Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-27
TO GET GEN. BUCKNER
EFFORTS BY BOTH SIDES AT OUT
BREAK OF THE CIVIL WAR.
Order Issued by President Lincoln for
Commission as Brigadier Gen.
eral to Be Made Out.

]. Fraise Richard historian of the Society
of the Army of the Ohio, disclosed to
Star representative recently an incident OF
the early history of the civil war that Is
known to but few. He remarked:
ITO decide between adverse interests re-
quireS no ordinary mental and moral cour-
age. Periods of great patriotic excitement
afford such occasions The year 1861, the
initial period of active events in our great
war of the rebellion, was prolific in such
instances. Especially was this true in what
were known the border states.
II cite an instance in Kentucky, the de-
tails of which are~unknown to the average
student of the history of those times. 1
refer to the case of Simon Bolivar Buckner.
one of the prominent and influential men
of the state, not only then but since that
period.
with the cause of the Union or with that Oh
the confederacy. OF Senator John j. CRIT
tenden's sons one went into the confederacy
and one stood for the Union. strange as II
NAV appear the one in the conreoeracy,
General George B., was commander OF the
right wing of. their army IN keh NV, a,iu
was defeated at the battle OF Mil oPt,ns
carly in 1852 while his brother, General
Thomas L.. commanded the Union right
wing.
"Rotb sides were anxious to have the
services of Buckner. Accordingly On the
10Th of August, 1861, President Lincoln
made the following order, which Is mat
ter of record. ,,s+ 10 ,se,
..TTnless there be reasons to the con-
trary not known to me, make Out I'm
mission for Simon OBJ Buchner Oh heh-
tuckv as a brgadier general or Foluh-
teers 1t is to be put INTO the hdnos ",
General Anderson and delivered 10 Genera iei,a
Buckner or not, at the dlscretioil oI - :,
- anderson OF course it is to remain
sanrat unless and until the commission Is
delivered. It, ;,anr.an,ent. Same
day made ,.o,, ,o,o roforraa IN
100 Die Cen. Robert Anderson, the hero
of Fort Sumter who had by general orders
from the War Department dated Angus
TX 1854 been appointed comrnahdeI VI lhe
new military department VI me I'm Ia
land embracing the states OF hentucky anu
sWhat became of this commission Is I'M
known to me- 1t was probably never OF
fered to Gen BuckneI; h ms i Tenn i'V Sen.
to,,,her 16 1861 to President Jefferson Da-
Wis bv Gen. Albert b johnston COM
nnander-in-chief of the confederate IorceS
in the wes.. From this letter quote an ca
tract or two:
Gen. Johnston's Announcement.
81 design tomorrow. which Is the ear
lest practicable moment, TO take posses
sion of Bowling Green tky.1 with o,ooo
troons and prepare to support the move
ment with such force as circumstances may
indicate and the means at my coniiiaho
may-allow. -
Having no officer that could place in n
command of the movement on Bowling
Green | have been compelled to select and
appoint Gen Simon b. Buckner brigadier
general subject to your approx al, which
hope it may meet.
The occupation of Bowling Green is an
act of seIf-defense, rendered necessary by
tie action of the government of Kentucky
and by the evidences of intended move
ments of federal forces
This action on the part of Gen. Albert
Sidney Johnston somewhat irregular in it's
assumption of executive power in creating
a military officer of the rank of brigadier
general and invading so-caled sovereign
state that had assumed the position of armed
neutrality secured the subsequent services
OF Gen. Buckner for the confederacy OF
the motives of such course or the results
thereof I ate mpt pot to speak. Gen. Buck
ner. still an honored resident of Kentucky,
Is the only one who can speak with intelli-
gent authority. II ae'