Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade
During this time, Generals Buell and Bragg mirrored each other in indecisiveness. Both had executed fast marches from Tennessee into Kentucky on minimal rations, both considered their army to be outnumbered, and both had their forces scattered. Bragg was far from his base at Chattanooga, and Buell was cut off from his supply base at Louisville.
Bragg captured the Union garrison at Munfordville that had successfully resisted capture earlier. Bragg then became doubtful about further attacking Union forces, and began to consider uniting with the other Confederate army under General Kirby Smith at Bardstown, which was about equally distant between the two.
Buell meanwhile continued north, and had decided to attack Bragg at Munfordville. He began to reconsider, based on reports from his defenders that had surrendered at that town. In the end, he decided to hurry all his divisions toward Louisville, to reconnect supply lines and meet up with the troops sent out from Louisville toward his position at Bowling Green.
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On the 17th the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) is fought in Maryland. This battle is known for having the largest single-day casualties in the entire Civil War. Union dead are 2108, with 9549 wounded, for the Confederate army, 2700 killed and 9024 wounded. General Lee's Confederates are forced to retreat back into Virginia.
More Information:
- Link: War Operations, see Volume XVI, Chapter XXVIII, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 519-526.
- The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 81-85.
- Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 650-659.
- Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp,4-10, 31-42.
- Kenneth Noe, Perryville: This Grand Havoc of Battle, pp. 62-72.
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