Home Guards on Duty

Grant County in 1862 had its first taste of the war but her people were to endure great tragedies in the coming years. Kentucky was put under martial law and Grant County had a provost marshall in complete authority. The Home Guard was organized to carry out his orders and keep peace. Civil law was set aside for the time being. Many of the acts of the Home Guard were resented by the people and a lawless element that is always present in civil disturbances often struck by night bringing terror and sometimes death. The night riders were called "Bushwackers" for want of a better name. General Burbridge was placed in charge of Kentucky Home Guards in 1864. He took severe measures against the bushwackers and night riders. He issued a decree that two prisoners of war should be executed for every Home Guard that was killed.

There is a hollow about one fourth mile south of Corinth known through the years as Dead Man's Hollow. John Beard lived here with his wife and ten children. Masked men came to his home and forced his wife to hold the light while he was bound and taken from his hiding place in the attic. They took him to the hollow behind his house, sat him on a stump and shot him while he begged for his life. Another incident occurred in Williamstown when John and Joe Linkenfeler, two young brothers in the Confederate Army who had slipped through the line, were caught at their home by the Home Guard. They were taken out the ridge behind the old White place in Williamstown and shot near the present railroad lake.

Homes were entered and furniture destroyed for no reason, stores were robbed, bushwackers entered Tunis Store and took $2,000. The Tunis store was the old brick building that stood on the Northeast corner of Main and Mill Street in Williamstown.

The most respected older men of the community were arrested and sent to federal prison for no reason except they owned slaves. They would be picked up at their homes without any form of court proceedings, kept in the courthouse until they could be taken to Morgan and there put put on the L&N train for Louisville. Some were sent to Camp Chase, a federal prison, others ere transported West to Iowa and not allowed to return home to their families.

Elder William Conrad, at that time a man up in years and respected by all for his forthright religious convictions, was sent to Louisville along with other relatives. He spent time in prison preaching to the other prisoners, giving comfort and hope to all.

Another man of the Dry Ridge neighborhood who was also sent to prison was Washington Osborn. Some of his letters have been preserved and give us a picture of these sad times. He was taken to Louisville first and in a few weeks he and many of the other men from this county were sent to Iowa to do farm work.

August 1, 1864, Louisville, Kentucky.
Dear Wife, Don't be uneasy about me for we have a very good room and get plenty to eat. The officers and soldiers are not hard on us at all. We can go to the front door and look out as much as we please. I am not here by myself, we have from forty to sixty here at a time. J. S. Conrad and I. N Conrad are with me. Try and take care of the tobacco and things the best you can for it will be very high this year.   Wash Osborn.

September 10, 1864, Middletown, Iowa.
Dear Wife, I have not received a letter from you since I came to Iowa but I saw a letter that came from J. S. Conrad's wife, which stated that my baby died the day after I had to leave home. It also stated that old Miss Osborn was dead which I reckon is mother.  Wash Osborn.

Sesqui-Centennial, 150th Year of Grant County
Published by the Grant County
Sesqui-Centennial Committee, 1970

Beulah Wiley Franks
Grant County Coordinator, KY/ALHN