Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade
General Bragg has by now taken the decision to move the Confederate armies from Kentucky and pull back into Tennessee, initially to Knoxville, with future designs on Nashville. He ordered Forrest's cavalry to establish a base at Murfreesboro, TN (infantry units were there as well). By the 16th, Bragg is at London, KY, and Buell's lead corps (Crittenden's) is just to the north.
General Buell does not desire to pursue the Rebels beyond London, due to the conditions. He has great immediate concern for Nashville, although General Negley, in charge at Nashville, was confident of holding the city. Here is General Buell's dispatch to Washington regarding the status on the 16th:
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HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE OHIO
October 16, 1862
Maj. Gen. HALLECK, General-in-Chief,
You are aware that between Crab Orchard and Cumberland Gap the country is almost a desert. The limited supply of forage which the country affords us consumed by the enemy as he passes. In the day and a half that we have been in this sterile region our animals have suffered exceedingly. The enemy has been driven into the heart of this desert and must go on, for he cannot exist in it. For the same reason, we cannot pursue in it with any hope of overtaking him, for while he is moving back on his supplies and as he goes consuming what the country affords we must bring ours forward. There is but one road and that a bad one. The route abounds in difficult defiles, in which a small force can retard the progress of a large one for a considerable time, and in that time the enemy could gain material advantage in a move on other points. For these reasons, which I do not think it necessary to elaborate, I deem it useless and inexpedient to continue the pursuit, but propose to direct the main force under my command rapidly upon Nashville, which General Negley reported to me as already invested by a considerable force and toward which I have no doubt Bragg will move the main part of his army. The railroads are being rapidly repaired and will soon be available for our supplies. In the mean time I shall throw myself on my wagon transportation, which, fortunately, is ample. While I shall proceed with these dispositions, deeming them to be proper for the public interest, it is but meet that I should say that the present time is perhaps as convenient as any for making any changes that may be thought proper in the command of this army. It has not accomplished all that I had hoped or all that faction might demand; yet, composed as it is, one-half of perfectly new troops, it has defeated a powerful and thoroughly disciplined army in one battle and has driven it away baffled and dispirited at least, and as much demoralized as an army can be under such discipline as Bragg maintains over all troops that he commands. I will telegraph you more in detail in regard to the disposition of troops in Kentucky and other matters tomorrow.
D. C. BUELL.
Major-General
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Buell here raises the prospect of his own dismissal. Ten months ago, he was making basically the same arguments against going into East Tennessee from nearly the same location. The relief of East Tennessee being the President's highest priority in the West, patience with Buell was at an end.
More Information:
- Link: War Operations, see Volume XVI, Chapter XXVIII, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 611-621.
- The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 86.
- Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 726-741.
- Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
- Kenneth Noe, Perryville: This Grand Havoc of Battle, pp. 73-334.
NEXT POST: OCTOBER 20TH
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