Trooper George W. Bowman
Company D
2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment
"I found your website on the 2nd Ky after doing a
google search. I thought you might be interested to know that my great
Grandfather, George W. Bowman, along with several of his brothers,
served in Dukes Regiment under Gen. Morgans' command. He mustered in on
June 1st, 1862, at Chattanooga, for a 3 year enlistment. A Capt. Bowles
enlisted him. George Bowman served with the unit until his capture at 12
Mile Island, on July 11, 1863. He was one of 20 men captured there.
After capture, he was sent first to McLean Barracks, Ohio, then to Camp
Douglas, Illinois, near Chicago.
I'm sending you a pic of my GGrandfather, in his uniform. I'm fortunate to have several of the buttons from this same uniform, and a silver star and crescent badge with 2nd Ky Cvlry on it, engraved in cursive script, and his name. Some
of the buttons still have bits of the original uniform cloth adhering to
them, sort of cadet grey in color.
I also have a Remington 1858 New Model revolver, once owned by a Major C P Wilson, a Yankee who was involved in the capture of my G Grandfather in 1863. The P could be an I or a J also. Apparently, Major Wilson was gifted the gun, because the trigger guard has the name H McGruder, guerilla to... [**Henry C. Magruder was a notorious Southern Guerilla, hanged by the Federals in 1865, for what they called "crimes". He served with several Confederate Generals, including John Hunt Morgan**]; and then on the butt plate, Major wilsons' name is engraved.
My GGrandfather was a native of Lebanon, KY, went back there after the war, and died there in 1914."
"I'm sending you 3 more pics: buttons from the uniform in the first pic I sent..."
[**note that these are all captured Federal Eagle enlisted issue buttons. Of special note is the button to the lower right with the letter "I" in the shield. This is a captured officers button!**]
"...a silver badge, back-pin missing..."
[**note Bowman's initials engraved upon the cresent & 2nd Ky. Cav. upon the star**]
Partisan Rangers ask: would this badge be worn upon the hat or breast of jacket?
"...and the revolver I mentioned. Since Maj.C.P. Wilson was Union, I'm guessing he took the gun from Magruder and had it engraved. Since the guard has H. Magruder Guerilla to.... on it, and he and my GGF both served under Morgan, and Maj Wilson was involved in my GGFs capture, I have to assume that my gun
was owned by the Henry C. Magruder I found online. This makes the gun
even more interesting to me than before; it has a "history". My great
uncle who bought the gun, and my father are both deceased, so I can no
longer find out any more details. Maybe somewhere out there is a CW
history buff who knows more about H. Magruder and his ilk..."
2 3/8" by 4" Carte de Visite
taken by D.F. Brandon,
Photographer, Camp Douglas, Ill., [so stated on the back].
Also on the back are the men's names:
1. John Downing
2. J.A. Eastin
3. George Bowman [front row, center]
4. John Taylor
5. James Yates
Also stated on the card, at bottom is:
of Co. D 2nd Ky Cav
A very special thanks to Mr. Mark Fowlkes
for providing the above photos & information about his ancestor.
Partisan Rangers of Kentucky are extremely grateful!
To return to the 2nd Kentucky Photo Album
click the CS Kentucky state seal above