"A very large part of the state is completely overrun with guerrillas, who plunder farm-house, and fields, and villages at will, and often murder the helpless victims of their robberies."
-Letter from Adjutant-General J. Holt to Secretary of War E.M. StantonJuly 31, 1864.
During the Civil War, bands or armed men terrorized the towns and farmsteads of western Kentucky. These small groups of men were either guerrilla soldiers attached to the Union or Confederates armies or bandits entirely independent of an army command. The two types were difficult to distinguish, but regarded as equally dangerous, as both were generally accountable only to themselves. Guerrillas preyed upon inland commerce, destroyed public property, and impeded enemy troop movements. Henderson was continually harassed by guerrilla bands throughout the war.
ln October 1864, Brigadier General Stephen Burbridge, commanding officer of the Department of Kentucky, issued General Order No. 8 requiring the execution of captured men identified as guerrillas.
The next month, six guerrillas were caught near Henderson after committing several robberies. They gave their names as John Horton, D. Horton, W. Horton, John Jamison, John Moore, and Tom Forrest, claiming to be Confederate soldiers under
the command of Captain Ollie B. Steele. The men requested that they be turned over to civil authorities. They appeared before Judge Hutchen, where they pled guilty to larceny, admitted they did not belong to any military command, and were held on a $5,000 bond.
Enforcing General Burbridge's order, Colonel John Glenn, commanding officer of the 120th U.S. Colored Troops, took possession of the prisoners. On November 13, 1864, African American troops escorted the six men in their final moments. Some of the men made a final confession stating that they had given, false names; John Horton was actually John Williams, D. Horton was D. Riley, W. Horton was W. Riley, and John Jamison was John Fry. The men were initially buried at the place of execution, and later removed to Fernwood Cemetery.
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