3rd Kentucky Infantry Regiment (Union)

The 3rd Kentucky Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized in Kentucky during the fall of 1861 and saw action primarily in the Western Theater.

The regiment's early service involved operations in Kentucky and Tennessee. They participated in the Battle of Mill Springs in January 1862, a significant Union victory that helped secure Kentucky for the Union. Following Mill Springs, the 3rd Kentucky was involved in the advance on Nashville and the occupation of that city.

The 3rd Kentucky Infantry participated in the campaign leading to the Battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro) in late 1862 and early 1863, playing a role in the intense fighting around that crucial transportation hub. They also saw action during the Tullahoma Campaign in the summer of 1863, a series of maneuvers that forced the Confederate Army of Tennessee to retreat from Middle Tennessee.

Later in the war, the regiment was involved in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864, participating in numerous engagements as Union forces pushed towards Atlanta. They also participated in the subsequent pursuit of Confederate General John Bell Hood's army during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign.

Following the war, the 3rd Kentucky Infantry Regiment was mustered out of service in July 1865. Like many Civil War regiments, it suffered casualties from both battle and disease throughout its service. The men of the 3rd Kentucky played a vital role in securing Kentucky for the Union and contributing to the overall Union war effort in the Western Theater.