or of the Union; and those sympathizers with the
South, who although in favor of the seceding States, seeing that their
cause was hopeless, advocated peaceful separation and finally, when that
failed, a compromise peace between the two sections.[39] The Union party,
though unalterably opposed to the abolitionists and not primarily attached
to the Union because of antagonism to slavery, gradually acquiesced in the
policy of the Federal Government with respect to that institution. This
party first reached the position that Negroes taken from the Confederates
could with propriety be disposed of as contraband of war and many of its
adherents grew more favorable to the policy of general emancipation.

It was soon evident that war could not long be kept out of the State. As
early as April, 1861, troops for service in the Confederacy were organized
in Kentucky. This movement was somewhat accelerated by an act of the
legislature providing that the arms supplied to the troops should not
be used against either section and that the State companies as well as
the Home Guards should take the same oath as the officers requiring
fidelity to the Constitution.[40] At this point many Kentuckians of
proslavery tendencies were forced out of their natural position and
driven into the Confederate ranks. Among these was S. B. Buckner, who
went South to command about ten thousand secessionists, recruited under
the leadership of Colonels Roger W. Hanson, Lloyd Tilghman, and W. D.
Lannon at Camp Boone.[41]

The Governor refused to furnish Lincoln troops but he was in touch with
the Confederacy, doing all he could to equip soldiers for its service,[42]
though not exactly openly, as that would have been sufficient excuse for
the Unionists who desired to help the Union. The Unionists who saw all of
this going on desired to arm and organize their forces but they were
handicapped in that the commander of the State guard was a Secessionist
and care had been taken to hold the military forces for the South. In
consequence of this difficulty Lincoln was secretly appealed to for arms,
which were shipped to cities on the Ohio River for secret distribution
among the Unionists of Kentucky as the opportunity would permit.[43] The
Secessionists had referred to these guns as the first so-called violation
of neutrality. The Unionists defended themselves on the ground that since
the Governor and his whole machine were about in the ranks of the
Confederates they w