Shelby County Kentucky
Historical Society

About The Events

161 years later, an incident which occurred on January 25, 1865 in Shelby County, KY, is still remembered by many. Nearing the end of the Civil War, Company E of the 5th US Colored Cavalry (USCC) was ambushed by Confederate guerrillas in Simpsonville, KY. The company was based at Camp Nelson in Jessamine County, KY and had been assigned to drive 900 head of cattle from Camp Nelson to Louisville over the countryside, as part of the Union supply chain to supply the city with beef. Unexpectedly, the soldiers at the rear of the herd were attacked by Confederate guerrillas. When the chaos ended, 22 men were found dead and more were wounded. Their bodies lie scattered along the road (US Hwy 60) and in surrounding fields. At the time, local newspaper coverage of the incident was minimal. Learn what we now know about these 22 US Army Veterans and this incident, decades later.

Please join the Shelby County Historical Society (SCHS) on Tuesday, January 27 at 6:30 pm for Remembering the Simpsonville Massacre. This free program, part of the History Matters Speakers Series, will take place at the Simpsonville Methodist Church (105 1st St. Simpsonville, KY). Built 10 years after the massacre, the church sits close to the massacre site. This program will give an overview of the project and its future. A panel discussion will be held with special guests: Jerry Miller, SCHS member, former state legislator and local historian; Juanita White, SCHS member, historian and scriptwriter; and Steve Phan, Chief of Interpretation at Camp Nelson National Monument. Each speaker will give a brief talk about their involvement in this ongoing project to discover the exact location of the soldiers’ grave, with time for questions at the end. Each soldier’s name will be read aloud at the beginning of the program, in honor of their service to our country.

Celebrate 250 Years of Shelby County, Kentucky history with us!!