47th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union)

Brief History
This Regiment, raised under the call for 20,000 men was recruited chiefly from the mountain counties of the State. Most were mustered in at Irvine, Kentucky, October 5th, 1863 and Camp Nelson, Kentucky, December, 1863 and January 1864. Companies A-H and the Field and Staff were mustered out, December 26th 1864, and Companies I-K were mustered out on April 12th, 1865, all at Lexington, Kentucky.

Organized at Irvine and Camp Nelson, Ky., October 5, 1863, to January, 1864. Mustered out Companies "A" to "H" at Lexington, Ky., December 26, 1864, and Companies "I" and "K" April 12, 1865.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 47th Regiment Mounted Infantry, (accessed 5 July 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 47th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Mounted Infantry, (accessed 5 July 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company A - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company B - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company C - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company D - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company E - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company F - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company G - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company H - Many men mustered in from Irvine, Estill County. Company I - Many men mustered in from Camp Nielson, Glasgow, Barren County. Company K - Many men mustered in from Camp Nielson, Glasgow, Barren County.

The records for this Regiment's Companies are from the book, Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, Vol. 2-1861-1866.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,526 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Kentucky in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Kentucky in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Kentucky, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.