Brigadier-General Jeremiah T. Boyle to Brigadier-General George H. Thomas, December 13, 1861

HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH BRIGADE,                

Columbia, December 13, 1861.        

(Received December 14, 1861.)

Brig. Gen. GEORGE H. THOMAS,
        Commanding First Division, Lebanon, Ky.:

GENERAL: Since I wrote you my scouts have returned, and up to 11 o'clock there is no reliable news of interest. My last contains all up to this writing, 2 o'clock p.m.

There are many rumors of advance of the enemy, but I regard them as unfounded; yet there is a prevailing belief here that we are in danger of an attack.

Colonel Wolford was here this morning. The remainder of his cavalry have gone, with their transportation, to Green River, in Casey County.

Wolford was at Jamestown yesterday. The rebels left between 12 o'clock and daylight, before he reached there. They went up the Cumberland on this side. They came down from opposite Mill Springs and passed down to Rowena, at which place they destroyed the ferry flat-boats and canoes gathered there, and killed several Home Guards and robbed the citizens. They robbed several of the stores and houses in Jamestown and made the women give up the shirts and other clothing of their husbands. Jonathan Williams, an old citizen and many years sheriff of this county, was killed. He was a quiet, inoffensive old man, but true to his country.

Colonel Wolford expresses the belief that the enemy have a considerable cavalry force on this side at Mill Springs and only a small body of infantry.

Respectfully,

J. T. BOYLE.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 497-8

Brigadier-General Simon Bolivar Buckner to Major George B. Cosby, October 2, 1861

HEADQUARTERS CENTRAL DIVISION OF KENTUCKY,        

Hopkinsville, Ky., October 2, 1861.

Maj. GEORGE B. COSBY, Assistant Adjutant General:

SIR: Accompanying this is an order assigning you to the command of this district. The general purposes to be accomplished are: To cover the left flank of my line of operations and the right flank of the line of operations of General A. S. Johnston; to disperse assemblages of troops which may be collected in the interest of our enemy and to prevent other similar assemblages; to collect the arms which may be the property of the enemy; to muster into the service of the Confederate States all organized bodies of Kentuckians who may present themselves for that purpose. You will consider Green River your northern line of defense, and, as soon as possible, it is expected that you will occupy Ramsey, and disable the navigation of Green River if you should find it necessary to evacuate that point. In collecting arms you will adopt the most conciliatory policy, and avoid the searching of private houses; and in searching any portion of the premises of individuals, you will see that it is not done without the strongest reasons for doing so. My object is to protect the civil rights of all citizens, without regard to their political opinions, as far as is consistent with the safety of the army. With this view, you will visit with the severest penalties every act of the soldiers of your command which may violate this rule. As far as possible you will co-operate with the civil authorities, and give them all necessary assistance in enforcing their police regulations. You will have authority to subsist and quarter bodies of men previous to their being mustered into service, when they shall have assembled with that view. Special returns and accounts will be rendered, to distinguish them from the troops.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. B. BUCKNER.        

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 4 (Serial No. 4), p. 435

Brigadier-General Don Carlos Buell to Major-General Henry W. Halleck, February 5, 1862

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,       

Louisville, Ky., February 5, 1862.

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK,

Commanding Department of Missouri:

GENERAL: My plan of operations was sketched in the letter which I wrote you on the — ultimo. You have, I learn from your letter and dispatches, entered upon what would have concerned it on your side, and that is a very important part of it. I regret that we could not have consulted upon it earlier, because my work must at first be slow. Besides, since I wrote you those plans have been changed, or at least suspended, in consequence of the diversion of a large part of my efficient force for other objects, which the General-in-Chief urged as of primary importance, namely, our advance into East Tennessee. I have, however, in consequence of the want of transportation, and, more than all, the impassable condition of the roads, urged him to allow me to resume my original plan, and, if I am not restricted, shall enter upon its execution at once. My troops have, however, been thrown somewhat out of position, and it will take some days to get them into place. My progress, too, must be slow, for we are dependent upon the railroad for supplies, and that we must repair as we go, the enemy having very much damaged it between Green River and Bowling Green, 40 miles. That will take ten or twelve days. I must go provided with a siege train, because the enemy is strongly intrenched with heavy artillery behind a river, and the condition of the roads will, I fear, effectually bar any plan of attack which will depend on celerity of movement.

I think it is quite plain that the center of the enemy's line—that part which you are now moving against— is the decisive point of his whole front, as it is also the most vulnerable. If it is held, or even the bridges on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers destroyed and your force maintains itself near those points, Bowling Green will speedily fall and Columbus will soon follow. The work which you have undertaken is therefore of the very highest importance, without reference to the injurious effects of a failure. There is not in the whole field of operations a point at which every man you can raise can be employed with more effect or with the prospect of as important results.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D.C. BUELL,

Brigadier-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 936-7

Brigadier-General Don Carlos Buell to Major-General Henry W. Halleck, February 7, 1862

FEBRUARY 7, 1862.

General HALLECK, Saint Louis, Mo.:

I congratulate you on your success. Considering the uncertainty of forming a junction, I ordered the brigade from Green River to go up the Tennessee. The boats start to-night to take them on board.

I have no light batteries to send you now.

D.C. BUELL,

Brigadier-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 592

Major-General Henry W. Halleck to Major-General George B. McClellan, February 7, 1862

SAINT LOUIS, February 7, 1862.

Major-General McCLELLAN:

Fort Henry will be held at all hazards. It is said that the enemy is concentrating troops by railroad to recover his lost advantage. If General Buell cannot either attack or threaten Bowling Green on account of the roads, I think every man not required to defend Green River should be sent to the Tennessee River or Cumberland River. We can hold our ground and advance up these rivers. The enemy must abandon Bowling Green. If he does not, he is completely paralyzed. He will concentrate at Dover, Clarksville, or Paris, or fall back on Nashville. In either case Bowling Green will be of little importance. He ought to concentrate at Dover, and attempt to retake Fort Henry. It is the only way he can restore an equilibrium. We should be prepared for this. If you agree with me, send me everything you can spare from General Buell's command or elsewhere. We must hold our ground and cut the enemy's lines. I am sending everything I can rake and scrape together from Missouri.

H. W. HALLECK,    

Major-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 590-1