, 1862-10-29

divisions at Bowling Green, only q few milee |
distant. As is well known, the garrison at !
Munfordsvi1le fell into the hands of the enc |
my, with four OF. FIVE thousand men and a
large supply Of arms, ammunition, stores, |
dc. Nothing but treachery did this work. |
There is not q man in Bue1l's army
but who well knows that the whole Of B.agg's
command could have been captured OF des-
troyed at the time when Buell. sat himself
down ut Bowling Green and allowed Bragg to
go and capture the garrison at Munfordsville.
after giving the enemy ample time to &C.
cure all the p1under at Munfordsyil1e and
move oil, Buell. commenced his line Of march,
and moved Of the rate Of three or four miles a
day towards MunfordsVille. When he reached
Cave City his advance encountered the eng
my's pickets, and again an opportunity for d
light was offered him. But instead OF accept
Ing it, be halted aud remained In that position
for two or three days, giving the enemy an
opportunity to clear the country Of cattle.
horses, provisions and forage Of cYer7 dcs-
Ecription.
At Cave City Thomas's army overlook
Buell., although he left McMinnyille ten days
after Buell. Some idea OF Buell's activity
may be formed from this fact. When Thomas
csme up, preparations were made for an ad-
yance, but Of course, the enemy were then at
8 safe distance. From Cave City 10 Louisville
our troops were put upon their speed, as the
enemy had moved of in another direction.
The time WAS three days from A1un:ordsvil1e
to Louisville. You know what transpired
otter Buell. reached this city. The history of
that affair will be written one Of these days.
On the 1st day Of October Buell. started from
here, in pursuit OF Bragg. Itwas hoped that
the warning be had received would drive him
into the accomplishment Of agreat work; but
such evidently was not his intention. He had
been serving Bragg and the Southern confed-
eracy, and he had determined to continue the
dirty work to the bitter end. Bragg, at that
time, was at Bardstown, or between that point
md Ha1rodsburg, gathering stores, cattle,
&c, pushing them toward East Tennessee, by
way Of Grab Orchard, Wild Cat, Cumberland
esp, &c. This pursuit WIS continued. by
Buell. In O good, easy three-mtle-a-day manner,
until he came up to Bragg's rear at Maxvillc,
three mile from Pe7yy;1le- Bragg had halted
at the Inter place to gather more plunder.
Buell. halted at the former place to give Bragg
time to move on, but being short Of water, he
wns compelled to send McCooks corps for.
ward on Reconnaissance, to get supply at
Chaplin's River, on the opposite bank Of which
the enemy had several batteries, the river be-
almost dry, only pools Of water standing IT
| different localities. While McCook Was ma
king his reconnaissance he was suddenly at
tackled By force which outnumbered his oWr
two to one. Determined to maintain his posi-
tion, the fight soon became fierce and general
| After the contest had ragged Tor some time
A1cCook, discovering that his left was hare
pressed and his right about being turned, h
sent bis aid, Capt. Fisher, to Gen. Scloepl1
who was almost mile in the rear, with Q, 90
men, for reinforcements. Gen. Gilbert beinl
prcsent, aud the senior officer, Gen. schoep1
refe1redCa Capt. Fishert to hin, and BY Gen. Gilbcr
h. was referred toBuell, who was some thre
miles in the rear. Capt. Fisher immedfatel
sought Buell. and preferred Gen. McCook'a re
quest for reinforcements, stating to Ger
Buell. the position he was in. Gen. Buell., I
peremtory manner, ordered Capt. Fisher t
return and tell Gen. bfcCook to ftstop tha
firing In 'front.'" No reinforcements arriving
Gen. McCook, half an hour later, sent az
other messenger to Gen Gilbert for re!nforct
ments. Gen. Gilbert, seeing Gen. Mitchell
brigade ut his right, ordered it forward Tit
t1o other brigades close at hand, to suppo,
It. The brigade went IN with rush, and ga
lantly repulsed the enemy. Gen. Gilbert se'
log this, sent word to Gen. Crittenden th;
awe have the enemy now just whel
We Haut them. Push cyeEythio
) ahead" He also sent dt
, patch to Buell. saying that " Mitchell ha
driven thc enemy into Pe1ryyi1lc and broke
hls centre, and now is the time to push ever,
thirg forward" Buell. Immediately respon'
ed By sending written order to Gilbert, t
calling the troops, aud ordering them back
the position they had previously occ7
ricd. Had Buell. arai1ed himself Of the O
portupity then presented, the army OF BraE
must have been completely annihilated. Tn
t We believe to be the opinion Of every office
J. That night the enemy left; and from that tin
5 Buell's army came not within twenty miles
4 him until tho pursuit was stopped. II
l. above is u brief history Of Buelrs campil
from the time he started from Dechard un
:. lie abandoned the pursuit at Somerset.
IL Buell. has In his employ, as q spy, m
named Thatcher, formerly merchant in
l. Louis, and one Of the bltterest secessioni:
n that ever left that State. He was constant
L. passing between our lines aud the enem.
T. during their whole march. It Is the opiul
n Of those who are we'll posted that thia 8
,,1sva fhe {rat*nr continually and that he DE-