill Springs National Cemetery was originally the battlefield cemetery of the Battle of Mill SpringsBattle 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 19, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It...
, Sunday 19 January 1862, initially designated Logan's Cross Roads Cemetery. Soldiers who fell in the battle were buried in large trenches. After 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...
, it became an official National Cemetery and had its name changed. Many battlefield cemeteries in the region had their remains transferred to Mill Springs.
In 1867, additional land was donated to the federal government for the cemetery by William H. Logan, and he and his wife were buried in the cemetery upon their deaths.
Mill Springs National Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1998.
Mill Springs National Cemetery was on the list of the first National Cemeteries created. As small as it is, the cemetery still receives burials. It is one of the oldest National Cemeteries still in operation.
Notable interments
- Sergeant Brent WoodsBrent Woods (Medal of Honor recipient)Brent Woods was an American Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Indian Wars of the western United States.-Biography:...
, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient for action in New Mexico TerritoryNew Mexico Territorythumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
during the Indian WarsIndian WarsAmerican Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
.