More than 264 Acres of History Saved at Camp Wildcat Battlefield
Step into a world where time stands still, nature and history intertwine, and each trail holds a story waiting to be discovered. Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation invites you to join our mission to preserve and safeguard our nation’s history, for future generations.
Wildcat Mountain
Camp Wildcat is the site of the first engagement of regular troops in Kentucky during the Civil War. This remote site located in Laurel County, KY, is accessible by a narrow gravel road, featured by a pavilion and parking area. Located in Laurel County, KY, Wildcat Trail #490, is positioned on London Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest beginning at Camp Wildcat and ending at Hoosier Knob.
The Battle
CONFEDERATE
Bridgadier General
Felix Zollicoffer
UNION
Bridgadier General
Albin Francisco Schoepf
On October 21, 1861, Confederate forces under the command of Felix Zollicoffer attacked Federal positions at Camp Wildcat along the Wilderness Road. In the resulting action, Zollicoffer was defeated and forced back into Tennessee. This victory was one of the first Union victories in Kentucky and provided a much-needed morale booster to the North.
