State Guard Service, 1878-1898
After the 5th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was mustered out of the Union army in 1865, the Louisville Legion was inactive for more than a decade.
In the 1870s, as industrialization swept the United States, poor working conditions and lack of workers’ rights organizations led to several strikes and general unrest throughout the decade. One strike in particular, the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, spurred the state government into action. A series of railroad strikes cropped up around the nation during the summer of 1877, in response to poor working conditions and wage cuts. The strike in Louisville was conducted largely by black citizens who desired to be paid equally with their white counterparts. Around 400 black workers mobilized to downtown Louisville on July 24, 1877 in a show of solidarity against their employer, dispersing without incident that same evening. This large mobilization of black citizens, demanding equality rightfully due to them, alarmed the white citizens of Louisville and the state at large. The alarm was enough for the state government to reconstitute the Louisville Legion as a unit for state and local defense under Colonel John B. Castleman.
The mission of the Louisville Legion was to maintain a particular definition of law and order throughout the state of Kentucky. Incidents of civil unrest rose in the latter half of the 19th century, as industrialization and urbanization changed the social, political, and economic landscape of the country. The Legion attended to feud violence in eastern Kentucky, particularly in Breathitt County. They maintained order during particularly heated trials and executions, keeping crowds from committing mob violence. The Legion was successful in these endeavors, gaining recognition as a formidable arm of the state government.
Legion veterans were often well-connected in Louisville, which rapidly became a center of industry during this time period. Legion veterans owned a variety of companies and were interconnected through business organizations and Legion social activities. Many of these men were German-born immigrants or the children of immigrants, who had achieved social citizenship through military service and entrepreneurship. Veterans could become honorary members of the Legion, paying a yearly fee of $50 to continue active membership in social aspects of the militia.
Active members of the Legion would also find prestige and new experiences through drill team competitions. These competitions became popular during the 1880s for ambitious national guard companies around the United States. Performing drills around the United States gave men in the Legion a chance to travel, win cash prizes and awards, and form bonds with their fellow enthusiastic soldiers in new ways. These drill competitions were excellent substitutions for experiences on the battlefield, as many state guardsmen were not engaged in warfare beyond maintaining order in their region. The Legion was successful in these drill competitions, often earning a top three cash prize. This notable excellence for presentation, including immaculate uniforms and spectacular precision, would earn the Legion a sterling reputation throughout the state of Kentucky.