Newport Barracks

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For the barracks of the same name in North Carolina, see Newport Barracks, North Carolina.

Newport Barracks

Newport Barracks was a military barracks in Newport, Kentucky, operational between 1803 and 1894.

In 1803, James Taylor Jr. solicited the help of his cousin, James Madison, who was then U.S. secretary of state, to persuade the federal government to move the Ft. Washington military post from Cincinnati to Newport. The barracks replaced Fort Washington across the river in Cincinnati, Ohio. There were but four acres in the original tract, which was bought from the old Colonel Taylor estate for the minimal price if $1. In 1806, two additional acres were bought for $47. Taylor was hired as the superintendent of the construction of the barracks. He was to erect three buildings. John Metcalf of Fleming County and Dan Mayo of Newport contracted for the brick and stone work at $7 per thousand bricks and 75 cents per perch of stone. Stephen Lyon did most of the carpentry and Amos B Watson of New York was the joiner.

Army at Licking River, from Harpers

Colonel William Boyd arrived in Newport in March 1811 with 600 men who pitched their tents in the fields adjacent to the Barracks. Newport had become the recruiting center for Ohio and Kentucky and had to furnish equipment and soldiers for the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. Soon after this came the War of 1812, and the barracks was called upon to furnish her share of soldiers to go to the front in the second war with Great Britain. Gen. James Taylor Jr. was Quatermaster General and paymaster of the Northwestern Army during this war, thus Newport became a vital center for war supplies. British prisoners were also brought to Newport.

In 1842 Taylor asked the government for $20,000 to make improvements at the Barracks. After 35 years of use they were in need of repair. Not only was it approved but Captain J R Irwin of the Quartermaster Department who was sent to Newport to hasten the undertakings, requested money to purchase some additional land, erect officers and laundress quarters and build a hospital. On 7 January 1845 Irwin informed General Thomas Sidney Jesup that the new hospital was ready for patients, the enlisted men were in their barracks and two sets of officers quarters needed only a stockade to finish them.

In 1848 the city of Newport gave to the government all the land lying between the barracks and the Ohio and Licking Rivers. These waterfronts included several acres and were given free to the government, with the stipulation that in case the barracks was ever abandoned the property would revert to the city.

Newport Barracks became a depot of the Eastern Department of the Recruiting Service until 16 Jul 1859 when it was made an independent department. During the Civil War, although Kentucky was a slave state and families divided over the issues of states rights and abolition. Wounded and dying from the war were brought to Newport as well as Confederate prisoners.

After the Civil War ended, the Barracks lost their usefulness as one company posts were giving way to larger installations. Its days were certainly numbered after the floods of 1882, 1883 and 1884. The floods made some of the buildings uninhabitable. The Secretary of War purchased 112 acres on a hill above the Ohio River three miles east of Newport which became Ft. Thomas. By November 1894 all personnel and equipment was transferred out to Fort Thomas. On the 2nd of January 1895, Colonel Cochran formerly transferred Newport Barracks to the City of Newport. The city eventually built General James Taylor Park on the grounds.