From Corinth to Stone River 153
Frankfort, the state capital, and amused themselveswith the inauguration of a rebel governor, whileBuell, who had marched on to his base at Louis ville and largely reinforced his army, was nowready to turn and rend them. On the 30th ofSeptember, just as he was starting, there came anorder from Halleck, relieving him from commandand appointing Thomas in his place. But mag-nanimous Thomas, who understood the situationmuch better than either Halleck or the newspapers,protested so seriously against this injustice that theorder was revoked.
Upon Buell’s advance Bragg fell back. AtPerryville, on the 8th of October, por- Battle oftions of the two armies came into colli- I>erryT!LIe -sion. There was a severe fight, in which nearly5000 men were killed and wounded on each side,but it decided nothing. Bragg retreated south-easterly and escaped into east Tennessee throughCumberland Gap, whence he made his way backto Chattanooga , and presently advanced uponMurfreesboro . Instead of fruitlessly chasing himthrough the Gap, the Federal commander, antici-pating his movements, proceeded to Nashville ,whence a new campaign might best be begun.
While on either side of the Alleghanies theUnion armies had thus been baulked of the coveted
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