A. B. Galloway to Thomas E. Bramlette

KYR-0002-060-0032.xml

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Accession Number

KYR-0002-060-0032

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department of Military Affairs

Collection

Active Militia Records - Capital Guards, North Cumberland Btn., and Three Forks Btn.

Item Location

Box 77, Folder John T Akin of Lincoln Co. & The Rousey's of Boyle Co. - 1865

Place of Creation

Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

25 February 1865

Dates Mentioned

1865-02-25

1865-02-13

1865-01-15

1863-09-20

1865-01-10

1865-01-14

1865-01-18

1865-02-05

1865-02-14

1865

1865-03-01

A. B. Galloway to Thomas E. Bramlette, 25 February 1865, Active Militia Records - Capital Guards, North Cumberland Btn., and Three Forks Btn., Box 77, Folder John T Akin of Lincoln Co. & The Rousey's of Boyle Co. - 1865, Kentucky Department of Military Affairs, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0002-060-0032, (accessed April 25, 2024).

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Danville, Ky, Feb. 25, 1865.
His excellency Thos. E. Bramlette:

Sir:- Being convinced by statements made to me yesterday by John T. Akin, whom you recently commissioned to recruit a company for State-service at Milledgeville, near where I reside, that your excellency has been seriously imimposed upon ^and lead to issue an order, which,^ if he tells the truth, ~~which~~ is full of injustice to those involved. I wrote to you on 13, inst. asking permission to recruit a company on the same principle of Capt. Bridgewater. Not receiving an answer at the end of a week, I repaired in person to Frankfort, where I met Leut, Col. Carnes and, old acquaintance, who urged me not to enter the service in that way, but to take out a recruiting commission for 53 Ky. Cav. He thought it would be much better ^for^ myself, for the recruits and for the public service; and, as Gen. Lindsey seemed to be of the same opinion, I consented, and acted accordingly. I came home Thursday evening and went to Milledgeville on some business yesterday, when this John T. Akin accused me of having been to Frankfort to obtain authority for recruiting a company for the special protection of the Rousey boys, one of whom he murdered on 15, of Jan. last, and for whom he has a special hatred, and whose vengeance he probably has good reasons to dread. I told him that such was not the case, that I had commission to recruit for the U. S. A., and that I expected to enlist every man whom I thought to be a good soldier without regard to private animosities. I told him further, that I would enlist the Rousey boys if I could, for neighborhood difficulties were to be regretted, that he had committed an outrage upon the boys, and that they had done wrong in some of their proceedings since, that it was my greatest desire to have the peace and safety of all good citizens respected, and that I thought both parties had better be in the army than to be fighting each other to the detriment of private interest, and the peace ofand security of the whole community.
In reply I was told, or given to understand, that these men had been reported to you as guerillas and robbers, and that you had ordered him, (John T. Akin) to take them wherever they might be found, that they might be tried for the crimes alleged against them, that Gen. Hobson had given orders to the same effect, and that orders were also out forbidding the Rousey boys to be armed in case they should enlist in the service. Now, I have entirely too much faith ^in your^ virtue and good sense to believe that you can be duped by such a man into such measures. Nevertheless, ifas Akin has been armed by the state, has a few followers, (on a par with himself) says he acts by authority, and all who are found in company with the Rouseys, he and Bridgewater has orders to arrest and send off for trial, it is proper that I should say that if such orders have been issued -- in the name of truth and Justice I protest against it, and if you will pardon my prolixity, I will give my reasons at length for this protest.

I have resided in this vicinity since Sept. 20, 1863. and my professional duties have called me out more or less among all classes of society, and I can say, of a truth, that although I have, in many instances, heard charges of falsehood, theft, bribery, unchastity, idleness, &c, &c, made against various individuals in all classes of society,(?) that I have never heard any of these charges alledged against a Rousey, not even by Akin, or any of his friends, who would now, if they could, move heaven and earth to prove that these men, (Rouseys,) are guerillas, robbers and every thing else that is vile.

But why this sudden charge against the Rouseys? Simply this: The Rouseys, although poor men, and in possession of little education, are instinctively truthful, industrious, honest, and brave, even to a fault. Some of them will take an occasional spree, and although they despise backbiting (which seems to be a chronic distemper among their enemies,) they are not slow to tell their enemies exactly what they think of them whenever occasion requires.

Besides this, they are thoroughly loyal, nearly all of them and their particular friends, ~~friends~~ having proved this by hard services in the field; and I wish I could say as much for their particular enemies and their upholders, but I cannot except in a very few instances. But to the point. I learn that some years ago an elder brother of these men, being indicted for some offence and lodged in Stanford jail, was forcibly taken out and hanged by a mob. Some say, he was a desperately turbulent and dangerous man, while others whose veracity seems unquestionable stoutly aver that he was in every particular superior to those who mobbed him. But as to the real merits of that case I know nothing.

About 10th. of Jan. last Cam Rousey and Tom, his brother, were mustered out the along with their Regiment, (13th Ky. Cav.) came home, visited Milledgeville, "got on a bust," and annoyed some of the old mob considerably. It is said that Cam made some hard threats against the mob, while his younger brother, Tom, used every effort to restrain him, and on Saturday evening 14th. ult. he, (Cam) went home. The next day, Tom went back to preaching with his sister, his sweet heart, and other ladies. About the time Sabbath school was dismissed, John T. Akin walked out from his fathers house with a gun, (a cavalry rifle,) concealed under his great coat, took his position near the foot of the stair way, and ordered Tom Rousey to leave the village. Being told by the latter that he would not run from any man, he ordered him to leave again, but the lad would not run, so he brought out his gun, and deliberately shot him through the heart, in the presence of his sister and many other ladies. Rusey was perfectly sober, well behaved, and after dilligent inquiry, I have failed to find any one who heard Rousey make any threats against Akin, either on that or any previous occasion. Having slain Rousey, Akin ran down the pike among screaming women and children, hallooing
at the top of his voice, swearing that he had fulfilled his threat, and that he intended to kill four more, for they should not visit the place. To make matters worse, three members of the old mob ran out with guns, as if to protect Akin from arrest, or any other contingency that might arise. As might have been expected this combination against the life of an innocent and unarmed youth, excited in the hearts of his brothers and friends a spirit of the deepest revenge, and they doubtless overstepped the limits of the law in trying to destroy the murderer. (Ah the child has soiled my paper but I have not time to rewrite the thing.) One the night of the day in which Rousey was killed, some of them went to Akins and attempted to set fire to his meat house, so he says, in order that they might shoot him. when ^he^ came out to extinguish the flames. If this attempt was really made, it failed. Their next expedient was to arrest one James McBride, a member of the mob, take him to the mountainous section near by, in the hope that Akin and his immediate supports would follow. This they failed to do, and M^cBride was liberated. Very early on ~~wednesday~~ the morning of 18 ult. they repaired to the village with the intention of slaying the murderer at all hazzards. Finding that he had fifteen armed men in the house with him ^they^ concluded to take shelter and wait till he should come out. About day light, a man came out with a gun in hand, and supposing it to be Akin, they fired several times. The man went bak into the house, and supposing that no one was there but armed friends of Akin, they fired several times at the ^house^ it afterwards transpired that three ladies were in the house, but fortunately no one was hurt, except Cam Rousey, who was shot through and seriously wounded by Akin. Just here my personal acquaintance with the Rouseys commences. I was called upon to examine the wounded man, and paid him several professional visits, during which I made the acquaintance of all the boys.

Just here, also, ends the efforts of the Rouseys to destroy their adversary. What they had done, they did ^not^ seem disposed to conceal, and although I could see vengeance depicted in every countenance, I could also see the outgivings of a noble and generous nature, a nature which revolts at mean and cowardly acts. Seeing this I availed myself of the opportunity to advise them to be careful and respect the law, that no man who understood the ties of blood could fail to sympathise with them in their loss, or would blame them for seeking in a legal manner the destruction of the murderer, but that it would not do to rebel against the laws of the state, that Akin's threats placed him at their mercy, but did not authorise them to shoot others. They gave heed to my words, and left off offensive operations at once. But not so with Akin. A guilty conscience needs no accuser, and his all absorbing idea seemed to be the destruction of the Rouseys. He proceeded to Frankfort, obtained permission to recruit a company, drew arms, returned, enlisted a few men, charged up and down the pike, whooping and discharging their guns at imagniary enemies, dogs, cats, goats, &c. to the great annoyance of quiet people, and occasionally stoning the wretched cabin occupied by a half idiot stranger. Having recruited about one dozen men, most of them the basest and most unscrupulous character and wanting perhaps to show what great thinkgs he could accomplish, he took his squad on the night 5th. inst. and proceeded to visit Smith Rousey, reaching his house at three or four o'clock next morning in the midst of a snow storm. They called up and annyed several families on the way, and it is asserted they tried to force several citizens to go with them. A lady by the way told them that Rousey was at home alone, except his wife and children, and as the boys had dropped the matter, begged them not to interrupt him. But they swore they would go or die, and acted accordingly. Smith Rousey lives in a log house, and when they reached it, their first act was
to break down the doors, and the next, fire a volley into ^the^ house amongst the family, several balls barely missing Mrs. Rousey and her children. Rousey discovered their coming just in time to get into a proper position to send a volley into their thmidst which caused them to retreat several paces from the house, and take reffuge behind trees and rocks. But they continued the attack against the house untill they had fired about 300 shots. Rousey defending himself all the while, with a determination that finally drove them off, but not till they had made a fruitless effort to burn the house, and had two or three of their number slightly wounded. They called this an effort under your orders to arrest Smith Rousey; and having failed their fears for the result were raised to the highest pitch. On the next Tuesday, Feb. 14, two citizens of the hill country, came to the village, one after a stray cow, the other to get grinding done at the mill. Neither had had any thing to do with the matter, pro. or Con; but John T Akin being fully convinced of the great responsibility of his position and the necessity of conducting matters in true military style, and having the safety of an army of fully twelve men and boys to provide for, ordered these two men to be arrested and taken to Hustonville, lest they should communicate contraband intelligence to the Rouseys. Accordingly they were arrested and taken to Head Quarters at Hustonville. But Capt Bridgewater, no one of his men, a high private I believe, ordered their release. The names of the men arrested are Hiram Johnson, and James G Russell. So you see that in our section, we are having a fine display of military genius and executive ability. Now, I have given you a lengthy but true account of this whole matter, and I sincerely hope that if any such orders as I have spoken of have been issued by you, that you will revoke the same immediately and lay this communication before Gen. Hobson with a request that he do likewise.

If you are not willing to do this, I am requested by the Rouseys to say that they are not afraid of a thorough investigation before an impartial Judge, and I would suggest that some good and impartial military officer residing out of the state, be sent forward immediately to this locality with all papers you have received on the subject to investigate the matter. I would be glad to hear from you immediately so that I may know whether to enlist the Rouseys and their friends in case they should desire to enter the service.

Your Obedient Servant, A. B. Galloway.

P. S. Please hand the enclosed note to Gen. Lindsey.

Akin must be disarmed & disbanded if these statements are true better send some one to investigate

Danville Ky
Feby. 25" 1865

Galloway A. B.

To the Gov.

A statement in regard to the troubles casued by the Akins of Lincoln and the Rouseys of Boyle --

Akin must be disarmed & disbanded if these statements are true better send some one to investigate --

Tho^s E. Bramlette

L B N^o 10 -- 1865 P. 283

Rec^d A. G. O. Ky 1 March 1865

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