Neutrality - a Move in the Right Direction

Yet another article in the August 24, 1861 Covington Journal (this one reprinted from the Cynthiana News) discusses issues relating to Kentucky's attempt to maintain neutrality in the Civil War.

Following it is an untitled article from the same date, with a similar topic, but reprinted from the Lexington Statesman  August 10.

We have been informed, that quite a number of gentlemen of this city, leaders of the Union party, have, since the movement on the part of Lincoln and his friends, in this State, to violate the neutrality, expressed themselves in terms of strong disapprobation with reference to that course of policy; and assert that they will ally themselves to that portion of the people who have determined to adhere to the neutraility, and if they must fight will fall into the ranks of those who will assist in its maintenance. (Blog note: that's a heck of a long sentence.)

Looking to this end, therefore, a consultation was had between Col. Caleb Walton, and W.W. Trimble, Esq., on the part of the Union party, and Gen. Dosha and W.W. Cleary, Esqs., on the part of the State Rights men, and after a free interchange of views, it was found that there was no clash of opinion as to the necessity of adherence and maintenance of neutrality.


We have also been informed that a meeting will be held in Paris, composed of gentlemen from both parties, from Lexington, Nicholasville, Covington, Falmouth, Cynthiana and Paris, for the purpose of giving expression of their sentiments with reference to the proposed innovation upon the laws of the State of Kentucky. We hope the move will prove successful. 

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Since writing an article in another column touching the establishment of military camps in Kentucky, we are highly gratified to learn that quite a number of our most prominent and influential citizens, members of the Union party, are now earnestly engaged in an honest and sincere effort to remove this most irritating and alarming movement. We do not deem it proper to mention the names of these gentlemen, but can assure our readers that they are men whose influence is not small and whose integrity of purpose cannot be questioned. We are deeply gratified at this step, and cannot too highly applaud the honorable and patriotic motives of those who thus labor for the peace and safety of our  people. We know that other Unionists, party leaders, are quite active thwarting the efforts of the gentlemen, but we trust they may not succeed. We shall most cordially second the laudable exertion of the men referred to, in the struggle for peace, and second any movement to avert from our community the horrible and bloody convulsions now immediately threatening.  We beg our Southern Rights friends to await with calmness the result of this movement alluded to. Let us co-operate with those we know to be honest and sincere and endeavor to the very last moment to prevent collision here.  We are on the very verge of war, but possibly the direful issue may yet be averted. Those laboring to that end should be sincerely seconded.

The Government Camps in Kentucky

From the Covington Journal of August 24, 1861, here is more discussion of Federal troops in still-hoping-to-remain-neutral Kentucky.

THE GOVERNMENT CAMPS IN KENTUCKY
Destination of the Troops - Objects to be Accomplished
A Louisville correspondent of the New York Herald, who is manifestly in possession of the secrets of the leaders, gives us some information in regard to the destination of the Federal troops now being concentrated in camps, in Kentucky. A part of the programme is to destroy the East Tennessesee and Virginia and East Tennessee and Georgia railroads:
  
The encampment of the friends of the Tennessee Unionists is at Bryantsville, Garrard county, Ky., a village forty-eight miles south of Frankfort and ninety miles northwest from Cumberland Gap, to which a turnpike road is the nearest route. At this point the Kentuckians, who have privately enlisted, are concentrating. Judge Bramlett, of this State, declined to hold the court in Boyle county this week, as he has charge of a regiment of Government troops (as he calls them) and had important military business at Bryantsville. For days past troops, consisting mainly of cavalry, have been pouring into this camp. On the 6th inst. 480 cavalry went into camp at that point. I am not enabled to state the total number now at Bryantsville but it is not less than 4,000 men, all splendidly armed and equipped for the campaign.


The time for the advance has almost arrived. Yesterday the arms stored in this city at the Custom House, and intended for East Tennesseans, were removed and sent forward. At the same time, 6,000 stand passed over the Covington and Lexington Railroad for the same point. 


The entrance into East Tennessee will be a matter easy of accomplishment. The Union men there will do their duty, and their rifles will serve in the rear to dislodge the intrenched foe. With the Kentuckians advancing, and the Union men in the rear, the rebels will more than have their hands full.

With East Tennesseans aroused, the destruction of the East Tennessee and Virginia and East Tennessee and Georgia railroads completed, and Western Virginia occupied, the situation will be extremely precarious to the Virginia hosts who triumphed at Manassas. 


The possession of the railroads I have names is one of vast importance to the Government. It is the only direct route either North and South or East and West that the South has.

Lincoln Troops in Kentucky

Here are three more Covington Journal stories (reprinted from other newspapers) about Union troops in Kentucky and Kentucky's attempt to remain neutral in the early stages of the Civil War. Comparing these brief stories with others printed in the Journal on the same day is one way to see the conflicting viewpoints of Kentuckians in this time of confusion and uncertainty.

Here is wikipedia's description of Camp Dick Robinson  and some information on William "Bull" Nelson the general in charge of troops at that camp.

Camp Dick Robinson, courtesy of www.sonofthesouth.net

Lincoln Troops in Kentucky
Camp Dick Robinson presents now an animated scene. Some fourteen or fifteen hundred gallant men are now assembled at that point belonging to the regiments of Cols. Fry, Bramlette and Wolford, and under command of General Nelson. The camp is supplied with new tents, well provisioned, and the men armed with the most approved arms of modern warfare.  [Danville Tribune]
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Two companies of volunteers, Capt. Sam McKee's and Capt. Hewitt's of Adair, passed through here Saturday en route for Camp Dick Robinson. They were received by Capt. Barbee's Independent Rifles, and hospitably entertained with a sumptuous basket dinner, provided in the usual liberal style of the ladies of Danville and vicinity.

Another company of seventy-five fine looking men, from Russell, commanded by Capt. Boling, passed through yesterday and were entertained with a beautiful dinner. These are in addition to three cavalry companies of Col. Wolford's regiment which passed on early last week. They are all now in Camp Dick Robinson  [Danville Tribune]
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The Lincoln Army, organized and quartered in Garrard county, Ky., is gradually swelling in numbers and maturing in efficiency. The force now collected is said to number 2,500 men. [Lex. Statesman, 20th]


(The "Adair" and "Russell" mentioned above refer to counties in Kentucky.)

Successful Battery Hooper Days 2011

I just wanted to add a quick post to sat that the Ramage Museum had a very successful weekend with Battery Hooper Days 2011, attracting over 950 people, up about 300 from last year. Funds received from donations and gift shop and book sales increased by over 35% as well.

The weather held out just long enough on Sunday. Around 6:00, we had to return the golf carts to Fort Wright's city building, and I was lucky enough to get the assignment to drive one of them. Or I thought I was lucky, but as soon as we took off, a downpour arrived, and given the low speed of the vehicle around city streets, up and down hills, and on the sidewalk of Kyles Lane, a major road, I was totally soaked to the bone by the time I was able to park my cart. It was certainly a memorable experience and I'm sure I looked rather funny when I got back to the museum with water-logged clothes and skin, but it was a fun way to end a fun weekend.

I'll include a couple of pictures of the grounds below. I regret that I did not get a lot of pictures of the many fine presenters we had or of the crowd that showed up, but here are a few images of some of the scenery from Sunday.  Anybody interested in seeing more pictures can "like"t the Battery Hooper Days page on Facebook. That page includes pictures from a lady who got several great pictures, better than the ones I had. Her photograph of Joyce Huggins as Harriet Beecher Stowe is simply wonderful.

Federal supplies in Kentucky

This is an untitled article in the August 24, 1861 Covington Journal, continuing its reporting on Kentucky's attempt to remain neutral and events that may have conflicted with that goal.

The Federal guns and ammunition which left this city Saturday morning last in the cars of the Kentucky Central R.R., were turned back at Falmouth, arriving here Saturday night. Monday morning they were transferred to the mail boat for Louisville, and reached that city Monday night. They were immediately sent off by a special train for Lexington.

The shipment consisted of about 3,000 muskets, 110,000 ball cartridges, 13 boxes of canister shot for twelve pounders, besides clothes, candles and provisions.

The Courier says: 

"The receipt of these Lincoln guns in Louisville created much excitement among our citizens, which, happily, led to no outbreak."

The Courier learns that the "citizens of Eminence, on the line of the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad, were highly exasperated and much excited  on ascertaining that the Lincoln guns had passed over the road for Lexington. They declared freely that if any more guns, or munitions of war, are sent over the road, they will capture them or die in the attempt." 

The guns reached Lexington Wednesday afternoon, causing great excitement. A company of cavalry from Camp Dick Robinson was in waiting, and the State Guard and Home Guard of Lexington turned out. A collision was imminent but through the exertions of John C. Breckenridge, who addressed the crowd, urging no violence, and permission to the Federal troops to convey the guns to their destination, it was averted.

Federal Encampments in Kentucky

The Covington Journal of August 24, 1861 has a few articles and stories about Kentucky, troops within the state as it continues its efforts to remain neutral. I will be posting these in the next few days. This story is reprinted in the Journal from the Frankfort Yeoman.

Federal Encampments
The deep anxiety almost universally felt in Kentucky in relation to the Federal camps in Kentucky, has induced Governor Magoffin to send Messrs. Frank Hunt and W.A. Dudley as Commissioners to represent to Abe Lincoln the views of Kentucky as to this violation of our neutrality, and to suggest to him the speedy withdrawal of his camps; and he has also sent George W. Johnson as a Commissioner to Jeff Davis, to seek from him a satisfactory assurance that he will respect Kentucky neutrality and abstain from any war-like movements upon our soil. The great mass of the people will learn, with the liveliest satisfaction, these efforts of our vigilant and energetic Governor in preserving peace within our own border. There are a few Lincolnite Irrepressibles who justify these encampments, but they confront with their feeble influence the almost universal sentiment of Kentucky.  [Yeoman, 20th]

Save more land at Perryville

Civil War trust campaign

Here's a link to my report from my trip to Perryville last year. It's a beautiful, wonderful battlefield that I hope to visit again soon

Upcoming Civil War Folk Trio Concert/Lecture

I received notice about this event, which sounds interesting. It will take place on Thursday August 25, at 7:00 p.m. 

The acoustic folk trio Ask Your Father will perform "“THE GREATEST HITS OF THE CIVIL WAR AND SONGS OF SMALL-TOWN AMERICA"

The description I received notes: "This combination of concert and lecture is an opportunity to revisit the music of the mid-19^th Century as well as more recent compositions that define the people and events of the Civil War and the impact of that music on the towns that were such an integral part of our nation’s growth. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12.50 at the door."

It will be at the Sharonville Fine Arts Center in downtown Sharonville. Call 513.554.1014 or e-mail sfac.exd@gmail.com to purchase tickets.

You can also see this center's Facebook page by looking up "Sharonville Fine Arts Center" in the search box.