WASHINGTON, D.C. (LEX 18) – Camp Nelson and the Mill Springs Battlefield await only President Donald Trump’s signature to attain new designations as National Monuments.
The office of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell noted that U.S. House passed on Tuesday night the Natural Resource Management Act, which contains the new monument designation for the Kentucky Civil War sites.
According to McConnell’s office:
“Camp Nelson was established in 1863 in Jessamine County. It would become Kentucky’s top recruiting station and training facility for the Union’s African-American soldiers. In later years, those seeking freedom from slavery fled to the camp.
“On January 19, 1862, the Battle of Mill Springs spilled across Pulaski and Wayne Counties in southeastern Kentucky. It was the second-largest battle to take place in the State, and involved over 10,000 soldiers. More importantly, it was the first significant Union victory in the western theater of the Civil War. The Union’s victory meant that the main Confederate defensive line that had been anchored in eastern Kentucky was broken, freeing Union soldiers to move through Kentucky and into Tennessee. One hundred fifty years later, this battle is still a vital story in our Nation’s history.”
The Natural Resources Management Act also contains funding to help fight the Asian carp problem in Kentucky waterways, among other provisions.
