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Andrew H. CLARK
Captain, Company D, 7th Kentucky Infantry
Colonel, 47th Kentucky Mounted Infantry
By Jim Clark
Andrew H. Clark was the eldest son of William Clark and Tabitha Evans, and was born in Clay
County, Kentucky on the 29th day of March 1835. His grandparents were two Clay County
pioneer families, Henry and Jane Clark, and Edward and Margaret Evans. Andrew grew up
on his father's farm in Owsley County and had just started to farm on his own when the Civil War
began. Col. T.T. Garrard of Clay County had been asked to raise a regiment of volunteers
and so many of the young men of the area, who were Unionists, answered the call. Andrew, his
younger brother, Henry J., and several of their cousins enlisted in Col. Garrard's Regiment, which
was at first called the 3rd Kentucky Infantry, later changed to the 7th Kentucky Infantry. Andrew
was elected Captain of Company D in August of 1861 and was mustered in on September
22, 1861, at Camp Dick Robinson.
After being mustered, the regiment was at once ordered to Wild Cat Mountain in Laurel County, to
resist the advance of Confederate Gen. Felix Zollicoffer. On October 21, 1861, the 7th was attacked
but held and with reinforcements defeated the Rebels. This was the first general battle fought in
Kentucky.
During the summer of 1862, when the Rebels were advancing into Kentucky, the 7th was at
Cumberland Gap. Gen. George Morgan, fearing that he would be surrounded, ordered Col.
Garrard to take a detachment of men and ride for Cincinnati. Morgan later wrote that he sent
the troops to save the horses from starvation and to send a gallant officer with a brave little band of
veterans to lead on new troops. The detachment rode out of the Gap on the night of August 25th,
evaded the surrounding Rebels, and reported to Gen. Nelson at Richmond, Kentucky. Col. Garrard
rode on to Cincinnati and arrived there on the evening of August 29th. A part of the detachment
remained at Richmond and Gen. Nelson later wrote of Garrard's men that they dismounted, hitched
their horses and did excellent service. This service was in the Battle of Richmond on August 30th.
Andrew was captured by the Rebels during the battle, but was paroled by them the same day.
Andrew remained with the 7th during its Expedition to Charleston, West Virginia, October 21 through
November 10. The 7th was ordered to Memphis, Tennessee on November 10; duty there until
December 20; Sherman's Yazoo Expedition December 20, 1862, to January 2, 1863; Chickasaw
Bayou December 26 throuh 28; Chickasaw Bluff December 29; Expedition to Arkansas Post,
January 3 through 10, 1863; Assault on and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, January 15
through 23; Moved to Young's Point, Louisiana, January 15, 1863. At that time, Andrew was in
command of the regiment because Lt. Col. Joel W. Ridgell had resigned, and Col. Garrard had been
placed in command of the 1st Brigade, 9th Division, 13th Army Corps, of the Army of Tennessee.
Andrew felt that he should be promoted, so asked Col. Garrard to recommend him to the military
board. Col. Garrard declined, stating that he felt Andrew was without energy or discipline. Upon
hearing this, Andrew submitted his letter of resignation on February 18, 1863, at Youngs Point,
Louisiana. Col. Garrard forwarded the letter to Gen. Osterhaus, stating that although Andrew was a
good man, he was a poor officer and the service would be better off without him. Gen. Osterhaus also
recommended the resignation be accepted. The resignation was approved by Maj. Gen. John A.
McClernand, and finally by Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant on February 22, 1863.
Andrew had made a decision and had acted on it. Had he remained with the 7th, he probably would
never have been promoted and may have met the same fate as his replacement, Capt. Thomas Wilson,
who was killed at the Battle of Champions Hill. Andrew made his way back to Kentucky, and along
with Alfred C. Wilson and Thomas H. Barnes became instrumental in recruiting men for a new regiment.
Under an act of Congress, the Governor of Kentucky was authorized to organize up to 20,000 troops
for the defense of the state. Many of the men of the area who had not enlisted before, now joined,
because they would not have to serve outside the state. As a result, the 47th Kentucky Mounted Infantry
Regiment was formed. The greater portion of the men were mustered into the service at Irvine,
Kentucky in October 1863. The others at Camp Nelson in December 1863 and January 1864.
Andrew was commissioned a Lt. Col. at the inception and then promoted to full Colonel. Alfred C.
Wilson was made Lt. Col. and Thomas H. Barnes was made Major. Andrew's brother Edward was
elected 1st. Lt. in Company D under his cousin Capt. David W. Clark. Also elected to Capt. of
Company E, was Andrew's double first cousin, Henry J. Clark.
Andrew's father William, who was the United States Provost Marshal of Owsley County, was murdered
by the Rebels in June of 1864. This occurred as a result of the Rebel Gen. John H. Morgan's last raid
into Kentucky. Morgan and his raiders had been defeated at Cynthiana, Kentucky and his command
split in half. Morgan retreated to the West and the other column commanded by
Col. Henry L. Giltner, 4th Kentucky Cavalry (CSA), retreated to the
southeast toward Pound Gap, Virginia. According to stories, Andrew's father was out on the Red Bird
recruiting Blacks for military service when he was captured by men from Giltner's column. He was held
prisoner for a time and then shot by some of the Rebels who deserted the Rebel force. This act so
exasperated Andrew, that he requested the use of his regiment to go to the mountains and avenge the
blood of his father. He must have had some success because later newspaper reports revealed that
some of the men had been caught and shot by Col. Clark's men. Col. Giltner escaped into Lee County,
Virginia and later surrendered at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky on the 30th of April 1865. Andrew was
mustered out of the service in December 1864. His regiment lost while in service, 1 enlisted man killed
and 4 officers (one being his brother Edward) and 68 enlisted men to disease.
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