USA > Kentucky > History of Kentucky, Volume II > Part 49
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"Up to this date the following are some of the events which had oc- curred in Kentucky, in which her soldiers participated or were interested : Skirmishing at Barboursville, September 19, 1861 ; at Green River Lock, mouth of Mud River, September 26th; at Albany, September -; at Laurel Bridge, near London, September 30th ; at Upton Hill, October 12th ; battle at Camp Wildcat, October 21st ; skirmish at West Liberty, October 23d; at Camp Underwood, near Cave City, October 23d; at Woodbury, Morgantown and Rochester, October 29th, 30th ; fight at Ivy Mountain, Pike County, November 8th; Brownsville, November 20th; at Camp Goggin, near Somerset, December Ist; at Bacon Creek, December 5th; at Rowlett Station, December 17th; at Sacramento, De- cember 28th ; at Paintsville, January 6, 1862; at Middle Creek, January roth; battle of Mill Spring, January 19th; at Pound Gap, March 16th.
"The date the Confederates occupied Columbus was September 3, 1861.41 General Grant occupied Paducah September 5, 1861. The in-
40 Quoted in Collins, History of Kentucky, I, 155.
41 It is sometimes said this was the first violation of "neutrality." It is also claimed that General Nelson's work at Camp Dick Robinson, in August, 1861, was the first. But as early as in the spring, companies of Confederate soldiers were organized in the state, and moved South with colors flying. Of this, Lovell H. Rousseau complained in his speech in the State Senate. It is also a fact that Confederate troops under General Zollicoffer occupied Cumberland Gap in July. The statement is made in Tarrant's history of the First Kentucky Cavalry, that
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vestment of Fort Donelson was from February 12 to 16, 1862. Bowl- ing Green was evacuated February 14, 1862. Nashville was oc- cupied by the Federals February 25th. Columbus was evacuated by the Confederates February 27th. In the battle at Fort Donelson two Ken- tucky regiments were engaged-the 17th, Col. John H. McHenry, and the 25th, Col. J. M. Shackelford, being in the division commanded by Gen. Lew Wallace.
"In the battle of Shiloh fourteen Union Kentucky regiments par- ticipated-the 17th and 25th, being with Grant's army, and fought both days. There were with Buell's army, in the second day's battle, the 2d and 3d Cavalry; the Ist, 2d, 3d, 5th, 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 16th, 20th Infantry.
"In some respects Shiloh was the most remarkable battle of the war On neither side were the troops inured to fighting. Grant's army had had some experience at Belmont, Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, but the Confederate army had not been in any engagement of consequence, the battle of Mill Spring being the most important, and that also was the most important which any of Buell's army had known. Yet, the fighting at Shiloh on both days, on both sides, was marked by features char- acteristic of veterans.
"It is claimed that the Confederates fell upon Grant's army by sur- prise. Without discussing this point, it is enough to say that the 'sur- prised' army began to fight at once, and fought over twelve hours, inflicting as much loss as it suffered, and backed altogether about a mile and a half. The fighting began at 5 a. m. and lasted until after 4 p. m. There were no fortifications. It was a pitched battle upon the natural, open ground throughout the day. From first to last it was a great and fearful struggle. The first clash produced the most terrific battle roar ever heard upon this continent up to that moment. The close at 4 p. m. was with a mighty charge, led by the Confederate commander in person. in which he fell, and the point was not carried.
"The results were losses in killed and wounded on each side about the same, and the Federal army driven back about a mile and a half. But it is said it was driven to the river and could not get farther away. This is an error. If the maps are examined, they show the Federal line at night, not along the river bank, but only one end at the river, and the line standing out across the country. The line extended from the land- ing out toward Snake Creek bridge, which was more than a mile from the river. Over that bridge Gen. Lew Wallace came that night, and took position near by. This position of the Federal line is shown on all the maps, including those in connection with General Buell's account, and in Col. William Preston Johnston's Life of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston. The battle ended while there was yet more than two hours of good day- light, and the assailants had received blow for blow.
"Much has been said about the stragglers at the Landing. Naturally all there were would crowd to that point, and all being visible at one view the impression was great. The reports show the rear of the Con- federate army was in no better condition. Col. William Preston John- ston, in his book, says: 'Gen. Beauregard, at Shiloh, two miles in the rear, with the debris of the army surging back on him, pictured in his imagination a wreck at the front totally different from the actual con- dition there.'
"Without dwelling on the subject, it is interesting to note what Gens. Grant and Sherman said in their reports, made two days after the battle.
"Before any Union troops were organized on Kentucky soil General Zollicoffer, of the Confederate army, had already seized Cumberland Gap immediately on the state line, and held it with a formidable force." General Nelson, in a communication to the War Department from Cincinnati, July 16, 1861, says : "The gaps in the
mountains are all guarded by rebel troops."
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Gen. Grant says: 'During the night all was quiet, and feeling that a great moral advantage would be gained by becoming the attacking party, an advance was ordered as soon as day dawned.' Gen. Sherman says: 'The soldiers were in good spirits during the night, and determined to redeem on Monday the losses of Sunday.' Thus these two officers wrote at the time. The reports of the officers of Grant's army, division, brigade and regimental, show that these organizations went into the battle the next day.
"The presence on the field that day of Buell's army made the victory certain. If no other troops except Gen. Lew Wallace's 8,000 had arrived. it is impossible to declare certainly who would have won the battle of Monday. Both contestants in the Sunday battle were terribly battered, and Wallace's fresh troops might have turned the scale in Grant's favor, as they might have done on Sunday had they then arrived.
"Having dwelt for a moment on this tremendous struggle, we will now note the events following.
"After Shiloh, the Union forces united under Gen. Halleck, and moved out to Corinth. The Confederates evacuated that place May 29th, and then the two Union armies were again separated. Grant's moved down the Mississippi, and a year later captured Vicksburg. Buell's army remained in Northern Mississippi and Alabama, being opposed by the Confederate army under Gen. Bragg. From Corinth, Buell moved through Iuka and along the Tennessee river, occupying Florence, Tus- cumbia, Athens, Decatur, Huntsville, Battle Creek and other places.
"While events of a larger sort were occurring, Kentucky was all the time the scene of continuous disturbance. The Unionists of the state having, by their votes, refused to secede, and having taken up arms in defense of the Union, those who professed to believe in and act upon the doctrine of state rights seemed to regard the state of Kentucky as a proper subject for chastisement, for having exercised that right, and adhered to the Union. It was, therefore, subjected to invasions and raids, which required the presence of a large number of Union troops for its protection. No detailed mention can here be made of the disturbed con- dition of affairs, but a few of the most important occurrences will be shown.
"At the beginning of the war, as we have seen, Kentucky was occu- pied by the Confederate forces in several places-at the extreme eastern part, along Cumberland river, at Bowling Green, Russellville, Hopkins- ville, Columbus. The attitude of these forces to the state was as though Kentucky had seceded. Upon the fall of Fort Donelson in February, 1862, they all retired from the state, but returned before the year was out in great force, under Gen. Bragg, as we have seen. After Bragg's retirement no large force entered Kentucky. It was only subjected to incessant raiding.
"In the first days of January, 1863, Gen. John Morgan entered by way of Glasgow, and proceeded as far as Elizabethtown. He then turned and was pursued rapidly out of the state by way of New Haven and Burksville, by Kentucky troops under Gen. E. H. Hobson, Cols. John M. Harlan, W. A. Hoskins and others.
"In March, 1863, Col. Cluke, of Morgan's command, appeared at Mt. Sterling, and Gen. Pegram came in as far as Danville. Both were op- posed by Kentucky troops and compelled to return. A severe battle took place with Gen. Pegram at Dutton's Hill, near Somerset in which he was completely defeated.
"July, 1863, Morgan again crossed into Kentucky at Burksville, and passed rapidly through the state. This was the celebrated raid which extended across the Ohio river. On the 4th day of July, 1863, Morgan reached Green river at Tebb's Bend, where Col. Moore, with a part of a Michigan regiment, was stationed to guard the bridge. Moore refused
GEN. JOHN H. MORGAN
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a demand to surrender, and was attacked, but defended himself and saved the bridge. Morgan crossed the river at another place and hurried on to Lebanon, where he fought Col. Charles S. Hanson, with a portion of the 20th Ky., and compelled his surrender. Passing on he reached the Ohio river at Brandenburg, and crossing, went through the states of Indiana and Ohio, until he was captured.
"From the time he crossed Cumberland river, at Burksville, until his capture, he was pursued by Kentucky regiments of cavalry, and finally captured by them. The pursuers were under two Kentucky generals, Shackelford and Hobson. They were the Ist, 8th, 9th, 11th and 12th Ky. Cavalry, under Cols. Wolford, Bristow, Jacob and Crittenden, re- spectively, and also a battalion of the 3d Ky. Cavalry, under Major Lewis Wolfley. The pursuit of Morgan was more remarkable than the raid itself, for the pursuers traversed the entire distance and finally overtook, headed off and captured the great raider. For some details the reader is referred to the accounts of the regiments mentioned.
"Morgan was held a prisoner until he escaped. He was then as- signed to a command in the western part of Virginia, where he organized a force and planned another raid into Kentucky. June Ist, 1864, he en- tered the state by way of Pound Gap, with the avowed purpose, as he states in his report, of destroying the railroad from Cincinnati to Lex- ington, and then to push on to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
"At this same time an expedition had been planned by Gen. Burbridge against the Saltworks, in Virginia, and a force under his command had proceeded as far as Paintsville, Ky., when Morgan came in through Pound Gap and headed for Mt. Sterling.
"Among the officers with Burbridge was the clear-headed, intelligent Col. John Mason Brown, of the 45th Ky., commanding a brigade. He instantly apprehended Morgan's object and counseled a rapid return to Lexington. His counsel was followed, and Burbridge's force hurried back. Before they encountered Morgan, that officer had fallen upon a small force at Kellar's bridge, under Gen. Hobson, and compelled a sur- render. Immediately afterward, the force, under Burbridge, Brown and Hanson, met Morgan near Cynthiana, and, after a lively fight, com- pletely defeated him, retaking all that he had captured and breaking up his command. Morgan, with what was left of his command, was pur- sued out of the state, through the mountains. For details the reader is referred to the accounts of the 45th Ky. Mounted Infantry.
"During the entire war there was incessant trouble with partisan bands in Kentucky, usually denominated 'guerrillas.' These bands made war upon all that appertained to the Union armies and Union cause. Their character may be understood from the attitude of Gov. Bramlette toward them. It is well known that Gov. Bramlette was a very moderate man; so much so, that he strongly antagonized the administration of military affairs in the state by Gen. Burbridge. Yet Gov. Bramlette issued what Collins calls a 'very severe proclamation toward rebel sym- pathizers, proposing to hold them responsible for all guerilla raids, charg- ing them with knowledge of, and thereby aiding and abetting, their out- rages.'
"At a later date, May 13, 1864, Gov. Bramlette seemed roused to desperation by guerilla outrages and issued a call in these words: 'Ken- tuckians! To the rescue! I want 10,000 six-months' troops at once. Do not hesitate to come. I will lead you. Let us help to finish the war and save our government. Thos. E. Bramlette, Governor of Kentucky.'
"That the state was full of these bands of Confederates is shown by the fact that in January, 1865, Gen. John C. Breckinridge sent an officer (Col. Robert J. Breckinridge) into Kentucky, secretly, to require all Confederates in the state to report to him, under the penalty of not being
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recognized when captured, as prisoners of war. Col. Breckinridge was captured with this order in his possession. ( Records of the Rebellion. No. 103, pages 764, 770.)
"The following letter from Gen. N. B. Forrest to the Confederate Secretary of War throws light upon the situation :
"'Headquarters Forrest's Cavalry Corps, West Point, Miss., March 18, 1865.
"'Hon. John C. Breckinridge. Secretary of War, Richmond, Va .:
"'General: I take the liberty of addressing you relative to the state of affairs in the district of Southern Kentucky, and to bring to your notice and knowledge existing evils which can alone be corrected by yourself as the chief of the war department. It is due to myself to state that I disclaim all desire or intention to dictate. So far from it I hesitate even now to make known the facts or to suggest the remedies to be applied. No other motive than the 'good of the service' prompts me to address you.
"'A military district was formed in Southern Kentucky, including a small portion of West Tennessee, and Brig .- Gen. A. R. Johnson assigned to the command of it. The object in creating this district was doubtless for the purpose of raising and organizing troops for our army. Its per- manent occupation by any force raised within its limits was not expected or calculated upon.
"'If it was the sequel shows that both in raising troops or holding the territory the experiment is a complete failure. Gen. Johnson was often reported to have from 1,200 to 1,800 men, was finally wounded and captured and his men scattered to the four winds.
" 'Brigadier-General Lyon then succeeded him and was driven across the Tennessee river into North Alabama with only a handful of men. Nothing has been added to our army, for while the men flock to and remain with Gen. Johnson or Gen. Lyon, as long as they can stay in Ken- tucky, as soon as the enemy presses, and they turn southward, the men scatter, and my opinion is, they can never be brought out organized until we send troops there in sufficient numbers to bring them out by force.
"'So far from gaining any strength for the army, the Kentucky brigade now in command, has only about 300 men in camps (3d, 7th and 8th Kentucky regiments). They have deserted and attached themselves to the roving bands of guerillas, jayhawkers, and plunderers who are the natural offspring of authorities given to parties to raise troops within the enemy's lines.
"""The authorities given to would-be colonels and by them delegated to would-be captains and lieutenants, have created squads of men who are dodging from pillar to post, preying upon the people, robbing them of their horses, and other property, to the manifest injury of the country and our cause.
"'The same state of affairs exists in West Tennessee. The country is filled with deserters and stragglers, who run away and attach them- selves to the commands of those who have the authorities referred to. They never organize, report to nobody, are responsible to no one, and exist by plunder and robbery. There may perhaps be a few exceptions, but as a general thing, men who besiege the department for such author- ities are officers without position or command, who by flattering repre- sentations, recommendations and influential friends, avoid the ranks by obtaining authorities to raise troops with the enemy's lines. I venture the assertion that where one succeeds and organizes a command ninety- nine fail, and they take twenty men out of the army to one placed in it.
"'I therefore unhesitatingly recommend that all parties holding such authorities, or are acting under orders from those who do hold them, be ordered to report with what men they have to the nearest department
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commander, within a limited period, for consolidation and organization, and those failing so to report, to have their authorities revoked, and themselves subjected to conscription whenever caught.
" 'Do not understand me as reflecting on Gen. Johnson or Gen. Lyon, they did all they could, no doubt, to carry out the objects of the depart- ment in their district. They have failed, and the fact to my mind is demonstrated most clearly that the conscripts and deserters in West Ten- nessee and Kentucky will never come out until brought out by force.
"'If all the authorities to raise troops in enemy's lines are revoked, and the mustering officers ordered out, troops can be occasionally sent in under good and reliable officers, to arrest and bring out deserters, and break up the bands of lawless men who not only rob the citizens them- selves but whose presence in the country gives a pretext to Federal authority for oppressing the people.
"'I am, General, very respectfully your obedient servant,
""'N. B. FORREST, Major-General.'
"In order to protect the state, the presence of a large force was neces- sary for guard duty, especially along the railroads, and for this purpose many Kentucky regiments were so employed. Across Kentucky supplies and reinforcements had to be sent to the front, and the immunity from the actual presence of war in the states immediately north of the Ohio river was enjoyed because the hostilities were kept confined to the state of Kentucky.
"It was the policy of the authorities at Washington during the war to appoint officers for command in the state. Gen. William Nelson and Gen. Robert Anderson were both Kentuckians. July, 1862, Gen. J. T. Boyle was placed in command of the District of Kentucky. He was a distinguished citizen of the state, well acquainted with the people and most highly esteemed. Gen. E. H. Hobson and Gen. S. S. Fry were kept on duty in Kentucky. Also Col. Charles H. Hanson, Col. T. B. Fairleigh, Col. Marc Mundy, Col. Cicero Maxwell, Col. John Mason Brown, Col. John H. Ward, Col. Sanders Bruce, Gen. Eli H. Murray were, at different times, on duty in the state. February 15, 1864, Gen. S. G. Burbridge was placed in command of the district.
"Gen. Burbridge was succeeded in February, 1865, by Gen. John M. Palmer, also a native Kentuckian. Palmer's course was also severely condemned, and he was indicted by a state court upon the charge of as- sisting slaves to obtain their freedom. In the spring of 1865, Gen. Eli H. Murray was assigned to the command of a department in Kentucky.
"The foregoing sketch shows that the service of the Kentucky regi- ments was marked by great activity, long marches, severe campaigns and almost numberless engagements. From enlistment to discharge they were on constant duty. Their campaigns extended over the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, North and South Carolina, and the western parts of Virginia. They participated in the great battles of Donelson, Shiloh, Perryville, Stone's River, Antietam, Chickasaw Bluffs. Champion Hills, Big Block, Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Knoxville, Rocky Face, Resaca, Dallas, Kennesaw, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Utoy, Jonesboro, Frank- lin. Nashville, Savannah, Averysboro, Bentonville, besides numberless others of lesser note. Their marches extended over thousands of miles. They were exposed to the cold of four winters, and the heat of four summers, on the march, in camp and bivouac, and in battle."
In practically all these conflicts they met Kentuckians on the opposite side, who showed no less devotion to the Confederate cause. And thus it was Kentucky occupied a position unlike that of any other state.
CHAPTER LXIV EFFECTS OF THE WAR
The end of the war saw Kentucky disorganized and impoverished. Her territory had been overrun by the armies of the two contending powers in major campaigns, and smaller raiding parties like those of John Morgan had brought much destruction. The occupation of the state by the Union armies throughout the period of the war had greatly interfered with the economic life of the people as well as with their peace of mind. The utter demoralization produced by the roving bands of guerillas in many parts of the state heightened the whole effect. Rail- roads had been destroyed, trestles and bridges and locks on the rivers demolished, houses burned, and fences torn down. Labor conditions were in a chaotic condition due to the collapse of the slave system. Many lives had been lost, and a very valuable and substantial portion of the population, expatriated and largely beyond the limits of the state when peace came. Storehouses were empty, and livestock gone. The Union forces which had received large amounts of provisions from the state, had paid little real money for them. The person whose loyalty was ques- tioned was robbed without the slightest compensation being given, and the person whose loyalty was recognized was given vouchers which were long in being paid, if, indeed, ever paid at all. Added to all this was the political confusion then existing.
The surrender of the southern commanders did not mean an end of Federal interference in Kentucky or a departure of the military regime. Martial law was continued until the following October, and the writ of habeas corpus was not restored until the last day of November. The most exasperating of all the problems growing out of the war and that was to continue long to demoralize the state was the question of slavery. Troubles arising out of this difficulty had brought the state nearer to the brink of an open rupture with the Federal Government than any others. Fremont's Missouri proclamation had set the people's nerves on edge and the Emancipation Proclamation had produced an angry outburst, despite the fact that it did not apply to Kentucky. Governor Robinson said the Proclamation was unconstitutional and tyrannical, and a Frankfort editor declared that "We protest against the whole abolition programme and defy it. It never can and never shall succeed." 1 A law was soon passed forbidding any negro freed by the Proclamation to enter the state.2 The impressment of slaves to work behind the armies was denounced; and there was an outburst of anger at enrollment and enlistment of slaves. The state was in no happy temper on this subject when the war ended. The Thirteenth Amendment had already passed Congress and had been submitted to the states for ratification.
Governor Bramlette submitted this amendment to the Legislature on February 7, 1865, with the advice that it be ratified since the institution of slavery was practically dead and that ratification might induce the Federal Government to make compensation for the slaves. A stormy debate was immediately precipitated. It was bitterly attacked not only
1 Tri-Weekly Commonwealth, Jan. 5, 1863; Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Jan. 9, 1863.
2 Acts of Kentucky, 1861, 1862, 1863, p. 336. Dated March 2, 1863.
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in the Legislature but throughout the state. To ratify the amendment would be legalizing a wrong, would violate the solemn promises that the rights of the slave-holding states would be maintained, and it would set up substantially political and social equality of the negroes with white people.3 There was a variety of opinions as to the expediency or desira- bility of freeing the slaves. With many people at this time the question was largely bound up with the question of compensation. There was only a very small group that stood out for unconditional ratification. The Senate in dealing with it brought in two reports, one the majority report utterly rejecting the amendment, and the other calling for rati- fication, conditionally. The condition was that the United States pay to Kentucky over $36,000,000 to compensate the owners of all slaves enlisted in the United States army, used in labor battalions during the war, and freed by the amendment. The majority report was adopted by a vote of 21 to 13. The House rejected the amendment, 56 to 28. In taking note of the passage of the resolutions rejecting the Thirteenth Amendment, Bramlette reminded the Legislature that it had not settled the question, but was merely putting off the question for a future time.4 This question was now to become the topic of the day, bitterly discussed and agitated throughout the land. According to one observation, "Slav- ery now divides the people of Kentucky, estranges members of the same family and creates deadly hatred between neighbors. Kentucky needs the speedy settlement of this question for the sake of her own domestic peace and prosperity." 5 Many men of prominence and leadership saw that the state was confronted not with a legal or constitutional argument but with an intolerable condition. Regardless of breach of promises and all constitutional arguments, slavery was dead and should be buried- it was worth less than nothing. Bramlette used the power of his office to further this movement and Prentice preached it in his Journal. "Our whole labor system is broken up," said the governor, "and utterly demor- alized. Slavery has become an incubus upon our energies, a burden to our advancement, and a negative to our prosperity." 6
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