Kentucky soldier pension question.

[Minieball577]

I recently was talking with a visitor at a living history and she had some questions about her ancestor. I don't know how to answer them per se, and was hoping you all could help. Subsequent to the event she sent me the following e-mail. IF you have anything you could add to answer her question, or direct me in such a way I could help he out that would be great.

Mr. Hubbard,

My grandfather william Swanson served in the Civil War. I have his discharge papers. It states that he was enrolled on October 1, 1863 and was discharged on December 26, 1864 at Lexington, Ky. He was a Private in Company F, 47th Regiment of Ky Infantry. My grandmother who was a lot younger than him received a pension. I don't know too much about that but it must have been after he died. He died in 1929.

My question is did he serve in the Union Army or the Confederate Army.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Kentucky soldier pension question.

Union. Search the NPS soldiers and sailors database at http://www.civilwar.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm for his name, serving from the state of Kentucky. He shows as a private in Co. F and here's their thumbnail history of the regiment:

UNION KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS

47th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry

Organized at Irvine and Camp Nelson, Ky., October 5, 1863, to January, 1864. Attached to District of North Central Kentucky, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. of Ohio, to January, 1864. District of Southwest Kentucky, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, to April, 1864. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, District of Kentucky, 5th Division, 23rd Army Corps, to July, 1864. Camp Nelson (Ky.) District and Dept. of Kentucky to April, 1865.

SERVICE.-Scout and patrol duty in Eastern Kentucky till June, 1864. Operations against Morgan May 31-June 20. Mt. Sterling, Ky., June 9. Keller's Bridge, near Cynthiana, June 11. Cynthiana June 12. Duty at Camp Nelson, Ky., and on line of Kentucky Central Railroad till April, 1865. Mustered out Companies "A" to "H" at Lexington, Ky., December 26, 1864, and Companies "I" and "K" April 12, 1865.

Regiment lost while in service 1 Enlisted man killed and 4 Officers and 68 Enlisted men by disease. Total 73.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Minieball577]

Re: Kentucky soldier pension question.

Thank you Hank.

[James A. Page]

Re: Kentucky soldier pension question.

He was enrolled on October 1st, 1863 as a member of Company F, 47th Kentucky Infantry. He mustered in four days later (October 5th) at Irvine, Kentucky. He mustered out at Lexington, Kentucky on December 26th, 1864. His company originally mustered in 85 men. During its one year of service, 7 men died and 9 deserted. It had no wounded or killed resulting from combat.