Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/249

 Battle of Perryville. 241

tains, near Cumberland Gap, thence to Richmond, Ky., on his way to Frankfort.

Buell concentrated his forces in middle Tennessee, pursuing thence a parallel course through Murfreesboro, Nashville and thence to Louisville. It is said that Buell had under his command at and near Louisville about one hundred thousand men. Bragg had in his command, including Morgan and Marshall, a little over 40,000. The Confederates having, after spirited engagement, captured Mun- fordville on the one route, and routed Nelson at Richmond on the other, moved on with vigor, anticipating battle and a victory.

Sill and Dumont, with their divisions, moved toward Frankfort, and were distant from Kirby Smith about two days' march. The veteran forces of Buell' s army, outside of these two divisions, with some fresh levies, amounting to 58,000 men, under McCook, Gilbert and Crittenden, as his corps commanders, began rapidly to concen- trate near Perryville. McCook by way of Mackville; Gilbert by way of Springfield, and Crittenden by way of Lebanon.

On October 8, Withers' Division, about 5,000 men, had been de- tached, and ordered to make a junction with Kirby Smith not far from Versailles. This left Hardee's Corps of 10,000 men, Cheat- ham's Division of Folk's Corps, about 5,000, and two small detach- ments of cavalry under Wharton and Wheeler, Smith's Brigade of Cheatham's Division, was held in reserve between the points, Per- ryville on the south, and the mouth of Doctor's creek on the north.

Gilbert's Corps a little over 2i,-ooo, tinder the division command- ers, Mitchell, Sheridan and Schoepf were in position west of Doc- tor's Creek the evening of the yth; McCook' s Corps took its place to the left of Gilbert a little after midday October 8th; its right divi- sion commanded by Rousseau, and its left by Jackson; Crittenden' s Corps was in line of battle at 4 P. M., and took its place to the right of Gilbert. Buell displayed no higher qualities of leadership on this eventful day than Bragg; he^had his army too much separated until 4 P. M. Why he did not make a master stroke at that time, with over three to one, it is difficult to comprehend.

On the other hand, it is difficult to see why Bragg did not con- centrate his entire force at Perryville returning Withers' Division to Cheatham, and bringing up Kirby Smith as rapidly as possible, who was scarcely beyond a day's march, for such men as he had and utterly rout Buell's army in one decisive stroke. It is true he