the army of the cumberland-第10节

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followed；　attacked　Johnson's　retreating　forces　and　drove　the　Federals　some　three　miles。　　Johnson　reformed　his　lines　twice；　but　the　enemy　broke；　and　drove　them　each　time。　　He　then　reformed　the　remnant　of　his　command　and　fought　the　enemy　dismounted；　when　the　latter　charged　again；　and　Johnson；　seeing　that　the　greater　part　of　his　command　had　scattered；　surrendered。　　The　force　that　was　with　him　at　this　time　was　only　a　small　band　of　some　twenty…five　soldiers　and　a　few　officers。　　His　loss　was　20　killed　and　42　wounded。　　Duke　in　his　〃History　of　Morgan's　Cavalry；〃　says：　　〃A　great　deal　of　censure　was　at　the　time　cast　upon　these　men〃Johnson's　command〃and　they　were　accused　of　arrant　cowardice　by　the　Northern　press。　　Nothing　could　have　been　more　unjust。　　They　attacked　with　spirit　and　without　hesitation；　and　were　unable　to　close　with　us　on　account　of　their　heavy　loss　in　men　and　horses。　　I　have　seen　troops　much　more　highly　boasted　than　these　were　before　their　defeat；　behave　not　nearly　so　well。〃　　And　of　Johnson；　Duke　says：　　〃His　attack　was　made　promptly　and　in　splendid　style；　his　dispositions　throughout　the　first　fight　were　good；　and　he　exhibited　fine　personal　courage　and　energy。〃





Chapter　V。




Bragg's　Advance　into　Kentucky。


After　Nelson's　pursuit　of　Forrest　on　his　raid　around　Nashville；　he　was　ordered　by　General　Buell　to　McMinnville。　　Crittenden　and　McCook　with　their　divisions　were　at　Battle　Creek；　Thomas　and　Wood　were　on　the　line　of　the　Nashville　and　Chattanooga　Railroad；　and　Mitchel's　division；　under　the　command　of　Rousseau；　on　the　line　of　railroad　from　Decatur　to　Columbia。　　Bragg　had　so　well　concealed　his　intention　as　to　his　advance；　that　Buell　was　compelled　to　be　in　readiness　to　meet　him　in　the　event　of　one　of　three　movements；　which　it　was　supposed　he　would　make　if　he　moved　before　Buell　was　ready　to　advance　upon　him。

The　latter　thought　Bragg　would　either　move　by　the　left；　pass　around　into　Northern　Alabama；　cross　at　Decatur；　and　press　north　for　Nashville。　　This　he　regarded　as　the　most　likely　movement。　　Or；　second；　more　direct；　crossing　the　mountains；　pass　through　McMinnville；　and　so　on　to　Nashville。　　Or；　third；　to　move　by　way　of　Knoxville　into　Eastern　Kentucky。　　The　latter；　up　to　the　first　of　September；　Buell　regarded　as　hardly　a　possibility；　supposing　Bragg's　movements　all　indicated　an　advance　on　Nashville。　　Thomas　was　ordered　to　assume　command　of　the　troops　at　McMinnville；　to　repair　the　railroad　from　Tullahoma　to　that　point　as　he　went；　and　to　establish　posts　of　observation　with　signal　stations　on　the　mountains　to　watch　Bragg's　movements。　　Thomas　assumed　command　at　McMinnville　on　the　19th　of　August；　on　the　same　day　that　Bragg　sent　a　column　of　three　or　four　thousand　troops　across　the　river　at　Chattanooga。　　Buell；　in　anticipation　of　this　being　the　advance　of　Bragg's　entire　army　en　route　for　Nashville；　despatched　Wood　to　the　vicinity　of　McMinnville；　to　aid　in　resisting　his　advance。　　He　then　ordered　McCook　to　move　from　Battle　Creek　to　the　Therman　road；　where　he　was　to　hold　the　enemy　in　check　until　re…enforced　by　Thomas。　　Crittenden's　division　was　sent　up　the　valley　through　Tracy　City；　by　the　Altamont　road；　to　be　within　supporting　distance　of　McCook；　and　to　watch　the　road　from　there　to　Chattanooga。　　Thomas　was　directed　to　hold　his　command　in　readiness　to　move　at　a　moment's　notice；　either　on　the　Therman　or　Dunlap　road。　　On　the　22d；　Buell　learned　that　Bragg's　whole　army　was　north　of　the　Tennessee；　and　he　then；　further　to　concentrate　his　command；　moved　his　supplies　from　the　depot　at　Stenvson　to　Dechard。　Thomas　on　the　same　day　telegraphed　from　McMinnville　to　Buell　that　he　believed　Bragg's　movements　meant　an　advance　of　his　entire　army　into　Kentucky。　　Thomas　reconnoitered　thoroughly　the　front　of　his　position；　and　ascertained　that　the　enemy　was　not　there　and　not　as　yet　even　in　Sequatchie　Valley。　　This　he　reported　to　Buell；　and　suggested　that　Wood's　division　be　posted　at　Sparta；　to　intercept　Bragg's　advance；　if　made　through　that　place；　that　another　division　be　left　at　Dechard；　to　watch　any　movement　in　that　direction；　and　that　the　remaining　portions　of　the　command　be　concentrated　at　McMinnville；　ready　to　offer　battle　to　Bragg's　army　if　it　should　advance　on　that　front。　　Thomas　regarded　Bragg's　advance　either　on　Nashville　or　Louisville　as　possible　only　through　McMinnville　or　Sparta；　and　he　proposed　to　attack　before　Bragg　could　reach　either。　　On　the　next　day　Buell；　under　advices　that　he　regarded　as　reliable；　ordered　the　First；　Second；　Fourth；　Fifth；　and　Sixth　Divisions　to　concentrate　at　Altamont；　intending　there　to　offer　battle。　　He　sent　detailed　instructions　to　Thomas；　in　charge　of　the　movement；　as　to　the　disposition　of　his　command；　with　orders　in　the　event　of　defeat　to　fall　back；　keeping　his　force　between　the　enemy　and　Nashville。　　On　the　25th；　Thomas　reached　Altamont；　and　finding　no　enemy　nearer　than　the　Sequatchie　Valley；　and　regarding　Bragg's　advance　by　way　of　Altamont　improbable；　owing　to　the　bad　condition　of　the　roads；　and　lack　of　forage　and　water；　returned　to　McMinnville　with　the　Fourth　and　Sixth　Divisions。　　On　the　30th；　Buell　gave　orders　concentrating　his　entire　command　at　Murfreesboro；　still　under　the　impression　that　Bragg　expected　to　strike　for　Nashville。　　The　latter's　movements　were　so　well　guarded；　and　Buell　had　as　yet　so　little　reliable　information　in　regard　to　them；　that　he　hesitated　even　after　the　order　was　issued；　and　the　next　day　asked　Thomas's　advice　in　regard　to　it；　in　the　light　of　any　further　information　as　to　the　movements　of　the　enemy。　　Thomas　advised　that　the　movement　proceed；　having　been　commenced；　and　gave　a　plan　of　battle　in　the　movement　from　Murfreesboro。　　Thomas；　on　the　30th；　captured　a　despatch　that　Bragg；　on　the　27th；　had　sent　to　Van　Dorn；　in　command　in　Mississippi；　conveying　to　him　in　full　his　plans　in　regard　to　his　advance　into　Kentucky；　and　informed　him　that　Kirby　Smith；　re…enforced　with　two　divisions　from　this　army；　had　turned　Cumberland　Gap；　and　was　marching　on　Lexington；　Ky。

Buell's　army　at　Murfreesboro　consisted　of　five　divisions　under　his　immediate　command；　the　troops　being　then　on　the　line　of　the　railroad。　　In　addition　he　had　two　divisions　sent　to　him　from　the　Army　of　the　TennesseeGeneral　J。　C。　Davis'　division；　under　General　R。　B。　Mitchell；　which　arrived　at　Murfreesboro　on　the　2d　of　September；　and　General　E。　A。　Paine's　division；　under　the　command　of　General　J。　M。　Palmer；　which　reached　Nashville　on　the　10th。　　This　concentration　of　the　army　at　Murfreesboro　of　course　withdrew　all　troops　from　the　mountains；　leaving　Bragg　unhampered　in　the　selection　of　his　route；　either　west　to　Nashville；　or　north　to　Louisville。　　He　made　choice　of　the　latter；　and　pushed　down　the　valley　of　the　Cumberland　to　Carthage；　where　he　crossed；　moving　through　Scottsboro　and　Glasgow；　to　strike　the　Louisville　and　Nashville　Railroad。　　Bragg　entered　Kentucky　with　five　divisions；　making　an　army　of　some　thirty…five　thousand　men；　divided　between　Generals　Polk　and　Hardee。　　While　at　Murfreesboro　Buell　first　learned　definitely　of　Bragg's　movements；　and　of　his　intended　advance　into　Kentucky。　　The　news　of　the　movements　of　Kirby　Smith　and　of　Nelson's　defeat　also　reached　him　here。

On　August　16th；　Buell　had　ordered　Nelson　to　assume　command　in　Kentucky；　and　to　make　such　dispositions　of　his　troops　as　would　resist　any　movement　by　Kirby　Smith；　then　threatening　Cumberland　Gap。　　The　plan　of　the　rebels　in　their　campaign；　which　was　intended　to　free　the　soil　of　the　South　from　the　Northern　armies　by　carrying　the　war　into　the　North；　was　for　Kirby　Smith　to　move　through　Eastern　Kentucky　to　Lexington　and　thence　to　Cincinnati；　and　for　Bragg　to　push　through　Central　Kentucky　to　Louisville。　　With　these　two　cities　in　the　possession　of　their　armies　it　would　be　a　short　step　to　enter　upon　the　rich　fields　of　the　Northern　States；　and　with　the　large　number　of　new　recruits　gained　en　route　their　armies　could　resist　any　Northern　troops　that　would　be　brought　against　them。　　This　had　been　Sidney　Johnston's　plan　to　be　worked　out　after　he　had　achieved　the　victory　he　contemplated　at　Shiloh；　and　Bragg　as　his　successor　endeavored　to　carry　out　Johnston's　plan　of　campaign。　　One　was　as　much　a　success　as　the　other；　and　in　both　the　hour　of　defeat　trod　so　quickly　on　their　apparent　victory　that　the　campaign　in　each　instance　ultimately　resulted　in　failure。　　So　far　as　the　advance　of　Bragg　and　Kirby　Smith　into　Kentucky　was　concerned；　by　it　the　South　suffered　a　loss　instead　of　a　gain；　and　was　compelled　from　that　time　on　to　act　upon　a　steadily　lessening　line　of　defence。　　Bragg's　report　shows　he　took　a　smaller　command　out　than　he　took　into　the　State。

On　the　same　day　that　Nelson's　orders　were　dated；　Stevenson　appeared　with　his　division　before　Cumberland　Gap。　　George　W。　Morgan　in　command　there　immediately　sent　out　cavalry　to　the　adjoining　gaps　to　watch　for　further　movements　of　the　enemy。　　When　a　short　distance　from　Roger's　Gap　the　cavalry　struck　the　head　of　Kirby　Smith's　army　on　its　advance　to　Kentucky。　　Smith's　forces　were　those　of　his　own　command　in　East　Tennessee；　re…enforced　by　the　divisions　of　McCown　from　Mississippi；　sent　him　by　Bragg；　and　also　the　two　fine　brigades　of　Cleburne　and　Preston　Smith；　ordered　to　report　to　him　from　Chattanooga。　　Kirby　Smith　moved　with　his　main　command　to　Barb