cuted with circumstances of barbarity which it was fondly believed would never more disgrace the annals of a civilized people. Numbers may be against us, but the battle is not always to the strong. Justice will triumph, and an earnest of this triumph is already beheld in the mighty uprising of the whole Southern heart. Almost as one man this great section comes to the rescue, resolved to perish rather than yield to the oppressor, who, in the name of Freedom, yet under the prime inspiration of an infidel horde, seeks to reduce eight millions of freemen to abject bondage and subjection. All ages and conditions are united in the one grand and holy purpose of rolling back the desolating tide of invasion, and of restoring to the people of the South that peace, independence, and right of self-government to which they are by nature and nature's God as justly entitled as those who seek thus ruthlessly to enslave them. "The General in command, having the strongest confidence in the intelligence and firmness of purpose of those belonging to his department, enjoins upon them the maintenance of a calm, patient, persistent, and undaunted determination to resist the invasion at all hazards, and to the last extremity. It comes bringing with it a contempt for constitutional liberty, and the withering influence of the infidelity of New England and Germany combined. Its success would deprive us of a future. The best men among our invaders opposed the course they are pursuing at the first, but they have been overborne or swept into the wake of the prevailing current, and now, under the promptings of their fears, or the delusion of some idolatrous reverence due to a favorite symbol, are as active as any in instigating this unnatural, unchristian, and cruel war. Our protests, which we here solemnly repeat in the face of the civilized world, have been hitherto unheeded, and we are left alone, under God, to the resources of our man hood. Upon them, knowing as he does those whom he addresses as well as those with whom you are coöperating throughout the South, the General in command feels we may rely with unwavering confidence. Let every man, then, throughout the land arm himself in the most effective manner, and hold himself in readiness to support the combined resistance. A cause which has for its object nothing less than the security of civil liberty and the preservation of the pu rity of religious truth, is the cause of Heaven, and may well challenge the homage and service of the patriot and the Christian. In God is our trust. LEONIDAS POLK, Major-General P. A. C. S. Commanding." There were many comments on the course of the Bishop of Louisiana---some in anger, many in sorrow, some in jest, at the melancholy humor of the situation, others pathetically in earnest; but perhaps the most significant reply to the Proclamation was in the quotation in a newspaper of the day, of a passage of Shakespeare's King Henry IV., from the scene between Archbishop Scroop, and the Earl of Westmoreland. Then, my lord, Unto your Grace do I in chief address With your fair honors. You, lord archbishop, Whose white investments figure innocence, GENERAL GRANT OCCUPIES PADUCAH. Briefly to this end: we are all diseased; Returning to the conduct of the war, we find General Grant, the commander of the National forces at Cairo, not an idle spectator of the movement of the rebel General upon Columbus. He saw He saw clearly as his rival the immense importance in the conduct of the war of the strategic points of South Western Kentucky. One of these, Columbus, commanding the Mississippi, was already in the hands of the enemy, who it was not to be expected would be insensible of, or hesitate to grasp, the advantage of the others. These were Paducah, at the mouth of the Tennessee River, and Smithland, at the mouth of the Cumberland. Both, at favorable seasons of the water, commanded a vast extent of country in the interior. The navigable current of the Tennessee might be traversed through the whole breadth of the State, whose name it bore into Northern Alabama, where it wound its way from its head waters in Eastern Tennessee. The Cumberland, pursuing a parallel course at a distance descended from Eastern Kentucky, swept by Nashville, the wealthy capital of Tennessee, and flowing thence to the North, kept close company with its fellow stream to the Ohio. To hold the entrance to these rivers was, as the event proved, to be master of Central Tennessee. It was a close race for their possession. General Grant was fortunately early in the field. Had his movements been delayed a day longer, there is reason to fear he would have been too late. The very day after General Polk's seizure of Columbus, his preparations were made. He embarked at Cairo in the night with two Illinois regiments and four pieces of artillery, conveyed by the gunboats Tyler and Conestoga, reached the mouth of the Tennessee the next morning, and quietly took possession of Paducah. The Secession feeling of the town was strong, 87 but his force was sufficient, and the few people of the place were submissive. A considerable quantity of stores, intended for transmission to the rebels were found. and appropriated. The Conestoga was sent up the river some, distance, scoured it of various secession craft, and made some valuable prizes. The inhabitants. hurried from the town in anticipation of the contest between the Union and Confederate forces, which would arise on the arrival of General Pillow, whom they looked for from the South. The next day the post was reinforced by additional troops from Cape Girardeau, and Pillow was no longer expected. General Grant, of course, immediately sent forth his Proclamation to the inhabitants. "I have come among you," was its language, "not as an enemy, but as your fellow-citizen; not to maltreat or annoy you, but to respect and enforce the rights of all loyal citizens. An enemy in rebellion against our common Government has taken possession of, and planted its guns on, the soil of Kentucky, and fired upon you. Columbus and Hickman are in his hands. He is moving upon your city. I am here to defend you against this enemy, to assist the authority and sovereignty of your Government. I have nothing to do with opinions, and shall deal only with armed rebellion and its aiders and abettors. You can pursue your usual avocations without fear. The strong arm of the Government is here to protect its friends and punish its enemies. Whenever it is manifest that you are able to defend yourselves and maintain the authority of Government, and protect the rights of loyal citizens, I shall withdraw the forces under my command." General Polk's occupation of Columbus settled the neutrality question in Kentucky. It did for that State what the attack upon Sumter accomplished for the Nation-dispelling dreams and theories, and bringing it face to face with a stern reality. The Legislature, on receiving In a few days after, another message came from General Zollicoffer, the rebel commander at Knoxville, informing the Governor that "the safety of Tennessee requiring it, he had occupied the mountain passes at Cumberland and the three long mountains in Kentucky." He would remove his forces, he said, if the Federal troops, gathering in the Eastern portion of the State, should be withdrawn. General Polk, we have seen, made a similar proposition, and it was very sagaciously presented, as a glance at the map will demonstrate. Kentucky, as the outpost of the Southern slave-holding States, was was their their protecting barrier against the North, from the Alleghanies to the Mississippi. If she would employ her sons and treasure in guarding the passes of the mountains and the great entrances to the rivers, the saving to the Confederacy on the score of economy and the immense additional security, were obvious. the tidings, were indignant at the outrage. When the letter of General Polk was communicated on the 10th, resolutions were introduced, and two days after passed in both houses by large majorities, declaring that without cause the peace and neutrality of the State had been wantonly violated, her soil invaded and the rights of her citizens grossly infringed by the so-called Southern Confederate forces. The Governor was requested to call out the military force of the State to expel and drive out the invaders; the United States were invoked to give the aid and assistance guaranteed to the several States by the Constitution, and General Anderson was requested to enter immediately upon the active discharge of his duties in the military district to which he had been appointed. The people of the State were appealed to, "by the ties of patriotism and honor, by the ties of common interest and common defence, by the remembrances of the past and by the hopes of the future national existence, to assist in repelling and driving out the wanton violators of our peace and neutrality, the lawless invaders of the soil." Such was the answer given by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to the letter of Major-General Polk, and to the unpatriotic arguments and suggestions of Gov-thorizing General Anderson to call out ernor Magoffin. The Assembly was not disposed to yield to force what the people had denied to persuasion. It grew every day more determined in its action, resolving to pay the quota of the National expenses assigned to the State, organizing the Home Guard, under the command of General Thomas L. Crittenden, and au troops to repel invasion. Obedient to Both replied according to their ability. the summons, the defender of Fort SumThe General doubtless reinforced his ter made his appearance on the field and garrison and strengthened his ramparts; entered upon his work. His Proclamathe Governor promptly vetoed the Reso- tion, dated the 24th of September, marks lutions. The Assembly, however, was an era in the history of the State :not now to be stopped in its career. It"Kentuckians,-Called by the Legislaimmediately set aside the veto by a vote of more than the requisite two-thirds of the members. The Governor was instructed to inform those concerned that Kentucky expects the Confederate or Tennessee troops to be withdrawn from her soil unconditionally." The command was obeyed by the Governor, who issued a Proclamation, briefly reciting the few words of the Resolution. 66 ture of this my native State, I hereby assume command of this Department. I come to enforce, not to make laws, and God willing, to protect your property and lives. The enemies of the country have dared to invade our soil. Kentucky is in danger. She has vainly striven to keep peace with her neighbors. Our State is now invaded by those who professed to be her friends, but who now GENERAL ANDERSON IN KENTUCKY. seek to conquer her. No true son of Kentucky can longer hesitate as to his duty to his State and country. The invaders must and, God willing, will be expelled. The leader of the hostile forces who now approaches is, I regret to say, a Kentuckian, making war on Kentucky and Kentuckians. Let all past differences of opinion be overlooked. Every one who now rallies to the support of our Union and our State is a friend. Rally then, my countrymen, around the flag our fathers loved and which has shielded us so long. I call you to arms for selfdefence, and for the protection of all that is dear to freemen. Let us trust in God and do our duty as did our fathers." 89 the guise of neutrality, the armed forces of the United States might secretly prepare to subjugate alike the people of Kentucky and the Southern States." The invasion by Polk was described as a de fensive position by the troops of the Confederacy taken on the invitation of the people of the State. "I return among you, citizens of Kentucky," he added, "at the head of a force, the advance of which is composed entirely of Kentuckians. We do not come to molest any citizen, whatever may be his political opinions. Unlike the agents of the Northern despotism, who seek to reduce us to the condition of dependent vassals, we believe that the recognition of the civil rights of citizens is the foundation. The allusion of General Anderson to of constitutional liberty, and that the the Kentuckian in arms against his native claim of the President of the United State, was to General Buckner, whose States to declare martial law, to suspend services as Inspector-General in mar- the privilege of the writ of habeas corshalling the State Guard, we have seen pus and to convert every barrack and so warmly commended by Governor Ma- prison in the land into a bastile, is nothgoffin. After using the influence of his ing but the claim which other tyrants position till it could with safety be used have assumed to subjugate a free people. no longer in favoring the interests of the The Confederate States occupy Bowling Rebellion, he had left the State for Ten- Green as a defensive position." One of nessee, and had now returned a Briga- the first acts of General Anderson, in dier in the army of the Confederate his military administration, was to adStates, with a band of invaders com-dress a kind letter to Judge James Pryposed of several regiments of refugee or, urging him to appeal to a band of Kentuckians from Camp Boone-a rebel resort on the Tennessee frontier-joined by a considerable body of Tennesseeans, to occupy the central position at Bowling Green, in Warran County, of importance for its capability of defence and its railway connections with Nashville and Memphis. He would, it is thought, have advanced farther to Muldraugh's Hill, but for the timely preoccupation of that ad-eral Anderson that the assemblage of vantageous locality by the Union forces. men in question "contemplated no raid General Buckner had announced his upon any town or upon any body." He arrival at Bowling Green by a Procla- had, indeed, advised them to form commation. It was addressed to the People panics, elect officers and drill, but he of Kentucky, and opened with a denun- held no military commission and comciation of the Legislature. They have manded no military force. He had conendeavored," said he, "to make your * Proclamation of Simon B. Buckner, Brigadier General gallant State a fortress in which, under c. s. A., Bowling Green, September 18, 1861. misguided persons who had assembled in arms at Liberty in Owen county, with the evident intention of forming a rebel camp, to return to their homes as good citizens. The subject was brought, by Judge Pryor, before Colonel Humphrey Marshall, the master-spirit of the organization, who wrote a long epistle in reply, assuring his correspondent and Gen sented to instruct the men in their duties cessionists and had joined the Confederand, if the people should desire, "to col-ates, while the Union men, the aged and lect together and organize for the protec- conservatives, would not enroll themtion of their constitutional right and of selves to engage in conflict with their their persons from violence and wrong, relatives on the other side. But few to command any camp they will thus regiments could be raised." He repreform, provided it be attended by such sented Buckner in advance of Green numbers as to be able to protect itself River threatening Louisville, while he, if properly directed." The admission Sherman, had but ten thousand troops on of the letter, in spite of its denials, im- that line, nine thousand in the East actplicated its writer with the disaffected ing in conjunction with General Thomas, Southern Rights partisans in the State. and two regiments at Henderson on the Its readers had no reason to be surprised Ohio. "On being asked the question, at the subsequent directly belligerent at- what force he deemed necessary, he titude which the Hon. Humphrey Mar- promptly replied, two hundred thoushall assumed towards the Government sand men.'" Such was the disheartenof the Union.* ing situation as it then appeared to General Sherman, commander of the Department of the Cumberland. If two hundred thousand men were required to expel the enemy and garrison the loyal State of Kentucky, whose population was thus hostile or indifferent, what, it was asked, was the prospect of dealing with the openly rebellious States of the South. Yet, in two months, by the aid of the valiant men of the West, who were poured into the State, and more inspiring counsels at headquarters, the question was, for the time, at least, settled for Kentucky, and by one resolute battle on her soil, a blow was struck, felt by the enemy throughout their entire Confederacy. The health of General Anderson did not permit him to encounter the fatigues and exposure of active command, and, in consequence, after he had given the influence of his birth and character to the cause of the Union in the State, he requested to be relieved. This was granted, and Brigadier-General W. T. Sherman was appointed to the Department in his stead. On the 8th of October, General Anderson took leave in a General order, in which he commended the interests of the State to his successor. "God grant," was his emphatic expression, "that he may be the means of delivering this Department from the marauding bands, who, under the guise of relieving and befriending Kentucky, are doing all the injury they can to those who will not join them in their accursed warfare." There is an instructive memorial of the state of affairs at this time in Kentucky in General Thomas' memorable report of his tour of inspection in the West with Secretary Cameron. On the 16th of October, he says, the party arrived at Louisville and had an interview with General Sherman. "He gave a gloomy picture of affairs in Kentucky, stating that the young men were generally se •Letter of Colonel H. Marshall to the Hon. James Pry or, Lusby's Mill, Owen county, Ky., September 26, 1861. Not content with open attacks of armed invasion from without, the sympathizers with the South sought to give a color of revolution to their proceedings within the State. For this purpose certain leaders held a preliminary meeting at the town of Russellville, on the border of Tennessee, on the 29th of October, wher they expressed their dissatisfaction with the action of the legislature, as a violation of the neutrality of the State, denounced its patriotic proceedings as "the unconstitutional edicts of a factious majority," and pronouncing themselves thus abandoned and betrayed on the one hand by the "Lincolnites," and on the |