Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-02-26
Our Army Correspondence
FROM KENTUCKY.
BowlINo GREEN, VARIES Co, KE,l
February II, 1862.

BowlINo GREEN, WARREn Co, KE3
February II, 1862. s
EplroR sTATEsMAN:--Since writing my last
letter 10 you, have visited the Notifications Of
Buckner around the town Of Bowling Green,
and found them very iOrmidable-much more
60 than we had expected.
They number nine-the strongest we will
call No. l. From its appearance | should think
Il would take ten 10 one to take 1t II is built
ON quite an eminence in the suberbs OF the
town, on the south side. II embraces an area
of one and half acree, on the summit Of quite
hill, and 10 named College Hill Fort, built
principally Of stone, and mounting eighteen
l9Iounder guns, which command every inch OF
ground within two aid hall miles OF bowling
Green.
The second in strength lie on the east side Of
the town and river, and is q very handsomely
constructed affair, built of earth thirty feet in
thickness, with two fne magazlnts This we
will call No. 2. These works enclose about
tbree-ouarters of an acre, and are built In u
very odd shape. Not knowing what term 10
use in describing them, will give 1t 10 my
own way. II you take five eggs and lay them
with the large ends one way, three In row in
the rear, and two in their front, you will have
az good an idea OF these works as ! can give.
These works are called Fort Buckner, and are
much admired by military men. They mount
twenty Runs---three OF which we're calculated
for siege guns.
The third one in strength and magaitude is
built on the north eide Of the city, and IL called
Fort Warren, in honor of tive county, which is
the best county in theState. These works arep
haps the largest of all, and also built on the pin.
nfx xvhioh II a nj kuraI
ratification, there being thirty or forty feet OF
an oyerhaneing bluff Of rocks running to the
waters edge. This fort might be easily taken
by fanking iton the north or west side 10
strength ID bears no comparison to No. l or
9, but for rife purposes it is splendid affair.
The other seven are equal to No. 3 in every
respect. They are some distance from town,
and were intended more to watch our Hanks
then to do formidable works.
Six weeks since Buekner had sixty thousand
men In these work.
You have now some little idea of the great
Manassas of the West. You, can no longer
wonder at the delay of our worthy and compe-
tent General Buell.. We have been working
night and day ever since we have been here,
trying to get our army across the raging Barren,
but have not as yet succeeded in getting our
transports over, but will do 30 tomorrow,
when you will hear Of mighty and determined
army winding It's way toward Nashville. sF
will give you q short account of our cross-
isg the Barren rivera very handsome, bold
and daring adventure. The largeiron railroad
bridge which was blown into the river, formed
some little foundation for narrow foot-bridge,
or rather single plank was laid from one
piece of rubbish TO another, and over this come
six regiments passed single file. After cross
ing the river, the west bank, for nearly half q
mile, was steep bluff of rocks, which no hu-
man foot could climb. A narrow path leading
down the stream we braved, still In single file;
one miss step would have hurled us to the bot
tom, and into the river, which was very deep at
or under the bluff of rocks. The sight, as view
ed from the east side of the river, was very In
teresting, and many looked on with admiration
and astOnisb ment at the careless way in which
we made our first introduction into the Manss-
sas of Kentucky; but as we had no foe to meet
on our arrival in the burning Moscow, we
warmed ourselves by the fires of burning corn,
and heaps of pork and beef, which are still
burning this 17th day of February.
An Immense amount Of provisions fell into
our hands, such as sugar, molasses, over o
thousand pounds of picked beef, some fes
pounds Of pork, q large amount Of camp ket 4
ties, some few boxes OF clothing, and many other
articles, in all to the amount Of several thous-
and dollars. The beef is very fine; made o
hearty meal OF some ofSit for supper to-night.--l
We have been living for the last two days ON
secesh -four, beef, molasses, sugar, rice. and, by
the way, last, # not least, some very good
peach brandy, which all that drank of 1t are
compelled to say, If not good made them feel
30 at least. Q ~. f|
The town Of Bowling Green is very pretty
place, or at least has been. Its population pre-
yious to the war was three thousand five hun,
dred 1t is the county seat of Warren, Whicl
Is regarded as the best county in the State, and
Judging from what have seen, II 10 as good q
county as any State In the Union can boast Of.
There are some as pretty residences here as can
be found in any town IN the West. The citizens
of the place have mostly left. A large propor-
tion Of them were Union men, and when the
rebels came 10, they left for Northern States
aud counties, and on our arrival the rebel part
of them packed their traps and departed for the
land of cotton. t 81
Among the property to which the rebels saw
fit to apply the torch oD our arrival, was large
amount Of old guns, which they obtained in the
following manner: Buckner, in his proclamation,
caused every man in Warren county to deliver
to these headquarters one gun or twenty dollars
In money, under the penalty of fifty dollars fine
and ninety days Imprisonment This order
caused vast amount of old squirrel and shot
guns to be brought from the country. As they
we're packed in buildings with othsr Confederate
stores, they were burned-s sight interesting to
the curious, to see the iron parts Of them in
heaps foot thick in several places. eo
As we expect to march tomorrow, and 1t is
very late, will say success to the Third Divi-
sion, particularly to that part Of It called the
Third Ohio Regiment, More anon