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command one of its brigades。 To this I could not object； of course；
for I was a brigadier…general of very recent date； and could hardly
expect more than a brigade。 I had learned； however； that at least
one officer to whom a high command had been givena corpshad not
yet been appointed a general officer by the President； and I
considered it somewhat unfair that I should be relegated to a
brigade； while men who held no commissions at all were being made
chiefs of corps and divisions； so I sought an interview with General
Buell's chief…of…staff； Colonel Fry； and； while not questioning
Buell's good intentions nor his pure motives； insisted that my rights
in the matter should be recognized。 That same evening I was assigned
to the command of the Eleventh Division； and began preparing it at
once for a forward movement； which I knew must soon take place in the
resumption of offensive operations by the Army of the Ohio。
During the interval from September 25 till October 1 there was among
the officers much criticism of General Buell's management of the
recent campaign； which had resulted in his retirement to Louisville；
and he was particularly censured by many for not offering battle to
General Bragg while the two armies were marching parallel to each
other； and so near that an engagement could have been brought on at
any one of several pointsnotably so at Glasgow； Kentucky； if there
had been a desire to join issue。 It was asserted； and by many
conceded； that General Buell had a sufficient force to risk a fight。
He was much blamed for the loss of Mumfordsville also。 The capture
of this point； with its garrison； gave Bragg an advantage in the race
toward the Ohio River； which odds would most likely have ensured the
fall of Louisville had they been used with the same energy and skill
that the Confederate commander displayed from Chattanooga to Glasgow；
but something always diverted General Bragg at the supreme moment；
and he failed to utilize the chances falling to him at this time；
for； deflecting his march to the north toward Bardstown； he left open
to Buell the direct road to Louisville by way of Elizabethtown。
At Bardstown Bragg's army was halted while he endeavored to establish
a Confederate government in Kentucky by arranging for the
installation of a provisional governor at Lexington。 Bragg had been
assured that the presence of a Confederate army in Kentucky would so
encourage the secession element that the whole State could be forced
into the rebellion and his army thereby largely increased； but he had
been considerably misled； for he now found that though much latent
sympathy existed for his cause； yet as far as giving active aid was
concerned； the enthusiasm exhibited by the secessionists of Kentucky
in the first year of the war was now replaced by apathy； or at best
by lukewarmness。 So the time thus spent in political machinations
was wholly lost to Bragg； and so little reinforcement was added to
his army that it may be said that the recruits gained were not enough
to supply the deficiencies resulting from the recent toilsome marches
of the campaign。
In the meanwhile Buell had arrived at Louisville； system had been
substituted for the chaos which had previously obtained there； and
orders were issued for an advance upon the enemy with the purpose of
attacking and the hope of destroying him within the limits of the
〃blue grass〃 region； and； failing in that； to drive him from
Kentucky。 The army moved October 1； 1862； and my division； now a
part of the Third Corps； commanded by General C。 C。 Gilbert； marched
directly on Bardstown； where it was thought the enemy would make a
stand； but Bragg's troops retreated toward Perryville； only resisting
sufficiently to enable the forces of General Kirby Smith to be drawn
in closerthey having begun a concentration at Frankfortso they
could be used in a combined attack on Louisville as soon as the
Confederate commander's political projects were perfected。
Much time was consumed by Buell's army in its march on Perryville；
but we finally neared it on the evening of October 7。 During the
day； Brigadier…General Robert B。 Mitchell's division of Gilbert's
corps was in the advance on the Springfield pike； but as the enemy
developed that he was in strong force on the opposite side of a small
stream called Doctor's Creek； a tributary of Chaplin River； my
division was brought up and passed to the front。 It was very
difficult to obtain water in this section of Kentucky； as a drought
had prevailed for many weeks； and the troops were suffering so for
water that it became absolutely necessary that we should gain
possession of Doctor's Creek in order to relieve their distress。
Consequently General Gilbert； during the night； directed me to push
beyond Doctor's Creek early the next morning。 At daylight on the 8th
I moved out Colonel Dan McCook's brigade and Barnett's battery for
the purpose； but after we had crossed the creek with some slight
skirmishing； I found that we could not hold the ground unless we
carried and occupied a range of hills； called Chaplin Heights； in
front of Chaplin River。 As this would project my command in the
direction of Perryville considerably beyond the troops that were on
either flank； I brought up Laiboldt's brigade and Hescock's battery
to strengthen Colonel McCook。 Putting both brigades into line we
quickly carried the Heights； much to the surprise of the enemy； I
think； for he did not hold on to the valuable ground as strongly as
he should have done。 This success not only ensured us a good supply
of water； but also； later in the day； had an important bearing in the
battle of Perryville。 After taking the Heights； I brought up the
rest of my division and intrenched； without much difficulty； by
throwing up a strong line of rifle…pits； although the enemy's
sharpshooters annoyed us enough to make me order Laiboldt's brigade
to drive them in on the main body。 This was successfully done in a
few minutes； but in pushing them back to Chaplin River； we discovered
the Confederates forming a line of battle on the opposite bank； with
the apparent purpose of an attack in force； so I withdrew the brigade
to our intrenchments on the crest and there awaited the assault。
While this skirmishing was going on； General Gilbertthe corps
commanderwhose headquarters were located on a hill about a mile
distant to the rear； kept sending me messages by signal not to bring
on an engagement。 I replied to each message that I was not bringing
on an engagement； but that the enemy evidently intended to do so； and
that I believed I should shortly be attacked。 Soon after returning
to the crest and getting snugly fixed in the rifle…pits； my attention
was called to our left； the high ground we occupied affording me in
that direction an unobstructed view。 I then saw General A。 McD。
McCook's corpsthe First…advancing toward Chaplin River by the
Mackville road； apparently unconscious that the Confederates were
present in force behind the stream。 I tried by the use of signal
flags to get information of the situation to these troops； but my
efforts failed； and the leading regiments seemed to approach the
river indifferently prepared to meet the sudden attack that speedily
followed； delivered as it was from the chosen position of the enemy。
The fury of the Confederate assault soon halted this advance force；
and in a short time threw it into confusion； pushed it back a
considerable distance； and ultimately inflicted upon it such loss of
men and guns as to seriously cripple McCook's corps； and prevent for
the whole day further offensive movement on his part； though he
stoutly resisted the enemy's assaults until 4 o'clock in the
afternoon。
Seeing McCook so fiercely attacked； in order to aid him I advanced
Hescock's battery； supported by six regiments； to a very good
position in front of a belt of timber on my extreme left； where an
enfilading fire could be opened on that portion of the enemy
attacking the right of the First Corps； and also on his batteries
across Chaplin River。 But at this juncture he placed two batteries
on my right and began to mass troops behind them； and General
Gilbert； fearing that my intrenched position on the heights might be
carried； directed me to withdraw Hescock and his supports and return
them to the pits。 My recall was opportune； for I had no sooner got
back to my original line than the Confederates attacked me furiously；
advancing almost to my intrenchments； notwithstanding that a large
part of the ground over which they had to move was swept by a heavy
fire of canister from both my batteries。 Before they had quite
reached us； however； our telling fire made them recoil； and as they
fell back； I directed an advance of my whole division； bringing up my
reserve regiments to occupy the crest of the hills； Colonel William
P。 Carlin's brigade of Mitchell's division meanw