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I have been floating this idea for awhile. Kentucky had been long important to both sides, Lincoln had said if the South takes Kentucky it would be a massive loss.
Now, either by Plebicite after a Confederate victory or taken by the Confederate army in 1862 could we see the Bluegrass State becoming an official Confederate state? I personally feel that it's not out of the question, I just think it would be very hard because of the Unionist elements in the other parts of the state outside of the Bluegrass and Jackson's Purchase regions.
I have been floating this idea for awhile. Kentucky had been long important to both sides, Lincoln had said if the South takes Kentucky it would be a massive loss.
Now, either by Plebicite after a Confederate victory or taken by the Confederate army in 1862 could we see the Bluegrass State becoming an official Confederate state? I personally feel that it's not out of the question, I just think it would be very hard because of the Unionist elements in the other parts of the state outside of the Bluegrass and Jackson's Purchase regions.
Well, the irony is that Kentucky was both an "official" Confederate State and an "official" Union State. The central star on the Confederate flag represents Kentucky. An opposition pro-South government had been formed following the vote of the state legislature to join the Union. This opposition government was given official recognition by the CSA and they admitted Kentucky.
I think the deciding moment was the fact that the Confederate's violated Kentucky neutrality first. Kentucky had taken great pains to remain neutral but throughout the beginning of the war had taken on a more and more Union slant. When the Confederates chose to cross into Kentucky first and then refused to leave, the Legislature proposed a measure to join the Union cause. The governor rejected it, but the pro-Union block in the Legislature was veto proof and they overturned the veto, officially making Kentucky a member of the Union.
The Confederate's adopted a defensive position in the state, but were quickly routed in the early months of 1862 and driven out of the state. By the time they returned in late summer of 1862, they found that while Southern sympathies were high, people were not willing to openly join and fight for the cause. The wagon loads of rifles the Confederates had brought with them, went largely unused.
I think Kentucky is an interesting case as it was a state with strong ties to both sides, hence why they made the initial decision to stay neutral and tried to act as a moderator. However, when push came to shove, the people realized that economically the state was far more tied to the Union than it was to the South and the South's earlier decision to pursue an aggressive stance and violate Kentucky's neutrality sealed the deal for many.
Well, the irony is that Kentucky was both an "official" Confederate State and an "official" Union State. .
Kentucky was the birthplace of both President Lincoln (Hardin County) and President Davis. (Christian County)
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the pro-Union block in the Legislature was veto proof and they overturned the veto, officially making Kentucky a member of the Union.
Well, that is not literally accurate. Kentucky never indulged in secession, thus it never was out of the Union and no legislative act was needed to confirm that status, it only would have been necessary to reject that status.
Kentucky's attempt at neutrality was not "We are no longer with the North, but we haven't joined the Confederacy", it was "We remain in the Union, but we aren't going to help it prosecute this war."
The central star on the Confederate flag represents Kentucky.
As a matter of vexiollogical history, there was no center star on the First National Flag of the Confederacy (the true Stars and Bars). On those that came later which featured a Battle Flag canton -- as well as on the Battle Flag itself -- the best case for the center star representing any state would be Texas...and it was the 7th state to secede, which would place it in the middle! In fact, many Battle Flags of Texas units had a enlarged center star (thus representing not only the sequence, but the Lone Star State! ). Actually, though there is no mention in the history of the various Confederate national flags of any state being represented by any particular order of stars.
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However, when push came to shove, the people realized that economically the state was far more tied to the Union than it was to the South and the South's earlier decision to pursue an aggressive stance and violate Kentucky's neutrality sealed the deal for many.
According to this web-site -- of official Kentucky state government status -- the opposite is true.
The Union Army was first to violate Kentucky's policy of neutrality by establishing Camp Dick Robinson in Garrard County. The President on the basis of "urgent solicitation of many Kentuckians" justified this action which prompted much legislative debate of what action Kentucky should take. The result of this move came in September 1861 when, over the Governor's veto, the Legislature committed Kentucky to the Union cause and declared war on the Confederacy. This legislative act had the unintended effect of prompting an even heavier flow of troops, including Kentucky Militia Men, to join the Confederate Army at Camp Boone where they formed a Confederate Brigade which soon thereafter returned to occupy Bowling Green.
The result of this move came in September 1861 when, over the Governor's veto, the Legislature committed Kentucky to the Union cause and declared war on the Confederacy. .
The power to declare war is reserved for the US Congress. States in the Union, and Kentucky still was, have no such power.
What the legislature actually did do was to respond to the governor's call for resolutions ordering all forces, North and South, out of Kentucky, by passing a resolution which applied only to Southern troops. The governor did attempt to veto this, and as you noted, it was overriden. The legislature then ordered the raising of the US flag over the state capitol building as a token of Kentucky's loyalties.
As long as I am in this hyper scriptulous mood, I would point out that the Union itself never declared war on the Confederacy, there was never an act of Congress announcing the hostilities. Since it was the position of the North that the states had no right to secede, the South was viewed as states in the Union in rebellion. Declaring war on the CSA would be giving it defacto status as an outside nation.
The Union Army was first to violate Kentucky's policy of neutrality by establishing Camp Dick Robinson in Garrard County. The President on the basis of "urgent solicitation of many Kentuckians" justified this action which prompted much legislative debate of what action Kentucky should take. The result of this move came in September 1861 when, over the Governor's veto, the Legislature committed Kentucky to the Union cause and declared war on the Confederacy. This legislative act had the unintended effect of prompting an even heavier flow of troops, including Kentucky Militia Men, to join the Confederate Army at Camp Boone where they formed a Confederate Brigade which soon thereafter returned to occupy Bowling Green.
By June 1861, except for the Jackson Purchase region, the majority of Kentuckians were Unionists as evidenced by the special congressional elections where 10 of the 11 congressional districts were won by pro-Union candidates. This resulted in a veto-proof state congress, much to the chagrin of Kentucky's governor, Beriah McGoffin, a Southern sympathizer.
After the overwhelming Union electoral victory, William Nelson, a native born son of Kentucky and a naval lieutenant in the United States Navy, established a Union recruiting camp on August 6, on land belonging to a strong Union supporter. When Confederate sympathizers in Kentucky objected, Nelson replied "That a camp of loyal Union men, native Kentuckians, should assemble in camp under the flag of the Union and upon their native soil [and] should be a cause of apprehension is something I do not clearly understand". It was a home-grown response to the Southern insurrection, not a violation of Kentucky neutrality by the Federal government.
Kentucky's neutrality was violated on September 4, 1861, when Confederate forces invaded and established military fortifications at Columbus, Kentucky. In response to the Confederate actions, Union troops moved into Paducah, Kentucky on September 6th.
Governor McGoffin denounced both actions and demanded that both sides withdraw from Kentucky, but Kentucky's General Assembly issued a proclamation over the Governor's veto, that proclamation ordering the withdrawal of only the Confederate troops - the Union troops would be allowed to stay.
By June 1861, except for the Jackson Purchase region, the majority of Kentuckians were Unionists as evidenced by the special congressional elections where 10 of the 11 congressional districts were won by pro-Union candidates.
Exactly. Kentucky sent a lot more men to the union army than the confederate army. While there was some pro-southern sentiment in Kentucky, the majority were clearly pro-north. So it's tough to "take" a state that doesn't want to be taken.
The other part of the equation was that in the early part of the war, the union generals in that theater of the war were so obviously better than the southern generals that you'd almost have to have transfered Lee to the western theater to win.
The Union Army was first to violate Kentucky's policy of neutrality by establishing Camp Dick Robinson in Garrard County. The President on the basis of "urgent solicitation of many Kentuckians" justified this action which prompted much legislative debate of what action Kentucky should take. The result of this move came in September 1861 when, over the Governor's veto, the Legislature committed Kentucky to the Union cause and declared war on the Confederacy. This legislative act had the unintended effect of prompting an even heavier flow of troops, including Kentucky Militia Men, to join the Confederate Army at Camp Boone where they formed a Confederate Brigade which soon thereafter returned to occupy Bowling Green.
Just to back up what djmilf said, the camp in question was not an armed military camp, it was a recruit/volunteer processing center right on the border. The volunteers were assembled and processed there before being moved the main camp across the border in Ohio.
The Confederate move is considered the first to violate neutrality as they moved an actual army across the border and constructed fortifications to reinforce their claims.
On a related tangent, I am well aware that most Kentuckians serving were with the Union. It has been said Kentucky joined the Confederacy AFTER the War! LOL
Speaking of the totals of men in uniform on either side, here is an interesting table:
Percent of records indicating Union Service in the Southern/Border states
Alabama - 1.4 Arkansas - 10.1 Florida - 6.2 Georgia - .001 Kentucky - 63% Louisiana - 1.1 Maryland - 89% Mississippi - .005 Missouri - 64% North Carolina - 2.7 Oklahoma (Indian Territory) -- no records available, although a noteable majority of the "Five Civilized Tribes" allied with the Confederacy. South Carolina - .006 Tennessee -- 27% Texas - 2.7 Virginia (includes later day West Virginia) -- 17%
On a related tangent, I am well aware that most Kentuckians serving were with the Union. It has been said Kentucky joined the Confederacy AFTER the War! LOL
Speaking of the totals of men in uniform on either side, here is an interesting table:
Percent of records indicating Union Service in the Southern/Border states
Alabama - 1.4 Arkansas - 10.1 Florida - 6.2 Georgia - .001 Kentucky - 63% Louisiana - 1.1 Maryland - 89% Mississippi - .005 Missouri - 64% North Carolina - 2.7 Oklahoma (Indian Territory) -- no records available, although a noteable majority of the "Five Civilized Tribes" allied with the Confederacy. South Carolina - .006 Tennessee -- 27% Texas - 2.7 Virginia (includes later day West Virginia) -- 17%
That article is written more as a history of the guard and fails to quote sources or opinions.
Camp Dick Robinson was not established as a Union Base until after the state had openly declated its allegiance and support to the Union cause. The initial establishment of the camp was undertaken by Kentuckian and pro-Union Captain Dick Robinson. He established the camp on his own personal farm to serve as a meeting place and processing area for men who wanted to volunteer to join the Union cause.
If we want to get nit-picky we could cite the fact that Confederate recruiters had been active in Kentucky from day one and large amounts of goods including horses, guns and munitions were being shipped through Kentucky to support the Confederate cause.
Regardless, the camp was just a camp. It was the Confederates who crossed the border, occupied Columbus to seize the railheads and constructed Fort DuRussey to control access to the Mississippi.
The Union supporters, all native Kentuckians, were camped out on a farm, the Confederates sent an army, composed of troops from various states to occupy the state.
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). Actually, though there is no mention in the history of the various Confederate national flags of any state being represented by any particular order of stars. 
Why TexasReb, I do declare...
