The Blockade at Louisville

Covington Journal, May 25, 1861

The Courier says "our ware houses are groaning with accumulating products, with no outlet owing to the blockade. Our boats are rotting at the wharves, and the boatmen have nothing to do.This is the result of Black Republican rule, or misrule."
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The "Courier" is the Louisville Courier Journal

It does seem to me that if you were a "boatsman" and you knew a blockage had been applied, your decision to stock your boat and head to the wharves may not have been a wise one. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems doubtful to me that they arrived at the wharves and suddenly realized there was a blockade and national crisis ongoing. I wonder what they really expected at that point.

More controversy at Cincinnati

Here is another story of what happened to a shipment that tried to pass by Cincinnati on the Ohio River, a major trade route of the time. It is from the Covington Journal of May 18, 1861, reprinted from the Maysville Express.

We learn that a shipment of bacon made by a firm in this city, to Louisville, was arrested at Cincinnati and sent back to the consignors here. Such conduct is a most unjust, illegal and illiberal interference with our commerce between our own ports and citizens.  The Ohio River belongs exclusively and rightfully to Kentucky - and the transit of our products along it should be free and undisturbed.

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Here is a link to a previous entry about a similar incident, along with some reaction to that first achievement

Cincinnati, feeling the effects of the crisis

Here are three Covington Journal stories from May 18, 1861 discussing Cincinnati and some of the effects of the ongoing crisis that this paper claims that city was starting to feel and suffer from.  The paper did not title any of these reports. 

One report claims:

Cincinnati has driven off her Southern trade and Decay has already made its withering impress upon her wharves, her stately business houses and immense manufacturing establishments. As if bent upon self-destruction her money changers are now making strenuous efforts to discredit Kentucky currency, and it is not unlikely that they will accomplish the object. Whatever may be the effect of this measure elsewhere, the commercial interests of Cincinnati will suffer in a ten-fold degree. 

The second article says:

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Times, writing from Camp Dennison says:'

"There have been many depredations committed by soldiers strolling over the country, stealing chickens, calves and hogs. Not a farmer within two miles but has been visited. Many houses are guarded - also Milford and Miamiville. There has been considerable trouble at Milford; there are a good many drinking saloons in it all guarded now however. The villagers are trying to form a guard to protect themselves."

These are the chaps that are going down South to enforce the laws!

A third report:

There are only 15,000 barrels of pork in Cincinnati. The Enquirer says: "As strange as it may appear, if the war continues for over one year, instead of exporting provisions to Europe, we will be compelled to export from there here."


That's a pretty serious shortage for a town then known as "Porkopolis."