Wallace, finding himself thus suddenly superseded, his plans ignored, and his voluntary service bluffly refused, left Lexington for Cincinnati.  While there the Battle of Richmond was fought, the disastrous results of which are still too fresh in the public mind to require repeating.  Nelson, who did not arrive upon the field until the day was about lost, and only in time to use his sword against his own men in a fruitless endeavor to rally them, received a flesh-wound, and hastened back the same night to Cincinnati, leaving many dead and wounded on the field, and thousands of our brave boys prisoners to be paroled by the Rebels.  These are simple matters of record, and are not here set down in any spirit of prejudice, or to throw a shadow upon the memory of the misguided, unfortunate, but courageous Nelson.

At this juncture General Wallace was again ordered to Lexington, this time by General Wright, a general whose gentlemanly bearing in all capacities makes him an ornament to the American army.  Wallace was ordered thither to resume command of the forces; but on arriving at Paris, the order was countermanded, and he was sent back to take charge of the city of Cincinnati.  Shrewdly suspecting that our forces would evacuate Lexington, he hastened to his new post.  General Wright was at that time in Louisville.  On his way back, Wallace was asked by one of his aids,—­

“Do you believe the enemy will come to Cincinnati?”

“Yes,” was the reply.  “Kirby Smith will first go to Frankfort.  He must have that place, if possible, for the political effect it will have.  If he gets it, he will surely come to Cincinnati.  He is an idiot, if he does not.  Here is the material of war,—­goods, groceries, salt, supplies, machinery, etc.,—­enough to restock the whole bogus Confederacy.”

“What are you going to do?  You have nothing to defend the city with.”

“I will show you,” was the reply.

Within the first half-hour after his arrival in Cincinnati, General Wallace wrote and sent to the daily papers the following proclamation, which fully and clearly develops his whole plan.

“PROCLAMATION.

“The undersigned, by order of Major-General Wright, assumes command of Cincinnati, Covington, and Newport.

“It is but fair to inform the citizens, that an active, daring, and powerful enemy threatens them with every consequence of war; yet the cities must be defended, and their inhabitants must assist in the preparation.

“Patriotism, duty, honor, self-preservation, call them to the labor, and it must be performed equally by all classes.

“First.  All business must be suspended at nine o’clock to-day.  Every business-house must be closed.

“Second.  Under the direction of the Mayor, the citizens must, within an hour after the suspension of business, (ten o’clock, A.M.,) assemble in convenient public places ready for orders.  As soon as possible they will then be assigned to their work.