The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-10-01
what kentucky owes to Mcclellan.


Great claims for Gen. Mcclellan are
daily made by the Louisville Journal
His distinguished military ability, his
high patriotism, his services for the
country, are the themes Of its constant
harangues.
We DO not propose to discuss the
question whether his appointment to
command in Kentucky Of General
who, hampered by instructions, allowed
therebels to hold possession Of Southern
Kentucky for SO many months, in 1861
undisturbed, is a reason that Kentucky
loyalists should support him for the
Presidency in preference to a candidate
who gave these loyal men arms and or
ganiZed them into an army
But we propose to state few facts
which we co not remember TO have
seen in print, but which have been
known to many officers for q long time
and have beenunrcservedly told 10y one
OF Lhe bravest OF Kentuokians-Gen
| Rousseau
The loyal nation remembers with
profound gratitude the course in favor
Of the Government and against treason
and traitors which that loyal citizen
/ (then) took in the Senate of Kentucky,
when this rebellion was a matter OF dis
cussion
And the nation has never forgotten
can never forget-hOW he, at the risk
Of personal friendship, personal pros
poets and even OF life itself, raised the
| famous Louisville Legion, n regiment
| which, in September, 1861, when Buck
ner invaded Kentucky, was found
ready for duty, and saved Louisville
from capture.
When Rousseau had made up his
mind that troops should be raised in
Kentucky for the Union as well as for
the rebellion, he went to Cincinnati to
see Major General Geo. 3. Mcclellan,
then commanding a department com
posed of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
At tCincinnati he found that Mcclellan
and Buckner had their famous conven-
ton in which Buckner had declared
that he, as the embodiment of Ken
tuck neutrality, and the Kentucky
soldiery, would maintain the integrity
and sacredness of Kentucky soil by
keeping Off it, all invading armies,
whether of national troops or rebel
soldiers.
Rousseau found Mcclellan acquies-
cling in this avowal of Buckner's, to this
extent at the least, that he refused to
sanction the raising of national troops
in Kentucky.
Disgusted and sick with the treat
ment he received, and the indifference
manifested to a matter which he regard
ed as Of so vital Importance, Rosseau
turned to Washington, hoping to get
authority there
What was his surprise TO find, upon
arriving there, that Judge Key had left
Cincinnati few hours before him, and
that the authorities in Washington
were opposed to his scheme. McClel- !
lans favorite Aid, the writer Of his
proclamations, and the manoeuyerer of |
his political fortunes, had been sent to |
Washington to oppose the raising Of
Union troops in a State from which the
rebels were drawing away all the young
men they could.
During ms endeaYors "a procure au-
thority to raise troops, Begsseau was in (
General Scotts office While sitting
there letter was brought in, which /
General Scott read with evident salts /
factioy,, and turning to an Aid or his /
Secretary, he said IN tone so loud that /
every body IN the room heard him
There, what do you think OF that
General Mcclellan writes me that
Buckner has agreed to keep the ContSd-
crate troops out Of HeuhlckH"
As Gen Scott had apparently spoken
simply what was written, Rousseau, un-
able to contain his disgust at such
suppression of material portion of
BucBners agreement, added Yes,
and he also told your man, Mcclellan,
what he does not appear TO have told
you, that he would keep out the Federal
troops, too"
Gen Scott turned his expressive face
full upon Rousseau with look that
showed he had a new revelation Of Nc
Clellan's character, but said nothing.
Finally, Rousseau got the car Of the
President and the Cabinet, and laid his
plan before them. The President in
formed him that he had letters from |
Kentucky Union men deprecating the
raising Of Union troops in the State.
Rousseau replied that the --s and the
-s were as good Union men and Of
good families as any in Kentucky, and
they wanted troops raised "Besides,
said he, "our young men are adyentur-
Gus and ambitious The rebels are sol
letting them by their love of adventure
and by their ambition to unite with
them. They are taking them away
and, sir We want to raise troops, if for
no other purpose than to keep or
young men loyal
"Well" said the Preident, 81 am in
clined to grant you the authority, bat
it's a matter for the Secretary of War.
What do you say, Cameron 2f 'I say do
it, said Cameron.
And 80 the Louisville Legi0n was raised,
and Louisville saved in spite, and
against the efforts of the man whom the
Unionists Of Kentucky are now called
on to support for President. CIR. Cit
GazgVs.