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defend himself, immediately thereon firing. The ball penetrated his left breast, and General Nelson died in about twenty minutes." The coarse and violent conduct of General Nelson was generally thought, by its excessive provocation, to palliate the attack by General Davis, who, after a short detention under arrest, was ordered to duty in Kentucky.

A guerrilla attack upon the town of Augusta, on the Kentucky bank of the Ohio about forty miles above Cincinnati, illustrates the character of the civil war in the state, and the sufferings brought, at this time, upon the inhabitants by the rebel aggressors. At noon, on the 27th of September, this quiet place, with about 1,500 inhabitants, was suddenly startled by the announcement of the approach of a band of some four or five hundred mounted guerrillas under a leader named Bazil Duke. There were in the town about a hundred home guards and militia, under command of Colonel J. T. Bradford, and there were several gunboats at hand in the river. With these resources, Colonel Bradford resolved upon a defence. The rebel cavalry having captured the pickets and appeared with a piece of artillery upon the hill immediately back of the place, there was barely time to order shell to be thrown from the gunboat Belfast, and to station the little militia band among the brick houses of the town. The women and children, unable to get away, were to take refuge in the cellars. A shell from the Belfast took effect upon a party of the enemy and caused them to change the position of their gun. Fire was returned from the hill with little or no effect beyond causing the timorous withdrawal of the gunboats, leaving the town exposed to the assault of a body of men five times as numerous as its defenders. Then, in the words of Judge Joseph Doniphan, in his report of the affair to General Wright, came a shout from the rebels, and they were upon us. From every window our true and trusty boys were firing, and for one

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half-hour the leaden hail was doing its work of death; rebel after rebel was made to bite the dust, while our boys, thus secreted, were fighting for their homes and firesides. But what a scene now followed! The houses in which our forces were posted were set on fire, the cannon of the enemy was planted in our streets, and, disregarding the women and children, they were firing shell into the houses. Yet, true to their work, the little band of Union men fought on until it was madness to try to hold out longer. Colonel Bradford ordered a surrender. As soon as this was done, then commenced the pillage and plunder-every rebel acting for himself. Stores were broken open and rifled of what was wanted by the rebels. This, however, was soon over, the rebel bugle was soon sounded, and the enemy retired from our town in good order, though in haste.

"The fighting was desperate, and although our loss is small, yet gallant and brave men have gone from us forever. Our killed and wounded amount to twelve or fifteen, while that of the enemy number between seventy-five and one hundred-among them some eight or ten officers. We had no means of ascertaining the names of all the rebels killed and wounded; but among the number mortally wounded is a son of George D. Prentice, of Louisville. Captain W. Rogers, of Harrison county, was killed, and a Lieutenant Wilson. The rebels left some of their killed and wounded in our hands, all of whom have been properly cared for. They took our horses, buggies, wagons, and all means of transportation to carry off their dead and wounded." Such were the scenes enacted by confederate fury on "the dark and bloody ground" of Kentucky, and such the peace and prosperity brought by the invaders!

There was much confusion at Louisville incident to the gathering of the new troops, the arrival of Buell's army, the death of General Nelson, and the

ADVANCE OF GENERAL BUELL'S ARMY.

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conflicts of authority between new and rear of the enemy's infantry retired old officers, suddenly brought together, from that place eight hours before our and of the armies of Ohio and Kentucky. arrival, when his rear guard of cavalry There was much distrust, too, expressed and artillery retreated after a sharp enby the governors of the northwestern gagement with my cavalry. The purstates, and others, in regard to the effi- suit and skirmishing with the enemy's ciency of General Buell, who was, in rear guard continued toward Springfield. consequence, by order of General Hal- The information which I received indileck, at the last moment, unexpectedly cated that the enemy would concentrate superseded by General George H. Tho- his forces at Danville. The 1st Corps, mas. On the remonstrance, however, under Major-General McCook, was thereof General Thomas himself, seconded fore ordered to march from Bloomfield by Generals Crittenden, Rousseau, and on Harrodsburg; while the 2d Corps, others, General Buell was immediately under Major-General Crittenden, moved restored to his command. Kentucky on the Lebanon and Danville road, which was withdrawn from General Wright's passes four miles to the south of Perrydepartment of Ohio, and the army of ville, with a branch to the latter place; General Buell was organized in three and the 3d Corps on the direct road to corps, under the command respectively Perryville. My headquarters moved of Generals Alexander McDowell, Mc- with the 3d (or centre) Corps. MajorCook, Thomas L. Crittenden, and Charles General Thomas, second in command, C. Gilbert. General Thomas was sec- accompanied the 2d (or right) Corps. ond in command of the whole. Affairs After leaving Bardstown, I learned that having been thus adjusted, on the 1st the force of Kirby Smith had crossed to of October General Buell left Louis- the west side of the Kentucky river, ville with an army of about 100,000 near Salvisa, and that the enemy was men in pursuit of the forces of General moving to concentrate either at HarrodsBragg. The military events which fol- burg or Perryville. General McCook's lowed, including the battle of Chaplin's route was therefore changed from HarHills, or Perryville, are thus related in rodsburg to Perryville. The centre the account of the campaign by General corps arrived on the afternoon of the Buell : 7th, and was drawn up in order of battle about three miles from Perryville, where the enemy. appeared to be in force. The advanced guard, under Captain Gay, consisting of cavalry and artillery, supported toward evening by two regiments of infantry, pressed successfully upon the enemy's rear guard to within two miles of the town, meeting a somewhat stubborn opposition.

"The army marched in five columns. The left moved toward Frankfort, to hold in check the forces of the enemy, which still remained at or near that place; the other column, marching by different routes, finally fell, respectively, into the roads leading from Shepherdsville, Mount Washington, Fairfield, and Bloomfield, to Bardstown, where the main force of the enemy, under General Bragg, was known to be; these roads converge upon Bardstown at an angle of about fifteen degrees from each other. Skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry and artillery marked the movement from each column from within a few miles of Louisville. It was more stubborn and formidable near Bardstown; but the

"The whole army had for three days or more suffered from a scarcity of water, the last day, particularly, the troops and animals suffered exceedingly for the want of it, and from hot weather, and dusty roads. In the bed of Doctor's creek, a tributary of Chaplin river, about two and a half miles from Perryville, some pools of water were discovered, of

which the enemy showed a determina- Maxville road. General McCook was tion to prevent us gaining possession. instructed to get it promptly into posiThe 36th brigade, under command of tion, on the left of the centre corps, and Colonel Daniel McCook, from General to make a reconnoissance to his front Sheridan's division, was ordered forward, and left. The reconnoissance had been to seize and hold a commanding position continued by Captain Gay toward his which covered these pools: it executed front and right, and sharp firing with the order that night, and a supply of artillery was then going on. I had somebad water was secured for the troops. what expected an attack early in the On discovering that the enemy was con- morning on Gilbert's corps, while it was centrating for battle at Perryville, I sent isolated, but as it did not take place, no orders on the night of the 7th to Gen- formidable attack was apprehended after eral McCook and General Crittenden to the arrival of the left corps. The dismarch at three o'clock the following position of the troops was made, mainly, morning, so as to take position respec- with a view to a combined attack on the tively, as early as possible, on the right enemy's position at daylight the followand left of the centre corps, the com- ing morning, as the time required to get manders themselves to report in person all the troops into position, after the unfor orders on their arrival, my intention expected delay, would probably make it being to make the attack that day if pos- too late to attack that day. The cansible. The orders did not reach Gen- nonading, which commenced with the eral McCook until half-past two o'clock, partial engagement in the centre, foland he marched at five. The 2d corps lowed by the reconnoissance of the cavfailing to find water at the place where alry under Captain Gay, extended toit was expected to encamp on the night ward the left, and became brisker as the of the 7th, had to move off the road for day advanced, but was not supposed to that purpose, and consequently was some proceed from any serious engagement, as six miles or more further off than it no report to that effect was received. would otherwise have been. The orders At four o'clock, however, Major-General did not reach it in time, and these two McCook's aide-de-camp arrived, and recauses delayed its arrival several hours. ported to me that the General was susStill it was far enough advanced to have taining a severe attack, which he would been pressed into the action on the 8th, not be able to withstand unless reinif the necessity for it had been known forced; that his flanks were already givearly enough. ing way.' He added, to my astonishment, that the left corps had actually been engaged in a severe battle for several hours, perhaps, since twelve o'clock.' It was so difficult to credit the latter, that I thought there must even be some misapprehension in regard to the former. I sent word to him that I should rely on his being able to hold his ground, though I should probably send him reinforcements. I at once sent orders for two brigades from the centre corpsSchoepff's division-to move promptly to reinforce the left. Orders were also sent to General Crittenden to move a division in, to strengthen the centre, and

"The engagement which terminated at night the previous day, was renewed early on the morning of the 8th by an attempt of the enemy to drive the brigade of Colonel McCook from the position taken to cover the water in Doctor's creek; the design had been discovered, and the divisions of Generals Mitchell and Sheridan were moved into position to defeat it, and hold the ground until the army was prepared to attack in force. A spirited attack was made on Colonel McCook's position, and was handsomely repulsed. Between ten and eleven o'clock the left corps arrived on the

BATTLE OF CHAPLIN HILLS.

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to move with the rest of his corps ener-right; then the 33d brigade, under Gengetically against the enemy's left flank. eral Terrill, of Jackson's division; then The distance from one flank of the army on the extreme left, and to the rear of to the other was not, perhaps, less than Terrill, the 28th brigade, under Colonel six miles, and before the orders could be Starkweather, of Rousseau's division. delivered, and the right corps make the The other brigade of Jackson's division, attack, night came on and terminated under Colonel Webster, was at first in the engagement. rear of Rousseau's two right brigades, "The roads going from Maxville and and in the course of the battle was Springfield enter Perryville at an angle brought into action on the right of Rousof about fifteen degrees with each other. seau. General Gilbert's corps was on The road from Lebanon runs nearly par- the right of Rousseau, but the space beallel to the Springfield road to within tween them was somewhat too greatfive miles of Perryville, and these forks, first Sheridan's division, then Mitchell's, the left hand fork going to Perryville, and Schoepff's in reserve opposite the and the right continuing straight on to left of the corps. The fight commenced Danville, leaving Perryville four miles early in the day, as has been described, to the north. There is also a direct with a feeble attack on the centre corps; road from Perryville to Danville. Per- then, later, the attack fell with severity ryville, Danville, and Harrodsburg oc- and pertinacity on Rousseau's right brigcupy the vertices of an equilateral tri-ades; then, somewhat later, on Terrill's angle, and are ten miles apart. Salt brigade, and on Rousseau's 3d brigade river rises midway between Perryville on the extreme left. It was successful and Danville, and runs northward two against Terrill's brigade, composed of miles west of Harrodsburg. Chaplin new regiments. The gallant commander Fork rises near and passes through Per- of the division, General J. S. Jackson, ryville, bending in its course so as to was killed almost instantly. The heroic run obliquely away from the Maxville young Brigadier Terrill lost his life in and Perryville road, on which the left endeavoring to rally his troops, and ten corps advanced. Doctor's creek, run- pieces of his artillery were left on the ning north, crosses the Perryville and ground; two of them were carried off Springfield road at right angles, about by the enemy next morning; the rest two and a half miles west of Perryville, were recovered. The main weight of and empties into Chaplin Fork about three the battle thus fell upon the 3d division, miles from town. The ground bordering under General Rousseau. No troops the Chaplin is hilly, with alternate patch- could have met it with more heroism. es of timber and cleared land. The hills, The left brigade, compelled at first to though in some places steep, are gener- fall back somewhat, at length maintained ally practicable for infantry and cavalry, its grouud, and repulsed the attack at and in many places for artillery. The that point. Taking advantage of the ground afforded the enemy great advan- opening between Gilbert's left and Roustages for attacking a force on the Max-seau's right, the enemy pressed his atville road, taken in the act of forming, as was the case in the battle of the 8th. General McCook's line ran nearly parallel with Chaplin Fork, the right resting on the road, and the left to the north of it. Two of General Rousseau's brigades, the 17th, under Colonel Lyttle, and the 4th, under Colonel Harris, were on the

tack at that point with an overwhelming force. Rousseau's right was being turned, and was forced to fall back, which it did in excellent order, until reinforced by Gooding's and Steadman's brigades from Gilbert's corps, when the enemy was repulsed. That result was also promoted by the fire which the artillery of

Sheridan's division poured into the ene- my's front and left flank. The advance

my's left flank. Simultaneously with the heaviest attack on Rousseau's division, the enemy made a strong attack on Sheridan's right. Sheridan was reinforced from Mitchell's division by Colonel Carlin's brigade, which charged the enemy with intrepidity and drove him through the town to his position beyond, capturing in the town two caissons and fifteen wagons loaded with ammunition, and the guard that was with them, consisting of three officers and one hundred and thirty-eight men. This occurred about nightfall, which terminated the battle. The corps of General Crittenden closed in, and Wagner's brigade of Wood's division became engaged, and did good service on the right of Mitchell's division, but, knowing nothing of the severity of the fight in the extreme left, the rest of the corps did not get into action.

"No doubt was entertained that the enemy would endeavor to hold his position. Accordingly, orders were sent to the commanders of corps to be prepared to attack at daylight in the morning. They received instructions in person, at headquarters that night, except General Crittenden, for whom instructions were given to Major-General Thomas, second in command. General McCook supposed, from indications in his front, that the enemy would throw a formidable force against his corps, in pursuance of the original attempt to turn our left. He represented also that his corps was very

the following morning, in pursuance of these orders, discovered that the enemy's main body had retired during the night, but without any indications of haste or disorder, except that his dead, and many of his wounded were left upon the field. The reconnoissance during the day showed that his whole force had fallen back on Harrodsburg, where the indications seemed to be that he would make a stand.

"It will be impossible to form any correct judgment of the operations from this time, particularly without considering the condition of the two armies, and the probable intention of the enemy. The rebel army has been driven from the borders of Kentucky without a decisive battle. It is spoken of as if it were a comparatively insignificant force, and pursued by an overwhelming one, which had nothing to do but to send out patrols, and gather in the fragments of a routed and disorganized army. The very reverse was the case. The rebel force which invaded Kentucky, at the lowest estimates, has been rated at from 55,000 to 65,000 men. It was composed of veteran troops, well armed, and thoroughly inured to hardship. Every circumstance of its march, and the concurrent testimony of all who came within reach of its lines, attest that it was under perfect discipline. It had entered Kentucky with the avowed purpose of holding the state; its commanders declared that to

much crippled, the new division of Gene their intention to the last; intercept

communications disclosing their plans, eral Jackson having in fact almost en- and the disappointment experienced by tirely disappeared as a body. He was the Southern Press at the result, show instructed to move in during the night, that to have been their purpose. The and close the opening between his right enterprise certainly seemed desperate, and General Gilbert's left. His orders but it was entered into deliberately; for the following day were to hold his was conducted by the best talent in the position, taking advantage of any oppor- rebel service, and there was nothing to tunity that the events of the day might indicate that it would be abandoned present. The corps of Generals Crit- lightly. Some maneuvering for advantenden and Gilbert were to move for- tages, and one decisive battle, were to ward at six o'clock, and attack the ene-be expected before Kentucky could be

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