Ancestors in the Civil War: Sebastian Family

This summer, I found two more ancestors who had served in the Civil War and wrote a couple posts about them. Soon thereafter, I found out some more information about my family history in the war and decided to write about them, but never got around to doing so. Well, now I have organized this new information a bit more and will have at least a couple of posts to discuss some of these ancestors. 

Today, I will discuss the Sebastian family. My maternal grandmother was a Sebastian and one thing I learned this year was that a couple of my Sebastian ancestors served in the Kentucky Home Guards (pro-Union). 

Lewis Sebastian, one of my third great grandfathers, and his brothers Henderson and Calloway were in company E of a unit called the 3 Forks Battallion of the Kentucky State Troops. It consisted of men from Eastern Kentucky and helped defend against guerrillas and Confederate raiders in the area. (The unit's name is likely a reference to the North, Middle and South Forks of the Kentucky River.)

Eli Mays (or Mayes), Lewis' brother-in-law was also in this battalion.

One site shows that each of my ancestors enrolled in this unit on November 1, 1864 at Crockettsville, Ky., mustered in for one year on February 19, 1865 and mustered out at Irvine, Ky., on July 17, 1865. I am not sure how long this link will work, so I have an attached a couple images from it.

This link provides some information on these state units, with a brief mention of the 3 Forks Battalion unit near the bottom, while another site has biographical information on the unit's members.

Here is another link with a history of the unit. It includes this mention of my ancestors' company and a fight in which they may have participated.

April 25, 1865: A detachment of Capt. Strong's Co., Three Forks Battallion, under command of Lt. William F. Little "attacked a band of rebels or guerillas, who had formerly been lead by Capt. Martin South, a son of Terry South of your place, after considerable skirmishing the rebels was (sic) driven off but unfortunately Lieut. Lytlle a cousin to the Lieut who was killed was shot through the bowels and is supposed to be mortally wounded. Also a man by the name of Davidson was severely wounded through the thigh, this was all the [loss?] that we sustained. The guerillas lost two killed dead we had no means to ascertain the number of their sounded if any, occurred on Quicksand."

(Quicksand is a small community in Breathitt County, Kentucky. The below map, from family search.org shows the location of Breathitt County, home of many of my ancestors. Lewis Sebastian was born in Perry County, on the southeast side of Breathitt.)

I have some more information on my ancestors and their service, including others who served in the 3 Forks Battalion, and will post it in the future.

Defense of our Families at Home

Covington Journal September 28, 1861

At a meeting of the citizens of Covington, held Tuesday evening, for the purpose of devising means for the greater security of our city and vicinity, S. Easton was called to preside, and J.B. Jones appointed Secretary.

After a full discussion, the following address and plan for the organization of a Home Guard was unanimously adopted:

To the citizens of Covington:

The exigencies of the times - dangers impending from invaders from abroad and seditious men at home - demand the prompt organization of the true men of our city, not connected with other Union organizations, to aid in its protection and defense. It is therefore proposed that they enroll themselves at once for the purposes above mentioned.

No one who is in affiliation or sympathy with Secessionists, or with those, by whatever name they may be called, who are working, directly or indirectly, to break down our Government which our fathers gave their treasure and their lives to establish, and who ignore and oppose the authority of our own State Government, will be admitted into the organization. 

The names of applicants will be referred to a committee, and no name which does not receive the unanimous approval of that committee will be admitted. 

Applicants are requested to leave their names at the office of Sumerwell & Simmons, in the Madison House. 

A committee of five, on membership, was then appointed by the Chair; also a committee to draft rules for the government of the organization.

The meeting then adjourned to meet at Odd Fellows Hall, Friday night next, at half past seven o'clock.


S. EASTON, President
J.B. Jones, Secretary

Departure of Home Guards

Here is an article with some local information from the Covington Journal  September 21, 1861

On Thursday night last a detachment of Home Guards left this city on the Kentucky Central R.R., for the purpose of guarding the bridges on that road. It was composed of the following companies: Kenton Union Guards, Capt. Farrell; Kentucky Grays, Lieut. Stacy; Capt. Condell's company; Boone Rifles, Capt. Heltimes, Marion Guards, Capt. Richardson of this city;and Capt. Artsman's company from Newport, numbering altogether about two hundred men. 

The night was a pleasant one and a good many people were present to witness the departure of the boys, who were heartily cheered as the train moved off. 


As the Grays were proceeding to the Depot, the ladies of the Madison House, through Maj. Clarkson, presented them with a handsome wreath.