President Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis both maintained hands-off policies when dealing with Kentucky, hoping not to push the state into one camp or the other. From the L&N depot on Ninth and Broadway in Louisville and the steamboats at Louisville wharfs, supporters of the Confederacy sent uniforms, lead, bacon, coffee and war material south. Although Lincoln did not want to upset Kentucky's neutrality, on July 10, 1861, a federal judge in Louisville ruled that the United States government had the right to stop shipments of goods from going south over the L&N railroad.
President Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis both adopted a hands-off approach to Kentucky, aiming not to influence its allegiance. From Louisville's L&N depot on Ninth and Broadway and the steamboats at the wharfs, supporters of the Confederacy sent supplies like uniforms, lead, bacon, coffee, and war materials south. Although Lincoln sought to avoid upsetting Kentucky's neutrality, a federal judge in Louisville ruled on July 10, 1861, that the United States government had the right to halt shipments from going south via the L&N railroad.