Three color guards participated in the recent dedication of historical markers denoting the area on Blue Grass Army Depot where the Battle of Richmond took place on Aug. 30, 1862. The present-day Army color guard (far left) was provided by Headquarte...
Blue Grass Army Depot Commander Col. Joseph Tirone addressed more than 100 participants at the recent dedication. In the background, flags of the states with units fighting at the Battle of Richmond, part of which is located on the Depot, were posted...
Unveiled during a recent dedication ceremony on Blue Grass Army Depot, these historical markers tell the story of the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, fought on Aug. 30, 1862. The dedication marked the re-opening of public access to this significant par...
Nathan White, Depot archaeologist and cultural resource manager, was interviewed about the preservation of the Battle of Richmond area located on the Depot by reporter Chris Dietz, WTVQ-TV, Lexington, Ky. White explained about the plans underway to c...
Two historical markers now commemorate the area on Blue Grass Army Depot where the critical phase of the Battle of Richmond took place 147 years ago almost to the day when two armies met in bloody combat in humid sweltering heat on Aug. 30, 1862.
Some of the most severe combat of this engagement took place on the Depot, one of only two military installations built upon a battlefield. It resulted in one of the most complete Confederate victory of the Civil War with more than 2,100 battle casualties and opened up Kentucky and the Ohio River to the invading Confederates.
With terrain that has remained largely unaltered since the time of the battle, the addition of the interpretive historical markers continues the ongoing partnership of the Depot with the local community.
More than 100 attendees participated in the recent dedication ceremony, which was the result of cooperative efforts of the U.S. Army, Madison County officials and a local group of historically-minded citizens organized as the Battle of Richmond Association (BORA).
"The Depot is very much a part of the local community and it was important for us to partner with local government and historical organizations to preserve this battlefield area," said Blue Grass Army Depot Commander Col. Joseph Tirone.
While this site represents a significant landmark of local and state history, it is more than that - the story of what happened here in August 1862 is also the Army's story, Tirone said.
"It is a story that began with the birth of our nation and continues to this day, a story of Americans, both men and women, who put on their country's uniform, follow its flag, perform countless tasks of selfless service and who are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their nation. It is only fitting and proper that the Army play a role in preserving this special piece of history and in helping ours and future generations remember what happened here," he said.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, the battlefield has yielded a wealth of artifacts associated with the battle through archaeological research funded by the Depot in 1993 and 1996 and by the University of Kentucky in 2000, said Nathan White, the Depot archaeologist and cultural resource manager.
Some of these artifacts are on loan to The Battle of Richmond Visitors Center, formerly Old Quarters 29 (the Depot commander's house), which was donated by the Department of Defense to Madison County for educational purposes and is also listed on the National Register.
Funds used to pay for the markers and the restoration work were generated by recycling scrap metal at the Depot through the Qualified Recyling Program (QRP) managed by the installation's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Office.
"It's a success story of properly disposing of waste, benefiting the community and saving taypayer dollars by being good environmental stewards of Depot land and resources," Tirone said.
Plans are also underway to construct a recreation pavilion and interpretive walking trail near the battlefield.
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