Kentucky’s Civil War generals featured in Richmond sesquicentennial exhibit

When it comes to numbers of high-ranking leadership, Kentucky is no slouch where the Civil War is concerned.

More than 100 eventual generals were either born or living in the Commonwealth when they joined the Union or Confederacy. And, the Battle of Richmond Visitor’s Center has initiated an exhibit destined to highlight as many of the executive officers as possible.

The Civil War Sesquicentennial exhibit features portraits and brochures of the generals in a presentation that will extend through May 2015.  The first set includes Union generals Thomas Crittenden, Robert Anderson and John Buford and Confederate generals John Bell Hood, Albert Sidney Johnston and John C. Breckinridge. Soon to be added are the Union’s William (Bull) Nelson and the Confederacy’s Simon Bolivar Buckner and Abraham Buford, cousin of John Buford.

“Kentucky often is overlooked in terms of Civil War history,” according to Phillip Seyfrit, Battle of Richmond historic properties director. “Many well-known leaders were natives of Kentucky or had a Kentucky residence.”

A list of Kentucky generals, although not complete, shows a Federal number of 54 and a Confederate total of 49.