2nd Tennessee Infantry

The 2nd Tennessee Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union army during the Civil War.

The 2nd Tennessee was organized at Camp Dick Robinson in Garrard County, Ky., and at nearby Somerset, Ky. It mustered in for a three-year enlistment on Sept. 28, 1861.

The regiment was initially attached to George H. Thomas’ command, Army of the Ohio. It was mustered out of service on Aug. 3, 1865.

Many Scott Countians served in the 2nd Tennessee — most in Co. G, though others served in separate companies.

Detailed service

The 2nd Tennessee trained at Camp Dick Robinson, Ky. until January 1862. The regiment participated in the Battle of Logan’s Cross Roads on Jan. 19, 1862, and was at London and the Cumberland Gap until March 1862. There were skirmishes at Big Creek Gap and Jacksborough on March 14, 1862, involving Co. B. There was a skirmish at the Cumberland Gap on March 21-23, 1862. The 2nd Tennessee fought the Cumberland Gap Campaign from March 28, 1862 to June 18, 1862, and occupied the Cumberland Gap from June 18, 1862 to September 17, 1862. In the meantime, there were skirmishes at Tazewell, Tenn. on July 22, at Cumberland Gap on August 27, and at Rogers and Big Creek Gaps on September 10.

On September 17, 1862, the 2nd Tennessee evacuated the Cumberland Gap and retreated to Greenupsburg, Ky. In the process, several sick soldiers — including multiple soldiers from Scott County — were left behind and were captured by Confederate forces.

The 2nd Tennessee conducted operations in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia through November, 1862, when it was ordered to Louisville, Ky., then to Cincinnati, Oh. and to Nashville, Tenn. The regiment served there until January 1863, guarding trains from Nashville to Murfreesboro.

After fighting at the Battle of Blood’s Hill on January 3, the regiment was ordered to Lexington, Ky. on March 11 and served in central Kentucky until August 1863. The regiment was in Somerset in May, Liberty in May, and pursued Confederate John Hunt Morgan in July 1863. Operations in eastern Kentucky began July 25 and continued until August 6.

At that point, the regiment joined Gen. Ambrose Burnside’s invasion of East Tennessee, marching through Scott County en route to Knoxville. The campaign in East Tennessee continued through the remainder of 1863 and into 1864. It included a skirmish at Winter’s Gap on August 31, 1863, and an expedition to Cumberland Gap on September 4-9, 1863.

On November 6, 1863, Co. G was overwhelmed by Confederate forces in a surprise attack at Rogersville, Tenn. The entire regiment was killed or captured, including a large contingent of soldiers from Scott County. Many of them died in captivity at rebel prison camps in Richmond, Va. and Andersonville, Ga.

The regiment lost a total of 640 men during service, with three offices and 24 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, and four officers and 609 enlisted men dying of disease or accident.

Commanders

Col. James P.T. Carter
Lt. Col. Daniel C. Trewhitt
Lt. Col. James M. Melton

Scott Countians known to have served in the 2nd Tennessee

Arthur Adkins — Co. H
John Adkins — Co. H
Joseph Adkins — Co. H
Pryor Adkins — Co. H
Sherwood Adkins — Co. H
Cpl. John F. Boles — Co. D
Capt. John Boles — Co. D
Robert F. Boles — Co. D
John C. Bowls — Co. G
Thomas Brown — Co. G
Whig Brown — Co. G
Willis Brown — Co. G
Layford L. Bunch — Co. H
Iredell Buttram — Co. G
Cpl. Joel Buttram — Co. G
Peter Byrd — Co. H
Jackson Canada — Co. G
Madison Canada Jr. — Co. G
Cpl. Madison Canada Sr. — Co. G
Wesley Canada — Co. G (killed while at his home on furlough)
Joseph M. Cecil — Co. G
William H. Cecil — Co. G
Abraham H. Chambers — Co. G
Isham T. Chambers — Co. H
Lt. Riley Chambers — Co. G
Sgt. Silas L. Chambers — Co. B
Thomas Chambers — Co. F
William A. Chambers — Co. G
Andrew E. Chitwood — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Sgt. Daniel M. Chitwood — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Sgt. Henry Hamby CHitwood — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
James Harrison Chitwood — Co. H (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Miley Chitwood — Co. G
Thomas H. Chitwood
David H. Creekmore — Co. G and H
Randolph B. Creekmore — Co. G
Capt. Abraham Cross — Co. G
James M. Cross — Co. G
Sgt. John F. Cross — Co. G
Isaac M. Duncan — Co. G
Israel Duncan — Co. G
Thomas Duncan — Co. G
William C. Duncan — Co. G
James Ellis — Co. B (killed in action at Rogersville)
William Epperson — Co. G
James Everett — Co. G
William D. Francis — Co. F and G
William C. Freels — Co. G
Henry Goodman — Co. G
Meshack Hembree — Co. G
Marion His — Co. D
Cpl. Hugh B. Holdaway — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Sgt. Thomas Hughett — Co. G
Sgt. Isham Hurtt — Co. B
Richard J. James — Co. G
Marion Jeffers — Co. C
Cpl. Thomas Johnson — Co. G
Capt. Evan B. Jones — Co. G
William R. Keathley — Co. G
Levi Laxton — Co. G (died in Clinton, Tenn.)
William P. Lay — Co. H
Emerson Looper — Co. D (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
John Looper — Co. D
Joseph Low — Co. G
Michael Low — Co. G
Philllip Lowe Jr. — Co. G
Henry Marcum — Co. G
Jordin Massingale — Co. G
William Massengale — Co. G (died in Somerset during the war)
Lt. James McDonald — Co. G
Cpl. James McDonald — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Sgt. Samuel McDonald — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
James Murphy — Co. G
William R. Owens — Co. G
John Padgett — Co. D
Fountain Phillips — Co. F
John R. Phillips — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Timothy Phillips — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Andrew Privett Jr. — Co. G
Cpl. James Privett — Co. G
Solomon Privett — Co. G (died at Cumberland Gap)
Harrison Robbins — Co. B
Sgt. John C. Robinson — Co. B
Alfred C. Ross — Co. G (died at London, Ky.)
Joel C. Ross — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Cicero P. Ryan — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Moses S. Ryan — Co. G
Hiram Sexton — Co. G (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Shadrack M. Sexton — Co. H (died at Clinton)
Robert Shelton — Co. H (died in Confederate captivity after Rogersville)
Milton Shoopman — Co. G
Bratcher Silcox — Co. B and G
Thomas R. Silcox — Co. G
Caswell Smith — Co. G
Edward C. Smith
Edward D. Smith — Co. G
Sgt. George W. Smith — Co. G
Cpl. Robert F. Smith — Co. G
Curtis Stonecipher — Co. B
Joseph Stonecipher — Co. B
Sgt. Wayne Stonecipher — Co. B
Alexander L. Taylor
Britton Taylor — Co. G
Henry Thomas — Co. G
James Thomas — Co. G
Joseph Thomas — Co. G
William Thomas — Co. G
George Thompson — Co. G
George W. Todd — Co. G
Ransom Vanover — Co. G (murdered while on furlough)
Willis Webb — Co. B
John West — Co. H
William T. West — Co. H
James Manuel Wilson Jr. — Co. G
Sgt. James Manuel Wilson Sr. — Co. G and F
Benjamin Woosley — Co. G
Micajah York — Co. D