20th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union)

Brief History
The 20th Kentucky Infantry was organized in the fall and winter 1861, by Colonel Sanders D. Bruce and was mustered into the United States service on the 6th day of January, 1862, at Smithland, Kentucky. It mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, January 17th., 1865, the veterans and recruit being transferred to the 6th Kentucky Veteran Cavalry. (This information is from the Kentucky Adjutant General Report.)

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 20th Regiment Infantry, (accessed 29 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 20th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, (accessed 29 June 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.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,548 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Company A - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County. Company B - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County. Company C - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County. Company D - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County. Company E - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County. Company F - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County and Jefferson County. Company G - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County, Kentucky. Company H - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County and Jefferson County. Company I - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County and Jefferson County. Company K - Many men mustered in from Smithland, Livingston County and Jefferson County. Also from Jessamine County.

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.