Pioneer

A brain-child of Gen. Rosecrans soon after assuming command of the 14th Corps (Army of the Cumberland) was to have each company of infantry assign men to be Pioneers and wear a special insignia of crossed yellow axes designating them as Pioneers. This cadre of men would be assigned the tasks of forging ahead to clear paths, improve roads, repair or build bridges, and other labor that needed to be done to move the army more efficiently. These men, being regular infantry would become the modern day combat engineers capable of working or fighting as needed.

Research of the 9th Ky records of service show many of its men were a part of this Pioneer Corps. Today, through researching the records of service of the 9th Ky men we have learned that you can still today go see the work of some of the 9th Ky's Pioneers. Redoubt Brannan of Fortress Rosecrans which they built and where many 9th Ky men manned while too sick to follow the Regiment from Murfreesboro in the summer of 1863 is such a place. One of our current members, Kyle Maxwell has taken on the role of portraying these Pioneers and has researched this specialized service to improve his ability to explain it to the visitors to our camps.