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Pound Gap in Letcher County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
 

Caudill’s Army

History of Caudill’s Army

 
 
Caudill’s Army Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 17, 2015
1. Caudill’s Army Marker
This is the left side, facing away form the walkway, of the second monument you encounter on your walk from the parking area.
Inscription. Company F of the 5th Kentucky Infantry was formed on October 22, 1861 from the men of Letcher County and was commanded by Captain Benjamin E. Caudill. The company called themselves “Caudill’s Army" and was nicknamed “The Yahoos.” They disbanded at Hazel Green, Kentucky, on October 20, 1862. Most of the men joined the 10th Kentucky Mounted Rifles raised by Colonel Benjamin E. Caudill on November 1862. In March of 1865, the regiment was reorganized and named the 13th Kentucky Cavalry. They disbanded at Christianburg, Virginia, on April 12, 1865, but surrendered on April 30, 1865, at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.
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Dedicated to the souls of the 13th Ky Confederate soldiers who fought & died during the Civil War: Pvt. John D. Adams • Cpl. Andrew Allen • Pvt. Emory Allen • Pvt. Franklin Allen •   Sgt. Ira Allen • Sgt. Irvin Allen •   Pvt. James Allen • Pvt. John A. Allen •   Pvt. Humphrey Amburgey •   Pvt. John Anderson •   Pvt. Hillard J. Ashley •   Pvt. Jesse Ashley •   Pvt. Larkin S. Ashley •   Sgt. Andrew J. Austin •   Pvt. David J. Back •   Pvt. William Barnes •   Pvt. Lafayette Bentley •   Pvt. John Blakenship • Pvt. Caleb Boiling • Cpl. John Bolling • Pvt. Leonard Branson •   Sgt. Richard
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Branson • Pvt. Ezekiel Brashear •  Pvt. John L Brashear • Pvt. Joseph E. Brashear •   Pvt. Sampson Brashear •   Pvt. Abner Caudill •  Sgt. Ephraim Caudill • Sgt. Abraham Childers • Cpl. James L. Childers • Pvt, Daniel Cockerham • Lt. Isom W. Childers • Pvt. John B. Childers • Pvt. Marshall Collins • Capt. Henderson Combs • Pvt. Isaac Combs • Pvt. James Combs • Cpl. James M. Combs • Pvt. Jesse Combs • Sgt. Jesse Combs • Pvt. J. Peter Combs • Pvt. Kendrick Combs • Pvt. Joseph E. Cornett • Lt. James T. Crutchfield • Pvt. Thomas M. Dotson • Pvt. William N. Evans •
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Dedicated to the souls of the 13th Ky Confederate soldiers who fought & died during the Civil War: Pvt. Thomas Everidge • Pvt. John W. Francis • Pvt. Preston Francis • Pvt. Simeon Francis • Pvt. Wesley Francis • Cpl. Daniel Fugate • Pvt. William N. Fugate •   Pvt. Zachariah Fugate • Pvt. Levitacus Fuller • Sgt. Joseph Gearhart • Pvt. Alexander Gearhart • Cpl. Elijah Gibson • Pvt. Clinton Godsey • Pvt. James Godsey • Lt. Edward Grisby • Sgt. Wesley Grisby • Pvt. Drewry Guinn • Pvt. William Halcomb • Cpl. Alfred Hall • Pvt. Fielding Hall • Sgt. Lee Hall • Pvt. Marshall Hall • Pvt. William Hart • Pvt. Wesley Harvey • Pvt. John Helms • Pvt. Paul Henson • Sgt. Hiram
Caudill’s Army Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 17, 2015
2. Caudill’s Army Marker
This is the side facing away from the sidewalk of the second monument.
W. Hogg • Pvt. Morgan Howard • Pvt. James A. Huff • Pvt. Elisha Ison • Pvt. Robert Jackson •  Pvt. Preston Johnson • Pvt. Joel Jones • Pvt. Andrew J. Madden • Pvt. George W. Madden • Sgt. William D. Madden • Pvt. Tandy Martin • Pvt. Thomas Martin • Pvt. Fugate McIntosh • Pvt. Verdamon McIntosh • Pvt. William T. McIntosh • Pvt. Riley Meade • Pvt. Harrison Mitchell • Pvt. John A. Mullins • Sgt. Daniel Napier •
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Dedicated to the souls of the 13th Ky. Confederate soldiers who fought & died during the Civil War: Capt. Alexander Noble • Pvt. Elias Noble • Pvt. George W. Noble • Pvt. Simpson Noble • Pvt. William Noble • Lt. William M. Noble • Pvt. Christopher Patton • Cpl. William H Patton • Pvt. Reuben Potter • Pvt. David Richardson • Pvt. Franklin Shular • Pvt. Ephriam Sizemore • Pvt. Hiram Sizemore • Pvt. Henry F. Slone • Pvt. John Slusher • Pvt. Sampson Smallwood • Pvt. Andrew B. Smith • Sgt. Elias Smith • Lt. Isaac Smith • Pvt. Samuel Smith • Cpl. William S. Smith • Pvt. Richard Sparkman • Pvt. Wesley Sumner • Pvt. John W. Teeters • Pvt. Thomas Terry • Pvt. William Terry • Pvt. Joseph Thomas • Pvt. John W. Tyree • Pvt. Madison Tyree • Pvt. Richard Wallace • Pvt. George W. Watts • Pvt. John C. Watts • Pvt. Benjamin Wright
Caudill’s Army Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 17, 2015
3. Caudill’s Army Marker
This is the side facing away from the sidewalk of the first monument you encounter on your walk from the parking area.
• Lt. Solomon Wright • Pvt. Elijah Yonts • Pvt. Nelson Mosley
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is October 22, 1861.
 
Location. 37° 9.336′ N, 82° 38′ W. Marker is in Pound Gap, Kentucky, in Letcher County. Marker can be reached from U.S. 23, on the right. It is just inside the Kentucky state line, at the Civil War Memorial. Parking is available at the memorial. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jenkins KY 41537, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Brothers Once More (a few steps from this marker); Pound Gap Massacre (within shouting distance of this marker); Wise County / Kentucky (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line in Virginia); Leonard Woods Lynched (about 800 feet away in Virginia); Pound Gap (approx. 0.2 miles away in Virginia); a different marker also named Pound Gap (approx. ¼ mile away); Pound Gap Engagement (approx. half a mile away in Virginia); The Crooked Road (approx. 0.6 miles away in Virginia). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pound Gap.
 
Also see . . .
1. 13th Kentucky Cavalry, C.S.A. : Caudill's Army. Book with "look inside" feature at Amazon.com. The men of the 5th Kentucky Mounted Infantry called him "Captain" and later, his subordinates in the 10th Kentucky
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Mounted Infantry called him "Colonel". Some of his enemies called him a "dangerous guerilla chieftain". Very late in the war, his regiment was re-designated as the 13th Kentucky Cavalry. When his Confederacy no longer existed, and there was no longer a need for his sword, he picked up his Bible and returned to his former life as a country preacher and community leader. This book contains specific details regarding Confederate Colonel Ben E. Caudill's 13th Kentucky Cavalry. It includes a complete roster of the men who rode with Caudill, historical accounts of their engagements with their enemy, and a collection of period and post-war photographs. (Submitted on November 21, 2015.) This website may earn income if you use this link to make a purchase on Amazon.com. 

2. Colonel Ben E. Caudill. Article by Faron Sparkman on OrderOfCenturions.org. “On a Saturday night near the end of February, 1854 he preached his first sermon at the Rockhouse Church. He soon pastored several area churches. When war came to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky Ben Caudill's sympathies were with the south. He temporarily left his church activities to enlist in the Confederate Army. Captain Oliver A. Patton (later Lt. Colonel) of Covington, Kentucky was sent to Whitesburg to assist Ben Caudill in recruiting and organizing a company of local soldiers as part of the 5th Kentucky Infantry. By November of 1861 Ben was given the rank of Captain and placed in command of Company F. 177 men, mostly from Letcher County, served under Captain Caudill for a one year term in this regiment and saw almost continuous fighting among the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia. Caudill and the men of Company F were engaged in the Battle of Middle Creek and the Battle of Princeton in 1862. As early as August of 1862 Captain Ben Caudill was already underway recruiting a regiment of his own comprised of men from throughout the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. By the fall of 1862 Caudill had raised nine companies of men from over 13 counties and was promoted to the rank of Colonel in command of the 10th Mounted Rifles. Ben Caudill was well known as a charismatic traveling evangelist throughout Eastern Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia, a tremendous asset in recruiting his regiment of 1,100 men. Many of the soldiers were related in some way to Colonel Caudill and in fact 32 of the men carried the Caudill name, including five of Ben's brothers.” (Submitted on November 21, 2015.) 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2015, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 3,180 times since then and 96 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on November 21, 2015, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.

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Mar. 19, 2024