rolina conscripts were not a
hopeful set of soldiers. As soon as the tread of hostile battalions had
echoed on her soil, the sons of the Palmetto State flew to their posts.
State regulars went to the coast, picked volunteer corps came to
Virginia. None stayed behind but those really needed there by the
Government, or that refuse class which had determined to dodge duty,
but now failed to dodge "the conscript man." The former were, of
course, as much needed now as ever; the latter did not ride into the
battle with defiance on their brows, but, on the contrary, seemed
looking over their shoulders to find a hole in the mesh that implacable
conscription had drawn about them.

Their next neighbors of the Old North State were hardly better in the
main, but some men among them seemed not unlike the militia that had
fought so well at Roanoke Island. Green and awkward; shrinking away
from the chaff of passing regulars; looking a little sheepish for being
conscripts, "Zeb Vance's boys" yet proved not unworthy the
companionship of the men of Bethel, of Manassas and of Richmond.

At first the border states, or those overrun by the enemy, gave few
additions to the conscript camps.

Kentucky, on whose adherence and solid aid to the cause such reliance
had been placed in the beginning, had sadly failed to meet it. With the
reminiscences of her early chivalry, her romantic warfare of the "Dark
and Bloody Ground," and the warlike habits of her men, mingled
considerations of the usefulness of her vast resources and her natural
points for defense, lying so near the Federal territory. But as the war
wore on and the state still wavered, the bent of her people seemed
strangely to incline to the northern side. Seeking a neutrality that
was clearly impossible, the division in her councils admitted the
Federals within her borders. Then, when it was hopeless to do more, the
noblest and most honored of her sons left Kentucky and ranged
themselves under that banner they had in vain sought to unfurl over
her.

Like Maryland, Kentucky had early formed a _corps d' elite_, called the
"State Guard," which numbered many of the best-born and most cultured
young men of the state, with headquarters at Louisville. This was
commanded by General S. B. Buckner and under the general control of
Governor Magoffin. This corps was supposed to represent the feelings of
all better citizens in its opposition to the Union cause.

But when the action of political