Civil War and Reconstruction Blog: 

General Order NO. 70 and Declaration of Martial Law 

          General Order NO. 70 was issued by Brigadier-General Buell, who was in the Commanding Department of the Ohio, and Brigadier-General O.M. Mitchell, Commanding on February 19, 1862.  The first part of the order is from Brigadier-General Buell to his soldiers in the Army of Ohio, Third Division.  Brigadier-General Buell is recognizing everything that his soldiers have done by acknowledging they have marched 40 miles in twenty eight and a half hours, by praising them for their victory and saying they had accomplished triumph in northern Kentucky, and acknowledging that they had carried their own luggage for miles while following a "retreating and panic stricken foe".  Brigadier-General Mitchell then says that this division has nothing to fear in battle because their energy and prowess would be tested to a far less extent.  He then goes on to say that he feels a "perfect confidence that the high estimate placed upon your power, endurance, energy and heroism is just."  He then says that he trusts they feel the same as him in that "nothing is done while anything remains to be done."

This order was interesting because its intention was to urge the Union Army of Ohio forward.  You could almost say he was using propaganda by telling the soldiers how great they had done in battle and in their March.  At the end, with his quote about nothing being done while anything remains to be done, is reminding the soldiers that they must continue on and keep on becoming victorious.  He tells them that they should have nothing to fear, because they would be tested far less by the fighting now, because they had accomplished so much already with their prior fights and pursuit of the enemy.  It shows the level of success they were having in this area of the War at the time, and how hard the war was.  These soldiers marched forty miles in little over a day which is amazing to me.  The General is then writing to inspire his soldiers to do even more.  I felt this was a good glimpse into what soldiers went through off the battle field and an illustration of how Generals would keep soldier morale up.

          I found the flyer from Lexington, Kentucky declaring Martial Law historically significant as well.  The order for Marshall Law was issued June 8th, 1864 by Wickliffe Cooper.  The extract establishes that the Kentucky calvary has assumed command of all the forces in Lexington and vicinity, that the military has declared Martial Law in the area and no passes will be granted until a change in order, that all bar rooms will be closing at 8 P.M., and that all citizens should be in their homes anytime after 9 P.M.

I found this historically significant because it shows us what was going on in our own state at this time in the war, just 15-25 from our location right now.  The Kentucky Militia had just won Lexington and forced all intruders out.  It was also interesting to me because of Martial Law in general.  I have always found the idea of Martial Law fascinating, when is it alright for Martial Law to be declared?  And when is it okay to infringe on rights of citizens in this way?  Not many times in  United States History does our government enact Martial Law.  I find it interesting to study their reasoning in the specific cases that they do and examine why they thought it was necessary.  This happening in Lexington was interesting because it was one of the few times in in United States History where Martial Law has been declared and it shows us that what was going on in Lexington, Kentucky was extremely important.