The Curious Case of Park W. Humlong

Buried in a tiny cemetery along Kentucky 10, a little over a mile west of Germantown, is the Humlong Cemetery. There are literally only a handful of people buried there, including one Confederate soldier, Park W. Humlong.

Park was born on December 12, 1842 to John and Amanda Humlong. On the 1860 Census, the family name is listed as Homelong, and John, listed as a farmer, with a total estate value of $46,000 (over 1.5 million dollars today). Park, listed as Parke on the census, along with older brother William, was listed as a “farm laborer.” There were five other Humlong children living at home.

On September 9, 1862, Park would join Richard M. Gano’s Seventh Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (C. S. A.) at Millersburg, enlisting for a period of three years in Company F.

His military service record of December 15, 1862 stated that Park was “On picket and lost on 19 Oct. 1862 at Lawrenceburg, Ky.” Park was not lost, he had deserted (as indicated on his service record dated February 28, 1863), and would take the oath of allegiance to the United States government at Elizabethtown, Kentucky, date unknown. What happened? Based on the date of enlistment and the date Park was listed as lost, the Kentucky Campaign had occurred. Early in the campaign the Confederates were successful at Richmond, winning one of the most complete victories of the war. Park must have been caught up in the excitement of the Confederate successes early in the Kentucky campaign and decided to enlist. However, by October 19th, Confederate fortunes had completely reversed. Braxton Bragg, after winning the tactical fight of Perryville, made a strategic decision to leave the Bluegrass as many Kentuckians simply did not join the ranks of the Confederate army. I surmise that Park was a “sunshine” soldier - joining and serving when things were going well, but on hearing that the Confederates were withdrawing from the state, decided to desert. and return home.

There is another possible reason Park deserted, perhaps he was ill. He only lived a little over two months after his desertion, dying on January 12, 1863. He was twenty years and one month old.

When you drive along Route 10, and see a large faded red barn on the south side of the highway, consider the story of Park W. Humlong, buried just a few feet away from the barn, and just one of the millions of young men who saw service, even for a brief period, during the Civil War.