For generations, the story of the Simpsonville Massacre lingered as a whispered memory within the Black and military communities of Kentucky – a stark reminder of unrecognized sacrifices made during the Civil War. Now, after decades of neglect, a dedicated group is diligently searching for the remains of 22 soldiers from Company E of the Fifth U.S. Colored Cavalry, killed in an ambush in 1865, hoping to finally provide a proper resting place and long-overdue recognition.
The Deadly Ambush
On January 22 or 23, 1865, approximately 80 soldiers, formerly enslaved people now fighting for the Union as free men, were transporting 900 head of cattle from Camp Nelson, Kentucky, to Louisville. The soldiers, separated into two groups of 40, walked in front and behind the herd, unaware of the danger lurking ahead. As the rear guard passed through a wooded area along the Shelbyville Road (now Highway 60), roughly 25 miles east of Louisville, they were ambushed by a group of Confederate guerrillas.
Amy Murrell Taylor, a historian at the University of Kentucky, explains that the Union soldiers were armed with single-shot Enfield rifles, while the Confederate guerrillas likely had pistols. The sounds of the cattle made it difficult for those in front to hear the battle unfolding, highlighting the vulnerability of the soldiers as they were overwhelmed. The attack left 22 men dead, a devastating loss that served no military purpose, according to Taylor—it was simply an expression of hatred against free Black men who represented everything the Confederacy fought against.
The massacre, initially reported in The Louisville Journal as a “horrible butchery,” was largely forgotten by mainstream institutions. The remains were buried in one or two mass graves near the site of the killings, and later efforts to properly bury Civil War remains largely bypassed Simpsonville.
A Legacy of Remembrance
Despite fading from official memory, the Simpsonville Massacre persisted within local Black and military communities as a poignant symbol of unrecognized sacrifice. Driven by a desire to honor these forgotten soldiers, Jerry T. Miller, a former Louisville city council member and state legislator, began his search for the massacre site in 2006 after discovering a diary entry referencing the event.
Brent Leggs, director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, underscores the significance of these soldiers’ choices, noting that “enlistment was a form of self-emancipation for enslaved Black men.” The Civil War was a moment of tremendous change, and these men’s decision to fight for the Union was a powerful step towards achieving personal freedom.
In 2009, Miller installed a roadside marker, and in 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs provided 22 memorial marble stones. These efforts created a roadside memorial with neat rows of headstones, but emphasized the incomplete nature of the remembrance – the ultimate goal of finding and honoring the fallen soldiers remained.
Modern Search Efforts Begin
Renewed hope emerged in 2015 when a historian working with Miller unearthed a surveyor’s map from 1936, marked on Ella and J.H. Bryan’s property with the words “Civil War Grave Mound.” This led to initial soil samples, though they yielded no results. The search became dormant until 2023, when Miller, now retired from politics, enlisted the help of Philip B. Mink II, director of the Office of State Archaeology and the William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology at the University of Kentucky.
Digging for Answers
The search began in earnest in the spring of 2024, utilizing drone-attached and terrestrial ground-penetrating radar, as well as a magnetometer. The resulting imagery revealed irregularities in the soil, leading Mink to believe he had located the likely site of the mass grave. Excavation began in September 2024, with a backhoe and a team of students and scientists from the University of Kentucky.
Despite initial optimism, the digging proved challenging. While trenches were dug, and stones were moved, no remains were found, except for a single brick fragment. Although the search initially yielded disappointing results, the team remained committed.
Continuing the Pursuit
While the initial excavation didn’t uncover remains, Mink emphasized that “negative data is still data,” and reaffirmed the importance of perseverance. He plans to revisit the Lincoln Ridge cemetery and conduct further scans of Mr. Bryan’s field with both aerial and terrestrial ground-penetrating radar, along with deploying cadaver-sniffing dogs.
Mink’s unwavering determination reflects a broader commitment to honoring these forgotten heroes. “These are young men who signed up, served their country, were fighting for freedom,” he stated. “I don’t want to give up yet.” The ongoing search for the Simpsonville Massacre graves represents a crucial step toward acknowledging a tragic chapter in American history and ensuring that the sacrifices of these brave soldiers are never forgotten.
