Col. Hicks' Headquarters
Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
Col. Hicks' Hdqrs.. Here stood the headquarters of Colonel Stephen G. Hicks, commander of the USA occupation forces here during Battle of Paducah March 25, 1864. Next day Col. Hicks ordered sixty private homes that had been used by CSA forces as cover near the fort burned to the ground. Most owners filed suits but were never repaid for their homes. Marker presented by William Clark Market House Museum.
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
This was the headquarters of Colonel Stephen G. Hicks, who commanded Union occupation forces during the Battle of Paducah on March 25, 1864. When Confederate raiders used nearby houses as cover for their assault on the fort, Hicks ordered some sixty private homes burned to the ground the following day. Most owners sued for compensation, but were never repaid for their losses.
Why it matters
The episode captures the hard bargains of war on the home front, where military necessity in a divided border state destroyed civilian property and left lasting grievances long after the guns fell silent.
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Related people
- · Stephen G. Hicks
Related events
- · Battle of Paducah (1864)
Themes & tags
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