The National tribune., 1903-06-04
KENTUCKY STRATEGY.
By LIEUT.. ASA w. SLAYTCN,
:Ht Mich, Assistant Engineer Department Of til. Ohio.

Geo. Dallas Mosgrsve's story, Two
Mighty Armies Racing" was especially
Interesting to me, as l WIS familiar with
the operations at MuBfordsvi,le, ky., nav
ing been stationed there from December,
1862, until the following November: ln
the capacity of Acting Engineer l directed
the construction of the fortitications on
the north side of Green River, and the de-
molishng of those on the south side. for
q time / boarded with Mrs. Barrett,
whose house had been alternately the
headquarters of Gen. Bragg and Gen.
Buell.
If friend Mosgrove had been north of
the Ohio River in July,and August, 1SG2,
he would have seen evidences why Gen.
Kirby Smith and Gen. Bragg should be
cautious in approaching that river. July
/, President Lincoln had called for 3G0,oUO
volunteers and on Aug. for an addition
al 100000. In every Northern street and
highway was heard the refrain:
I'VE are coming Father Abraham, SIX
hundred thousand more"
When Gen. Kirby Smith began his ad-
vance from Knoxville toward central Ken
lucky, troops from Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Michigan were ordered to report 10 Gen.
Lew Wallace, in command at Cincinnati.
A pontoon bridge was thrown across the
river, and within n short time trenches
were dug and Notifications erected along
the hills around Cevington and Newport.
Soon thereafter similar steps We're taken
at Louisville, troops from Indiana, Illinois.
Michigan and Wisconsin being hurried
thither and placed under command of Gen.
VIM. Nelson. Very soon the fiat lands
south of the city were furrowed with par
al!el lines of rife pits, ample for .he pro-
lection Of large army. Thus the 'wide-
open door" was quickly closed.
Gen. Kirby Smiths men, 9tout 1900.
y-al -, h. nd
beautiful bluegrass region, as their rations
were scant while en- route Gser the sterile
and rugged table lands and mountains Of
Tennessee and Kentucky border.
SMITHS VICTORIES.
At London, Ky, Gen. Smiths advance
guard of 800 cavalry, commanded by Col.
Scott, attacked n squadron of Union cav
airy, Aug. IL, killing and wounding 80 of
them and taking Ill prisoners. Scott ad-
vanced to Richmsnd. but learning of the
approach of Gen. Manson with about
5000 troops, he paroed his prisoners and
fell back to await the arrival of the main
army. Aug. 20, the Confederate advance
encountered Manson's force on the hills
one mile south of Richmond, and after
some inconsequential fighting fell back to
Rogersville, Gen. Manson imprudently fol-
lowing. On Aug. so Smith attacked with
his entire force defeating the Union troops
and capturing Gen. Manson. The retreat
became a rout, Gen. Nelson, who had ar
rived from Lexington, being wounded.
Manson's raw soldiers dropped their guns,
abandoned their artillery, and fed into the
woods and cornfelds, the most of them
being taken prisoners and paroled. The
guns of Battery +, 1st Mich. L. A, and
5S of the men were captured.
The ConfederateS then marched trium-
phantly to Lexington, where they received
a royal welcome. the homes Of many of
them being in that section of the State.
From Lexington Smith moved to Paris.
thence to Cynthiana, so miles south of
Cincinnati. Encountering no opposition in
central Kentucky, the Confederate Cen
eral pushed a small body of cavalry and
some infantry toward Cincinnati. his
scouts appearing within sight Of the Union
Notifications on the Kentucky side of the
Ohio River. The observation of the ad-
vance cavalry and intelligence obtained
from friendly citizens convinced the Con-
federates that warm reception await
ed them at Covington, Newport and Gin
cinnati, the frowning battlements inducing
them to turn back and spend q month in
gathering alluring supplies = corn, hogs,
cattle, horses and wagons-so abundant in
the smiling bluegrass region.
BRAGG's ADVANCE.
When Gen. Bragg learned that Kirby
Smith was having his own way in Cen
trail Kentucky he ceased from threatening
Nashville, marched due north, reaching
Glasgow, Ky, Sept. IL. And now comes
the inexplicable. If Bragg had ever in
tended to enter Louisville, 1 think the
main obstruction in his pathway was
MUNFoRDsvILLE.
Bueil was pursuing, or accompanying,
the Confederate army, on roads not many
miles distant and nearly parallel, and
only few days behind. A careful study
of the following diagram will give the
reader an intelligent understanding of
Gen. Bragg's troubles at this point.