In June of 1863, Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan was encamped with his troops at Alexandria, TN. On June 11, 1863, Gen. Morgan started his troops north to the Cumberland River where he planned to clear the Federals from the river crossing at Carthage, which had fallen into their hands. However, word had been received from Gen. Bragg for Morgan to intercept a Federal force entering east Kentucky and Tennessee. As a result, Morgan spent the next three weeks trying to find this Federal Army that never existed. But in this hunt, he moved east through Gainesboro and Livingston to Albany, KY, crossing the Obey River at Eagle Creek Ford.

After crossing the river, part of his army decided to spend the night above the river on level ground. No reason is given for this decision as the others moved on and camped that night in Albany, KY. One soldier, knowing they would be passing through Livingston where he had a girlfriend, asked for permission to stop and see her. Permission was granted and the soldier, a “Cpl. Young”, dropped out of his company and paid a call on the young lady. It was late in the night when he decided he must catch up with his company. As he crossed the Obey River at Eagle Creek Ford, he could see the light of the campfires of his friends on the hill above.

Approaching the camp, he was stopped by guards who demanded the password. Either not knowing or having forgotten, he was unable to give it and was shot dead from his horse. To their horror, they found they had killed their friend Cpl. Young.

Until this day, the story is told that on a dark stormy night, when you are traveling the old road up from the Eagle Creek Ford in the area of the old Reeder Cemetery, you will sometimes meet a Confederate soldier with corporal chevrons on his uniform, riding a horse up and down the old road, passing the old cemetery and he will ask, “Do you know where the 5th Kentucky Cavalry is camped? You see, I want to find them, we are headed for Ohio.”

Submitted by David Hassler

Source: http://www.theborderlands.org/corporalyoung.htm (via the Internet Archive)