HISTORY

Sergeant David Owens in Iraq:

Our Mountain Warriors, 149th Infantry Regiment

We are the 1st Battalion, 149Th Mountain Warriors Infantry Regiment of the Kentucky National Guard. The regiment was first designated by the State of Kentucky during the Mexican War. It was designated as the 2nd Kentucky Regiment of Foot. Its first commander was Colonel Henry Clay Junior, who was killed in the war. His father Senator Henry Clay Senior never got over his eldest son's death-who was being prepared to take over for Clay. Historians claim it cost Clay the Presidency, as he never again stumped the circuit as he had before his son's death, plus he began to drink heavily. The 2nd Kentucky remained in State service as the Guards until the Civil War when it followed then Kentucky Adjutant General Simon B. Buckner to Camp Boone, Tennessee and was assigned as the 2nd Kentucky Infantry in Lieutenant-General John Breckenridge's C.S.A. Brigade-known as the Orphan Brigade (We still have their battle streamers on our regimental colors.) And their history is famous. Following the Civil War the 2nd Kentucky returned to State Guard service. It was reassigned as the 149th when put into service during the Spanish-American War. The 149th was also activated for duty for WW1 (France) & WWII, (Bataan) and was not reactivated for duty until Operation Iraqi Freedom. Our Headquarters is in Barbourville with units in Ravenna, Harlan, Somerset, Williamsburg, & London, Kentucky. Our current commander is Lieutenant-Colonel John Luttrell of Harlan.

HISTORY

2nd Regiment, Kentucky Mounted Infantry

2nd Infantry Regiment was organized in August, 1861, at Camp Boone, Tennessee, and became part of the Orphan Brigade or Louisville Legion. The men were from the counties of Hickman, Fayette, Bullitt, Jefferson, Graves, Franklin, Harrison, Scott, Owen, Bourbon, and Anderson. In October the unit contained 832 men and in the fight at Fort Donelson its force of 618 was captured. After being exchanged, it saw action at Shiloh and later was assigned to Hanson's, Helm's, and J.H. Lewis' Brigade. The 2nd was involved in the Battles of Murfreesboro and Chickamauga, then participated in the Atlanta Campaign. During the fall of 1864 the unit served as mounted infantry and took part in the defense of Savannah and the campaign of the Carolinas. It reported 13 killed, 70 wounded, and 21 missing at Murfreesboro, lost fifty-two percent of the 302 engaged at Chickamauga, and totalled 293 men and 214 arms in December, 1863. On April 26, 1865, it surrendered with the Army of Tennessee. The field officers were Colonels Roger W. Hanson, James M. Hawes, Robert A. Johnston, and James W. Moss; Lieutenant Colonels James W. Hewitt and Philip Lee; and Majors William P. Johnston and Harvey McDowell. [ Source National Park Service]