Civil War (Union)
Companies K, D 8th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry
Levi enlisted in the Kentucky 8th at Estill Springs near Irvine, Kentucky on October 28th, 1861 for a term of three years.
The 8th were attached to Thomas’ Command to January, 1862. 16th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to February, 1862. 23rd Independent Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. 23rd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of the Ohio, September, 1862. 23rd Brigade, 5th Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Left Wing 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade. 3rd Division, 21st Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, to April, 1864. 1st Separate Brigade. Post of Chattanooga, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to November, 1864. 2nd Brigade, District of the Etowah, Dept. of the Cumberland, to February, 1865.
SERVICE:Duty at Estill Springs, Ky., till November 28, 1861. March to Lebanon, Ky., November 28-December 3, and duty there till March, 1862. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., March 10-23; thence to Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 3-4, and to Wartrace May 3. Duty there till June 11. Dumont’s Expedition over Cumberland Mountains June 11-19. Moved to Elk River Bridge July 4; thence to Tullahoma July 9, and join Nelson. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 26. Russellville and Glasgow September 30. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-22. Battle of Perryville October 8. Nelson’s Cross Roads October 18. Reconnoissance on Madison Road October 19. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 22-November 12, and duty there till December 26. Murfreesboro Pike November 9. Dobbins’ Ferry, near Lavergne, December 9. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Battle of Stone’s River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. At Murfreesboro till June. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 23-July 7. Liberty Gap June 25-26. At McMinnville till August 16. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Ringgold, Ga., September 11. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-20. Siege of Chattanooga September 24-November 23. Reopening Tennessee River October 26-29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Lookout Mountain November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. Taylor’s Ridge, Ringgold Gap, November 27. At Shellmound, Tenn., till March, 1864. Demonstration on Dalton, Ga., February 22-27. Buzzard’s Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25. Moved to Chattanooga, Tenn. March 1, and garrison duty there till September 26, 1864. Moved to Elk River Bridge September 26 and duty there till October 20. At Chattanooga till November 28 and at Bridgeport, Ala., till January, 1865. Mustered out February, 1865. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 4th Kentucky Mounted Infantry.
Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 56 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 144 Enlisted men by disease. Total 205.
Military records show that Levi started as a Private in Company K but this was consolidated and afterwards he served in Company D. Between October 18, 1862 and January 20, 1863 Levi was reported as Absent Without Leave, Released by order of Colonel Beaty and forfeit pay for the time absent. Given this absence, it is likely that Levi was not present for the Battle of Stone’s River.
One of the cards from Levi’s service record.
In February 1863 Levi was promoted to Corporal but when Company K was consolidated into Company D, Levi’s rank was temporarily reduced to Private. At the Battle of Chicamauga, Levi was opposite another ancestor who served in the Confederacy; that other ancestor was shot through the left clavicle and was partially paralyzed for the rest of his life.
Levi served until at least January 6, 1864 but it appears that he may have been present longer. There are several references to being “Mustered Out” in his military records related to the consolidations that occurred.