Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/234

220 tain foiled Fremont and occupied Springfield. The battle of Belmont, in the lower part of the State, went against the Confederate general at first, but in the end the Federal general, U. S. Grant, was compelled to take the shelter of his gunboats. The activity of military operations in Missouri during the year 1861, beginning with the affair at Booneville in June, is shown by the record of fifty-two battles, besides many unmentioned small encounters, fought on its soil during the first year of the war.

The fighting in Kentucky in 1861 did not begin until September, and has been regarded as of slight moment; yet in that year there were over twelve engagements of considerable importance. The Home Guards, formed for State protection, furnished a considerable number of men for the Confederate as well as the Federal army, and many Kentuckians went singly or in groups to various Southern commands. The Confederate forces occupied Columbus, on the Mississippi river, in September, at the time General Grant, then commanding at Cairo, took possession of Paducah. General Zollicoffer, with a brigade of infantry and cavalry, entered the southeastern part of the State in September and became engaged in several affairs at Barboursville, Wild Cat and elsewhere with troops from Ohio and Indiana. General Nelson, who had been made useful in organizing Federal troops in Kentucky, operated in the eastern part of that State. In September, a considerable body of Federal troops from Ohio, Indiana and Illinois occupied St. Louis. About the same time, Anderson, who had commanded at Fort Sumter, was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers in the Federal army and assigned to command of the department of Kentucky. He was succeeded by General Sherman. General Buckner commanded the Confederates at Bowling Green, and General Polk was assigned to the "department of the West.’ The Federal forces in Kentucky were increased before the end of the year, until