The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-08
'TI400E "a UNA A1AHQI4 I-IATHW LIT
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRATS

on the road to Louisville, and an attack
might be daily expected, which with the
force he had he would not be able to
resist; but nevertheless he would fight
them. He, as well as citizens OF the state,
said that the States bordering on Kentucky
must furnish the troops to drive the rebels
from the State. His force then consisted OF
ten thousand troops in advance OF Louis.
vile, in camp at Nolin river, and on the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, at vari
GUS points; at Camp Dick Robinson, or
acting in conjunction with General Thomas,
5000, and two regiments at Henderson, on
the Ohio, at the mouth of the Green river.
(See paper No. 14) On being asked the
question, what force he deemed necessary,
be promptly replied, two hundred thousand
men. This conversation occurred in the
presence of ex Secretary Guthrie and
General Woods. The Secretary of War
replied that be supposed that the Kentucki-
ans would not in any number take up arms
to operate against the rebels. But he
thought General Sherman over. estimated
the number and power of the rebel forces /;
that the government would furnish troops
to Kentucky to accomplish the work; but
that be 1.-THE Secretary was tired of defen'
sive war, and that the troops must assume
the offensive and carry the war to the fire,
sides of the enemy, that the season for ope>
rations in Western Virginia was about
over, and that he would take the troops
from there and send them to Kentucky, but
be begged of General Sherman to assume
the offensive and to keep the rebels hereaf-
ter on the defensive. The Secretary desired
that the Cumberland Ford and Gap should
be seized, and the East Tennessee and Vir-
ginia Railroad taken possession of, and the
artery that supplied the rebellion cut
straight off.
Complaint was made of the want of
want of arms, and on the question being
asked, Wtat became of the arms we sent to
Kentucky? we were informed by General
Sherman that they had passed into til
hands of the Home Guards and could not
be recovered that many were already in
the hands of the rebels ; and others refused
to surrender those in their possession, al
leging the desire to use them in defence OF
their individual homes If invaded. In the
hands of individuals and scattered over the
States, these arms are lost to the army in
Kentucky.
Having ascertained that 200 arms had
arrived from Europe at Philadelphia, 5000
of them were ordered to Governor Morton,
who promised to place them Immediately in
the hands of troops to be sent to Kentucky.
The remaining 5000 were sent to General
Sherman, at Louisville. Negley's brigade,
at Pittsburg, $500 strong, two companies
of the Nineteenth Infantry from Indianap.
oils, the Eighth Wisconsin regiment, at St.
Louis, the Second Minnesota Volunteers, at
Pittsburg, and two regiments in WiscoH-
sin, were then ordered to Kentucky-mak-
ing in all a reinforcement of that State of
about 10000.
We left Louisville at three, P. M. for Lex
iugton, accompanied by General Sherman
and Mr.. Guthrie; remained there a few
hours, and then went to Cincinnati. At
Lexington we found that the opinion exist
ed 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 of the State must necessa-
rily devolve upon the free States of the
West and the Northwest.
L. THOMAS.
Adjutant General
Hon Simon Cameron Secretary of War,