Confederate Governor George W. Johnson
Scott County, Scott County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
Confederate Governor. Home of George W. Johnson, born 1811 in Scott Co. Named first Confederate Governor of Ky. in Nov. 1861, he followed CSA army's withdrawal to Tenn. from Bowling Green in Feb., 1862. He became aide to General John C. Breckinridge but fought as private in Battle of Shiloh and mortally wounded, Apr. 7, 1862 - still as CSA Governor. Burial was in cemetery here. Originally installed on June 22, 1964. For more information, see ExploreKYHistory: Confederate Governor
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
This was the home of George W. Johnson, a Scott County native who in November 1861 was named Kentucky's first Confederate governor—leader of a shadow government in a state that never left the Union. When Confederate forces withdrew from Bowling Green into Tennessee in early 1862, Johnson followed. He served as an aide to General John C. Breckinridge but insisted on fighting as a private at Shiloh, where he was mortally wounded in April 1862, still holding the title of governor.
Why it matters
Johnson embodied the divided loyalties of a border state, where a Confederate "governor" led a rival government even as Kentucky officially stood with the Union.
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Related people
- · George W. Johnson
- · John C. Breckinridge
Related events
- · Battle of Shiloh
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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