The great Union majority now revealed gave such decided evidence that Kentucky was not likely to be seduced from her loyalty, that the secessionists became convinced of the necessity of accomplishing their purpose by other means. The rebel forces were, therefore, ordered to take possession of several important points, which they did on the 4th of September, and commenced fortifying Hickman and Columbus—the former being in the western part of the State, near the line, and the latter some twenty-five miles further north, on the Mississippi river. Generals Pillow and Polk now took command of the rebel troops, and were soon reinforced, their combined forces amounting to thirteen regiments of artillery, six field batteries, a siege battery, three battalions of cavalry, three steamers, and a gunboat. In the mean time, Jefferson Thompson, with two regiments, took possession of Belmont, on the Missouri side, opposite Columbus. The assumed neutrality having thus been broken by this invasion, the Federal commander, General U. S. Grant, then at Cairo, Illinois, lost no time in making a movement to intercept the further progress of the rebels northward. He accordingly sent a sufficient force up the Ohio, to the mouth of the Tennessee river, and effected THE OCCUPATION OF PADUCAH. On Thursday evening, the 5th of September, the gunboats Tyler and Conestoga were ordered to convey the troops to Paducah. The Ninth Illinois, under the gallant Major Philips, and the Twelfth Illinois, Colonel John McArthur, with four pieces of Smith’s Chicago Artillery, under Lieutenant Charles Willard, embarked on the steamers G. W. Graham and W. H. B., and left Cairo at 11 o’clock, P. M., the gunboat Tyler, Captain Rogers, leading, and the Conestoga, Captain Phelps, in the rear. The fleet pushed out into the stream amid the cheers of thousands of spectators, and steamed grandly up the Ohio. They reached Paducah about eight o’clock, A. M., on Friday, the 6th. The troops were speedily disembarked. Colonel McArthur’s regiment landed at the Marine Hospital, in the lower part of the city, and the Ninth at the foot of Main street. The Twelfth found quarters at the hospital, and the Ninth repaired to the depot of the Ohio and New Orleans railroad. The citizens were sullen and unfriendly, and closed their places of business. On arriving at the depot the troops found that the rolling stock of the road had all been removed, but a large quantity of stores for the confederate army was discovered, and promptly seized. They were marked for Memphis, New Orleans, and other points south, and were worth about $20,000.