Notes for Basil Wilson Duke

Notes for Basil Wilson Duke

!US Census 1870 (16 July) Kentucky, Jefferson Co., The 5th Ward of Louisville, Louisville PO, Roll M593_474, Sheet 177, Page 529A, House No. 923, Lines 18-23: Bassil Duke (b. 1833 - 37 - in KY - Occ: Attorney) married to Mas Tommie (b. 1836 - 34 - in KY). Children listed (born in KY) are: Basil (son b. 1861 - 9); Currie (son b. 1863 - 7); Tommie (dau b. 1865 - 5); and Cal (son b. 1869 - 1)

!US Census 1880 (7 June) Kentucky, Jefferson Co., Louisville, Roll T9_423, SD 2 ED 119, Sheet 32/33, Page 311B/312A, House No. 49, Lines 43-50/1: Basil Duke (b. 1840 - 40 - in KY - Occ: Pres Atter Circuit Court - Fa: KY and Mo: KY) married to Henrietta (b. 1845 - 35 - in KY - Fa: KY and Mo: KY). Children listed (born in KY) are: Basil (son b. 1862 - 18); Currie (dau b. 1868 - 12); Calvin (son b. 1869 - 11); Henry (son b. 1871 - 9); and Julia (dau b. 1876 - 4). ALSO LISTED is: Emma Allen (b. 1850 - 30 - in MS - BLACK - Occ: Servant - Fa: MS and Mo: VA); and Aggie Johnson (b. 1850 - 30 - in KY - BLACK - Occ: Servant - Fa: KY and Mo: KY)

!Information captured from WebSite:
Basil Duke was John Hunt Morgan's brother-in-law (he married Morgan's sister Tommy) and second-in-command. He had practiced law in St. Louis, but at the outbreak of hostilities, he was sworn in with Morgan as his first lieutenant.
Duke was often the "clear head" that Morgan turned to, and he also served as a valuable chronicler of Morgan's war-time activities. Duke's book, "The History of Morgan's Cavalry" was published soon after the war, providing an almost day-by-day account of Morgan's battles, capture and imprisonmnet, and ultimate death. In an attempt to fend off those who would dishonor Morgan's name and reputation, Duke also served as a major Morgan apologist during the hailstorm of accusations and condemnations which followed soon after Morgan was killed.
Always the literary type, Duke composed a poem, "Morgan's War-Song," which sought to explain the passion Morgan and his men felt about their cause of Southern independence. When Morgan liberated the town of Hartsville, Tennessee from Federal occupation in August of 1862, he noted that the Federals had closed down The Plaindealer, Hartsville's sole newspaper. Morgan then suggested that Captain Gordon Niles, one of his officers who had served as an editor before the war, establish their own newspaper. The subsequent paper, "The Vidette" proudly featured "Morgan's War-Song" on the font page of their premiere edition.
Duke was promoted to general, and took over as commander of Morgan's ragtag raiders after Morgan was killed, seeing them through to the end of the war. He eventually commanded the soldiers escorting the last gold of the Confederacy and President Jefferson Davis in his attempt to escape in the Spring of 1865 (Davis was captured soon after he left Duke's protective custody). The gold of the Confederacy was split between the remaining soldiers.
Duke lived to a ripe old age, later writing another book, "Reminiscences of General Basil W. Duke," and serving as chief counsel and lobbyist for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and institution he and Morgan had tried desperately to destroy during the war.