Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 10.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

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[161] even seize what Fortune offered. Hope revived for an instant, but only for an instant, at Harrodsburg. Great errors had been committed and great dangers menaced on all sides, but whatever had been the errors and whatever dangers attended other measures, in retreating at the verge of winter, with troops ill-clad and without sufficient food through a destitute country, by wretched roads and over mountains, a desperate policy was adopted. Unless forced to it, a stupendous mistake was made, and if forced to, when the brilliant prospects of but a few days earlier are recalled, it may well be asked, “What reduced the grand Southern army to this extremity?”

By the Kentucky campaign, North Alabama was relieved and Middle Tennessee re-occupied. Nearly 10,000 prisoners, 14,000 stand of small arms, some cannons, and many wagons and mules were captured. The Confederate armies subsisted for six weeks upon the enemy's territory, and during that time received into their ranks more volunteer Kentuckians than they lost men in battle. It cannot be denied, that much was won, and at little cost, comparatively; unless, indeed, we estimate those immense results, which although never actually won, more than once seemed surely ours. It is equally true, that much more might have been gained, and ought to have been gained, possibly ending the war. The campaign began with brilliant successes and terminated ingloriously, and it terminated thus on account of a series of errors and mishaps so unexpected, so inexplicable, and so inconsistent with the abilities of the Commanding General and his Lieutenants, and so fatal, despite the vigilance and experience of his subordinate officers, and the unsurpassed courage, discipline and devotion of the soldiers, that we feel tempted to cry, with the superstitious children of the East, it was Destiny. Allah il Allah, it was God's will.