On September 18, 1861, ominous sounds of battle thundering in the distance, the Kentucky legislature voted to align itself with the Union. It was a decision which tore at the heart of the state, splitting apart families and severing friendships. For the newly formed First Kentucky Brigade, it marked a four-year separation from the beloved homeland. Fiercely independent to the end, these men would fight for the cause of the South. With their first march into battle, they became outcasts from their mother state — orphans in the raging strife of civil war. William C. Davis has written a gripping story of the rebel troops whose remarkable spirit and tenacity were heralded throughout the Confederacy. The First Kentucky Brigade was “baptized in fire and blood” at the Battle of Shiloh and went on to serve with great distinction at Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, Chickamauga, and the fight for Atlanta. In this vivid narrative, the author captures the searing drama of each battle, as well as the unbearable drudgery of the months between. We see men of all backgrounds and ranks coming to grips with the war: some of them, renowned leaders such as John C. Breckinridge; others, young soldiers learning the horror of death for the first time. Drawing from a wealth of documents, memoirs, personal letters, and journals, Davis brings to life the fascinating history of the Civil War’s “Orphan Brigade.”

John W. Green (1841-1920), an enlisted man with Kentucky's famed Confederate Orphan Brigade throughout the Civil War, fought at Shiloh, Baton Rouge, Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Atlanta and many other crucial battles. An acute observer with a flair for humanizing the impersonal horror of war, he kept a record of his experiences, and penned an exciting front-line account of America's defining trial by fire. Albert D. Kirwan provides a brief history of the Orphan Brigade and a biography of Johnny Green. Introductions to each chapter explain references in the journal and also set the context for the major campaigns.

The Kentuckian's of the Confederate Army The Orphan Brigade was the nickname given to the First Kentucky Brigade―the largest brigade to be recruited in the state consisting of the 2nd,3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th Confederate Infantry regiments―during the American Civil War. Its original commander was the popular John C. Breckinridge who had been a U.S Vice-President. The brigade fought in many engagements during the war. Most notably at the Battle of Stones River where after a particularly costly assault, General Braxton Bragg lamented as he saw the battered survivors, 'Oh, my poor orphans'. This sobriquet was reputedly derived from the fact that whilst Kentucky itself remained within the Union, its soldiers served both causes and the state was represented by a star on the national flags of both protagonists. The 'orphan' appellation was not widely used during the war but, promoted by Thompson, the unit's historian, became popular among veterans afterwards. This special Leonaur edition contains a well-regarded first-hand account and a history of the unit edited from Thompson's more expansive volume. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.

This work provides an organizational history of the maneuver brigade and case studies of its employment throughout the various wars. Apart from the text, the appendices at the end of the work provide a ready reference to all brigade organizations used in the Army since 1917 and the history of the brigade colors.