Garrett Davis to George H. Thomas, September 10, 1861

SPECIAL NN HDQRS. DEP’T OF THE CUMBERLAND,

September 10, 1861.

No. 3. Louisville, K3., September 10, 1861. I. Brig. Gen. George H. Thomas, having reported for duty, will repair . to Camp Diek Robinson, and will assume command of the brigade organized there. Lieutenant Nelson, U. S. Navy, who has done such

` good service to the cause of the Union by the zeal and untiring energy

he has displayed in providing and distributing arms to the Union men of Kentucky, and in collecting and organizing troops at Camp Dick Robinson, will aecept the thanks of the brigadier-general commanding; and who will be pleased to see Lieutenant Nelson and confer with him in reference to further action he may be charged with in this department. By.order of Brigadier-General Anderson : €. B. THROCKMORTON,

Acting Aide-de-Camp.

INDIANAPOLIS, ÍND., September 12, 1861. Hon. SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War:

The war in Kentucky has commenced. Bowling Green has been seized by the secessionists. Will you not order one regiment to Evansville immediately, to act under the direction of Major-General Love,

of Indiana? Can you not send some arms at once? Our border is nearly defenseless. Let me entreat you to give this your attention at

once. 2. dir + 0. P. MORTON, Governor of Indiana.

EC uir AS E S^

FRANKFORT, Ky., September 14, 1861. General THOMAS: p SIR: A committee from the Union caucus, composed of the members of . _ E the legislature, go to Louisville to-night; they return Monday morning. : – We advise that you do nothing as to the occupation of Mr. Bowler’s E road until the committee see and confer freely with General Anderson. * lt would be well if yon could come down and see the committee. We suppose it would be best that both the main roads be simultaneouslyoccupied, unless you should learn something making it necessary to act. Doubtless you and General Anderson are fully posted and may have matured a plan as to these roads; if you have not, you can know General Anderson’s plans here on Monday morning. 4 Respectfully, yours,

Speaker of the Senate. RICH’D A. BUCKNER, Speaker of the House.

; BERRY, Ky., September 14, 1861. General THOMAS: : \

You will here see a plan of operation submitted for your consideration. $

First, perhaps a reconnaissance of the principal points should be had by yourself, &c. vu

The movement on railroad must be a profound secret or the bridges wil be burned. Then, say, a simultaneous movement [from] Camp Robinson and Covington, starting so as to be through before daylight. (Trust not the wires.) At the long tunnel, 11 miles south of Covington, leave 100 men; at Grassy Creek, 26 miles south of Covington, leave 300 men; at Falmouth, 39 miles south of Covington, leave 400 men; [at] a small bridge or two néar Morgan Station, and up to Boyd’s, 14 miles, (Stowers, secesh, part owner of railroad), 100 men; from Boyd’s to Cynthiana unsafe—secesh armed companies. At Berry’s Station and Boyd’s troops would be with friends; and although the bridge [is only] 2 miles from Berry’s, I think it would be safer to eneamp near that place, as all the land or stations from Berry’s to Cynthiana are secesh. Say at Berry’s place 500 men, to scour, &c.; at Cynthiana two cannon and 1,000; from Cynthiana to Paris, except Kiser’s (I consider unsafe at Kiser’s place), 100; at Paris two cannon and 1,200; thence to Lexington (not much danger at Lexington), 80; total, 3,780.

_ What I mean by unsafe is that a small number of men as marked [sic] could not withstand the secesh force in those localities, and myopinion is that they will fight if they ean get the advantage. Thisall — done up in order, and the legislature order out 20,000 troops for sixty – days, and [the] rebellion will be flat in Kentucky. ;

And last and not least, a bill of pains and penalties will be passed by

our legislature, and the 20,000 troops will insure the enforcement of draft bill.

ME, s k KIE SR ON h:t. S PPRT ew ” aris cu * t f Ari o NUN 4 PER AEL TN A TOS OT EEN A A

A 1 ARIK PE IA RUD QT MDC E

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND Louisville, Ky., September 15, 1861. His Excellency Governor Morton, Indianapolis : My DEAR GOVERNOR: I must thank you for the kindness and great — courtesy with which you received my friend and colaborer -General — .

host SS

.. C€mar XM] — CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.—UNION

Sherman. Events are hastening on which may compel me to take the field before I am ready. Should the necessity arise, and I think the cloud is so threatening that it may be wise for me not to wait any longer, I hope you will give our dear native State all the aid you can.

The movements recently made by Polk and Zollicoffer show that they will make another move as soon as they are ready. The bearer of this

note, Captain Prime, is a very discreet, judicious soldier, and will give

you my views.

If you ean let me have a sufficient number of troops, and I find that I am not too late, I will intimate to you the desire that you shall throw your force forward by simply telegraphing “Yes.” It would add greatly to our strength if you could spare a battery of artillery.

I am interrupted and must close.

I have the honor to subscribe myself, with sincere regard and respect,

ROBERT ANDERSON, Brigadier- General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

PARIS, KY., September 16, 1861. – General GEORGE H. THOMAS:

DEAR SIR: Not being possessed of the future military plans of the United States Government, I am not prepared to offer you any views that even I myself would consider to be entitled to any reflection.

Nevertheless, believing it to be both the expectation and the purpose of the administration to overcome the military power of the Confederate States and to give effective relief to the Union men of East Tennessee, and also that Kentucky is now an active party to the war, I will on

. these general assumptions give you a few thoughts.

The most pressing duty is to give Kentucky all the protection possible; to that end Paducah ought to be held by an adequate United States force, and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad ought to be taken

possession of at once by the military authorities as far south as Bowling Green, and a strong force put there and strong works thrown up for its protection.

All the force that can be obtained from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri ought to be put in camp at proper points on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and be diligently drilled and prepared for service. The recruiting of the three years’ men in Kentucky should be pressed with the utmost activity and ought to be brought up to 15,000 or 20,000. The legislature should authorize the raising of 40,000 twelve-months’ men in Kentucky by volunteering and drafting, to be mustered immediately into the service of the United States.

Men are of no efficiency without arms, and one of the most serious wants for troops to be raised in this State is a proper and sufficient supply ofarms. If the arms were at suitable depots, the men could soon

— be raised. By the time the General Government could be ready to

-moye on East Tennessee from Western Virginia and on Memphis from Missouri, and down the Mississippi, the forces from and through Kentucky would be ready to move on East Tennessee by the Cumberland Gap, on Middle Tennessee and Nashville from Bowling Green,

and towards Memphis from Paducah, and the different columns could continue their march towards the Atlantic coast and occupy North and South Carolina and Georgia, whilst the fleets and other armies were taking possession of all the ports in those States.

— “The first work to be done for Kentucky is for the United States to

have at convenient points at the earliest day a full supply of proper t

arms, and for General Anderson and our legislature to have an immediate and perfect understanding, and then the promptest concurrence of i

action. Let General Anderson at once and in distinct and precise terms inform Union members of the legislature what he desires that body to do, and, it being thus clearly informed, let it proceed to do it. Itis no time for the parties to be proerastinating or palavering when they understand each other. General Anderson ought first and immediately to take military possession of the railroads and telegraphic lines in the State, to be the master of all the communications; that would be a potent signal, that would bring every true Union man in the State to his utmost exertions to give the most execution to such programme as might be agreed upon. I have giyen a few views crudely but frankly.

your obedient servant,