Today's Briefs

Here are a couple interesting, but short, items from the  May 17, 1862 Covington Journal 

The first one is sort of a Civil War version of Dewey Defeats Truman though it would come true almost three years later.


Richmond
It is reported that the evacuation of Richmond is going on, and fears are expressed that the city will be burnt on the approach of the Federal forces

This next articles mentions the gunboat Cincinnati, which I had mentioned in this entry. (I see my formatting on that entry was not very good, with the spacing between paragraphs. Hopefully I have gotten better at that.)

Gun-boat Fight
On Saturday the 10th inst., there was a sharp engagement between the Federal and rebel gunboats, near Fort Pillow, on the Mississippi. The Rebels made the attack. The Federal boats Cincinnati and Mound City were run into and sunk. The Mound City has since been raised, and it is supposed the Cincinnati will be. The casualties on the Federal boats are reported at 1 killed, 3 wounded. The Rebels state their loss at 2 killed, 8 slightly wounded - boats uninjured.


Runaway
Was committed to me, as Jailer of Kenton county, on the 6th day of May, 1862, by John A.Goodson, Mayor of the city of Covington, Ky., a man of color, calling himself Nelson Dollins, who says  he is from Nashville, Tenn.  Said man is about 27 or 28 y ears of age, weighs 150 pounds, about 5 feet 7 inches high, of copper color, with a small scar on the left cheek. The owner of said boy is requested to come forward, prove property, pay charges, and take him away. Given under my hand this 6th day of May, 1862.
A. H. Herod, Jailer Kenton county, Ky.

Stop him! Stop him!

I know ads for runaway slaves were not uncommon 150 years ago, but I have not stumbled across many in the Covington Journal, so I thought I would share this one from August 10, 1861

Ranaway from the subscriber on Saturday morning, the 4th inst., a negro man named

S A M

He is about thirty years of age, of light copper color, about six feet high, weighs about one hundred and seventy pounds, of rather sullen countenance; but when spoken to becomes pleasant; rather a stooped walk, or round shouldered. His clothing I need not describe, as he will of course change it.

I purchased said man of Mr. John Lyle, near Lexington, some eight years since. He has a wife at Mr. A. Blackwell's in Clarke county, Ky. He was raised in the county of Woodford, between Versailles and the Kentucky river, where he was apprehended some seven or eight years ago and lodged in the county jail.

I will give $150 reward if taken out of the State; $100 if taken in any county bordering the Ohio river; or $25 if taken anywhere else, and in all cases to be delivered in jail in this State so I get him.

W. C. Young
Jessamine County, August 7th, 1861
Covington Journal copy three times and charge this office. -[Lex. Observer]

Runaway master?

Here's a brief but interesting anecdote of "role reversal" from the Covington Journal of June 29, 1861

One of the slaves, at Newport News, on being questioned as to whether he had run away from his master, replied, "No, golly, Massa run away from me! When he see de soldiers comin' he run like de debil. 'spec he's gone to Richmond!"