REIGN OF TERROR IN WEST KENTUCKY? By Dieter C. Ullrich and Berry Craig During fifty-one days in the settlers immigrated to the Pur- tary Academy from 1835 to 1839 summer of 1864 a “reign of ter- chase from the South and many and graduated twenty-fourth ror” existed in Western Kentucky still communicated with family in out of a class of thirty-two. After under the military command of that section of the country. The graduation he was commissioned General Eleazar Arthur Paine, at region’s trade routes also pointed as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st least that is what historians and South and its economy relied Regiment of Infantry and sta- folklorists have written over the more heavily upon slavery than tioned at Fort Pleasant in Flori- past 150 years. However, new ev- other regions of Kentucky: the da. Though the Second Seminole General Elea- idence from contemporary doc- number of slaves in the Purchase War was in progress, Paine saw zar Arthur Paine uments provide a contradictory increased by over 40 percent only post duty, serving on the (1815-1882). LOC narrative to the story. Western in the decade prior to the war. staff of General Zachary Taylor. Kentucky, particularly The political landscape reflected On August 24, 1840, he submit- the seven counties these facts, and secessionist and ted his resignation, stating his in the far south- Southern Rights candidates over- father’s health was in decline and west known as whelmingly won seats in both he must return to Ohio to assist the Jackson state and national elections in with the family businesses. Paine Purchase, had August of 1861. Kentucky’s na- left Florida and the Army on close cultural, tive son, Abraham Lincoln, came October 11, 1840. On his return economic, and in dead last during the 1860 pres- to Painesville, he studied law political attach- idential elections, receiving only and passed the state bar in 1843. ments to the 10 votes in the Purchase. After Paine served as Deputy United Confederacy. A the fall of Fort Sumpter an esti- States Marshal for the State of majority mated 5,000 volunteers from the Ohio from 1842 to 1845 and was of the section joined the Confederate an officer in the Ohio State Mili- orig- forces, while approximately 600 tia. He wrote the drill manual for inal white and 250 African-American the State Militia and climbed to men chose to wear blue. When the rank of brigadier general be- the war concluded, the popula- fore his resignation in 1848. Late tion resisted Reconstruction and that year Paine moved his family for over a century glorified the and law practice to Monmouth, fight for Southern independence, Illinois. While at Monmouth, he but unlike the cliché that “history served in the Illinois State Legis- is written by victors,” Paine’s fate lature from 1852 to 1853 and was was strictly in the hands of the one of the founders of the Mon- defeated.1 mouth Republican Party in 1856. So who was Eleazer Arthur It was during that time in Illinois Paine? He was born at Parkman, that Paine and Abraham Lincoln Geauga County, Ohio on Sep- crossed paths in 1854, when tember 10, 1815. Not much is Lincoln campaigned as the Whig documented on his childhood candidate for the United States or early adulthood except that Senate. Four years later when he was educated at home and Lincoln ran again for Senate, this worked on the family farm. Paine time as a Republican, Paine re- attended the United State Mili- newed his support by canvassing 48 NORTH & SOUTH MARCH 2020・SERIES II. VOLUME 1 NUMBER 4 north&south 4.indd 48 2019/12/29 16:04:24 the entire state to stir up votes 6 when they landed at Paducah stricted duty until November 24 Map of the for Lincoln. In 1860, Paine once as part of General Ulysses S. when he was assigned to guard Jackson Pur- more stood by Lincoln as he ran Grant’s troops. Paine was placed the railroad line between Mitch- chase, 1962. LOC for the presidency.2 in charge of maintaining disci- ellville and Nashville at Gallatin, Paine was at Monmouth pline in the regimental camps Tennessee. It was there that he when news arrived of the fall of and managing the Paducah first experienced the brutality Fort Sumter. The next day, April police force until his transfer to of guerrilla warfare and came to 13, he volunteered as a private in Bird’s Point, Missouri, on De- understand the necessity to enlist Company F of the 17th Illinois cember 20. He later served as former slaves as soldiers. In late Volunteer Infantry. A week later, commander of the 4th Division of April of 1864, Paine departed for he received an appointment to the Army of the Mississippi and Tullahoma to defend the roads be on Governor Richard Yates’ led them into combat during the and bridges between the Duck military staff to organize the Island No. 10 campaign at New and Elk Rivers in south central volunteer units converging on Madrid, Missouri, and Tipton- Tennessee. It was at Tullahoma Springfield. Seeking a field com- ville, Tennessee. At Tiptonville, on June 29 that he received the mand, Paine resigned the follow- his division captured over 4,400 order to take command of the ing week and mustered into the Confederate soldiers and large newly created District of Western United States Army. On April cache of small arms and heavy Kentucky at Paducah.3 23, he was elected colonel of the and light artillery pieces. Shortly By the time Paine arrived in 9th Illinois Infantry Regiment following a skirmish near Farm- Paducah, the city had evolved at Springfield. One week later, ington, Mississippi, on May 9, into a busy military camp and Paine and the 9th Illinois were 1862, Paine contracted typhoid supply depot for the Union ordered to Cairo where they re- fever which left him unfit for Army in the Western Theater. mained in camp until September field duty. He was placed on re- Perhaps ninety percent of the SERIES II. VOLUME 1 NUMBER 4・MARCH 2020 NORTH & SOUTH 49 north&south 4.indd 49 2019/12/29 16:04:38 termined resistance movement. He was unaware of the mis- fortunes of his predecessors or the influence and power of his adversaries. He entered Paducah prepared to safeguard the men under his command, protect the loyal citizens in his district and defend the nation against its ene- mies. He preferred to sermonize and educate the disloyal but if that failed he would use threats, intimidation and brute force to Paducah, seen residents resisted the occupa- Bedford Forrest entered the city, achieve his assigned goals. from the Ohio tion in a subtle but determined attacked Fort Anderson, and ap- Paine was warmly greeted River. Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper manner. The women of the city propriated or destroyed supplies by members of the local Union shunned Union officers, neglect- from military stores near the League of America at Paducah ed the sick and wounded soldiers port. The events that occurred on July 19. The Union League in the hospitals, and never wore that day had a dramatic impact represented the “true Union men the color blue in public. Preach- upon Paine’s management of the of this section of the country” ers refused to pray for President district. The stories of Southern and was influential in Paine’s Lincoln or for the United States sympathizers assisting Forrest’s appointment. The officers of the during their Sunday sermons men by furnishing food, provid- organization expressed their de- and the hymn books in the local ing flags and pointing out Union light in Paine’s appointment and churches displayed none of the owned stores, shops and dwell- looked forward to his awarding traditional patriotic songs. The ings had been deeply imbedded “traitors and secret Southern 15th Kentucky Volunteer Caval- in his mindset. Paine later noted sympathizers their just dues.” ry, which consisted of recruits that “there were more persons in This resolute group of men had from the city, were considered town who openly assisted Forrest well designed plans to stem the scalawags and “not treated with in his attack in March than there illicit trade to the South and pro- the consideration to which their were Union persons there, and a tect their business interests in the patriotism and eminent services large, very large majority deep- region. entitled them.” The business ly sympathized with him and The next day, Paine set up of- sector was also at odds with their cordially wished him success.” fices for his staff in the Continen- occupiers, as trade restrictions The first of Paine’s objectives as tal Hotel and began his campaign and corruption fueled illicit trade district commander was to reim- to end the unsanctioned trade and a booming black market. burse Union men for property with the South. He issued Gen- The traffic of contraband to the lost during Forrest’s raid. His eral Order No. 3 which declared Confederacy, uncontrollable methodology for compensation that “no rebel or disloyal person since the early days of the war, included assessments upon the living in the District of Western had increased radically since disloyal residents, which he inter- Kentucky shall ship produce to the Confederate raids earlier in preted as being part of Lincoln’s market, or receive supplies by the year. So much so, that some original order.5 railroad or river” and that no Union merchants claimed that The many deeply-rooted shipments left Paducah without the “rebels are doing all the busi- and complicated issues caused a permit from Paine’s headquar- ness and they are reaping all the by the war had long existed be- ters.