William Riley Murphy

Lying at rest since 1927 in the Old Brooksville Cemetery is William R. Murphy. A member of Company E, 16th Kentucky Infantry (featured in a previous post), Murphy enlisted on October 18th, 1861 at Camp Lee (some sources state Camp Kenton near Old Washington) as a private and would be mustered into the 16th on December 19th. According to the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, Murphy mustered out of service on July 15, 1865, having served his full term. Or did he?

Son of Fletcher Murphy and Elizabeth Hamilton, William was sixteen when the Civil War started in the spring of 1861, and was of the same age when he enlisted later that year. His father Fletcher had passed away in 1855. Also serving in Company E was William’s eldest brother John (and also buried in Old Brooksville Cemetery). Middle brother Alfred would join Company A of the 7th Kentucky Mounted Infantry Battalion, a Confederate unit (and featured in this post), making the Murphy home a true brother vs. brother story. Alfred is buried in Maineville, Ohio in Evergreen Cemetery. 

William was sent home to Brooksville when he contracted measles in March, 1862. He was still at home when John H. Morgan launched his First Kentucky Raid in July of that year. The Bracken County provost marshal (E. Hunter) called William to service, and William acted as a drill-master for the Bracken County Home Guard due to his experience in the ranks of the 16th Kentucky. It was while in this service William accidently shot himself with a pistol, wounding both legs. These wounds prevented William from rejoining his regiment until 1864, when he reenlisted in the 16th’s veteran organization (he kept a diary during this reenlistment period). However, his wounds broke open in August 1864 while the 16th was at the front at Atlanta, Georgia. William would be sent to various hospitals for treatment, but the wounds never fully healed. They again would break open in 1865, 1870, and 1878. He would file an affidavit in 1888 describing his debilitating condition. However, regardless of his condition William would live until 1927, making a living as much as he was able as a farmer. William Riley Murphy is just one of at least two hundred Civil War veterans buried in Bracken County, and their stories deserve a place beyond the stones we see when passing by.