The Government Camps in Kentucky

From the Covington Journal of August 24, 1861, here is more discussion of Federal troops in still-hoping-to-remain-neutral Kentucky.

THE GOVERNMENT CAMPS IN KENTUCKY
Destination of the Troops - Objects to be Accomplished
A Louisville correspondent of the New York Herald, who is manifestly in possession of the secrets of the leaders, gives us some information in regard to the destination of the Federal troops now being concentrated in camps, in Kentucky. A part of the programme is to destroy the East Tennessesee and Virginia and East Tennessee and Georgia railroads:
  
The encampment of the friends of the Tennessee Unionists is at Bryantsville, Garrard county, Ky., a village forty-eight miles south of Frankfort and ninety miles northwest from Cumberland Gap, to which a turnpike road is the nearest route. At this point the Kentuckians, who have privately enlisted, are concentrating. Judge Bramlett, of this State, declined to hold the court in Boyle county this week, as he has charge of a regiment of Government troops (as he calls them) and had important military business at Bryantsville. For days past troops, consisting mainly of cavalry, have been pouring into this camp. On the 6th inst. 480 cavalry went into camp at that point. I am not enabled to state the total number now at Bryantsville but it is not less than 4,000 men, all splendidly armed and equipped for the campaign.


The time for the advance has almost arrived. Yesterday the arms stored in this city at the Custom House, and intended for East Tennesseans, were removed and sent forward. At the same time, 6,000 stand passed over the Covington and Lexington Railroad for the same point. 


The entrance into East Tennessee will be a matter easy of accomplishment. The Union men there will do their duty, and their rifles will serve in the rear to dislodge the intrenched foe. With the Kentuckians advancing, and the Union men in the rear, the rebels will more than have their hands full.

With East Tennesseans aroused, the destruction of the East Tennessee and Virginia and East Tennessee and Georgia railroads completed, and Western Virginia occupied, the situation will be extremely precarious to the Virginia hosts who triumphed at Manassas. 


The possession of the railroads I have names is one of vast importance to the Government. It is the only direct route either North and South or East and West that the South has.