Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 9.djvu/150

CHAPTER XIII.

BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE—DELAY IN THE ATTACK—BRAGG HASTENS THERE— STATUS AS HE FOUND IT—TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY—ARRANGEMENT OF LINE OF BATTLE— RELATIVE POSITION ;OF OPPOSING FORCES-CONFEDERATES ATTACK AND SURPRISE McCOOK^S CORPS-CHEATHAM'S ASSAULT ON RIGHT-McCOOK DRIVEN BACK WITH HEAVY LOSS—SEVERE ENGAGEMENT ON CENTER AND LEFT-CONFEDERATE VICTORY BUT VIRTUAL DEFEAT— GENERAL BUELL UNAWARE OF THE BATTLE UNTIL IN PROGRESS TWO HOURS—BRAGG FALLS BACK TO HARRODSBURG—ARMY CONCENTRATED BUT FAILS TO ATTACK—BEGINNING OF RETREAT FROM KENTUCKY— BRYANTSVILLE—GENERAL HUMPHREY MARSHALL.

FOR reasons unnecessary to consider here, but which caused a long and embittered controversy, the attack was not made as expected, and General Bragg, hearing no cannon, went himself to Perryville, where he arrived about 10 o'clock, finding General Polk in line of battle with General Hardee's corps on the right of Perryville, left resting near the academy, and General Cheatham on the left of the town; Chaplin's fork of Salt river which runs through the village from the south, being substantially the line. There had been some skirmishing on the right but no engagement, as it was Buell's policy not to give battle until concentrated.

General Bragg assumed command, and after a brief reconnoissance rearranged the line by transferring General Cheatham's division to the extreme right, and advancing Hardee's corps to the west side of Chaplin's fork. About two and a half miles north of Perryville, Doctor's creek, a small stream from the southwest,

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