After the United States declared war on Germany during the First World War, the Kentucky National Guard assigned units to protect railroad property around the state. On March 31, 1917, the War Department issued Special Order No. 36 that stationed units to provide protection for railroads in the state. In April 1917, the governor called the 2nd and 3rd Kentucky Regiments to active duty.
2nd Kentucky Regiment:
Company A - guarded the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in Falmouth and Pendleton County; sentry posts were established at the Bank Lick Bridge, Grant Tunnels, Cruiser Creek Bridge and Licking River Bridge.
Company B - protected the Louisville & Nashville Railroad around Livingston; outposts were maintained at the bridges over Round Stone Creek, the bridge at Ford, Evans Branch Viaduct, Houston Creek Bridge (at Paris), Townsend Creek Bridge, the bridges over the Licking Creek (near Cynthiana) and Berry Tunnel.
Company C - picketed the railroads around Kenton and Campbell Counties: including the yards around Covington, and the bridges and tunnels along the Licking River.
Company D - guarded the Louisville & Nashville Railroad around Corbin; with picket posts set up at the Rockcastle River Bridge, Laurel River Viaduct, Lynn Camp Creek Bridge, Watts Creek Bridge, Cumberland River Bridge and Clear Creek Bridges.
Company E - guarded the Louisville & Nashville Railroad around Jackson; with sentry posts established at the Dumont Tunnel, Line Tunnel, Campbell Tunnel and the bridges along the North Fork of the Kentucky River. The company set up headquarters at Dumont Tunnel.
Company F - was ordered to Lexington, to guard railroad property in Central Kentucky. Restrictive zones were created around railroad property, with armed picket posts maintained at strategic points. Three sentry posts were established at the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad’s Netherlands Yards and Shops, one mile east of Lexington. In addition, the company established posts at the Sinking Creek Tunnel (near Fultz), Needle’s Eye Tunnel (near Aden) and Triplett Tunnel (near Soldier).
Company G - was posted to Irvine, to guard the Louisville & Nashville Railroad between Winchester and Irvine. Sentry posts were set up at Calloway Creek Viaduct, Woodard Creek Viaduct, Red River Bridge, Howard Creek Viaduct and Dry Fork Creek.
Company H - guarded the railroads around Middlesboro and Bell County; including outposts at Cumberland Gap, Patterson Creek and Bradford Gap and the bridges and tunnels on the Cumberland River and Richland Creek.
Company I - established sentry posts around Hazard and Perry County; including the bridges and tunnels along the EK Division of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.
Company K - guarded the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad around Ashland; including the Catlettsburg Bridge, Ashland Tunnel, Easthaus Tunnel and Williams Creek Tunnel.
Company L - guarded the railroads around Frankfort; including the Arsenal Hill Tunnel and bridge over the Kentucky River.
Company M - was posted to Lee County; to guard the bridges at Maloney and Tallega, and the Tyler, Mud and Chenowee Tunnels.
3rd Kentucky Regiment:
Company B - guarded the railroads in Todd and Christian Counties, with sentry posts established at Elkhorn Viaduct (near Allensville) and Green Lick Viaduct (north of Kelly).
Company C - was assigned to Paducah and McCracken County; including the locomotive shops of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis and Illinois Central Railroads. In addition, posts were manned at the Clark’s River and Island Creek bridges.
Company E - set up in Madisonville and Lyon County; with guard posts at the Tennessee River (near Gilbertsville) and Cumberland River (near Grand Rivers) Bridges.
Company F - protected Carlisle and Hickman Counties. The company established its headquarters at Wickliffe. Sentry posts were set up along the bridges and trestles of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad.
Company K - guarded Rockport and Ohio County; including sentry posts at Green River Bridge and Echols Tunnel.
Company H - was ordered to guard the bridge over Salt Creek (at West Point), the viaducts at Tioga and the Muldraugh Tunnel.
Company I - set up guard posts along the Illinois Central in Grayson County. Sentries were assigned to Rosine Tunnel, Keyser Tunnel and Big Clifty Viaduct.[i]
[i] Military History of Kentucky, Frankfort, 1939, page 328-331.
