The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-23
LOYAL MEN OF KENTUCKY IN ARMS


find on returning to Cincinnati that of ali 1
the letters written from Lexington and Frank i
fort, not one has reached its destination. This /
is attributable, perhaps to the excitement and 4
confusion in those cities since Saturday last, /
the suspension Of business and irres ularity in |
the transmission of anything but soldiers and |
supplies by rail. The destruction of bridge |
on the Kentucky Central, between Cynthiana
and Paris, and of the bridge over Elkhorn
Creek, near Midway station, on the Lexington
and Louisville road added TO the arrangement
of postal matters-Lexington being entirely
cut off from communication, and Frankfort
having its Only outlet by way of Louisville.
Much that these missing letters contained
has lost its interest now, for, in these times,
events succeed each other SO rapidly that what
was read with avidity yesterday, will not com-
D,and attention to-day. | shall, therefore, but
briefly allude to the events of the week.
On Saturday, the 18th, John Morgan's out
laws were threatening the two most important
cities in Central Kentucky. Morgan had
moved from Harrodsburg 10 Lawreneeburg, in
Anderson county, his scouts approaching
Nicholasyille on the east, as they pushed north,
creating an impression that an advance was
being made on that place. The village was
in an uproar on Sunday, and the citizens made
excellent time in abandoning it. They poured
into Lexington by every means of conveyance
and by their exaggerated reports added inten-
sity to the excitement there. Twocool-headed
gentlemen, railroad agent and telegraph
operator, towards evening took hand car and
proceeded down the track to Nicholasville.
They found the town abandoned to darkness
and the dogs-the expressman, operator,
switchmen-everyb body, in fact, fled inconti-
nently. Doors stood wide open, windows un-
barred, offices inviting ingress, and train OF
cars loaded with commissary stores standing
unharmed at the depot. 1t was some time be-
fore Lexington could be made to believe that
Morgan was not in Nicholasville.
Lexington was in terrible state of excite
ment on Sunday and Monday. All business
was suspended stores, shops Offices all shut
up-eVen the Postofice. Stringent martial
law was declared. Every man capable of
bearing arms was ordered out The streets
we're pstrolled by citizens guard, authorized
| to arrest or shoot down any man found on the
streets without arms This drove traitors to
their holes. A lisp of sympathy for Morgan
| or the rebellion, was as much mans life
was worth The~95th Ohio Col. Sewers, +. ON
Camp Chase, arrived Monday morning to the
infinite relief of the inhabitants. They were
received with the greatest enthusiasm. Other
reinforcements came pouring in. Brighten.
| Ward eemmandant of the post, made prepar-
| IlOUS IOT al hppE6uSUQ6u hLtAGks MOfRdH
was said to be within few miles of the city.
Morgan was at Midway Station. Morgan
was on the banAs of the Kentucky, advancing
| on Frankfort; then came reports that the
fight had commenced at Frankfort.
It was decided that the s5th Ohio should go
| TO the relief of the besieged Frankfort, ex-
pecting John and his outlaws all along the
road, but he didn't appear. We saw nothing
but pleasant fields of blue grass, fat cattle
and acres of wheat in shock. Not hostile
shot was fred on the way, for want of some
body to shoot at. Arrived at Frankfort, We
could not hear of the enemy very near there
There had been no skirmishing with pickets
and no evidence of Morgan being about, bu
then an attack was momentarily expected
The Union men of the city came up to th
scratch as resolute men should do. The,
shouldered their muskets, provided their owl
! rations, and went out on the hills to guard tn
! approaches OF the city. One of them, an es
timable man, Mr.. Berry, lost his life accident
ally, while on this voluntary duty. He wa
: worth all the traitors in the State-a tru
patriot, an honest industrious man,
1t is true, Morgan had made demonstrs
= tion on Frankfort but it was feint Fror
Lawrenceburg he had sent advance guards t
Rough and Ready, and even as far as th
Military Institute, within six miles Of the city
Here they stopped. They had effected the
q purpose, created an uproar and excitement i
/, the Capital, which put the people on the d.
o tensive. They didn't think of taking the 6
n fensive. Then Morgan turned East, crosse
d the Kentucky river at Shryock's Station, an
IF marched to Versailles, which is about ecu
distant from Frankfort and Lexington. The
A. he stayed Monday night. Finding the Goa
D, clear, he next day moved North, to Midws
,e station, on the Louisville and Lexington RAJ
10 road, tore up the track, and destroyed the Ell
ID horn bridge while his advance guard, passir
by Georgetown, made sudden dash on 4
Kentucky Central road, destroyed bridp
and burned Keysers extensive distillery, 6
100 tween Paris and Cynthiana, thus complete
cutting Lexington off from its Northern al
Western communications. His exploits sin
10 then have been more familiar to Cincinn,
,oo than to those of US who were at Lexington.
Morgan's greatest aids in this raid into Ke
lucky have been panic among the people al
indecision among the military managers /
has in fact kept every cons derable place
wv Central Kentucky in a state of siege a
franticGlly calling for assistance to defend
900 Lexington couldn't spare man to pursue b
because she momentarilv expected an alta,
600 Frankfort couldn't send her privates in D,
900 suit because Morgan was lowering at her gat
-, Paris and Cynthiana were in the same CON
LlOn, Auu E6hLly uau ueou Ol more men tn
could be brought to their defense-that is,
OO0 OOO nobody pursued Morgan, and he was allow
~" his own time to prepare for an attack on the
600 In the meantime, Morgan moved at his
100 100 sure through the country. He stole horses Ii
wv rally, and foraged and quartered on the peol
ds ds- without particular regard to their politi
predictions. he took about 125 horses
Anderson county, as many morein Woodfo
900 and is probably engaged at the present time
.sss not fighting in horse stealing. To Mr.. a
200 bis object to be to raise recruits and hor,
ooo not to fight; and if he has not obtained tn,
he has only himself to blame, for 1 can
sOOO hear of any serious attempt yet to disturb
'O'O in the business. One of his men, when as
1000 by farmer near Lawrenceburg what Il
1000 object was and what they we've doing ths