OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Pro-Confederate Kentuckians boycott an election that results in Unionist candidates winning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Category: Kentucky
Tentative Neutrality in Kentucky and Delaware
The governor of Kentucky rejects President Lincoln’s request for troops, emphasizing the state’s desire for neutrality. This sentiment is echoed by both Unionists and secessionists, fearing threats from either side. Tiny Delaware also seeks neutrality, with the governor unsure of his authority to raise militia for the Federal government.
Striking While It Is Yet To-day
The Florida legislature kicks off the month by meeting in special session to consider seceding from the Union. Other states would soon follow.
Kentucky: Preparing for State Elections
Abraham Lincoln suspends habeas corpus and declares martial law in Kentucky, and Federal military forces target Democrats for disloyalty prior to the upcoming state elections.
Morgan Leaves Empty Shelves and Pockets
Confederate raider John Hunt Morgan leads a raid into Kentucky to weaken Federal forces in the Western Theater. Morgan soon finds that his presence is not as welcomed in his home state as it previously had been.
You May Expect No Quarter
Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Confederate horsemen launch a raid through western Kentucky and Tennessee. This culminates in a confrontation at Paducah as Forrest’s raid spreads alarm through the Ohio River Valley.