Camp Nelson National Monument (CANE) and Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA) will mark Juneteenth with a special ceremony on Saturday, June 22 at 1 p.m.
The event, held at MACA’s outdoor amphitheater, will feature the presentation of a special U.S. flag to the 12th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA).
This ceremony honors African American soldiers, civilians, and refugees who fought for freedom, equality, and citizenship during and after the Civil War, highlighting the enduring legacy of their descendants.
“During the Civil War, forty percent of Kentucky’s United States Colored Troops enlisted, trained, or served in units that formed at Camp Nelson in Jessamine County,” said CANE Superintendent Ernie Price. “This flag, its history, and today’s presentation remind us of how far-reaching across the Commonwealth the call for freedom seekers was heard in 1864 and 1865.”
Glasgow City Councilman Joe Trigg explained the significance of Juneteenth.
Audio PlayerOn June 13, 1864, the U.S. Army authorized the enlistment of African American men at eight major recruitment and training centers across Kentucky. Camp Nelson organized eight U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) regiments, numbering over 10,000 men, making it the largest recruitment center in the state and the third largest in the country. Among these regiments was the 12th USCHA, comprised of soldiers from across Kentucky, including Bowling Green.
Officially organized on July 15, 1864, the regiment featured twelve companies and 1,875 men. The First Battalion received a silk U.S. flag from the “Loyal Ladies of Bowling Green,” a pro-Union women’s group supporting soldiers and their families. While the original flag is housed at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., a replica will be presented at the event.
Additionally, the 12th USCHA will set up a replica tent encampment in front of the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring a replica cannon model and demonstrations of Civil War soldier life.
One notable enlistee of the 12th USCHA was William Garvin, born into slavery in southcentral Kentucky.
Garvin enlisted on February 7, 1865, and after the war, he became a cave guide and explorer at Mammoth Cave, discovering the maze-like Corkscrew passage. “William Garvin forged a connection between Mammoth Cave and Camp Nelson over 160 years ago when he sought opportunities to improve his life and escape slavery,” said MACA Superintendent Barclay Trimble. “We celebrate his legacy and the legacy of all African Americans who helped develop Mammoth Cave into a tourist destination.”
The commemoration ceremony and the 12th USCHA encampment demonstration are free and open to the public. The visitor center is located at 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, KY, and the outdoor amphitheater is between the main hotel building and the camp store.
