SIR: On my
arrival at Camp Dick Robinson I found General Thomas had stationed a Kentucky
regiment at Rockcastle Hills, beyond a river of same name, and had sent an Ohio
and an Indiana regiment forward in support. He was embarrassed for
transportation, but I authorized him to hire teams and to move his whole force
nearer to his advance guard, so as to support it, as he had information of the
approach of Zollicoffer towards London. I have just heard from him that he had
sent forward General Schoepf, with Colonel Wolford's cavalry, Colonel
Steedman's Ohio regiment, and a battery of artillery, followed on a succeeding
day by the Tennessee brigade. He had still two Kentucky regiments, the
Thirty-eighth Ohio, and another battery of artillery, with which he was to
follow yesterday. This force if concentrated should be strong enough for the
purpose, and at all events is all he had or I could give him. I explained to
you fully when here the supposed position of our adversaries, among which was a
force in the valley of Big Sandy supposed to be advancing on Paris, Ky. General
Nelson, at Maysville, was instucted to collect all the men he could and Colonel
Sill's regiment of Ohio volunteers. Colonel Harris was already in position at
Olympian Springs, and a regiment lay at Lexington, which I ordered to his
support. This leaves the line of Thomas' operations exposed, but I cannot help
it. I explained so fully to yourself and the Secretary of War the condition of
things, that I can add nothing now until further developments. You know my
views-that this great center of our field was too weak, far too weak, and I
have begged and implored till I dare not say more.
Buckner still is
beyond Green River. He sent a detachment of his men, variously estimated from
2,000 to 4,000, towards Greensburg. General Ward, with about 1,000 men,
retreated to Campbellsville, where he called to his assistance some partially
formed regiments to the number of about 2,000. The enemy did not advance, and
General Ward was at last dates at Campbellsville. These officers, charged with
raising regiments, must of necessity be nearer their homes to collect men, and
for this reason are out of position; but at or near Greensburg and Lebanon I
desire to assemble as large a force of the Kentucky volunteers as possible.
This organization is necessarily irregular, but the necessity is so great, that
I must have them, and therefore have issued to them arms and clothing during
the process of formation. This has facilitated their enlistment; but inasmuch
as the legislature provided the means for organizing the Kentucky volunteers,
and intrusted their disbursements to a board of loyal gentlemen, I have
endeavored to cooperate with them to hasten the formation of these corps. The
great difficulty is, and has been, that as volunteers offer we have not arms
and clothing to give them. The arms sent us are, as you already know, European
muskets of uncouth pattern, which the volunteers will not touch. General McCook
has now three brigades—Johnson's, Wood's, and Rousseau's. Negley's brigade
arrived to-day, and will at once be sent out. The Minnesota regiment has also
arrived, and will be sent forward. Hazzard's regiment of Indiana troops I have
ordered to the mouth of Salt Creek; an important point on the turnpike road leading
to Elizabethtown.
I again repeat
that our force here is out of all proportion to the importance of the position.
Our defeat would be disastrous to the nation, and to expect of new men who
never bore arms to do miracles is not right.
