Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 24

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452

USA > Kentucky > Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I > Part 24

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Sept. 6-Brig. Gen. Henry Heth, with 5,000 or 6,000 veteran Confederate troops from Gen. Kirby Smith's corps, following. down the Ky. Central railroad track, camps a few miles back of Covington, and

threatens the three citics. For some days he could readily have captured them by a bold dash ; but is prevented by orders from Gen. Smith, who holds him in readiness for orders from Gen. Bragg. Unparalleled excitement at Cincinnati ; business houses closed, and nearly all business suspended except hotels and newspapers; all male citizens, including ministers of the gospel and old men, forced into military service and drilling, or into the trenches to dig earth fortifications back of Covington and Newport ; for some days no males allowed to leave Cincinnati, except southward to help defend it; "squirrel hunters " and Volunteer militia from Ohio and Indiana, over 25,000 strong, pour in from all di- rections, and right over the pontoon bridge or bridge of barge-boats, to defend Cin- cinnati by first defending Covington and Newport; U. S. soldiers ordered in from all points where they can be spared.

Sept. 6-Thos. N. Lindsey appointed by the Confederates mayor of Frankfort.

Sept. 8-Gen. Lew. Wallace causes Frank K. Hunt, of Lexington, to be ar- rested and taken from the Cincinnati and Maysville packet Emma, when landing at Higginsport, Ohio, bound up-although he had a pass from Gov. Robinson. It is supposed to be as a hostage for the return of Rev. Robert G. Brank, of Lexington, now held a prisoner by the Confederates.

Sept. 8-Stockade at bridge over Salt river, on the Louisville and Nashville railroad, captured by Lieut. Col. Hutchin- son, of Morgan's brigade, 150 prisoners taken and paroled, and the bridge (450 feet long and 46 feet high) thoroughly destroyed.

Sept. 10-While holding Paris, the Con- federate forces parole all citizens who are attached to the home guards, and confiscate their muskets. The Confederate provost marshal issues an order making Confed- crate money receivable for all goods and produce sold, and places under arrest for several days one merchant who was bold enough to refuse it.

Sept. 11-Col. Richard M. Gano, com- manding 2d brigade of Morgan's Confed- erate cavalry, with 800 men, at Washing- ton, Mason co., 4 miles from Maysville, by letter notifies F. B. Trussell, mayor of Maysville, that he will not shell or attack, or even enter the city, unless the Federal troops cross over from Ohio and make Maysville the basis of their operations. The mayor replies that there is no organ- ized force in Maysville to oppose him, and " the citizens will expect him to protect them from violence or abuse."

Sept. 12-Union men in Bracken co. drive Rev. John G. Fee, for preaching abolitionism, out of the state; they ferry him over the Ohio river, and threaten to hang him if he returns.

Sept. 12-Gen. Heth commences his de- liberate retreat from back of Covington. Federal troops cautiously pursue so far as Florence, 9 miles.

.Sept. 13-An advance of the Confederate

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forces under Gen. Bragg, who had entered | fair and remunerating prices." From the state, Sept 5, and moved towards Bowl- Glasgow he advances towards Bardstown, and in the direction of Louisville. ing Green, demands the surrender of Munfordsville, Hart co., on Green river Sept. 19-At Owensboro, Confederates attack and defeat the Federals, killing the Colonel. 20th, Spencer (Ind. ) home guards come to their aid, and with a loss of 2 killed and 18 wounded drive out the foriner. where it is crossed by the L. & N. R. R., which Col. Wilder, with 3,100 Federal in- fantry and 4 cannon, refuses. Next morn- ing, .Gen. Duncan's Confederate troops attack, but after 7 hours' fighting are re- pulsed, with small loss; Wilder's loss 8 Sept. 21-Munfordsville re-occupied by Federal troops. killed and 20 wounded. 16th, the attack is renewed with great spirit, and after a Sept. 21-Confederate cavalry attack Granger's command at Shepherdsville, Bullitt co., intending to burn the railroad bridge ; but are driven off, losing 5 killed and 28 prisoners. stubborn resistance Col. C. L. Dunham, who had arrived with reinforcements and assumed command, surrenders on the 17th, with 4,500 men and 10 guns. Confederates destroy the bridge over Green river.

Sept. 15-Confederate forces again ad- vance towards Covington, as far as Flor- ence, 9 miles off, and engage in a skirmish in which they suffer slightly.

Sept. 17-Louisville fortifying against the expected approach of Gen. E. Kirby Smith's forces.

Sept. 17-Cumberland Gap (which was evacuated by the Confederates under Gen. Stevenson on June 17, and next day occu- pied by the Federals under Gen. Geo. W. Morgan ) evacuated by Gen. Morgan and his four brigades, and possession taken, Sept. 18, by Gen. Stevenson ; the evacuation in each case caused by fear of starvation, and consequent capture. Passing via Cumberland Ford, in Josh Bell co., Man- chester in Clay co., Proctor in Owsley (now in Lee) co., Compton and Hazel Green in Wolfe co., Grayson in Carter co., Gen. Morgan's division reached Green- upsburg, on the Ohio river, Oct. 3-a march of nearly 200 miles, over a rough and mountainous country, in a little less than 16 days ; bringing off all his artillery except 4 siege guns ; harassed, from a few miles south of West Liberty to Grayson, by Col. John H. Morgan's Confederate cavalry, who felled trees across his path, barricaded his road, captured his cattle supplies, skirmished with his outposts and advance, and might have defeated him in battle if reinforced as ordered ; through clouds of dust and over hot sands, with stagnant tepid water for drink, at times, and only roast-corn for food ; alto- gether the march and escape was one of the most wonderful and successful in all military history.

Sept. 18-Skirmish at Falmouth between 11 home guards and 28 Texas rangers; the latter driven off, with 2 killed, 4 wounded and 1 prisoner ; they threatened to return with cannon and. demolish the house which the former occupied, and burnt the railroad bridge ; the home guards prudently retreated several miles towards Cincinnati, and sent for reinforcements.

Sept. 18-Gen. Braxton Bragg, in an address from Glasgow, informs the people of Ky., that " the Confederate army of the West offers an opportunity to free themselves from the tyranny of a despotic ruler. Needful supplies must be had for his army, but they shall be paid for at

Sept. 21-Col. Geo. M. Jessce's Confed- erate cavalry attack, at Newcastle, pro- vost marshal Robert Morris' home guard cavalry, 170 strong, and compel their sur- render-men, horses, and 300 stand of arms.

Sept. 22-Gen. Nelson orders the women and children to be sent out of Louisville, preparatory to a battle with the Confeder- ates.

Sept. 23-Sergeant Will. Hayes (of Cov- ington). with 6 Confederate cavalry of Morgan's regiment, by a bold ruse com- pels the surrender of 69 Federal infantry, and Licut. Roberts with a small force also captures 1 company and puts to flight 9 others, near Walton, Boone co.

Sept. 25-Gen. Buell's Federal army reaches Louisville, having outmarched Gen. Bragg.

Sept. 27-Desperately fought battle at Augusta, Bracken co., between 125 home guards under Col. (Dr.) Joshua Taylor Bradford (part of whom were Southern sympathizers impressed for the occasion), stationed in brick houses, and about 350 of Col. Basil W. Duke's regiment of Mor- gan's Confederate cavalry-who fought in the streets, and were forced to burn nearly all the buildings in two squares in order to dislodge the home guards, who soon sur- rendered. Confederate loss 21 killed and 18 wounded ; among the killed and mor- tally wounded were Capts. Sam'l D. Mor- gan (cousin of Col. John H. Morgan), Allen, and Kennett, and Lieuts. Greenbury Roberts, Geo. White, Rogers, King, and Wmn. Courtland Prentice (son of Geo. D. Prentice, editor Louisville Journal). Pris- oners nearly all paroled, next day. Two gunboats, the Belfast, Capt. Sedam, and the Allen Collier, were at the landing and might have protected the town ; but they steamed off out of danger, as soon as they found that the enemy had howitzers, al- though their sides were protected by hay bales. The exhaustion of howitzer-am- munition and heavy loss in men and officers defcated the main object of Col. Duke's raid-which was to ford the Ohio river a few miles below Angusta, and, marching towards Cincinnati, so threaten that city : >to compel the troops on the Lexington turnpike at Walton to hurry back to its defence.

Sept. 27-Maj. John James Key, of In

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diana, formerly of Maysville, Ky., dis- missed from the U. S. military service by President Lineoln, for saying-in reply to the question " Why was not the rebel army bagged, immediately after the battle near Sharpsburg, Md. ? "-in substanee, " That is not the game; that we should tire the rebels out and ourselves, and neither army get much advantage of the other; that was the only way the Union could be preserved ; then we could compromise, come together fraternally, and slavery be saved."

Sept. 28-Skirmish at Brooksville be- tween part of Col. Duke's forces and Mays- ville home guards.

Sept. 29-Gen. Wm. Nelson shot, in the Galt House, Louisville, in a personal, dif- fieulty, by Brig. Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, of Indiana ; he dies in 15 minutes.

Sept. 30-Confederates defeated, in a small engagement at Russellville.

Oct. 1-Confederate piekets within 6 miles of Louisville, but the main body 25 or 30 miles distant. Gen. Buell's army leaves Louisville in pursuit-Gen. Mc- Cook's corps, the left wing, on the Tay- lorsville road ; Gen. Gilbert's, on the Shep- herdsville ; and Gen. Crittenden's, the right wing, on the Bardstown pike. Gen. Buell and his second in command, Gen. Geo. H. Thomas, aecompany the latter.

Oct. 2-Capt. Mott, with 10th Ky. cav- alry, captures 18 rebels and 96 horses, at camp near Williamstown, Grant co.

Oct. 4-Gen. Wharton's Confederate cavalry-left behind by order of Gen. Bragg as his rear guard, with orders to keep the Federals out of Bardstown until this evening-lic in ambush near the Bardstown Fair Grounds, rush upon the Federal advance guard, and drive it baek.

Oct. 4-Inaugural ceremonies of the Pro- visional Government of Ky. at Frankfort. Richard Hawes, of Bourbon, inaugurated governor, and in an address tells the listen- ing crowd that " the state would be held by the Confederate army, eost what it might"- a statement and assurance uttered in perfeet good faith, and which his proud and hon- orable naturc would have seorned to make, had he suspected that the vacillating Gen. Bragg had deceived him, and that the Confederate army had even then eom- menced its ill - advised retreat. Four · hours later, the new government left Frankfort in dignified haste, never to re- turn.

Oct. 6-Hand-to-hand cavalry fight near Lawrenceburg, Anderson co., between Col. Scott's Confederate and Col. R. T. Jacob's 9th Ky .; short but exeiting.

Oct. 7-At 7 P. M., Gen. Buell sends special written orders to Gen. Thomas, in part as follows : " The 3d corps, Gilbert's, is within 312 miles of Perryville, the cav- alry being nearer, perhaps 212 miles. From all the information received to-day it is thought the enemy will resist our ad- vance into Perryville. They are said to have a strong force in and around the place. We expect to attack and carry | carriage and baggage of Maj. Gen. Mo-

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the place to-morrow. Mareh at 3 o'clock precisely, to-morrow morning, without fail; and if possible get all the eanteens filled, and have the men eautioned to use water in the most sparing manner. Every officer must eaution his men on this point. There is no water near us, and we can ex- pect but little if any until we get it at Per- ryville.

Oct. 7-78th Indiana regiment surprised, surrounded, and captured by Confederate troops, near Bardstown, Nelson eo .; their guns taken from them, and the men pa- roled and allowed to depart.

Oct. 8-Greatest battle ever fought in Kentucky, on Chaplin Hills, near Perry- ville, Boyle co., generally called the battle of Perryville. The immediate commander of the Federal forees actually engaged, Gen. Alcx. MeDowell MeCook, of the 1st army corps, styles it "the bloodiest bat- tle of modern times, for the number of troops engaged on our side," which he states at 14,000 (Brig. Gens. Lovell H. Rousseau's division 7,000, Jas. S. Jack- son's 5,500, and Gooding's brigade 1,500) ; besides which was Maj. Gen. Chas. C. Gilbert's 3d army corps (Brig. Gens: Rob- ert B. Mitehell's 9th division, Phil. H. Sheridan's 11th division, and Albin Sehopff's 1st division, except Gooding's brigade above, sent to MeCook) about 11,000 men, making 25,000 in all. Op- posed to these were soine 15,000 of Gen. Bragg's bravest and most tried soldiers- the three divisions of Major Generals W. m. S. Cheatham, Simon B. Buckner, and Richard H. Anderson, all under the imme- diate command of Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk, and two divisions forming the left wing under Maj. Gen. Wm. J. Hardee. Both armies had been preparing for battle since early morn, skirmishing while getting into position. At 12:30 P. M., finding the Federals still delaying, and knowing that heavy reinforcements [Maj. Gen. Thos. L. Crittenden's corps] were only a few hours away, and almost within supporting dis- tance-while nearly half their own army [Maj. Gens. E. Kirby Smith's forees and Withers' division] had been sent off near Frankfort where a battle was anticipated, and could not come up under 40 hours- the Confederates began a vigorous attack, and soon brought on a general engage- ment ; which Gen. Bragg's official report pronounees "for the time engaged the severest and most desperately contested within his knowledge," and adds : "It was continued furiously from noon till dark, our troops never faltering and never failing in their efforts. Fearfully outnum- bered, our troops did not hesitate to engage at any odds ; and though checked at times, they eventually carried every position, and drove the enemy about two miles. But for the intervention of night we should have completed the work. By the miost daring charges, we captured 15 pieces of artillery, and 400 prisoners, inelud- ing three staff ofieers, with servants,

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Cook ; killed one brigadier general [Jas. S. Jackson] and mortally wounded another [Wm. R. Terrell], and a very large num- ber of inferior officers and men. The ground was literally covered with the enemy's dead and wounded. In such a eontest our own loss was necessarily se- vere, probably not less than 2,500 in killed, wounded and missing,"-including in the wounded, Brig. Gens. Wood, Pat. Cle- burne, and Brown.

The official reports of Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell, commanding the entire Fed- eral army, say this battle "will stand con- spicuous for its severity in the history of the rebellion. It deserves to be com- memorated for the determined valor dis- played by the portion of our army that was engaged. .... .. The enemy was every- where repulsed, but not without some mo- mentary advantage on our left." Gen. McCook's report says " the right of Rous- seau's line was compelled to fall back ....... .. A fierce onset being made on Terrell's brigade, and Gen. Jackson being killed at the first fire, this brigade in a few mo- ment's gave way in confusion." But these reverses were temporary, and with the reinforcement of Col. Gooding's brig- ade the Confederates were held in check: The firing, artillery and musketry, and fighting, continued desperately until dark. The pickets of the two armies were posted only 50 yards apart. Believing that the enemy would renew the attack at daylight, Gen. Buell availed of the remarkably bril- liant moonlight to bring up and place in position the corps of Gen. Crittenden. Unwilling to continue a hitherto doubtful contest against such fresh and fearful odds, Gen. Bragg, leaving his dead upon the field, " withdrew his force early next morning to Harrodsburg, Mercer co., and thence, on the 11th, to Bryantsville, in Garrard co." The Federals "followed slowly, but did not press him."

The Federal loss in Gilbert's corps he states at 165 killed, 605 wounded, and 85 prisoners and missing ; in the 3d eorps, which sustained the heaviest loss, Rous- seau reports 466 killed, 1,463 wounded, and 161 missing; in Jackson's division, not definitely reported, but about 300 killed, 950 wounded, and 150 missing; total, 931 killed, 3,018 wounded, and 397 missing and prisoners-a grand total loss of 4,346.

The Confederate loss can never be known, but probably exceeded the estimate of Gen. Bragg above. In a detailed ac- count of the movements of a battalion of Col. Richard T. Jacob's 9th Ky. Federal cavalry, a member of it says : "On Oct. 11, we reached Perryville, and marched over the battlefield. It was a sickening sight. Our dead were all buried ; but the blackened corpses of rebel dead, mangled in every way possible, were still scattered over the field. It would be impossible for me to say how many were killed, but the number was enormous in proportion to the number engaged. I saw them lying

in pens, from 8 to 19 in each. We camped in a wood, about one mile from Perryville, on the Mackville road, some time after dark, and discovered a dead body, a rebel, right in our midst ; but as we had no spades, nor any thing else to dig a hole with, we were compelled to leave him unburied. I have no doubt that many are still unburied, and some have been eaten up by hogs, leaving nothing but the whitened bones to show that a fellow-creature lost his life in a war created by ambitious politicians to length- en out their time of holding the public purse-strings." 1

Oct. 9-James B. Clay issues an ad- dress, at Lexington, calling for men to enlist in regiments to be raised by him. He appeals to the people to rally under him, as the South will speedily put in foree the conseript law throughout the state. He said: " My headquarters for the present is in Lexington ; hereafter at Camp Breckinridge, formerly Dick Robin- son."

Oct. 10-Cavalry skirmish near Har- dinsville, Shelby co., between a company of 9th Ky. and Scott's Confederates ; latter successful.

Oct. 10-Confederate forces refuse to occupy or use, for hospitals or otherwise, the dwellings at Danville of Gen. Jerry T. Boyle and Rev. Dr. Robert J. Breckin- ridge-in striking contrast with the Fed- eral occupation, for hospital purposes, of Provisional Governor Richard Hawes' res- idence at Paris.

Oct. 10-Lieut. Col. John Boyle and the 9th Ky. cavalry dash into Harrods- burg, surprising and taking prisoners 1,600 Confederate soldiers, many of whom were sick and the wounded from the Per- ryville battle, and the remainder the rear guard of Gen. Bragg's army.

Oct. 13-Skirmishing at Lancaster until dark, between Gen. Wheeler's Confederate cavalry and the advance of a division of Gen. Buell's army ; the former hold the town all night, retiring slowly in the morning:

Oct. 14-Maj. Jas. Sudduth killed, in James Warren's house, in Bath county, while defending himself from capture by a band of " rebels," under Geo. Ewing.

Oct. 14-Lieut. Col. Ilyatt's 101st Ohio capture, in Ballard co., among other pris- oners, Oscar Turner, who was released by Gen. Strong, on taking the oath and giv- ing bond in $75,000.

Oct. 15-Finding Buell's army pressing on so fast as to threaten the capture of a part of their provision train, the Confed- erates obstruct the pursuit by felling trees across the narrow roads through the mountainous country beyond London, Laurel eo.

Oct. 15-Col. Wm. Henry Wadsworth's troops capture, near Mount Sterling, about 50 of Gen. Humphrey Marshall's Confed- erate pickets.

Oct. 18-Col. John HI. Morgan's Confed- erate cavalry makes another visit to Lex.

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ington, and attacks a Federal cavalry force there, killing 5 or 6, and taking prisoners and paroling about 350.

Oct. 18-The Albany (New York, Even- ing Journal, an able and leading Repub- lican paper, says : "Gentlemen endowed with more backbone than discretion con- tinue to speak contemptuously of the loyalty of Kentucky. But they will do well to remember how much the success of our army in the West has been owing to the attitude of that state. They will do well to remember that had she gone over into the ranks of the rebel states, the seat of war would have been transferred from the Cumberland and the Tennessee to the Ohio ; that instead of capturing Mem- phis and Nashville, we should be defend- ing Cincinnati and St. Louis ; that instead of penetrating with our armies into the heart of the insurgent country, we should have all we could do during the winter and spring to defend our own frontier. They will do well to remember that Ken- tucky, even neutral, would be worth 50,000 men to us ; that in her present loyal posi- tion she is potent almost to decide the for- tunes of the war. Let us generously give her credit not only for what she has done, but for what she has prevented. Let us admit that without her aid, to-day the southwest would be irretrievably lost to the Union."

Oct. 20-Morgan's Confederate cavalry capture and destroy, at Cox's creek bridge, 6 miles from Bardstown, a train of 51 loaded and 31 empty wagons, and parole the teamsters.

Oct. 20-The Richmond (Va.) and other Southern papers speak of Gen. Bragg's invasion of Ky. as "a brilliant blunder and a magnificent failure," and of his ret- rograde movement as "profoundly disap- pointing and mortifying Southern people, and dashing their fond hopes of liberating Ky. and Tennessee." He is the only prominent instance in either section or army, where presidential favoritism per- sistently maintained an officer in com- manding position who had repeatedly proved himself inadequate to the emer- gency. Even his distinguished competi- tor in the race of great armies from Ten- nessee through Ky. to the Ohio river and return, because of success below publie expectation, was "relieved," Oct. 30, by Maj. Gen. Wm. S. Rosecrans, of the com- mand of the army of the Ohio, its desig- nation being changed to that of the army of the Cumberland. A court martial was ordered at Cincinnati, to inquire into Gen. Buell's conduct: 1. In permitting the invasion of Ky. by Gen. Bragg; 2. His failure to relieve Munfordsville, and al- lowing its capture ; 3. His conduct during the battle of Perryville; 4. Ilis allowing Gen. Bragg to escape from Ky. without capture or loss by attacking him ; and 5. His operations in Tennessee and Ky.

Oct. 22-1st and 20:h Ky. infantry fall upon the rear guard of Gen. Kirby Smith's Confederate forces, near Goose Creek salt

works, Clay co., kill several, and capture 90 prisoners and 150 head of cattle.

Oct. 23-Gen. Buell issues an order, and charges Gen. Boyle with its execution, that all persons who have actively abetted the invasion of Ky., within the last three months, will be immediately arrested, sent to Vicksburg, and forbidden to return.

Oct. 24-Great drouth in northern and middle Ky .; but little rain since Aug. 15. Immense suffering for want of water by soldiers, citizens and stock, during first two weeks of Oct.

Oct. 24-At Morgantown, Butler co., a detachment of Morgan's cavalry retreats before a Federal force, losing 16 pris- oners.

Oct. 24-Gen. Boyle, by " order No. 18." 1. Prohibits any person from purchasing and shipping goods and merchandise for retail trading, without first,taking the oath of allegiance and getting a permit ; 2. Pro- hibits every person who gave aid or comfort to the late invaders from purchasing or shipping for trade ; if they obtain permits, the permits will not be respected, and all goods shipped under them will be seized and confiscated ; 3. Publie carriers must not undertake to transport goods without permits ; 4. " All Federal officers and true loyal citizens will seize any contra- band goods shipped by any route into the States, and report same to his headquar- ters."

Oct. 24, 25-The Lexington Obserrer, Paris Citizen, Frankfort Commonwealth, and other newspapers in the interior towns re- sume publication, after seven weeks' sus- pension-caused by the flight, immediately after the battle of Richmond, of their hands and of some of the editors, by the suspension of the mails, and by the occu- pation of the state by the Confederate army .

Oct. 25-Federal military authorities levy contributions to the amount of $35,000 on the Southern sympathizers in, and within 10 miles of, Caseyville, Union co .- under the plea of reimbursing Union men for the depredations of guerrillas.

Oct. 25-Heavy snow, from 4 to 12 inches deep, all over the state, heaviest in the mountain region of south-eastern Ky .- making a rigorous winter campaign for the poorly clad and poorly shod troops of Gen. Bragg, on their retreat. Their sufferings represented as terrible ; much sickness and many lives lost, through fa- tigue and exposure to the inclement weather.

Oct. 25, 26-Skirmishes near Paint Lick, Garrard co., and Big Hill, Madison co., between Col. Ed. McCook's Federal and Col. John H. Morgan's and Col. Scott's Confederate cavalry. The former capture the telegraph operators of Gen. Kirby Smith's army, with their apparatus.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 24

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn Publication date: 1874 Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co. Number of Pages: 1452

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452