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located upon the Kentucky shore of the Ohio； I directed the rest to
follow my lead。 Just before reaching Caseyville； the captain of a
tin…clad gunboat that was patrolling the river brought me the
information that the enemy was in strong force at Caseyville； and
expressed a fear that my fleet could not pass his batteries。
Accepting the information as correct； I concluded to capture the
place before trying to pass up the river。 Pushing in to the bank as
we neared the town； I got the troops ashore and moved on Caseyville；
in the expectation of a bloody fight； but was agreeably surprised
upon reaching the outskirts of the village by an outpouring of its
inhabitantsmen； women； and childrencarrying the Stars and
Stripes； and making the most loyal professions。 Similar
demonstrations of loyalty had been made to the panic…stricken captain
of the gunboat when he passed down the river； but he did not stay to
ascertain their character； neither by landing nor by inquiry； for he
assumed that on the Kentucky bank of the river there could be no
loyalty。 The result mortified the captain intensely； and deeming his
convoy of little further use； he steamed toward Cairo in quest of
other imaginary batteries； while I re…embarked at Caseyville； and
continued up the Ohio undisturbed。 About three miles below
Cincinnati I received instructions to halt； and next day I was
ordered by Major…General H。 G。 Wright to take my troops back to
Louisville； and there assume command of the Pea Ridge Brigade；
composed of the Second and Fifteenth Missouri； Thirty…sixth and
Forty…fourth Illinois infantry； and of such other regiments as might
be sent me in advance of the arrival of General Buell's army。
When I reached Louisville I reported to Major…General William Nelson；
who was sick； and who received me as he lay in bed。 He asked me why
I did not wear the shoulder…straps of my rank。 I answered that I was
the colonel of the Second Michigan cavalry； and had on my appropriate
shoulder…straps。 He replied that I was a brigadier…general for the
Booneville fight； July 1； and that I should wear the shoulder…straps
of that grade。 I returned to my command and put it in camp； and as I
had no reluctance to wearing the shoulder…straps of a brigadier…
general； I was not long in procuring a pair； particularly as I was
fortified next day by receiving from Washington official information
of my appointment as a brigadier…general； to date from July 1； 1862；
the day of the battle of Booneville
CHAPTER XI。
GOOD ADVICE FROM GENERAL NELSONHIS TRAGIC DEATHPUTTING LOUISVILLE
IN A STATE OF DEFENSEASSIGNED TO THE COMMAND OF THE ELEVENTH
DIVISIONCAPTURE OF CHAPLIN HEIGHTSBATTLE OF PERRYVILLEREPORTED
AMONG THE KILLEDA THRILLING INCIDENTGENERAL BUELL RELIEVED BY
GENERAL ROSECRANS。
I reported to Major…General Nelson at the Galt House in Louisville；
September 14； 1862； who greeted me in the bluff and hearty fashion of
a sailorfor he had been in the navy till the breaking out of the
war。 The new responsibilities that were now to fall upon me by
virtue of increased rank caused in my mind an uneasiness which； I
think； Nelson observed at the interview； and he allayed it by giving
me much good advice； and most valuable information in regard to
affairs in Kentucky； telling me also that he intended I should retain
in my command the Pea Ridge Brigade and Hescock's battery。 This
latter assurance relieved me greatly； for I feared the loss of these
troops in the general redistribution which I knew must soon take
place； and being familiar with their valuable service in Missouri；
and having brought them up from Mississippi； I hoped they would
continue with me。 He directed me to take position just below the
city with the Pea Ridge Brigade； Hescock's battery； and the Second
Michigan Cavalry； informing me； at the same time； that some of the
new regiments； then arriving under a recent call of the President for
volunteers； would also be assigned to my command。 Shortly after the
interview eight new regiments and an additional battery joined me；
thus making good his promise of more troops。
A few days later came Nelson's tragic end； shocking the whole
country。 Those of us in camp outside of the city were startled on
the morning of September 29 by the news that General Jefferson C。
Davis； of the Union Army； had shot General Nelson at the Galt House；
and the wildest rumors in regard to the occurrence came thick and
fast； one to the effect that Nelson was dead； another having it that
he was living and had killed Davis； and still others reflecting on
the loyalty of both； it being supposed by the general public at first
that the difficulty between the two men had grown out of some
political rather than official or personal differences。 When the
news came； I rode into the city to the Galt House to learn the
particulars； reaching there about 10 o'clock in the forenoon。 Here I
learned that Nelson had been shot by Davis about two hours before； at
the foot of the main stairway leading from the corridor just beyond
the office to the second floor； and that Nelson was already dead。 It
was almost as difficult to get reliable particulars of the matter at
the hotel as it had been in my camp； but I gathered that the two men
had met first at an early hour near the counter of the hotel office；
and that an altercation which had begun several days before in
relation to something official was renewed by Davis； who； attempting
to speak to Nelson in regard to the subject…matter of their previous
dispute； was met by an insulting refusal to listen。 It now appears
that when Nelson made this offensive remark； Davis threw a small
paper ball that he was nervously rolling between his fingers into
Nelson's face； and that this insult was returned by Nelson slapping
Davis （Killed by a Brother Soldier。Gen。 J。 B。 Fry。） in the face。
But at the time； exactly what had taken place just before the
shooting was shrouded in mystery by a hundred conflicting stories；
the principal and most credited of which was that Davis had demanded
from Nelson an apology for language used in the original altercation；
and that Nelson's refusal was accompanied by a slap in the face； at
the same moment denouncing Davis as a coward。 However this may be；
Nelson； after slapping Davis； moved toward the corridor； from which a
stairway led to the second floor； and just as he was about to ascend；
Davis fired with a pistol that he had obtained from some one near by
after the blow had been struck。 The ball entered Nelson's breast
just above the heart； but his great strength enabled him to ascend
the stairway notwithstanding the mortal character of the wound； and
he did not fall till he reached the corridor on the second floor。 He
died about half an hour later。 The tragedy cast a deep gloom over
all who knew the men； for they both had many warm personal friends；
and affairs at Louisville had hardly recovered as yet from the
confused and discouraging condition which preceded the arrival of
General Buell's army。 General Buell reported the killing of Nelson
to the authorities at Washington； and recommended the trial of Davis
by court…martial； but no proceedings were ever instituted against him
in either a civil or military court； so to this day it has not been
determined judicially who was the aggressor。 Some months later Davis
was assigned to the command of a division in Buell's army after that
officer had been relieved from its command。
Two Confederate armies； under General Kirby Smith and General Braxton
Bragg； had penetrated into Kentucky； the one under Smith by the way
of Cumberland Gap； the other and main army under Bragg by way of the
Sequatche Valley； Glasgow； and Mumfordsville。 Glasgow was captured
by the enemy on the 17th of September； and as the expectation was
that Buell would reach the place in time to save the town； its loss
created considerable alarm in the North； for fears were now
entertained that Bragg would strike Louisville and capture the city
before Buell could arrive on the ground。 It became necessary
therefore to put Louisville in a state of defense； and after the
cordon of principal works had been indicated； my troops threw up in
one night a heavy line of rifle…pits south of the city； from the
Bardstown pike to the river。 The apprehended attack by Bragg never
came； however； for in the race that was then going on between him and
Buell on parallel roads； the Army of the Ohio outmarched the
Confederates； its advance arriving at Louisville September 25。
General Buell immediately set about reorganizing the whole force； and
on September 29 issued an order designating the troops under my
command as the Eleventh Division； Army of the Ohio； and assigning
Brigadier…General J。 T。 Boyle to command the division； and me to
command one of its brigades。 To this I could not object； of course；
for I was a brigadier…general of very rece