Confederate government of Kentucky

Commonwealth of Kentucky
1861–1865
Flag Coat[a]
Motto: voce populi "by the voice of the people"
Status	Confederate state
Capital	Bowling Green, Kentucky (1861) Frankfort (1862)
Government	Single-executive system Provisional government
Governor
• 1861–1862	George W. Johnson
• 1862–1865	Richard Hawes
History
• Seccession	28 November 1861
• Joined Confederate	December 10, 1861
• Battle of Barbourville	September 19, 1861
• Confederate Heartland Offensive	August 14–October 10, 1862
• Battle of Paducah	March 25, 1864
• Battle of Cynthiana	June 11–12, 1864
• Dissolution	1865
Currency	CSA dollar
Today part of	Kentucky

The Confederate government of Kentucky was a shadow government established for the Commonwealth of Kentucky by a self-constituted group of Confederate sympathizers and delegates sent by Kentucky counties, during the American Civil War. The shadow government never replaced the elected government in Frankfort, in which the state legislature had strong Union sympathies while the governor was pro-Confederate. Neither was it able to gain the whole support of Kentucky's citizens; its jurisdiction extended only as far as Confederate battle lines in the Commonwealth, which at its greatest extent in 1861 and early 1862 encompassed over half the state. Nevertheless, the provisional government was recognized by the Confederate States of America, and Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861. Kentucky, the final state admitted to the Confederacy, was represented by the 13th (central) star on the Confederate battle flag.^[1]

Bowling Green, Kentucky, was designated the Confederate capital of Kentucky at a convention in nearby Russellville. Due to the military situation in the state, the provisional government was exiled and traveled with the Army of Tennessee for most of its existence. For a short time in the autumn of 1862, the Confederate Army controlled Frankfort, the only time a Union capital was captured by Confederate forces. During this occupation, General Braxton Bragg attempted to install the provisional government as the permanent authority in the Commonwealth. However, Union General Don Carlos Buell ambushed the inauguration ceremony and drove the provisional government from the state for the final time. From that point forward, the government existed primarily on paper and was dissolved at the end of the war.

The provisional government elected two governors. George W. Johnson was elected at the Russellville Convention and served until his death at the Battle of Shiloh. Richard Hawes was elected to replace Johnson and served through the remainder of the war.

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