The Twenty-first was one of the regiments enlisted for the State in excess of the first quota, and was now brought into the national service under the President's second call.

The two Kentucky regiments had been organized in Cincinnati, and were made up chiefly of steamboat crews and "longshoremen" thrown out of employment by the stoppage of commerce on the river.

There were in them some companies of other material, but these gave the distinctive character to the regiments.
The colonels and part of the field officers were Kentuckians, but the organizations were Ohio regiments in nearly everything but the name.

The men were mostly of a rough and reckless class, and gave a good deal of trouble by insubordination; but they did not lack courage, and after they had been under discipline for a while, became good fighting regiments.

The difficulty of getting transportation from the railway company delayed our departure.