The national Republican., 1861-09-19
THE WAR IN The WEST.
Interesting Account OF the Occupation Of
Paducah.

Account Of the Occupation OF
Paducah.
A Cairo correspondent Of the st. Louis Demo
~at, under date Of September II, gives the
interesting account Of the occupation
Of Paducah, KY:
On Thursday evening of last week, the gun
boats Tyler and Conestoga received orders to
convoy q large body OF troops to Paducah.
The nin,h Illinois regiment, formerly COM
msnded BY General PANE and now Under COM
msnd Of the gallant Major Phillips, and ,hs
twelfth Illinois regiment, under conmand ~
Colonel John Macarthur, with four pieces OF
Smith's Chicago artillery, under command OF
Lieutenant Charley Willard, embarked on the
steamers G. W. Graham aud W II. B., and left
this port at about III P. NJ, the Tyler, Com
modore Rogers. leading the advance, and the
Cones,oga, Capt. Phelps, bringing up the rear
The noble fleet pushed out into the stream,
amid the cheers Of assembled thousands, and
steamed MAZE stically up La Belle Rvere. w
We reached Pslucah about eight O'Clock
Friday morning. The Decentralization Of the
troops was quickly and beautifully performed
Col. McArthur's regiment landed 1t the Ma
rine Hospital, In the lower part of the city
the Niuth at the foot Of Main street. The for
up heir line OF march up Main street to the
depot of the Ohio and New Orleans railroad
4 sulicn, gloomy aspect pervadei the city.
Indicative of the most rebelli, us and obstinate
feeling. Every place Of business was closed
Knots of men stood at every corner, with knit
compressed brOws aud quivering lips, and oc.
| casionally suppressed cheer would arise ior
| Jeff. Davis, and curses on what they termed
| Liacoln's abolition troops. The troops, with
heavy, measured tread, marched on. As we
got further up town women aud children ran
out aud cheered for jeff Davis. The women
seemed crazed with excitement. A musket
went off by accident 10 the rear ranks. The
first impression was that the troops had been
fired into {; but not head was turned, and the
column moved steadily on. On arriving at
the depot, it was found that all the rolling
stock had been sent eff. A large quantity oi
contraband supplies, marked for the rebel
States, were found in the depot, and imme-
1iately seized. They we're marked for Fort
Gibson, Memphis, Union City, and New Or
leans. The whole value Of the seizure is over
twenty thousand dollars.
| Lieutenant Willsrd's battery went out on the
public square to practice, and on the discharges
| women and children would leap from carriag &
and run out from houses, and throw themselves
fiat in the streets, while their rebel husbands
would stand aud gloat over their terror Our
officers and men had 10 go to them and assure
them of their safety, and that they would be
protected, aud the poor creatures, relieved o
their fright, would thank them. Still the exc
| dus kept on. and it Is now thought that, out o
| a population of some $1,000, not 5000 people
are left. The most perfect terror OF battle
and of the burning Of the city seemed to pre-
vail.
In the meantime, our troops were reinforced
rapidly, increasing our force to about 5.oo'
effective men.
General c. F. Smith is now commanding a
Paducah. At Cairo the greatest military. .activ
ty prevails. A very large force is being rap
idly formed In and quartered either here, a
Birds Point, or at the new camp on the Ken
lucky side, called Camp Holt. This las.name'
camp was establ shed yesterday and beav.
battery erected, so as to command the Ohio an
Mississippi opposite Birds Point. Fortihcs
tions are also being rapidly thrown up here.
They were Immediately shipped to Cairo o.
arrival, Commodore Rodgers took possession
of the telegraph Office. He was refused ad
mittance, but the prompt application Of th'
butts of muskets In the hands of his marines
Qave Quick entrance. 1t was found that th,
battery of the office had been carried of, ant
has not been found. The wires were imme
diately cut, The post Office was next searched
and large nun Der Of the most violent seces
sion letters to rebels In the South were found
The stampede Of the Inhabitants from Pa
ducah was astonishing and immense and er
this scarcely hundred famili's are left here
out Of population of from fifteen to twent
thousand people. On Friday and Saturda
Main street was perfectly choked with cal
} riages and vehicles, containing families an
and household Iurnitnre leaving the city TO
n points back in the country. Many went owe
# to Illinois. A perfect panic seemed to posses
q them, which no assurance OF our officers O
troops could allay. They had got the idea int
!. their heads that Pillow was advancing on III
: that, in case of an attack, the town woul
be shelled and burned by our gunboats.
. General Grant. On his arrival with his con
!, mand, Immediately Issued a proclamation, a,
n suring the people of safety and protection, an
|. General Paine, left in command, issued th
!. most strict orders TO his troops, prohibitin
them, under the mcst severe penalties, frol
entering the houses Of any Of the citizens. Ye
10 still. they seemed determined not to be col
l. vinced, and the men who had wives and chi
e dren went to them and poisoned their cal
4 with the stories that we were Abolitionists an
murderers.
. To show their rebellious disposition, wi
y cite case. Gen. Grant gave permission
y several river officers to hoist national flag Q
n the top fthe ST. Francis Hotel The landloI
:, objected, saying that it would bring trouble Q
u him. that he did not want Its protection. L
e was told to keep quiet, that that flag must wa,
is from there in place ofthe secession flag he hs
allowed TO float over him before our trooI
came, and that il he or any other rebels inte
IL fered with that flag. or pulled it down, tn,
would be led out and slot down. This assn
70 ance from Gen. Paine queted his nerves, al
d that flag foated, defyIng the rebels, despi
a many remarks by them, that " the damned r,
a must come down."
d