CONFEDERATE FORCES CONTINUE MARCHING TOWARD KENTUCKY FOR THEIR SUMMER INVASION OF KENTUCKY IN 1862 In the late summer of 1862 the Confederates initiate an invasion of Kentucky. They hoped to gain victories; as well as a national and international recognition for their Confederate States of A- merica. They continued this march on August 14th. These southerners had begun on August 13th and knew they faced a long trek to the state lines. All these three division contain a total of 9,000 troops, and will be entering Kentucky shortly. As they left Knoxville, they all had a confident hope. General Kirby Smith wrote to his wife of their march saying: Our men have marched night and days, and they have carried their own subsistence in their haversacks for days. Ragged bare foot, they have climbed mountains, suffered starvation, and thirst with out a murmur. In the hot and dry summer weather Smith's soldiers had no sight of water or forage to supplement their meager rations