150 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

totally defeated and a third of his force was cap-tured. Smith then advanced upon Cincinnati .

While this was going on, Bragg had come outof Chattanooga and crossed the Tennessee river.The sagacious Thomas saw that a movement intoKentucky was intended, and advised Buell to checkit by occupying Sparta. But instead of doing so,Buell, who feared an attack on his right, concen-trated his forces at Murfreesboro . Profiting bythis error, Bragg slipped past Buell’s left, crossedthe Cumberland river at Gainesville , and marchedstraight toward Munfordville, a station on theLouisville and Nashville railroad through whichBragg Buell obtained his supplies. Munford-

inrades ville was garrisoned by 4000 men.

Kentucky . rp Q reac } 1 Buell had to travel 105

miles on the arc of a circle through Nashville andBowling Green , while Bragg had only to travel 68miles on a straight line forming the chord of thisare. Determined in no event to abandon Nash­ ville , Buell left Thomas there with three divisionsand hastened northward; but Bragg’s shorterroute enabled him to reach Munfordville and cap-ture its garrison before Buell had passed Bowling Green . Bragg was now three marches nearer thanBuell to Louisville , and everybody supposed hewould instantly come up and capture that city, soimportant not only for its size and wealth, but