Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-04-07
THE ATTACK ON PADUCAH.
Detailed Account of the Affair-Gal-
lantry of the Union Defenders
How the Negroes Fight.
fCorrcspondcnce Of the Chicago Tribune.
CONTINENTAL HOTEL,

CONTINENTAL HOTEL. L.
PADUcAH, KY, March %. 1864. I i
If there has been nest of treason out
side the limits of Dixie. more "pizenous-
ly" secesh than another, that place must
be conceded to be Paducah. Early in the
war hey were going for secession with
such rush that Western Kentucky WASH I
to remain in the Union an instant The
Ohio, as stream, would have been dam.
med by these deep and bitter oaths against
loyalty If mere verbal accumulatioAs could
have had such effect The place was first
occupied with an Union force by General
Grant at ii o'clock on the morning of
September 9th, 1861. The Paducshs were
at that nick of time flying rebel flags in
all parts of the city. and their woman clear
starcbing their best caps to receive the
dear Confederate officers, when, to q sig.
nal gun at the landing. and to the deep
disgust of the citizesn, two gunboats, fly
ing the stars and stripes. escorted two Fed
eral transports to the landing. and two
regiments Of boys in blue debarked to put
little ballast into the light loyalty of the
place.
1t was high time Gems. Pillow and Polk
with seven thousand rebels had occupied
Columbus and Hickman, and wers be-
lieved to be pushing for point to control
the navigation Of the Ohio.
That night Paducah was to have been
occupied by a rebel for,e. An external
change went over the town. 1t is estima-
ted that four hundred and seventeen ie-
males went to bed and chad good cry"
and several hundred bakings Of cake for
rebel entertainment went no further than
the originel intention. The male rebels
made the best of it, screwed down the safe
ty valve, damned the Union when their
shutters were up. but all the while took
not unkindly to greenbacks and govern
ment orders.
Such was Paducah, and so persistent in
adherence to the rebel cause that its citi-
zens vaunted themselves as much IS they
dared on this evil reputation, and rejoiced
exceedingly at what they claimed would
be their exemption what time the rebels
might enrer and lay waste other sections
of the State. Not that "scares" have been
unknown here, but the cry Of "Wolf,
wolf" has been made so often in the past
two years, that joined to this fancied secu-
rity, the result was, when on Thursday,
March cath, the rumor spread that the
rebels were indeed coming, few believed it..
Doubtless there were some here mho knew
IL, but these. by this time have bitterly re-
pented their agency in the matter.
But sll doubt of the earliest rumor dis
appeared in q whirlwind of excitement
when, about noon the alarm bells were
rung, and it was said that General For
rest with seven thousand "rebs" was down
upon us. Accordingly, in about an hour
after this. force, amounting probably to
about 1900 or 1000. made their appear
ance, the balance of the brigade, said to
be 5000 or 6.000, remaining outside of the
town.
The town of Paducah is defended by =
fort, which simply consists of square en-
closure embarked all round. There were
three companies OF black regiment, un-
der ex-actor Cunningham. and two or
three companies Of the 122d Illinois, the
whole not numbering more than 500 men.
under the command of Colonel Hicks, of
Mexican war celebrity.
In adition to the troops in the fort, we
have two gunboats here, Nos. "3l' and
80" ff..s ff
The rebels made Eve determined assaults
upon the fort. their sharpshooters hiding
themselves in the houses, and popping at
the eunboats to divert their attention from
the fort.
General Forest sent in formal demand
to Colonel Bicks to surrender, asserting
that he had ample force to take the town.
and his only object was to spare blood
shed. To this Colonel Hicks replied BY
telling him TO come and take it. AT the
second charge, Col. Thompson. OF the reb-
els, was struck on the forehead by mus
ket ball. and whilst falling, cannon ball
struck him on the body. mangling and ex-
posing his person in dreadful manner.
This man was. before the war broke out
a prominent lawyer In this town. and his
forensic abilities are highly spoken Of
He was being eaten up by the hogs yes
terday. A sad commentary.
The rebels, were repulse1 at each as
sault. and about 9 o'clock. p. m. skedad-
died. after killing as many negroes as they
could. which seems to have been their
primary object in coming to Paducah.
The principal damage sustained by the
town is from the shells of our own boats
in endeavoring to dislodge the enemy q
sharpshooters. The whole Of the block in
front of the Continental Hotel was riddled
and burnt to the ground. The Continent
al Hotel. probably the best hotel in this
part Of the West. suffered considerably
from the shells of the gunbo ats.
There was report yesterday morning.
that Forrest meditated fresh attack. and
many OF the inhabitants removed their
furniture to Jersey. and the greatest con-
sternation prevailed. However, as we had
been reinforced by the 32d Wisconsin du
ring the night, from Cairo. net much feat
was entertained amongst the thoughtful
portion of the community. as it was u.s.
uslfy surmised that if they could not whip
us when we had only sbout six hundred
men IL was not possible for them to &C
complishi it when we were reinforced BY |
regiment. }ss'aEiH - ts N isa
The cnly damage done to the town b,
the rebels, with the exception of breaking
open stores and helping themselves 4
clothing; which is not matter of regret
as they were robbing their own friends.