Courthouses Burned During the Civil War

JOHN HUNT MORGAN DIDN'T DO IT ALL; COUNTY HOLDINGS - GALLATIN THROUGH GREENUP

(c) 1997 by Sandi Gorin

     I recently saw an article reprinted from the Paducah Sun-Democrat -

not dated. But thought it might be of interest to the readers. This was

reprinted in an Edmonson Co KY quarterly entitled "Echoes From Edmonson

County" by by Kathie Rajewich:

"Confederates Torched a Dozen .. 22 Courthouses Burned in Kentucky During

the Civil War." Written by Hall Allen.

  "Twenty-two Kentucky Courthouses were burned during the Civil War - 19

of them in the last 15 months of the conflict.

     "The Kentucky Historical Highway Marker Program, under the direction

of W. A. Wentworth, Frankfort, has just finished placing markers of the

historic sites.

     "One side of the marker tells of the buring at athat paraticular

place, and the other contains a map of Kentucky, showing the locations of

all the burnings.

     "The greatest 'courthouse burning spree' was conducted by Gen. Hylan

B. Lyon, a native of Eddyville. He invaded Kentucky with 800 men in

December, 1864, to recruit Confederate soldiers, securing supplies and

divert forces from the defense of Nashville which was under attack.

     "With Confederate fortunes fading rapidly, Lyon found recruiting

slow, and he undertook to enforce the Confederate Draft Law.  In several

towns he conscripted all able-bodied men and put them under oath to join

him on Jan. 20. Later he complained bitterly that all failed to show up

for induction.

     "Lyon's forces entered the state about Dec. 12th, and promptly burned

the Christian County courthouse at Hopkinsville. As in most cases, he

allowed officials to remove their records. After commandearing clothing

and other supplies, he moved tdo Cadiz on Dec. 13.

     "The Trigg County courthouse there was occupied by Union soldiers who

fled as the Confederate forces advanced. They left behind one soldier who

was too ill to travel. A member of Lyon's command promptly decided the

soldier was suffering from smallpox, shot him on the spot, and burned the

"contaminated" building.

     "The following day Lyon reached Eddyville, his home town. He routed

the Union troops but spared the courthouse because it was across the

street from his home and a member of his family was reported to be ill in

the home.

     "The other courthouses burned by Lyon and his men:

     CALDWELL COUNTY:  Lyon and his forces arrived at Princeton on Dec. 15

whre, as the general said in a report, "I burned the courthouse and

annoyed the people."

     HOPKINS COUNTY:  At Madisonville, on Dec. 17, Lyon's men burned the

courthouse and conscripted a number of men who failed to join him later.

     OHIO COUNTY:  On Dec. 20, Lyon's forces captured and paroled a group

of Union soldiers quartered in the courthouse at Hartford. Then he burned

the courthouse.

     GRAYSON COUNTY:  On Christmas Eve a contingent of Lyon's forces

burned the court house at Leitchfield.

     TAYLOR COUNTY:  The courthouse at Campbellsville was burned Christmas

Day. By this time desertions had reduced his forces to about 250 men and

Lyon started moving out of the state to rejoin Gen. Nathan Bedford

Forrest's command.

     CUMBERLAND COUNTY:  The Lyon raids ended at Burkesville on Jan. 3,

with the burning of the courthouse, robbery of stores and seizure of the

houses.  Lyon then moved south to Alabama.

     "Other courthouses burned during the Civil War:

     BRECKINRIDGE COUNTY: On Dec, 28, 1864, guerillas burned the

courthouse at Hardinsburg but citizens saved the records and a part of the

building.

     MARION COUNTY:The County Clerk's office at Lebanon was burned July 5,

1863, by Gen. John Hunt Morgan, to destroy treason indictments against

some of his men.

     MONTGOMERY COUNTY: Confederate cavalrymen burned the Mt. Sterling

courthouse Dec. 2, 1863, to prevent its use as a Union garrison.

  

     POWELL COUNTY: In the spring of 1863 guerrillas burned the courthouse

and other buildings at Stanton.

     HARLAN COUNTY:  In October, 1863, the courthouse at Harlan was burned

for reprisal for the burning of the Lee County, Va. courthouse.

     DAVIESS COUNTY: Courthouse at Owensboro burned by guerrillas on Jan.

4, 1865, while it was being occupied by Union troops.

     LARUE COUNTY: The courthouse at Hodgenville was burned by guerrillas

on Feg. 21, 1865. It had been used by Union soldiers as barracks.

     BATH COUNTY:  On March 21, 1864, Union troops fled the courthouse at

Owingsville as a Confederate force approached.  An overheated stove

started a fire, destroying the building.

     MONROE COUNTY:  The courthousse and other buildings at Tompkinsville

were burned by Confederates on April 22, 1863, in reprisal for burning in

Celina, Tenn. by Union forces.

     CLINTON COUNTY:  The courthouse at Albany was burned by guerrillas

late in 1864.

     CRITTENDEN COUNTY:  The courthouse at Marion was burned by guerrillas

in January, 1865.

     ROWAN COUNTY:  The courthouse at Morehead was burned by guerrillas

March 21, 1864."