Thomas E. Bramlette

Thomas Bramlette

Thomas Elliott Bramlette (born January 3, 1817 in Cumberland County , Kentucky , † January 12, 1875 in Louisville , Kentucky) was an American officer, politician and governor of Kentucky.

Early years and political advancement

After attending local schools, Thomas Bramlette studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1837. He then practiced as a lawyer in Louisville. His political career began in 1841 when he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives . In 1848 he was appointed prosecutor by Governor John J. Crittenden , which he remained until 1851. In the meantime he worked as a lawyer again before he became a judge from 1856 to 1861.

Civil War and Governor

As a supporter of the Union he made at the beginning of the Civil War one infantry - regiment to which he as a Colonel in command and the Union forces assumed. This violated the officially announced neutrality of Kentucky, but it hardly bothered anyone at the time. There were units from Kentucky in both the Union Army and the Confederation . In 1862 he was appointed District Attorney for the Union-controlled part of Kentucky by President Abraham Lincoln . In this capacity he took decisive action against supporters of the Confederation who were accused of treason. At the same time, the Confederate army advanced into the country and was only later repulsed. As a result, both the military and the political situation of the state was confusing and sometimes chaotic. For example, there was an officially unrecognized Confederate counter-government that was without power and influence, but operated Kentucky's admission into the Confederation. With the official government remaining with the Union, Kentucky now theoretically belonged to both camps.

In August 1863, Bramlette was elected as the Democratic candidate with 79.6% of the vote against former incumbent Charles Wickliffe as the new governor of Kentucky. His term of office began in the middle of the war and ended in September 1867. Naturally, he could only rule in the part of the state that was controlled by the Union. Over time, the Confederates were expelled from Kentucky. But since the Union Army also controlled the area militarily, the governor, at least during the war, was dependent on cooperation with the local commanders. The collaboration did not always go smoothly, and the governor was also very dissatisfied with Lincoln's policy on Kentucky. The army applied the military occupation law and there were some attacks, in which the Union General Stephen G. Burbridge acquired the nickname "Butcher of Kentucky". Bramlette turned down both a candidacy for Congress and the offer of the Democrats to run for the vice presidency in 1864. In the further course of his tenure he tried to reduce the consequences of the war. He issued an amnesty for most ex-Confederate soldiers and supported the granting of civil rights to ex-slaves. But he rejected the 13th and 14th amendments , just like the majority of the Kentucky Parliament.

After some difficulties he succeeded in persuading the new President Andrew Johnson to repeal military law in Kentucky. At the same time he tried to master the post-war violence and to prevent radical excesses of all kinds. In fact, he managed to reduce the crime rate. He also worked on reducing the national debt. During the administration of Governor Bramlette, an agricultural and craft college was established which later became the University of Kentucky .

Old age and death

His tenure ended on September 3, 1867, and Bramlette later made a futile attempt to be elected to the US Senate . Instead he became a lawyer again in Louisville, where he also died in January 1875.

Web links

Commons : Thomas E. Bramlette  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Thomas Bramlette in the National Governors Association (English)

• Thomas E. Bramlette in the database of Find a Grave (English)