Basil Wilson Duke

tmh10

Major
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Location
Pipestem,WV
Many in the Confederacy's high command became able historians of the conflict, but none more able than Duke. Born in Georgetown, Ky., May 28 1838, Duke studied law before the war and was practicing in St. Louis, Mo., when the crisis came. Associated briefly with partisan ranger M. Jeff Thompson, he soon returned to Kentucky, where he enlisted in the Lexington Rifles, commanded by his brother-in-law, Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan.

Duke rose rapidly, first to 2d lieutenant, then to lieutenant colonel of the 2d Kentucky Cavalry. He served with distinction throughout Morgan's campaigns, including the raid into Indiana and Ohio, in which both were captured. He did not take part in Morgan's celebrated escape from the Ohio State Penitentiary, 26 Nov. 1863, and was exchanged in 1864. Duke returned to the Kentucky cavalry that fall, serving in southwest Virginia, and on Morgan's death was promoted brigadier, taking over Morgan's cavalry.

Duke accompanied President Jefferson Davis and the fleeing Confederate government April - May 1865, his being the last organized command answering to the War Department.

Following the surrender, Duke returned to the law, moved to Louisville, and for the rest of his life took a prominent role in Kentucky affairs. A moderate, advocating reconciliation with the North, he devoted much of his time to preserving the history of the Confederacy. He edited Southern Bivouac, one of the best veterans' magazines of the 1880s, and wrote 2 first-rate books, A History of Morgan's Cavalry (1867) and Reminiscences of General Basil W Duke (1911). He died in New York City on September 16, 1916.

Source: "Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War" Edited by Patricia L Faust
 
And here's something that I bet you don't know....

Basil W. Duke was orphaned at a young age. His uncle James Keith Duke and his wife Mary raised him along with their daughters. His first cousin--the daughter of James and Mary Duke--Martha McDowell Duke married a West Point-trained Regular Army dragoon officer (who also happened to be her third cousin on her mother's side) named Lt. John Buford, Jr., who dropped the Jr. after his father's death.

Basil Duke, being a Kentuckian, had close ties to cavalry officers on both sides. It's no surprise, therefore, that he became the brains of Morgan's particular operation and proved to be a good cavalry officer in his own right.
 
A lot of people believe he was the brain behind all of Morgan's operations in a tactical sense and in some instances, I'd have to agree. A solid officer with a great understanding of warfare.

220px-Basil_W__Duke.jpg
 
I have always liked and admired Basil Duke. As NFB22 posted, many historians state he was the brains behind the raids. Duke always denied that he was in charge. As James A. Ramage wrote in the Introduction to "The Civil War Reminiscences of General Basil W. Duke, C.S.A.", "Duke many times acted as a restraining influence on Morgan and, with regard to the men, took charge of their discipline. Duke said that for him, when Morgan was killed on September 4, 1864, the chivalry and glory of the war disappeared."

I have posted about General Duke's, "Civil War Reminiscences" before and highly recommend it
 
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