Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1911-09-09

ont fear. The strong arm Of the gov
eminent is here to protect its friends
and punish its enemies. Whenever II
is manifest that you are able to oe1eno
yourselves and maintain the authof-
ity of the government and protect Tie
right of loyal citizens shall Withdraw
the forces under my command.
The signature to this proclamation
~. S. Grant" did not command the
attention that would have been given
1t one year later, but was Doubtless
hailed with joy by the loyal citizens
of Paducah, who forthwith tore down
the Confederate flags.
On the day previous to Grants oc-
| cupation of Paducah Governor Magof-
an had shown his hand. The leg1sla-
ture had already met on Sept z, and
three days later Magoffin sent IL
message demanding that the Union
| troops under Nelson at Camp DICK
| Robinson and other bands raised 10
the state should be withdrawn. In re
snonse the legislature took exactly the
opposite tack. BY decisive majoritles
if passed resolutions demanding that
the Confederate troops withdraw ano
voted down an amendment mcludlng
the Union troops in the order; de2lareo
that the soil of Kentucky had been IN
yaGed and called on the governor TO
summon the military forces OF the
state to drive out the invaders; asked
the national government for AID ana
assistance and requested General Rob-
ert Anderson, the hero of Fort Sumter
who had since been assigned to Aen-
lucky. to enter upon ''the discharge OF
his duties"
This was putting Kentucky into the
contest with vengeance. Governor Ma
coffin promptly vetoed the resolutions
but the legislature no less promptly
passed them over his veto. Not only
so. but it took other steps to put Ken
lucky on an armed footing as a Union
state and to place its war supplies and
soldiers at the disposal of the nationai
government. AT last the fiction OF neu-
traIity was cast aside, and the Blue
Grass State took her stand with her
sisters at the north.
Heretofore the line of battle had
been Il broken one, extending through
Virginia and what is now West Viz
ginia, ending with Kentucky and re
Stunning its course again through Mis-
souri, Now the gap was filed, and the
line became continuous from Missouri
in the west to Virginia in the east.
Buckner Threatens Louisville.
Generals Polk and Zollicoffer were
not the only Confederates to invade
the state. Simon B. Buckner, formerly
of the Kentucky state guard, but now
a Confederate brigadier, rapidly en-
tered the state with the design to cap
ture Louisville He was swiftly APP
proaching by railroad when the au-
thorities took alarm and sent out an
engine to investigate. This was cap
tured by Ruckner. but the fireman es-
capped got handcar and ran back to
the city to give the alarm General
Anderson interposed Union force, and
Buckner stopped at Bowling Green.
Kentuckys action had immediate po-
litical effects. Senator John c. Brock
inridge, Humphrey Marshall John
Morgan and others in sympathy with
the south now departed from the state
and took up arms for the Confederacy.
On the other hand. the Union men be-
gan active measures for defense. Gen
eral Anderson was placed in command,
but on account of i'll health delegated
the task to General William T. Sher-
man, who established a camp near that
of Buckner at Bowling Green.
Both sides had entertained great
hopes of winning Kentucky, and it is
probable that the Confederate authOri-
ties counted on the movements of Polk,
Zollicoffer and Buckner to balance the
scale in their favor. Instead they had
exactly the opposite effect and forced
Kentucky into the arms of the Union.