Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. At the start of the Civil War, he was a lawyer in practice at St. Louis, Missouri. Returning to Kentucky, he enlisted as a Second Lieutenant in the Lexington Rifles, commanded by his brother-in-law, Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan. He rose through the ranks to Colonel in command of the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry, serving with distinction in campaigns including the raid into Indiana and Ohio, in which he was captured. Being exchanged in 1864, he was promoted Brigadier General serving in southwest Virginia. Toward the end of the war, Brigadier General Duke accompanied President Jefferson Davis and the fleeing Confederate government as the last organized command answering to the War Department. After the war, he returned to the practice of law and took a prominent role in Kentucky affairs. He also wrote the books, “A History of Morgan's Cavalry” (1867) and “Reminiscences of General Basil W Duke” (1911). He died at age 78 in New York City.
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. At the start of the Civil War, he was a lawyer in practice at St. Louis, Missouri. Returning to Kentucky, he enlisted as a Second Lieutenant in the Lexington Rifles, commanded by his brother-in-law, Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan. He rose through the ranks to Colonel in command of the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry, serving with distinction in campaigns including the raid into Indiana and Ohio, in which he was captured. Being exchanged in 1864, he was promoted Brigadier General serving in southwest Virginia. Toward the end of the war, Brigadier General Duke accompanied President Jefferson Davis and the fleeing Confederate government as the last organized command answering to the War Department. After the war, he returned to the practice of law and took a prominent role in Kentucky affairs. He also wrote the books, “A History of Morgan's Cavalry” (1867) and “Reminiscences of General Basil W Duke” (1911). He died at age 78 in New York City.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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