Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-10-11

VI AHlhtA I ANFAN't
That the reader may be ablo TO take in
at glance the nature Of various military
movements already made or likely soon TO
be made in Kentucky, we propose TO take
short review of the rivers and railroads Of
that State. After waiting impatently for
months Gen. Polk al last violated an agree
ment, tore away the amsy rag of neutrality
and trampled State rights doctrine in the
DUST by selling and certifying Hickman and
Columbus on thu Mississippi These villages
crown the only high bluffs overlooking that
river on the Eastern side between Memphis
and the mouth Of the Ohio. Hickman is
situated about ton mines North of the Ten
nesssee State line. and Columbus twenty
miles South of Cairo. As the great river
is in rebel hands below that point and direct
railroad connections have been established
with New Orleans and Mobile, the insurgents
can readily throw any disposable force into
that part Of the State
General Grant Immediately seized 'oducah
as an Offset This village is situated at the
mouth Of the Tennessee river, forty-eight
miles above Cairo. and is connected with the
Mobile and Ohio railroad by a branch line
of fly-eight miles, through which an en-
trance can be made into Tennessee below
Folks stronghoIds. The rebels felt that by
losing It they had been out generated, and
hence the hasty offer made by General Polk
to abandon Kentucky If General Grant would
do the same.
The Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, both
nayigablo at this season, entering the Ohio
only ! ) miles apart and flowing side by side
through Western Kentucky. are in effect but
one st'ean' since Wn"e',t c'mm'nus the one
yAn smut W. 'H' 9SNc'' uINN VI u'Iunce we
" 1'i'k ,'nS"u 0''u ON OF
'''''u' o'o" VI ""'''u. a"u """'e u'e's OF
XIII "'J "",3H'''4s ",','ary s'oIGS o' e'cIy
80, -''' '',o t''l' i''"''o' 10 '' "''o'"''
~. ~ ~ t'''""' ""l
n'"'D1H!' '"g"' is pe"o,ao'e uy
our "' MUGS ''ohS 'ntee ines Faunc"n
=. pIA''cn N"',to'o ana the ZIMMERMAN ana
ne 'o"V' 'N'S'''S'PI ' anu
''' 'i"O'' "N" 'h'" h'lt''u are lh ,Ge
PI'soSS'on, "nom we Ca" Ie"u"!
'" sr '"'} %! Jug nus 'cN''
NC .'N' great oa'e oi operations on our
10 n ,'V MY % 't'"'S, 'ie' lnoo penue"'
W '',o Tn'o ''''c,' !. mas h'"Io"1 c'uuec'lo"S
,uo l+NS. "'n rtauHiott ana AoA'ngton'
'"1 WIN Meu 'u''' no H'c
'o"''p' tennessee Is one OIL 'h' greatest arte'
VI ''''''o''o !" we west an" u"'I par
''o' are Sti.''"s ,"r "s possession win 'he
"s,"os' "''U'E zen, p"cNnef, Ualtofous
0l"'e' "' 'ne NculucNy ola'e N"atu' Is al
Nanclhe rom the oouth via lowing Oreen.
rowing GREEN'S situated on the Louisville
an" NHshNlle railroad, one hundred and
fourteen miles sna'h 10y west OF Louisville
liS principal importance arising hom lts post
ii'h on Hreen river ana the Tact That 10 Is
t"c terminus OF "a rm'roa' gong southwest
To- mPniS' Whch was ''ncd throughout
on'y Jew weeks ago. - rebels there have
Two communicate 'otn souin"afd. Wo
snort branches dl'erse from the Louisville
ana NashVhle roha' neither however, pos
Sessins any srategical Importance,
Nearly midway between Louisville and
Faducah' ana snort distance below Evans
VIE Indiana the hndheld and Kentucky
railroad terminates on the ONO. This may
be regarded as our third base. 1t extends
south 10y East from Henderson, Kentucky,
To Nashville tennessee one bundled and
lorty- three miles. Neither party has YET made
any great effort to obtain possession Of this
hne' probably because its Northern terminus
Us a place OF no consequence.
Our fourth base Of operations is Covington,
situated opposite TO Cincinnati, aud connect
ed byrailroad with Lexington and the counties
lmmedlateiy south and East OF that city by
unfinished roads Ono Of these extends in
me direction OF lnnvilie' thirteen miles, and
Is oto'S 'ne NehtncNy river by suspen-
~" o''"ST '"ryo 'ee' longer than that across
~, ! no N'n'Ic"y river is now naviga-
Uie 70 'na' point ana Is IN possession OF the
"ooPs' Is between O"'ington ana lexington.
v, lne Sfea' ri'Gt "h'eh forms the North
eI" oou"ua'y Oh A'n'ucNy' II Is unneeessa-
y 20 SP''"' 'ull'o 't is TO say mat MS pos
so, N',eS our troops almost every iaclIi'y
UOs'''1 ,r 'or ""E'nB oesc'htS upon the enc
my w cH" chuuNe the place, the route,
thc occasion on Wnich To conduct hosiilltics.
The railroads and rivers pointed out above.
.-. ali ,l. 900 H. l ~.
"'N qua ''"' ca" ~ "seu as great military
routes by either of the belllgcrauts. On the