In late March 1863, Colonel George W. Mindil's 27th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment was shipped to Cincinnati, Ohio to join General Ambrose Burnside in his new command. Burnside welcomed Mindil and his troops and invited the regiment to have a special dinner at the market-house.
After dinner, the 27th NJ Regiment was ferried to Covington, Kentucky. From Covington, the regiment was transported by train to Lexington, Kentucky.
The 27th NJ Regiment was the first infantry regiment sent into Kentucky to support Federal cavalry in the fight against Confederate guerrilla bands. The Union Cavalry was under attack by Brigadier General John Pegram's troops at Heckman's Bridge, near Nicholasville. The 27th NJ relieved the cavalry on March 28. The regiment had marched 16 miles, wearing full marching equipment, in just six hours.
Copyright 1999-2013: Jay C. Richards
