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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Military Correspondence, 1863-1867 KYR-0001-003-0075 BR5-113 to BR5-114

Camp Nelson, Jessamine County, Kentucky Thomas Elliott Bramlette (KY governor 1863-67, atty, D.A., col 3rd KY Inf) N001000 1817-01-03 1875-01-12 Categories: People

Twenty-third governor of Kentucky, attorney and soldier. Cumberland County, Kentucky, native. Married to Sallie Travis Bramlette in September 1837. Father of James T. Bramlette, William L. Bramlette, Eugene Bramlette, and Corrina Bell Bramlette. Practiced law in Clinton County, Kentucky, and Columbia, Kentucky. Represented Cumberland and Clinton counties in the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1841 to 1843. Commonwealth's attorney of the 8th Judicial District of Kentucky from 1848 to 1850. Owned two enslaved persons in 1850. Circuit judge of the 6th Judicial District of Kentucky from 1856 to 1861. Owned nine enslaved persons in 1860. Served as colonel of the 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment (U.S.A.) from 1861 to 1862. District attorney of the United States District Court for Kentucky in 1863. Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from September 1, 1863, to September 3, 1867. Owned law firm of Bramlette & Van Winkle in partnership with Ephraim L. Van Winkle.

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Clinton County, District No. 1, p. 181A. Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Clinton County, District No. 1, p. 335 (p. 2 of 2 on microfilm). Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Adair County, The Town of Columbia 1st Division, p. 13 (p. 2 of 3 on microfilm). Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 8, p. 83B. Ross A. Webb, “Thomas E. Bramlette (1863-1867)” in Lowell H. Harrison, ed., Kentucky’s Governors (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004), 93-97 Lowell H. Harrison, "Bramlette, Thomas Elliott" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 112-13. William H. Ridenour (Hamilton County, Ohio, resident and soldier) N00018943 1841-03-11 1923-12-09 Categories: People

Hamilton County, Ohio, resident and soldier. Ohio native. Son of Jacob Ridenour and Julia Ridenour. Married to Elizabeth Ridenour. Father of Elijah Ridenour. Resident of Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1850. Served in the 18th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment (U.S.A.) as a private, first sergeant, and second lieutenant from February 8, 1862 to May 29, 1864. Wounded and captured at the Battle of Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, on August 3, 1862. Paroled August 30, 1862. Served as acting ordnance officer at Lexington from January 1863 to April 1864. Resigned from service dated May 29, 1864.

Relationships Military: 18th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment (U.S.A.) Military: Camp Nelson, Kentucky Military: Ordnance Department U.S. Army

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Ohio, Hamilton County, Millcreek, p. 30B. Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Indiana, Fulton County, Rochester, p. 134A. Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations From the State of Kentucky, NARA RG 94, Microfilm Series M397, Roll 0316. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, vol. 2, 1861-1866 (Frankfort: Kentucky Yeoman Office, 1866), p. 16. "Mortuary Record," The South Bend Tribune, (South Bend, IN), December 11, 1923, p. 5. "William H. Ridenour (1841-1923)," Find A Grave, Memorial 34865537, accessed November 30, 2022, http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34865537. United States of America P001802 Categories: Places

Capital at Washington, District of Columbia.

38.8951, -77.0364 Karl Patterson Schmidt et al., "United States" in Encyclopedia Britannica, (https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States) (accessed May 26, 2017). USGS: Earth Explorer, "Washington, District of Columbia," https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ (accessed on September 29, 2020). Richmond, Kentucky P00009682 Categories: Places

Seat of Madison County, Kentucky.

37.7479, -84.2947 Fred Allen Engle, “Richmond” in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber, (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 771-72. "Richmond, Kentucky,"USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed September 12, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Kentucky P001800 Categories: Places

State in the upper south of the United States. Capital at Frankfort. Located on the Ohio River.

38.2009, -84.8733 "Frankfort, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed June 14, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992). Ordnance Department U.S. Army O00012696 1812-05-14 Categories: Organizations

Agency of the War Department responsible for supplying the United States Army with military stores. Commander(s): John Wolfe Ripley (April 23, 1861, to September 15, 1863), G. D. Ramsay (September 15, 1863, to September 12, 1864), A. B. Dyer (September 12, 1864, to May 20, 1874).

"Ordnance Department," The Army of the US Historical Sketches of Staff and Line with Portraits of Generals-in-Chief, https://history.army.mil/books/R&H/R&H-OD.htm, (accessed May 19, 2020). Francis B. Heitman, ed., Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, from its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903, vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903), 44. Camp Nelson, Kentucky O00010592 1863 1865 Categories: Organizations

Organized in 1863 near Nicholasville, Kentucky, for the Department of the Ohio (U.S.A.). Measured 4,000 acres and contained quartermaster commissary depot, ordnance depot, recruitment center, prison, and hospital in 1865. Third largest U.S. Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) recruiting center in the United States. A "Home for Colored Refugees" at Camp Nelson opened in January 1865. Superintendent(s): Captain Theron E. Hall, Col. Bierbower. Commandant(s): Col. Speed S. Fry, Col Frederick H. Bierbower, Col. James F. Jaquess.

"Camp Nelson" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 158. "Camp Nelson," History and Culture, National Parks Service, accessed April 26, 2019, https://www.nps.gov/cane/learn/historyculture/index.htm. Richard D. Sears, Camp Nelson, Kentucky: A Civil War History (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2002). Commonwealth of Kentucky O001025 1792 Categories: Organizations

Administrative body of the state of Kentucky. Capital at Frankfort, Kentucky. Governor(s): Beriah Magoffin (1859-1862), James F. Robinson (1862-1863), and Thomas E. Bramlette (1863-1867).

Paul Blanchard, "Office of Governor" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 380. Malcolm E. Jewell, "General Assembly" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 366. Paul J. Weber, "Court System" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 233. 18th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment (U.S.A.) O00002378 1862-02-08 1865-04-04 Categories: Organizations

Organized in north-central Kentucky. Mustered into service on February 8, 1862. Mustered out of service on April 4, 1865. Commander(s): Colonel William A. Warner, Lieutenant Colonel John J. Landrum, and Lieutenant Colonel H. K. Milward.

Relationships Military: Samuel G. Rogers (Nicholas County constable, farmer, soldier) Military: John William Finnell (Adj Gen'l, Kenton Co. State Rep, attorney) Military: Abram G. Wileman (Pendleton County, Kentucky doctor and major 18th Ky Inf)

Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, vol. 2, 1861-1866 (Frankfort: Kentucky Yeoman Office, 1866), 2-17. Frederick Henry Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, (Des Moines: Dyer Publishing Company, 1908), p. 1205. Camp Nelson, Jessamine County, Kentucky 1864-02-25 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 2 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
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Ordnance Department Camp Nelson February 25th1864 To" His", Excellency, Governor", Bramlette, Governor of Kentucky Dear Sir

Having served my Country as an Officer & Soldier for nearly three years, as an Infantry Soldier & having bin disabled by the loss of my right Arm while engaged in the line of duty at the battle of Richmond Ky, I am disabled as an instructer becaus I cannot handle a musket, & my regiment having reenlisted for three years I am anxious to continue in the Service if I can do my Country any good whatever,

In view of the facts above stated, I have the honor to request that you grant me permission to recruit a company of, Heavy, Artilary as a defense for the state of Ky,

I have the honor to be Very Respt your obt servt Lieut, W, H, Ridenour

18th\ Ky Vol Inft, & act ord offiser