territory of the
Confederate States, that the Confederate forces occupy Columbus in
advance. The Major-General commanding has, therefore, not felt himself
at liberty to risk the loss of so important a position, but has decided
to occupy it. In pursuance of this decision, he has thrown a sufficient
force into the town and ordered fortifying it. It is gratifying to know
that the presence of his troops is acceptable to the people of
Columbus, and on this occasion they assure them that every precaution
will be taken to insure their quiet, the protection of their property,
with their personal and corporate rights.

LEONIDAS POLK."

Dispatches, concerning the peculiar manner in which Kentucky observed
her neutrality and permitted it to be observed by her Federal friends,
began to pour in on the Governor about this time. He had already
received, on the 7th, a dispatch from Lieutenant Governor Reynolds, of
Missouri, on the subject. Governor Reynolds stated that, "The
Mississippi river below the mouth of the Ohio, is the property of
Kentucky and Missouri conjointly." He then alluded to the "presence of
United States gunboats in the river at Columbus, Kentucky, to protect
the forces engaged in fortifying the Missouri shore immediately
opposite." "This," he went on to say, "appears to me to be a clear
violation of the neutrality Kentucky proposes to observe in the present
war." And then again on the 14th came a dispatch from Knoxville,
Tennessee, as follows:

"_To his Excellency B. Magoffin_:

SIR: The safety of Tennessee requiring, I occupy the mountain passes at
Cumberland, and the three long mountains in Kentucky. For weeks I have
known that the Federal commander at Hoskin's Cross Roads was
threatening the invasion of East Tennessee, and ruthlessly urging our
own people to destroy their own road bridges. I postponed this
precaution until the despotic Government at Washington, refusing to
recognize the neutrality of Kentucky, has established formidable camps
in the center and other parts of the State, with the view first to
subjugate our gallant sister, then ourselves. Tennessee feels, and has
ever felt, toward Kentucky as a twin sister; their people, are as our
people in kindred, sympathy, valor, and patriotism; we have felt and
still feel a religious respect for Kentucky's neutrality; we will
respect it as along as our safety wi