Richard Franklin Matthews

Richard Franklin Matthews, age 17, served in the Kentucky Home Guards, later becoming a "Minute Man". After the first shot was fired at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln asked for 75,000 volunteers for 90 day period, then an additional 42,000 volunteers for 3-year service on May 3, 1861. Richard Matthews mustered in on July 6, 1864 at Frankfort, Kentucky. Richard Matthews served in the Capital Guards (State Guards) in 1864, he enrolled on May 16, 1864. The Capital Guards Regiments was formed on July 11, 1863, it consisted of three Battalions, one stationed in the neigborhood of Frankfort, one near Paducah, and one in Sandy Valley. The Frankfort Battalion protected the capital from frequent incursions of guerilla forces, most notably during the June 1864 attack. The Frankfort Battalion was assigned to duty guarding the Louisville and Lexington railroad and the country adjacent thereto. All these Battalions performed the most valuable service against the rebels and guerrillas under Morgan, Johnson, South, Lyon, Mundy, Gentry, Jesse, etc, and for sometime freed the state from the incursions of these troops, (The act of many of whom were barbarous in the extreme). This was accomplished not with standing their efficiency was somewhat crippled, first by the then military commander of the district of Kentucky, and, second, by partisan feelings and prejudice, as it was a border state. Richard F. Matthews, for his heroic service for his country for a year being promoted to a non-commissioned officer as corporal. great-grandpa was mustered out on January 26, 1865 at Frankfort, Kentucky with the rank of corporal, Company I, First Regiment, Capital Guards, Frankfort Battalion.