federacy with most of its sugar, beef and grain, and at least 100,000 recruits. As soon as the war had commenced, therefore, fortifications were maintained at New Orleans, Port Hudson, Vicksburg, Memphis, Fort Pillow, New Madrid and Island No. 10.

In the autumn of 1861 the state of Kentucky intervened between the armed forces of the North and South. While the Governor, Magoffin, had become an ardent secessionist, yet the legislature, and a large majority of the people, inspired by their memories of the teachings of Clay, were strongly for the Union. At first the legislature proclaimed neutrality, but with armies on the immediate north and south, this status was obviously impossible. On September 4, 1861, General Leonidas Polk, who commanded the Confederate army in western Tennessee, invaded Kentucky and seized Columbus, where a commanding bluff gave the control of the Mississippi River. Polk was a nephew of the President under whom the war with Mexico had been waged. He had been graduated from West Point, and had served in the army for a brief time. He then took orders in the Episcopal ministry, and at the outbreak of the Civil War was Bishop of Louisiana. When the Legislature of Kentucky learned of the invasion of "the fighting Bishop," there was a strong protest against so patent a violation of States' Rights, with the result that the Union sentiment in the state was soon so pronounced as to settle finally its attitude.

Upon the same day that Polk raised the Confederate flag at Columbus, Grant arrived at Cairo, and assumed command of his new district. The problem before him was formidable, and the means were scanty. Cairo was a small town of less than 3,000 inhabitants, located on the Illinois shore at the mouth of the Ohio River. Its principal business was shipping and transportation, and it was the natural centre for the trade down the Mississippi. On account of its strategic position, it had early been fortified, and had contained a garrison under Colonel Richard Oglesby. When Grant reported he was in citizen's dress, for his brigadier's uniform had not yet arrived from New York, and the first introduction of the Colonel to his new chief came when the latter entered the headquarters, and taking pen and paper, drafted an order assuming command. Scattered throughout the district there were about 20,000 soldiers, and Grant's first care was to see that they were properly organized for operation. Cairo was filled with volunteer officers, impressive in their parade and ornate in uniform, and there was some difficulty in reducing them to proper discipline.

Little time was given for plans or deliberation. The next day a Union scout brought word that an expedition had left Columbus to seize Paducah, a town of 5,000 inhabitants, located where the Tennessee River empties into the Ohio, and hence where a blockade of the trade of both rivers could be maintained. Realizing the importance of the post, Grant determined to anticipate Polk, and sent a hasty

telegram to Frémont that he would start that night for Paducah, unless ordered to the contrary. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers are the main branches of the Ohio in western Kentucky and Tennessee. During the last eighty miles of their course they are almost parallel, and they empty into the Ohio River at Paducah and Smithland, within twenty miles of each other. The control of the mouths of these two rivers would go far toward the mastery of the basins, and Grant won the race. Embarking two regiments and a battery on the evening of September 5th, he steamed hastily upstream forty-five miles and landed at Paducah, while the Confederates were still ten miles away. The houses of Southern sympathizers were decorated with bunting and the flags of their choice, but the nature of the reception was altered. Grant's Proclamation to the citizens of Paducah was a model

1

1 PROCLAMATION

TO THE CITIZENS OF PADUCAH !

I have come among you, not as an enemy, but as your friend and fellow-citizen, not to injure or annoy you, but to respect the rights, and to defend and enforce the rights of all loyal citizens. An enemy, in rebellion against our common government, has taken possession of, and planted its guns upon the soil of Kentucky and fired upon our flag. Hickman and Columbus are in his hands. He is moving upon your city. I am here to defend you against this enemy and to assert and maintain the authority and sovereignty of your government and mine. I have nothing to do with opinions. I shall deal only with armed rebellion and its aiders and abettors. You can pursue your usual avocations without fear or hindrance. The strong arm of the Government is here to protect its friends, and to punish only its enemies. Whenever it is manifest that you are able to defend

statement of its kind, which by its dignity of expression won the admiration of President Lincoln.

After reinforcing Paducah so that it was no longer in danger, and sending a detachment to Smithland, Grant returned to Cairo, leaving Colonel Chas. F. Smith, former Commandant at West Point, in charge of this important post. The next two months were spent in organization and drill, in fortifying important locations, and in reconnaissances against the enemy. It was not an easy time. "It is a rare thing that I get to bed before two or three o'clock in the morning," he wrote from Cairo to his sister, "and am usually wakened in the morning before getting awake in a normal way." Gradually, however, system developed out of chaos; a staff was organized, of which the Galena lawyer, Rawlins, was the most useful member, and the army was put in readiness for offensive operations.

In October, Frémont led forth from St. Louis a well-equipped army of 38,000 to attack General Price, who had remained in the state since his victory at Wilson's Creek. Price retreated before this overwhelming force, however, and eventually, on November 2d, before a battle had been fought, Frémont was superseded by Hunter. As a part of this campaign, Grant fought his first battle at a hamlet

yourselves, to maintain the authority of your government and protect the rights of all its loyal citizens, I shall withdraw the forces under my command from your city.

Paducah, Sept. 6th, 1861.

U. S. GRANT,

Brig. Gen. U. S. A., Commanding.

called Belmont, on the western shore of the Mississippi opposite Columbus, where Polk had constructed a camp.

Learning that there was a detachment of Confederates in Missouri about fifty miles southwest from Cairo, Grant sent a force under Colonel Oglesby against them. Later, on November 5th, he was advised that Polk was moving a strong force west from Columbus to attack Oglesby. In order to prevent this movement, Grant sent reinforcements to Oglesby, and also ordered Smith to advance from Paducah to threaten Columbus, and himself led an expedition of 3,100 men from Cairo by boat as a part of the same plan. Originally, this expedition was only designed to alarm Polk to the extent of recalling his forces from the interior of Missouri, but when Grant saw the spirit of his men, he determined to attack the camp at Belmont.

Landing on the west bank, about three miles above Belmont, Grant left the gunboats to watch the transports, and marched his men over a cornfield and through marshy ground and thickets, until he met the enemy. There was four hours' fighting between almost equal forces. Grant had a horse shot under him, but received another from a staff officer. Gradually the Confederates gave ground, and finally fled to the river bank, where they were covered by the guns from Columbus. Grant then seized the camp, and here his men scattered in the search for plunder and souvenirs of their first battle. Meanwhile the Confederates retreated along the