, 1861-09-17
FROM PADUCAH, KF.

FROM PADuCAH, KY.
seompersgef Citissn.-77eir Alarms, and how
thev seers Quattd-Re5e1 Beauties for the Us.
ion ito Mc}orrCb1. Wagnsr and TIE Blood
Of Washington-Good order Of the Troops.
Correspondence Of the Chicago rrtbune.l
PADucAn, Ky., Sept. u.
1.-THE wicked dee when no man pntsueth," ;"
is the declaration Of Holy Writ, and never WAS
it better illustrated than on Friday, Sept. 8sa,
year Of grace 1861. When our forces took
possession Of this beautiful city, quite lot Of
rebel officers we're here, aud on the
first sight Of the gun boat which led
our feet, they fed as fast as horse
flesh could carry them. This OF course MAS
not surprising; but to see such stampede IS
there was among all classes and Conditions,
and to see 1t continue 30 lcng, was matter Of
surprise. Knowing, as We did how persistent
Is the Southern press had represented Us as
hordes of 7anda1s and gEaceless cut-throats,
and that no other papers had been permitted
to circulate freely here, We attributed their
fright to that cause; but WehaVe since learned
that there WIS another CAUSE which fully &C.
CUQAk6 2N1 kAE A4NNA14AA0040 0Aa4 IL VI AQE
great mass Of the citizens. The woman to
whom I alluded in former letter aa having
been driven from here few days before and
returning on the boat with our troops, and
taking the town by streets-amopglo other
things in her phrenzy Of delight, told them
that she was now about to be avenged of her
Erorgs, and that Paducah would in few days
be laid in ashes. D. A. Given and MIR. smed
ley, two Of the leading citizens, went on board
the gunboats and remaining there some half
hour, 1t was widely reported that they we're de-
tanned as prisoners, and that all the leading
citizens we're to be arrested; and to cap the
climax, his Honor AIsyor Launer, came
down town from an interview with General
Paine under the Impression that in case an
attack Was made On rs by the rebels, that we
would retreat under the guns of the boata and
she'll the town. This news from the Mayor
alarmed the stoutest hearts, and it was not IN,
II Gen. Paine's interview vii b Messrs, Enders,
Flou1noy, Jones, serTell, Allen, Given aud
other, ,tha tany one knew better-and that was
some three hourz-jme enough for false
hood to travel over city five Iimes as lsrse
as Paducah- When We consider that the be-
lief in speedy attack Was universal aud pro.
found, we may feel 10 surprise that there WAS
a perfect panic, and that it took three days to
cure the public mind Of It. The men who
talked with Gen. Paine were assured and Sc.
cure in their feelings at once; but the mass
poured out Ct the place almost like "rats
from barn on fire." day and night. The
Mayor mnet have been frightened almost
oua Of his wits, and on rejecting on the scene
between him and the General, an not SO
much surprised that he was. As he entered
the 1oGm where General Paine was, and an.
nopneed himself as the "Msyor Of the city,"
the General, thinking from his looks that
him in rather stern tone OF voice, ''Are ycu
eecessionist 2" To which his Honor, col
lectiDg himself as well IS ne could, replied:
VI Will answer you, General, directly and
indirectly, I'm g eouthern Rights man; but
l am for neutrality here: Some men among
us who are reckless and desperate have COM
mitted come outrages which could not pre-
vent without risking the lives Of good men !;
aud in thls way VT we been compounded here
in our pesltion.'' Gen PANE then told him
that he anticipated an attack, and it
the II =, citizens ?t Of. the place would mind
wsy aid the enemy, he would protect
them but if they aided the enemy so that we
had to retreat, that the boats would shell the
town It appears from the information we
now have, that while We were burning the
bridge SIX miles from here to ktep them from
coming to us, they were burning one nesr the
other end Of the road to keep us from getting
to them The loss, however, Of the bridge
her9 is 8 small matter to us, as ne have none
Of the rolling atock Of the road here-they
having 1t all in their hands.
The occupation of this place by our troops
fs the eeverest blow We could have struck
THEM in the west, as it completely stops alt
supplies from going to them along the MisBis-
sipIi, and forms 1or us an admirable ssbase
ct operations for the march On Memphis
end New Orleans.
l,
anxious in their inquiries as to what effect the
| reported resolve ol the Kentucky Legislature
| IN favor Of neutrality will have upon the mil
| itary autho1ities S p ho control movements here.
Thty seem to imagine, good easy eouls, that
at the fat Of May otiin, backed By unanimous
| resolve of the Legislature, Gen. Polk will
! back down over the Tennessee line, and Gen
| Smith over the Ohio into Illinois
| II takes some men long time and deal Of
| hard rubbing to get their eyes open after the
| sun l5 IE. On going around the town and
looking up old acqualntances, find that the
| good deal Of the bitterness OF feeling which
! vas reTy mali:tst at first, is disappearing,
| and as the people 1ealn that we are mer ana
! not monsters. they are beginning to feel more
| kindly toward uE, ard to manifest it in their
| locks, words and acttoDH.
On The day Of our arrival, one Of the most
handsome, gallant, and dashing of our young
| Majors, Was gal1opiDg along the streets past i
house where Two secession beauties were in
the window, WHEN one OF them shook her
tentiop. 4 few evenings after, 3 friend took
| the Major to the selfsame house to spend the
evening, ana the eelsame b;auty entertained
| him most delightfully."-, and declared the next
morning tlat il she could only make q
Southern man Of him, her happiness would be
that many each changes as the aboVe will take
place. The day OF our arrival, Col Wagner
Vas riding along the street when one OF the
"strorgmlndedI'' ladies, running from The
sidewalk with extended hand, he very politely
reined up his charger, tipped his cap, and e1
she broke ont On him !" Whist business have
you here with all these troops? By whoss
authority are you invading our town." II
which the Colonel, with his mott graceful
tow and in his poltest manner, replied: IT
is none Of your business, madam" s'Yes i
ant OF Washington, and when Jou look upor
me, you look upon the blood Of Washington,
sir !' Col. Wagner" Madam, much obliged
happy to see the blood OF Washington VI
fight for the f hag Washington spilled Dig bloot
for; good day, madam" aud of the Colone
rode, bowing and waving his hand mos
gracefully.
The good order among the troops Is ans
zirg to the people here, and really It is o mat
fer Of wonder to all Of us, seeing there are s.
mat9. ~ Il tAGeeulDSIJ cItutG80le to our 81!
izen soldiery. The troops are coming IN e1
cry day and several companies Of cavalry ar
here, and still they come.
, In one 0 my previous letters, Iuadver
emily said subsistence instead of QudrternaastsT
department, d. while speaking Of the complaint
OF the citiztns of Cairo for the non-paymen
Of the department Of Its 9ues and for shnviD
its own paper. Dr.. Rutherford, the Comui
sary, has punctua1ly paid the dues Of his d.
pa1tne6t, and am happy to correct the mi
take. The rain seeing to be over, so mot
| it be. s. H. E,
LATER-The news has just come that th
Kentucky Legislature has tskon decide
ground for the Government, Union men i,
bilant; seceesionists gloomy.
Lee County on the War Path.
AABoE, Sept. II, 1861.
Editors Chicago Tribune: