9th Kentucky Infantry AKA 5th Hunt’s Kentucky Infantry Battle Flag

The 9th Kentucky Infantry was organized in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on October 3rd, 1861, with Colonel Thomas H. Hunt as its commander. Originally, it was designated the 5th Kentucky Infantry and later changed to the 9th to avoid confusion with a different regiment that had also been named “5th”. However, it continued to be referred to as the 5th Kentucky Infantry or 5th Hunt’s Kentucky Infantry throughout its existence and into the post-war period. The regiment was assigned to the First Kentucky Brigade, also known as the Orphan Brigade, the largest Confederate military unit raised in Kentucky. The other regiments that were part of the Orphan Brigade included the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. All of which were Kentucky infantry regiments. The 1st major engagement for the 9th was the Battle of Shiloh, fought on April 6th and 7th, 1862. The Kentucky regiments of the Orphan Brigade all suffered heavy casualties there. After Shiloh, the entire brigade fell back to Corinth, Mississippi, and shortly thereafter was ordered to Vicksburg to help defend the besieged city. The Orphan Brigade, along with the 9th Kentucky, was under constant heavy fire at Murfreesboro (the Battle of Stones River) on January 2nd, 1863, after being ordered to lead the charge against a heavily defended Union position. Following Murfreesboro, the Orphan Brigade was transferred to General William J. Hardee’s Corps. They were issued new battle flags, which were to become known as “Hardee’s pattern” or the “Hardee Battle Flag”, which consisted of a blue background and a white border with a white disc in the center of the flag. This style of flag was likely designed by General Simon Bolivar Buckner of Kentucky and first issued to the Army of Central Kentucky in early 1862, continuing to be widely used in the Army of Tennessee as well as other elements of the Western theatre until 1864, when the design was discontinued. The regiments of the Orphan Brigade were issued their new flags in March of 1863. The regiments inscribed their battle flags with their unit designation and any battle honors earned. The 9th Kentucky Infantry Battle Flag was emblazoned with “9th Formerly the 5th KY” inside the white disc. Red lettering and the battle honors “Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Baton Rouge” appear in white lettering against the blue background. The 9th Kentucky battle flag survives today in the possession of the Family of the last commander of the regiment, Major Benjamin Desha. The Orphan Brigade, including the 9th Kentucky, fought in almost every major engagement in the Western theatre. On September 4th, 1864, with only around 500 men present and fit for duty in the entire Orphan Brigade, what was left of the 9th Kentucky Infantry was ordered to Griffin, Georgia, and converted to mounted infantry. As mounted infantry, the 9th was engaged in delaying tactics during General Sherman’s March to the Sea. The regiment’s last engagement was on April 29, 1865, in a skirmish near Stateburg, South Carolina, after which the men were ordered to Washington, Georgia, and surrendered on May 7, 1865.

This is a reproduction of the 9th Kentucky Infantry Regiment battle flag. The actual dimensions and materials differ from those of the original flag. The artwork is visible on both sides. The lettering reads correctly on only one side.