Henry Clay Perkins

My great-great Grandfather Henry Clay Perkins was born December 1843 in Morgan County, KY. Before he reached the age of two Henry and his mother Aggy Lane Perkins moved and settled on a farm near Webbville, Lawrence County, KY.

In October of 1861, Henry bid his mother and siblings farewell and traveled from his home in Webbville to Catlettsburg, KY and enrolled as a private in Captain James H. Davidson's Company B, 14th KY Infantry Regiment. Henry was only 17 at the time, yet he told the enrollment officer that he was 19 years old, probably fearing that he would be rejected from service because of his age.

Before long, Henry and his comrades were involved in a number of actions ~ Action at Ivy Creek on November 8, 1861~ Battle of Middle Creek on January 10, 1862 and several other smaller skirmishes.

The first three months of 1862 were mainly spent in winter quarters at Paintsville, KY and the weather contributed to much sickness among the men in the regiment, Henry being no exception - spending March and April of 1862 in the hospital in Lexington.

Spring of 1862 saw a change and the 14th KY was assigned to General Morgan's 7.Division, Army of the Ohio, and marched to Cumberland Ford, KY. The objective was to capture Cumberland Gap and this was accomplished by the 7. Division on June 18, 1862. The following three months were spent fortifying the strategic stronghold.

"View from the Pinnacle, Cumberland Gap"

Engagements with the enemy were rare, yet on August 6, 1862, while participating on a foraging expedition near Tazewell, TN with DeCourcy's brigade, the 14th KY encountered part of Kirby Smith's force that was preparing to invade Kentucky.
Faced with an overwhelming Confederate force, DeCourcy's brigade began their retreat. The ground was uneven, two fences had to be crossed and the men were being flanked on two sides ~ a dangerous situation indeed! Despite orders to move quickly to the rear and to safety, the 14th KY repeatedly stopped to fire at the pursuing enemy that was rapidly approaching them.

It was during this action that Henry was shot in the right leg. His comrades managed to move him off the field and the next day, back at Cumberland Gap, his leg was amputated by A.C. Miller, Regimental Surgeon of the 14th KY.
This was not the end of Henry's adventure by all means. Not only fighting for his life in the hospital (this type of operation had a 50% survival rate) it became evident that the Federal forces at Cumberland Gap were hopelessly cut off from the outside world. Food began to run short and after a council of war it was decided to evacuate the Gap.

On September 17, 1862, the 7.Division left the Gap under cover of night and made their way to the Ohio River and on to safety. The men in the hospital at the Gap were not so lucky - they were captured on September 18, 1862. No doubt, Henry became a prisoner as well. The first glimpse we catch of him was at Danville, KY where he reported to his regiment on December 15, 1862. He was then sent to Camp Dennisson to receive a wooden leg and on December 31, 1862, Henry was discharged from service in Danville.
After leaving camp he made his way back home on foot and it is said that along the way a black family helped him and gave Henry food.

His disability never seemed to slow Henry down much, though. In January 1865, he engaged in business with Colonel George W. Gallup, former commander of the 14th KY. He also took his sweetheart Eliza Jane Prince across the Ohio River to Ironton where they were married on July 26, 1865 - a union that resulted in seven children.

In later years, Henry founded a small lumbertown named Perkinstown, also known as Ceneterville. Henry and Eliza owned a house lot, a store and the saloon. The store sold everything from dresses to farm equipment and there was hard cider in barrels under the counter.
In politics, Henry was a staunch Republican. He flew the US flag next to his store, but only if the Republicans were in office. On July 4, the Democrats in town would steal his wooden leg, haul down his flag and leave him laying helpless.

In older years, Henry grew a long white beard and wore bib overalls. He liked children and would often tell jokes to them. I return, when Henry wanted just "to get away from it all", the children would saddle his horse for him and then Henry would take off riding for a while.

The war had made an impact on Henry's health and in later years he suffered from heart disease to the extent that the slightest exertion would cause "smothering". His eyesight was deteriorating as well. After his wife Eliza died in 1895, Henry married Mary Jane Auxier, who was 30 years his junior. Mary Jane took care of Henry until his death on July 25, 1906 in Centerville.

Henry Clay Perkins is laid to rest beside his wife Eliza on top of a high hill, in Hensley Cemetery on Needmore Road, Lawrence County. His grave has a military marker.



I am in part indebted to Michael Perkins for supplying some
of the wonderful information about my great-great-grandfather.

If you have further information on Henry Clay Perkins, Please, we would love to hear it
Marlitta H. Perkins

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