Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-11-22

KsoxvnLs, Nov. is, 1862.
10 the Editor ofhs Wig:
1 have no. had an opportunity bsfors of writing up
my journal of notes, and I nov propose to give your
readers q concise reviss Of our late campaign into Ker-
lucky, and the exc lus Of our army from that State, %
far IS came under my own observations and from infor-
nation derived from others. A frank and candid state
ment of facts IL what the people demand, for the con-
cealmsnt of truth IL the mos. cowardlya peciss of false
hood.
Ia nv comments on the course pursued by General
Bragg, l an in no way governed BY the slightes. preju.
dice, and shall, therefore, "notAing ~exenuste, nor sught
set down Ia malice"
Tnere are bu. two points in tho campaign of General
Briggs army to Kentucky that are open to criticism,
and the people must idge Of the facts themselves. Ii
ia certain tina. the forced march Of his troops from
Chattanooga and their return BY Cumberland Gsp-a
distance OF over 500 miles-is unprecedented in the
hs oy Of warfare. Many Of thoss tro, pa ware b are Dotted,
and left thar bloody footprints on the stones in the
march. Tbey fought the battle of Psrryvile barsfooted,
and returned barefootsd, besides suffering other hard.
ships of the sevsrsst character, without . murnurl
The frat point for consideration 10, what could have
indrcsd Gen. Bragg to make q forced march Of his army,
which consisted Of sc. 700 Of the best troops in the
world, in order to tsid Gen. Buell., whose forces oon.
sisted Of bu, %. 900 msp, and after having gained the
advance, not to have avsiled himself of the advantage
Of his p~osition, BY compelling Blsl to nght him, His
army Was painting for the fray, and it 10 said bis Gene as
counsellsd battle. The plea of tho want of subsistence
for bis army was mads the excuse for avoiding . COL d ct,
and turning off from the road 10 Louisville, after the
capture of huusfordsville, be took the pike to B,rds.
town, where be remained fifteen GAYS, leaving Buell. to
proceed on to Louisvll unmolss;ed, Gil up his regi.
msnts, AID reorganiIe al army Of $50 900 men! Ia the
meantime, II 70 stated that Gsn. Bragg confidently
anticipated being pinned BY $4,000 Ksntuckians, when
but 10. 600 only had volunteered, and he threatened to
enforcs the Ccnscript Law to compel them to join our
ranks. Ills but justice TO the true Southern people Of
Kentucky to state, that il val hardly to be expected
Ties should rise On mace and take up arms in our
cause, without some guarantee that they would be pro.
tec,ed and sustained in the future. They had already
suffered sevSrely by the raids Of Colonel Jno. Morgan,
specially the people Of Bourbon county, upon whom
had been levied a tax Of $3.50. COO, to make up for Uuion
mems Losses, because they bad given q cup of water or
q meal Of vicIuas 10 one Of horgan's men. Besides
this, their wives, sisters, mothes and daughters had
been seEsd ard dragged to the prisons Of Louisville
And many q loysl man sent 10 Camp Chase for hisSoulh.
era syupathies. Yves /. no: natural, therefore, that they
should wait to see whether Gea. Bragg voald give
evidence Of hs power to protect them, by crushing Blu.
ellis army, and his ability to hold Kentucky, before they
should again So &c. themselves TO bitter persecution and
utter ruin
Ia the meantime General Bragg proceeded to L'Iiug-
ton, and preparations we're made for the Inauguration
Ct Goveraor HAYES at Frankfort, which proved bu. q
splendid farce, for hardly WAS the ceremony completed
when the enemy threatened the STATE Capital, and tie
Governor had TO les from his approach The army at
Blrdstown vas then marched to Ea ~rodsburg, aud one
division Of it, General Wi.hers', sent to SAWS, to rein
force Gen. Kirby Smith, and cut ca Gen. silrs division.
Hrdee's and Buekuers divisions were marched to Per-
rJvIle, leaving General Ohea;ham's at Hsrrodsours, but
which came up TO Psrryville on the night Of the 7th, be-
fore the fght. Wi.hers failed to intercept ran. silrs
division, bu, captured tho rear guard, consisting Of 75O
men, WITH al ammunition trAin, and on the morlirg OF
the b, Gen. Withsr,' and General Kirby Smiths forces
reached HNrodsburg.
Toe second point for consideration 10, what could Rave
indrc,d General Bragg, with bis troops thus divided, to
bring on q battle with G .Heral Buslls forces, consisting
Of over xhelming numbers, sad on q line Of railroad,
whereby he could bs continually reinforced, when Gen.
Bragg had previously refused TO give Buell. battle unde.
tar more f.vO able circumstances! Not.i,h,srdipg
The superiority OF tumbsrs, B ayg'S veteran heroes lai
driven back The foe and von q splendid victory, and it
is ~gsuerally ~aimired, had Withsrs' division been up, We
you'll have completely routed the enemy. On the night
Of the sh, as the battle closed, thu enemy Vas still
more l.rgel, reinforced, aud Va we're, consequently,
forced TO fall back to H,rrodsburg on the mort log Of
the y a, ~bere our forces being 10 ned, It il laid G N.
Kirby smith Insisted OH making a stand, and cried DO.
cause he va, oveuuled. The bruDt Of the batl, Of
Psrr,yills vas borne by General Chestham's gallant
Teanessesns. No troops ever tough. with greater
bravery, and While not di paIsgipg others Who fought
equally as we'll, this Is but q just tribute to the heroic
sons of Tennessee, Who have been previously accused Of
no. standing up to the foe. rae 9 b vas principally oc
cup!sd BY both sides burying their dead under . dag Of
truce, sent TO us BY the enemy. Ga the 10 b, oil our
forces fell back to Camp Breckenridge Oak R,oinson)
tho cavalry holding the enemy in ch OK a: DAnvills
|, va, nov determined that the whole army should
make its exodus from Kenrucky, and in order to secure
the immense quantity Of captured stores, goods, cloth
ipF. L., mush Of which had also been purchased, with
some 5 900 head OF %c.til,, hcrses, mules, IL. that the
retreat should ,mmence GU the night Of the l2.h. On
tha, dl-, Study, or6srs ver, received TO cook four days
ratious for the march. n jorGeneril hcOovD, With
General billiards. Legion, and a cavalry force and srtil.
lsry, was ordered to e'snd Fishing ford, acros, D cks
river, a1d commanding the road to camp Breckenridge,
10 our rear, 10 the lis; extremity. II connsc ion " b
tho history Of our retr at al incident happened which