(1st Regiment Kentucky Heavy
Artillery, African Descent, redesignated, 7th U.S. Colored Field Artillery
(Heavy), final designation, 8th U.S.F.A. (H)
Source: John E. Trowbridge, Archivist, Kentucky Historical Society,
Frankfort, Kentucky
"Listed below is the regimental designations at the end of the Civil War.
Many regiments when organized were assigned to State or Corps d' Afrique
designations and redesignated after the establishment of the Bureau
of Colored Troop on May 22, 1863 under General Order No. 143 by order of
the Secretary of War.
Four regiments maintained State designations throughout the war: 54th and
55 Massachusetts Volunteers, 5th Massachusetts Colored Calvalry, and the
29th Connecticut Infantry." The 8th U.S.C.F.A. (H) performed garrison duty
at Paducah, Kentucky. Source: Bennie
J. McRae Jr.
Champaign: Forrest's Expedition into West
Tennessee and Kentucky (1864)
March 25, 1864
Principal Commanders: Col. Stephen G. Hicks
and Lt. Cdr. James W. Shirk [HS]; Maj. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest [CS]
Forces Engaged: Union Garrison (approximately
650 men) [US]; Forrest's Cavalry Department [CS]
Estimated Causalities: 140 total (US 90; CS
50)
Description: In March 1864, Forrest set out
from Columbus, Mississippi, with a force of less than 3, 000 men on a multipurpose
expedition (recruit, reoutfit, disperse Yankees, hopefully more)
into West Tennessee and Kentucky. Forrest arrived in Paducah on March 25
and quicly occupied the town. The Union garrison of 650 men under the command
of Col. Stephen G. Hicks retired to Fort Anderson, in the town's west end.
Hicks had support from two gunboats on the Ohio River and refused to surrender,
while shelling the area with artillery. Most of Forrest's command was destroyed;
unwanted supplies; loaded what they wanted, and rounded up horses and mules.
A small segment of Forrest's command assaulted Fort Anderson and was repulsed,
suffering many casualties. Soon afterwards, Forrest's men withdrew. In
reporting the raid on the town, many newspapers stated that Forrest had
not found more a hundred fine horses hidden during the raid. As a result,
one of Forrest's subordinate officers led a force back into Paducah in
mid-April and seized the infamous horses. Although this was a Confederate
victory, other than the destruction of supplies and capture of animals,
no lasting results occurred. It did, however warn the Federals that Forrest,
or someone like him, could strike anywhere at any time.
.
