(Reactivated) during a special ceremony at Mammoth Cave National Park/NPS"]

A replica of the flag presented by the “Loyal Ladies of Bowling Green.KY.” to the First Battalion from Camp Nelson will be presented to the 12th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery.

Camp Nelson National Monument and Mammoth Cave National Park will commemorate Juneteenth during a special ceremony on Saturday, June 22, at 1 p.m. CDT.

During the event a special U.S. flag will be presented to the 12th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery [USCHA] (Reactivated) at Mammoth Cave's outdoor amphitheater. The ceremony will pay tribute to African American soldiers, civilians, and refugees, who pursued freedom, equality, and the rights of citizenship during and after the Civil War and acknowledge the living legacy of their descendants.

"During the Civil War, 40 percent of Kentucky's United States Colored Troops enlisted, trained, or served in units that formed at Camp Nelson in Jessamine County,” said Camp Nelson Superintendent Ernie Price. “This flag, its history, and today's presentation reminds us of how far reaching across the Commonwealth the call for freedom seekers was heard in 1864 and 1865."

On June 13, 1864, the U.S. Army authorized the enlistment of African American men for military service during the Civil War at eight major recruitment and training centers across Kentucky. Camp Nelson organized eight of the U.S. Colored Troops regiments (USCT) numbering over 10,000 men—the largest recruitment center in the state and the third largest in the country.

One of the Camp Nelson regiments was the 12th USCHA. This regiment was comprised of soldiers recruited from across Kentucky, including the city of Bowling Green. The 12th USCHA was officially organized on July 15, 1864, and featured 12 companies numbering 1,875 men. The First Battalion consisted of several of these companies. The group was presented with a silk U.S. flag by the “Loyal Ladies of Bowling Green,” a pro-Union women’s organization that supported soldiers and their families. The original flag is stored at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., but a replica flag has been created and will be presented to the 12th USCHA at the park event.

In addition to the flag presentation, members of the 12th USCHA will set up a replica tent encampment in front of the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The camp features a replica cannon model and will demonstrate what life was like for members of the regiment during the Civil War.

One of the enlistees to the 12th USCHA was a man named William Garvin who was born into slavery in south-central Kentucky. Garvin enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 12th USCHA at Bowling Green on February 7, 1865. After the war, Garvin returned to south-central Kentucky and settled in Edmonson County where he took a job as a cave guide and explorer at nearby Mammoth Cave. His most famous discovery was the maze-like cave passage known as Corkscrew, which opened a variety of cave tour routes for visitors in the late 1800.

“William Garvin forged a connection between Mammoth Cave and Camp Nelson over 160 years ago when he sought opportunities to improve his life and escape slavery,” said Mammoth Cave Superintendent Barclay Trimble. “During his time, he may have never realized the importance of his role, but we celebrate his legacy and the legacy of all African Americans who helped develop Mammoth Cave into a tourist destination.”

The commemoration ceremony and 12th USCHA encampment demonstration are both free and open to the public. The park visitor center is located at 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, KY and the outdoor amphitheater is located between the main hotel building and the camp store. Both areas are wheelchair accessible.

Traveler footnote: To learn more about Camp Nelson National Monument, dig into the Traveler's archives for this story about the monument by Kim Kobersmith.