Elizabethtown unveils marker detailing
1862 battle in bitter December cold

The Battle of Elizabethtown will not be forgotten thanks to a commemorative marker erected in the Elizabethtown town square.

An Oct. 13 dedication program included the unveiling of the marker that details the Dec. 27, 1862 battle. The confrontation was between 652 Federal troops from the 91st Illinois Volunteer Infantry and 3,900 Confederates from the Army of Tennessee commanded by Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan. The Union troops were garrisoned in the town under the command of Lt. Col. Harry S. Smith.

Dr. James A. Ramage, Northern Kentucky University professor, spoke at the event with special music provided by the 100th U.S. Army Brass Quintet.

Local officials held the outdoor unveiling in October to avoid the unpredictable weather of the date of the actual conflict. The commemorative marker and dedication event was made possible by contributions from the Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Bureau and Cecilian Bank.

In December 1862, the weather was as destructive on the principal players of the historic event as their cannons were on the town, according to Elizabethtown officials.

According to his application for Confederate pension, Elizabethtown resident and Morgan Raider James W. Mason suffered from frostbite to his feet during the raid, eventually losing two toes from one foot and all from the other. Following the raid, he finished out the war in DeKalb County, Tenn., deemed unfit for further duty and unable to return home.