An Incident Most Unpleasant - New Year's Eve 1863 in Louisa

Throughout the Civil War, Louisa, the county seat of Lawrence County, Kentucky, remained a Union strong-hold and served as base of operations for the military in the Big Sandy Valley. In November of 1862, the town was designated as Headquarters of the District of Eastern Kentucky which comprised the counties of Lewis, Greenup, Carter, Boyd, Lawrence, Johnson, Magoffin, Floyd, and Pike. The military had taken possession of public buildings to house headquarters, provost marshal's office, commissary, hospital, guardhouse, stables &c. 

Louisa, ca. 1906

In 1860, Louisa was a small town with a population of 258. With the influx of the military, the town was also occupied by many civilians, mostly family members of the soldiers, which caused the population to increase to more than twice its normal number. In some instances, mostly officers, boarded with civilians. It was tight quarters in Louisa but over time the citizens had adjusted to the nearly constant presence of soldiers in their midst. The relationship between military and civil society remained in general peaceful but was not without challenges from time to time. 

On December 31, 1863, the following troops, under command of Col. George W. Gallup, 14th Kentucky Infantry, were stationed at Louisa:

- 14th Kentucky Infantry, Lieut. Col. Orlando Brown, Jr.

- 39th Kentucky Infantry, Lieut. Col. David A. Mims.

It was New Year's Eve and much to the delight of the troops, Major Cook, the paymaster, had made his appearance. A paycheck meant that the soldiers were able to provide for their families, settle their accounts and have some extra pocket change when needed. New recruits also received their bounty (one month's pay in advance, normally paid at muster) and premium due to them. With their pockets full of money, the men celebrated the New Year and, at least temporarily, forgot about the hardships they had endured as of late. The winter of 1863/1864 was especially harsh. The mercury had dropped to zero degrees and the Big Sandy was frozen solid. There were instances of merriment that went overboard and the men, "loved too well to look upon the wine when it is red, and giveth its color in the cup."  A few cases of drunkenness were recorded and the offending parties arrested and punished.

Some of the soldiers were mulling about town when 20 year old Mary Rebecca Layne encountered three of them on Main Cross Street, opposite from the courthouse. As the group was approaching her, she looked at one of them, who then smacked his lips and said "he would like to have a kiss or words to that affect." By 1860s standards, such forward behavior toward a woman in public was frowned upon as vulgar and insulting and certainly considered unbecoming of a soldier and a gentleman. 

Undoubtedly, Mary R. Layne was shocked by the gesture but continued on her way, undeterred, a short distance until she reached the post office. While passing the three soldiers, she quickly slipped inside. Upon entering, she noticed that the soldiers had stopped in front of the building. As luck would have it, an acquaintance, Charley Duncan, a private in the 14th Kentucky Infantry, happened to be in the post office. Mary called on him to ascertain the name of the soldier who had insulted her. Meanwhile, the three soldiers had entered the post office but left rather quickly when they noticed Mary R. Layne talking to Duncan and walked toward the (I.B.) Hutchinson & Carter store nearby. She later testified that, "Charley followed them and Charley told me afterward that the name of the soldier who had insulted me, was George Martin or that was the name of the man I had pointed out whose name I requested him to obtain."

Mary Rebecca Layne was the daughter of Floyd P. "Dock" Shannon and Elizabeth O'Rourk. Her husband was James Calvin (or better known as JC) Layne, son of Judge Lindsey Layne and Adeline "Edy" Meade. His father and brother Moses Layne famously cast the only two votes for Lincoln in Floyd County in the 1860 presidential elections. 

James Calvin Layne

At the time of the incident, Mary Rebecca and JC were still considered newly-weds. The couple was married on February 5, 1863, at Dock Shannon's house in Lawrence County, Kentucky. The ceremony was performed by I. B. Hutchinson, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Louisa. Incidentally, he was also part owner of the store Hutchinson & Carter in 1863. 

Mary R. Layne was not going to let the matter rest. On January 4, 1864, she went to see Provost Marshal Lieutenant Joseph D. Powers (Co. K, 39th Kentucky Infantry) at his office in Louisa and filed a formal complaint against Martin. An arrest most likely followed. 

Mary R. Layne's testimony

"Provost Marshal's Office

Louisa, Ky. Jan. 4 1864

This day Mary R. Layne personally appeared before me and made the following statement on oath in case of George Martin, charged with insulting the said Mary R. Layne on the street at Louisa Ky.

On Thursday evening last Dec 31st I was going down street and met three soldiers not far from the Post Office. I looked at one of them, and he smacked his lips and said he would like to have a kiss or words to that affect. I went on a few steps, and turned about and went in to the P. O. passing the said three soldiers as I went into the house, they stopped and I called to to Charley Duncan and the three soldiers came in. I told Charley Duncan to ascertain who the soldier was, that had insulted me. the soldiers left and went toward J. B. Hutchinsons store. Charley followed them and Charley told me afterward that the name of the soldier who had insulted me, was George Martin or that was the name of the man I had pointed out whose name I requested him to obtain. and I saw Charly talking to the same soldier who had insulted me, and whom I had pointed out to Charly.

Given under my hand the day above written

Mary R Layne 

I certify that the above Statement was made before me upon oath at Louisa Ky. on the day above written

J. D. Powers Lt.

& Prov Mar D E Ky"

George Martin was a private in Co. F, 39th Kentucky Infantry. He was one of the regiment's new recruits who had enlisted on August 8, 1863 and mustered in August 30, 1863. Before enlisting in the Union Army, Martin had seen previous military service in the Confederate Army.  He was mustered in as private in Captain Adam Martin's Company (later Co. F), Benjamin Caudill's 13th Kentucky Cavalry, on October 14, 1862. By April 30, 1863, George Martin was absent without leave and never came back. As it turned out, Martin also had a wife, Cynthia Caroline Frasure, and four children. The couple had been married since 1855. 

39th Kentucky Infantry (US)
Service Record

13th Kentucky Cavalry (CSA)
Service Record 

Charles "Charley" Duncan who came to Mary R. Layne's rescue was 20 years old and a native of Covington, Kentucky. An engineer in civilian life, he served as a private in Company E, 14th Kentucky Infantry.

14th Kentucky Infantry (US)
Service Record

The matter was referred to Department Commander Colonel George W. Gallup who ordered George Martin to be reprimanded and then returned to duty. 

Martin continued to serve with the 39th Kentucky Infantry but was absent without leave from October 1864 to January 19, 1865. He was finally mustered out with the regiment on September 15, 1865, at Louisville.

Researched, transcribed and written by Marlitta H. Perkins, November 2022. Copyright © 2022, All Rights Reserved.

Union Burials in Eastern Kentucky - Lawrence County

This is the second post in a series dealing with Union burials in Eastern Kentucky. It focuses on burials in Lawrence County.

Throughout the years I have received numerous inquiries regarding the burial sites of Union soldiers who died in Eastern Kentucky during the Civil War. Contrary to popular (or logical) assumption the majority of these men are not resting in Kentucky soil but were taken to Indiana to be re-interred in the New Albany National Cemetery. For a detailed explanation, please read my introduction here.

Legend
NANC = New Albany National Cemetery
Sec. = Section
# ABC/XYZ = old/new site number in New Albany National Cemetery

Note: Burial numbers without any additional information indicate unknown soldiers.

Gordon Burgess Farm

Buried in Citizens Graveyard on Gordon Burges farm, 3 miles below Peach Orchard opposite George's Creek on a ridge 1/3 mile north of Big Sandy River. Died on George's Creek but taken to opposite side of River for burial. 350 yards north East of Mr. Burges House and 60 yds North of Sycamore tree ~ Head lying west.
Two brothers, belonged to the same Regiment and Company and died the same month. Were identified by Mr. Burges who was present at burial.

# 2369 James White, Private, Co. I, 39th KY, d. January 1, 1863. ~ NANC, Sec. B, # 992/1245

# 2370 P. White, Private, Co. I, 39th KY, d. January 6, 1863. ~ NANC, Sec. B, # 993/1246

John Borders Farm

(no map)

In citizens Graveyard on Squire John Border's land 2 Miles from Peach Orchard up the river. 1/3 mile from Big Sandy River. 140 paces East of road leading from Peach Orchard to Rock Castle Creek, on side Hill, 19 1/2 paces south of Dead white oak tree and 26 paces North of Beech tree.

# 2366 Joseph Adkins, Private, Co. E, 39th KY, d. April 5, 1863. Died at John Borders' house April 5, 1863 ~ information received from Mr. Borders. ~ NANC Sec. B, # 989/1242

J. W. Hawes Farm

Buried 2 Miles west of Louisa on J. W. Hawes' farm in an old field among some citizens graves, his child is buried on right side facing west, graves marked "C" in plat are Citizens. Apple tree 15 yards N. E. of grave.

# 2457 George Willis, Private, Co. F, 39th KY Inf., d. January 12, 1865. Was murdered at his house by some robbers ~ 1 mile North West from where he was buried. His family has since moved to Ohio ~ was identified by citizens who helped to bury him. ~ His child was buried on the right side of Willis' grave, facing west.
According to his service records, he was "Killed by Rebels."  Lieutenant Augustus Kendrick, Co. F, 39th Kentucky Infantry, stated that the command was just returning from a raid on Saltville, Virginia, and that while on the march, Willis was furloughed to come by his home. He was killed by "Gurillas" on the night of January 12, 1865. Colonel George W. Gallup (14th Kentucky Infantry) who, at the time, was commander of the Military District of Eastern Kentucky, stated that George Willis was killed in the line of duty. His house was approximately 1/2 mile from camp but still within the vidette line. Gallup, with a detachment of cavalry, went in pursuit of the guilty parties who were subsequently captured. ~ NANC Sec. A, # 16/16.

Peach Orchard

Peach Orchard, Lawrence Co. Ky. 20 miles above Louisa on East side of river ~ 900 feet North East of Peach Orchard, 12 feet South of Oak tree.

# 2367 Wm. Cavens, Private, Co. C, 14th Ky Inf. Head stone marked "W. C." was identified by Citizen who was present at funeral ~ NANC Sec. B, # 990/1243

86 feet South of above ~
# 2368 Recorded as John S. Sipples, Corporal, 39th KY Inf., d. Feb. 7, 1863. Head stone marked "E. J. S." ~ was identified by a Citizen who took care of him until death and was present at funeral. (According to regimental records, this was Florentine John Sipples, Corporal, 39th KY Inf., d. Feb. 7, 1863, Peach Orchard)  ~ NANC Sec. B, # 991/1244



Helpful Sources and Links

Union Burials in Eastern Kentucky - Louisa

Roll of honor; names of soldiers who died in defense of the American union, interred in the national [and other] cemeteries. 27 volumes. (Available on Hathi Trust Digital Library)

Burial Ledgers. The National Cemetery Administration, Washington, D.C. (Original records transferred to NARA: Burial Registers, compiled 1867-2006, documenting the period 1831-2006. ARC ID: 5928352. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773–2007, Record Group 15. National Archives at Washington, D.C. (Available on Ancestry.com) 

Nationwide Gravesite Locator
National Cemetery Administration, US Department of Veterans Affairs

New Albany National Cemetery
New Albany, Indiana


Article researched and written by Marlitta H. Perkins, February 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication without express written notice by the author is strictly prohibited. 

Marlitta H. Perkins © 2018. All Rights Reserved

Louisa During the Civil War

Louisa, the county seat of Lawrence County, KY, lies at the confluence of Tug and Levisa Forks of the Big Sandy River, on a two-thousand acres tract of land surveyed by George Washington in 1769, the corners of which were well-marked with Washington's initials. Settlement was attempted in 1789 at The Point, between the forks, but it was abandoned. A settlement called Balclutha existed for a short time afterward west of The Point. The settlement that became Louisa began about 1815. The sources of the names are obscure.

Louisa Plat Map, surveyed June 10, 1823

The Forks of Big Sandy post office opened in 1819 and the Louisa post office opened in 1822. In 1823, a court house was erected in the center of the public square. The building was a two-story frame house, 35x30 feet, weatherboard side, and a wood shingle roof. The first story was 12 feet high, with sleepers 2 feet apart. According to old records, there were "two 12 light windows in the end of this large room." The second story had two partitions forming three rooms. Each room had "one 18 light window in the side." The old town pump was located near the court house, on the corner of Main and Main Cross Streets.

By 1830, Louisa had 87 inhabitants. In 1846, the town contained a court-house, church, post-office, four stores, two doctors, two lawyers, and several mechanics' shops. River traffic opened up in 1837 with the first steam boats chugging down the Big Sandy. Push boats and flatboats were still in use, especially when the river was low. The steamboat landing in Louisa was located near the end of Main Street. Many of the boats would go as far as Pikeville when the river stage permitted, which was often in the spring of the year. They would be heavily loaded with supplies and return with local products for markets east, such as ginseng, feathers, wool, beeswax, chestnuts, as well as dried apples and peaches.

Old Steamboat Landing, view from Water Street [now S. Vinson Ave.]

In 1843, Daniel Bayless Vaughn moved from Wood Co. VA to Louisa where he kept the "Big Hotel" and pursued his trade of merchant tailor. He was a steamboat man from 1852 to 1860, running the "Tom Scott" on the Sandy River. He built 5 large steamers, and 4 smaller ones to run on Sandy.

In 1860, Archibald Borders, an influential businessman and first Lawrence County judge, built the famous steamer "Sandy Valley". Judge Borders owned a large brick house which stood at the grade and was facing Main Street. The house was built before the Civil War. Also situated on the property were the Borders Servants Quarters. Archibald Borders owned half the block between Main and Madison Streets.

His son, A. P. Borders shipped goods on the steamer to various ports along the Big Sandy Valley. A freight bill, dated Dec. 18, 1860, for a shipment to J. Richmond, to be delivered "at the Port of Louisa, KY," shows every product imaginable that was taken up the river, such as crockery, yellow ware, sugar kettles, grass rope, stoves, hats and shoes, liquor, cheese, fish and specifically herring, black powder and German steel, raisins, paper, soda, pepper, coffee, indigo and madder, etc.
The steamboats also represented the main means of transporting passengers to and fro the Big Sandy Valley until the advent of the railroad in the 1880's.

Big Sandy River, near steamboat landing, Louisa

A stage coach line to Mt. Sterling, a distance of 103 miles, connected Louisa with the interior of the state. Weary travellers could rest at the Gallup Hotel, acquired by George W. Gallup in the summer of 1860 which stood on the banks of the Big Sandy River, near the steamboat landing, on Main Street in Louisa. The hotel keeper was Henry S. Bussey. A ferry, operated by George R. Miller, crossed the river at the end of Main Street just below the mouth of Levisa and Tug to Cassville, Virginia [now Fort Gay, West Virginia].

Louisa continued to grow and by 1855, the town had a court-house, a church, 4 stores & about 100 inhabitants. In 1860, Louisa was a small town with a population of 258. There were two churches in the downtown area. The brick Methodist Episcopal Church, South stood on the south-east corner of the public square, a commodious and attractive structure for that day. The First United Methodist Church, a brick building in Gothic style, with diamond-shaped glass windows, was located on the east side of Main Street.

First United Methodist Church, Louisa

In 1860, Lawrence County's chief economic resources were timber, minerals and tobacco but the beginning of the Civil War soon halted timber and coal production. In 1840, Louisa was the geographic center of American hog production but had lost its importance by 1850.

An 1860 business directory for Louisa

Granville Frasher, merchandising
Wm. Moore, merchant
Pleasant Savage, merchant
Greenville Lackey, merchant
Noah Wellman, merchant
James A. Wellman, merchant
Peter I. Livingston, merchant
John McHenry, dealer in minerals & merchandise
Amelia A. Cook, widow merchant
Mary J. Ferguson, widow merchant

George R. Miller, Ferryman

John P. Armstrong, teacher/pedagogue
Verlinda Davenport, school teacher
John Laidly, school teacher

George W. Gallup, lawyer
Laban T. Moore, lawyer
Jake Rice, lawyer
Kenas F. Prichard, lawyer

Marcus L. Hodge, carpenter
Robert Moore, carpenter
J. J. Taylor, carpenter
Jake [?] Bradley, carpenter

James M. Frazer, tanner & currier
Strother J. Yates, physician
Stephen L. Davenport, saddler
S. J. Small, seamstress

John W. Jones, deputy clerk
M. B. Goble, clerk of court

Boon Salter, shoemaker
John Frasher, boot & shoemaker

James M. Pigg, cabinet maker
Robert C. W. McKenzie, machinist

George Martin, blacksmith
John Pigg, blacksmith
Charles Hambleton, blacksmith
Willis Pigg, blacksmith
Armstead Burchett, blacksmith
Drury Burchett, blacksmith

William L. Allen, artist
Allen C. Hutchinson, artist

Calvin Wellman, lumber merchant
Jessee Meek, timber merchant

Henry S. Bussey, hotel keeper
William Troy, painter
Abraham Neal, waggoner

During the war, Louisa was chosen as a Union strong-hold. In the fall of 1861, a military camp named "Camp Wallace" was established by the 14th KY Infantry, named in honor of Thomas Wallace. In December 1861, a soldier from Ohio described Louisa as, "at best a straggling, unpainted hamlet, but the hostilities of six months had greatly increased its thriftless, untidy aspect. The men were nearly all in the army on one side or the other; the courthouse had been used as a barrack by the half barbarous volunteers of the mountain region, and a shabby brick tavern with its kitchen dismantled and its windows broken, still struggled against extinction as a public house by keeping a red nosed ex-hostler and a jug of new apple-jack behind the bar. Early in the War, as it was then, Louisa had been occupied and re-occupied by Federals and Confederates until its women no longer stared at the passing soldier as an object of interest, but charged him fifty cents for a dried peach pie, and as promptly besought the commanding officers to post sentries around their potato mounds and hen roosts, as though taught by the campaigns of a dozen years."

A month later, a Kentucky officer offered a glimpse of Louisa, "I suppose ... in summer with its circle of towering hills it must be a beautiful place, but just now everything is marred with the oceans of mud which surrounds one on all sides and literally flows through its streets; even the sidewalks are unpaved."

During the fall of 1861, as well as during Garfield's Eastern Kentucky Campaign, 1861/1862, several buildings in town served as military hospitals, including the First United Methodist Church, as well as what is now known as the Judge Stewart House which at the time belonged to James Lawson, a Southern sympathizer from Logan Co. VA. Both buildings are situated on Main Street. A third hospital, a two-story brick building, was located at the corner of Perry and Main Streets, at the top of the Grade.

Judge Stewart House

A temporary commissary was established in John McHenry's brick store [formerly belonging to Daniel W. Eba] and later in one of the buildings owned by Thomas Wallace. The courthouse was converted into barracks for the soldiers.

Louisa became the seat of the Military District of Eastern Kentucky which included a Provost Marshall's office, and thus functioned as a main point for prisoner transportation down the Sandy River for transfer to Camp Chase, Ohio, as well as other military prisons. The jail near the courthouse served as a guardhouse.

Throughout the war, various regiment encamped at Louisa, including the 14th, 22nd and 39th KY Infantry, 10th KY Cav, 4th VA Infantry, 5th VA CAV [US], 40th and 42nd OVI, McLaughlin's Squadron of Cavalry, and the 65th Illinois Infantry, 109th USCI, and the 68th Kentucky Enrolled Militia.

Some of the military camps established in Louisa during the Civil War

Camp Lookout
Louisa, Kentucky, a permanent Union camp.

Camp McClure
Louisa, Lawrence County; Camp of McLaughlin's Squadron.

Camp White
Louisa, Lawrence County; Permanent Union camp, summer 1863.

With the influx of regiments, the town was also occupied by many civilians, mostly family members of the soldiers, which caused the population to increase to more than twice its normal number. In October 1861, John Frew Stewart, who was employed in the Quartermaster Department of the 14th KY Infantry, boarded in the house of Pleasant M. Savage. In June of 1863, a 14th KY Infantry soldier wrote to his family, "for the women folks I will not say for maw to com fore they are so crowdid here that it is a hard mater for 2 person to git a place to stay." In 1863 , until the end of the war, several officers of the federal army were boarding with John M. Rice, including James D. Foster, 14th KY Infantry.

Map of Louisa, 1864

Due to its Union occupation and heavy fortifications on a high hill near the town, Louisa was never taken by the Confederates. On March 25, 1863, Gen. Humphrey Marshall considered an attempt, and skirmished with Union troops in Smokey Valley. The following morning, the Confederates carefully edged their way to within a 1/2 mile of Louisa when they discovered, "on a sudden turn of the road ... the position of the enemy, their artillery, & forces in line of battle - high up on a Gibraltar of a hill." Marshall immediately abandoned his plans and retreated toward Blaine.

During the summer of 1864, the US military began construction of Fort Bishop on the hill towering above Louisa to protect the town against Confederate raids. The fort was 3/4 completed, including the magazine, and was armed with 7 field guns, when the project was finally abandoned in 1865, due to the end of the war.

Site of Fort Bishop

On April 9, 1865 General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia near Appomattox Court House Virginia. After General Lee's surrender, CS soldiers were instructed to go to the nearest union post and surrender. Most of the Kentucky men from Giltner’s Brigade, the only Confederate force of any consequence left in Eastern Kentucky, surrendered on April 30, 1865, at Mt. Sterling, KY and were later paroled to their homes. Remnants of Giltner's command as well as other CS soldiers made their way to Louisa where they surrendered to the US Provost Marshall.

The Civil War and the presence of the military left some of the buildings in town in shambles. In February 1865, Judge R. F. Vinson requested the Commander of the Military Post in Louisa to surrender up to the Civil authorities the public buildings "in this place now held and occupied by them." It was stated that, "While the army was here, they took possession of the courthouse and jail of Lawrence County and used the jail as a guardhouse and the courthouse as commissary for storage of forage and while hauling to and from the same, run the wagons against the outside corners, broke and knocked out bricks from walls, greased and soiled the floors and inside walls, broke down the stairs and floors, cut and mutilated columns, destroyed and carried away the seats, broke the frames out of two outside doors, and knocked out bricks from sides and overhead, destroyed the well in the public square by getting a horse in it and filling it up. In order to hold court, the officers were forced to procure a house to hold court in, they held court in a church building."

The Methodist-Episcopal Church did not fare much better. The trustees of the church stated that, "during the Civil War, the United States forces, by proper authority, took possession of the house of worship and used and occuied the same as barracks, as a commissary, for hospital purposes, and as a stable, for a period of about three and one-half years, or until the spring of 1865. That during said occupancy, the troops removed from said building the windows, doors, flooring, altar, pulpit, and seats; damaging the walls and ceiling so as to necessitate replastering and refinishing; destroyed the fencing inclosing said building, and otherwise greatly injured said property."

Methodist- Episcopal Church, Louisa, 1917

None of the above claims were ever paid by the US Government.