"I do not, however, for a moment believe that your gallant State
will suffer its soil to be used for the purpose of giving an
advantage to those who violate its neutrality and disregard its
rights, over others who respect both.
"In conclusion, I tender to your Excellency the assurance of my
high consideration and regard, and am, sir, very respectfully,
"Yours, etc., Jefferson Davis."
Movements by the Federal forces in southwestern Kentucky revealed such
designs as made it absolutely necessary that General Polk, commanding
the Confederate forces in that section, should immediately occupy the
town of Columbus, Kentucky; a position of much strategic importance on
the shore of the Mississippi River.
That position was doubly important, because it commanded the opposite
shore in Missouri, and was the gateway on the border of Tennessee.
Two States of the Confederacy were therefore threatened by the
anticipated movement of the enemy to get possession of Columbus.
Major-General Polk, therefore, crossed the State line, took possession
of Hickman on September 3d, and on the 4th secured Columbus. General
Grant, who took command at Cairo on September 2d, being thus
anticipated, seized Paducah, at the mouth of the Tennessee River, and
occupied it in force on the 5th and 6th.
After the occupation, under date of September 4th, I received the
following dispatch from Major-General Polk: "The enemy having descended
the Mississippi River some three or four days since, and seated himself
with cannon and entrenched lines opposite the town of Columbus,
Kentucky, making such demonstrations as left no doubt upon the minds of
any of their intention to seize and forcibly possess said town, I
thought proper, under the plenary power delegated to me, to direct a
sufficient portion of my command both by the river way and land to
concentrate at Columbus, as well to offer to its citizens that
protection they unite to a man in accepting, as also to prevent, in
time, the occupation by the enemy of a point so necessary to the
security of western Tennessee.
Pages:
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615