Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-09
THE WAR IN KENTUCKY.
Report OF AdjuIant General Thomas 10
she S=creIar OF War.

the S=creLaF OF WAR
From The Louisville coarsr, Nov
The folio wing extract from q lengthy report of
Adjgtant General Thomas to the Secretary Of War
on the military management Of the Western Depart
ment we copy from the Chicago Tribune Of the I'd
Ii will be that it refers exclusively to the
iition of affairs in Kentucky, and its admissions
significant He virtually says that cur people are
with the South that bat few volunteers can be ex
pected to join the Yankees that 200 600 more men
| are wanted to subjugate Kentucky. and that they
| must come from the West and NOrthwes
We left indianapolis O;t. I6. for Louisville Ky.
where we arrived at IL O'Clock, P. H., and had 40
interview with Gen Sherman. comm anding the De
psrtment of Cumberland. BE gave gloomy plc~
ture Of affairs in Kentucky stating that the young
men were generally secessionists, and had joined
he Confederates, while the Union men. the aged
and conservatives, would not enroll themselves to
Engage in conflict with their relations the other
'ide But few regiments could be raised he said
that 8uckner was in advance of Green River with
heavy force on the road to Louisville and an
attack might be daily exp-c-ed, which, with the
force he had he would not be able TO resist; but
nevertheless he would fight them. He, as well
as the citizens of the State said that the Border
States Of Kentucky must furnish the troops
to drive the rebels from the State. His
force then consisted Of 40 900 troops in advance
Of Louisville, in camp at NOlin River and on the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad at various points;
at Camp Dick Robinson. or acting In conjunction
with Gen. Thomas 5000; and tw regiments At
Henderson, on the Chic, at the mouth of the Green
River (see psper No: 14) On being asked the CUES
ton, what force he deemed necessary, he promptly
replied 200 080 men. This conversation occurred
in the presence of Ex Secretary Guthrie, and Geu
Woods. The Secretary of War replied that he sup
posed the Kentuckians would not in any number
Jake up arms to operate against the rebels. But
he thought Gen. Sherman over estimated the mum
Der and power of the rebel forces; that the Gov
ernme0t would furnish troops to Kentucky to
complish tue work; but that he Qhe Secretary was
tired OF defensive war, and that the troops must
assume the offensive and carry the war to
the fre-sides of the enemy, that the sea-
son for the operations in western Virginia
was about over, and that he would take the troops
from tA=re and send them to Kentucky, but he
begged of Gen. Sherman, to assume the offensive
and to keep the rebels hereafter on the defensive
The Secretary desired that the Cumberland Ford
and Gap should be seiZed, and the East Tennessee
a1d Virginia Railroad taken possession of, and the
artery that supplied the rebellion cut straight off
Complaint was made of the want of arms. and
on the question being asked What became Of the
arms sent to Kentuekyf We were informed by
Gen. Sherman that they had passed into the hands
Of the Home Guards and could not be recovered
that many were already in 1.-THE h'nds of rebels,
aud others refused to surTnder those in their pos>
session, alleging the desire to use them in defence
of their individual homes if invaded. In the hands
of individuals scattered the State, these arms
are lost to the people of Kentucky.
"Having sscertained that 6 200 armslhsd arrived
from Europe at Philsdelp ia 3 600 of them were
ordered to Gov. Morton, who promised to place
them Immediately in the hands of troops to be sent
to Kentucky. The remaining 200 were sent to
Gen. Sherman at Louisville. Eegey's Brigade at
Pittsburg 500 strong, two companies Of the 18th
infantry from Indianapolis the Sih Wisconsin Regi
ment at st Louis, the I'd Minnesota Volunteers at
Pittsburg, and two regiments in Wisconsin. were
ordered to Misunderstanding in all a reinforce
ment for that State of about 10 600 men.
ave left Louisville at 5 p m. for Lexington. &C
compsned by Gen. Sherman and Mr.. Guthrie re
NAMED there few hours and then went to Cincin.
nati. at Lexington, also, We found that the opi1
ion existed that the young men of Kentucky had |
joined the rebels that No large bodies of troops
could be raised in kentucky and that the defence
If the State must necessarily devove upon the Free
States of the West and Northwest