Union Orders, Reports and Letters -- Kentucky

OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 17, Part 2 (Corinth) WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Chapter XXIX. Page 506

PADUCAH, KY., December 29, 1862.

Honorable ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

President of the United States:

General Orders, Numbers 11, issued by General Grant at Oxford, Miss., December the 17th, commands all post commanders to expel all Jews, without distinction, within twenty-four hours, from his entire department. The undersigned, good and loyal citizens of the United States and residents of this town for many years, engaged in legitimate business as merchants, feel greatly insulted and outraged by this inhuman order, the carrying out of which would be the grossest violation of the Constitution and our rights as good citizens under it, and would place us, besides a large number of other Jewish families of this town, as outlaws before the whole world. We respectfully ask your immediate attention to this enormous outrage on all and humanity and pray for your effectual and immediate interposition. We would respectfully refer you to the post commander and post adjutant as to our loyalty, and all to respectable citizens of this community as to our standing as citizens and merchants. We respectfully ask for immediate instructions to be sent to the commander of this post.

D. WOLFF & BROS.

C. F. KASKELL.

OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 30, Part 4 (Chickamauga)KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLII. Page 296 - 298

FLEMINGSBURG, October 11, 1863.

Brig. General J. T. BOYLE,

Louisville, Ky.:

SIR: On October 2 I sent out Lieutenant Clark and 50 men scouting, who proceeded as far as West Liberty; called upon the scoundrel Green Howard, the place where guerrillas resort; all were absent. This Howard, the day previous, whipped an old Union man nearly unto death, and scalped a soldier of the Tenth Kentucky Cavalry. The boys burned everything visible, and as soon as the fire began the rebels commenced firing from the mountain at long range; too far to affect.

Yours, most respectfully,

JOHN F. IJAMS,

Major, Comdg. Fifth Independent Battn., Ohio Vol. Cavalry.

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A second courthouse was among some twenty-nine buildings destroyed by fire during the Civil War, along with the offices of the circuit and county clerks, and many irreplaceable county records. Although some influential families were pro-Union during the war, most Morgan County residents
had Confederate sympathies. Confederate leaders from Morgan included Capt. John T. Williams and Maj. William Mynheir (who, as sheriff in 1853, carried out the county's only hanging). Although no major battles occurred in the county, there were a few skirmishes, including three
at West Liberty and one at McClannahan Hill.
See Arthur C. Johnson, EARLY MORGAN COUNTY (West Liberty, Ky., 1974);
Helen Price Stacy and William Lynn Nickell, SELECTIONS FROM MORGAN COUNTY HISTORY (West Liberty, Ky., 1973);
Joe Nickell, MORGAN COUNTY: THE EARLIEST YEARS (West Liberty, Ky., 1986). JOE NICKELL
Ref: Excerpts from “The Kentucky Encyclopedia”, pgs. 652- 653, 1992 and CD-ROM, same title, 1997..

The first important engagement in eastern Kentucky occurred here, at West Liberty, on 23 October 1861. USA forces led by Brig. Gen. Wm. Nelson surprised enemy under Capt. Andrew J. May. Civilian secessionists were captured and jailed. Unionists released. Confederate losses
were 21 dead, 40 wounded and 34 captured. One Union soldier wounded. On 4 November 1861 Gen. Nelson captured Prestonsburg.
Reference: Excerpts from Kentucky Historical Society Highway
Marker #512, KHS Frankfort

OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 49, Part 1 (Mobile Bay Campaign) KY., S.W.VA., TENN., N. & C.GA., MISS., ALA., & W.FLA. Page -- 782

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF KENTUCKY, No. 5. Louisville, Ky., February 27, 1865.

Officers charged with recruiting colored troops are informed that the use of force or menaces to compel the enlistment of colored men is both unlawful and disgraceful.

By command of Major-General Palmer:

G. M. BASCOM,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General