The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-05
HEADoUARTERs 1sr Conrs, }

HEADQUARTERS lsT CoRPs, }
ARMY OF THE Ono,
CAMP NEAR CRAB ORCHARD, Oct. Is.
CoL Jas. B. Fly, C%Gqf Sqg:
have the honor to report that in COM
pliance with written instructions from
you, dated October z, P. NJ, and re-
ceiyed by me at my camp at Naxville, at
2:30 A. NJ, on the morning of the 8th,
marched at a. M. on the Perryville
road. | had but portion of my corps
with me, Rousseau's aud Jackson's di-
visions, the I'd division under Gen. Sill
having been detached to march upon
Frankfort. The 10th division, Gen.
Jackson commanding, was entitled to the
advance, but being composed entirely of
new troops I ordered Gen. ,Rousseau's
division to take the lead. Gen. Rousseau
was ordered to march with great caution
in view of the known presence of the
enemy at Harrodsburg, and also of your
letter informing me that the enemy would
resist your advance into Perryville, and
that you intended to attack them that
day. Hearing reports Of artillery in the
morning, our march was fastened
Maxville is equidistant from Harrods-
burg and Perryville-the distance being
ten miles. My instructions required me
to advance on the Perryville road until
reached point three or three and half
miles of Perryville, or until | came up
abreast of Gilberfs corps. The head Of
my column reached the point designated
at 10 30 A. NJ. Gen. Rousseau advanced
his cavalry and a portion of his infantry
to the front in order TO see if the ground
was clear. The artillery Loomis's bat
tery) was halted on the hill in the rear.
Gen. Rousseau soon sent me word that
the enemy was reported advancing in
force on the position assigned my corps.
| rode forward, examined the ground,
and saw few of the enemy diminishing
with the left of Gilbert's corps. My at
tentiOn was then directed to Gen. Gill
bert's left. | saw his infantry in line
about four or five hundred yards TO our
right. l called Gen. Rousseaus atten-
ton to this fact, marked out my line of
battle, and ordered him to form it,. l
directed LoOmis's battery TO be brought
up and put in position on a commanding
piece of ground TO the left of and stand
ing near RusselPs house Called Clark's
on the map. had previously ordered
Gen. Rousseau TO throw forward a line
of skirmishes to examine the woods on
our left and front, and also sent Capt.
! Wickliffe with his company of the I'd
Kentucky cavalry to reeOnnoitre the
ground on the left Of the skirmishers.
General Gays cavalry was making a re-
cOnnoissance in front and toward Perry
vile. | was then well satisfied that the
enemy, which had engaged Gilbert's
lcft, had retired from the field / then
informed Gen. Rousseau thatmy inslruc-
tions required me to report in person TO
Gen. Buell., and that | was about TO leave
the field but would return in a short
time.
had given particular instructions to
Captain j. A. Campbell, my Assistant
Adjutant General, to post Gen. JacksOn's
two brigades on a commanding piece OF
ground Immediately TO the right of the
Maxville and Perryville road, TO hold
them there in columns so that they could
be moved in any direction occasion re
quired. then galloped Off TO report to
Gen. Buell., whose headquarters were
about two and half miles in rear Of my
right line. received verbal instructions
from General Buell. TO make a rcc0nnOis-
sance TO Chaplin River | Immediately
returned TO my troops and found that
Gen. Rousseau had advanced the line on
the right, occupying a commanding ridge
about eight hundred yards in front and
10 the left of Russell's house. The enc
my had placed three batteries in posi-
tiOn and were firing upon his line. Loo
mis- and Simonson's batteries were re-
plying. There being then no infantry Of
the enemy in sight, | sent an order tol
these batteries to cease firing and econo-
mise ammunition. The command suffer.
ing greatly for water, repaired TO make
the reconnaissance toward Chaplin river
as ordered. Having been informed by
my guide, Captain Beverly ID. Williams
Assistant Quartermaster on Gen. Jack
sons staff, and also by Col l.. A. Harris
commanding 9th Brigade, that by NOV
ing a short distance 10 the left OF th
Perryville road, could get high com
handing ground for a portion Of ms
g line, / went forward in person, after hav
p ing ordered a portion of the 33d Ohio in
70 the woods on the right, as skiunisher'
10 ascertain ii any of the enemy wa
present in that vicinity, TO point over