McMinnsville, battle near
In the summer of 1862,
Generals Bragg and
Buell marched in nearly parallel lines eastward towards
Chattanooga—the latter north of the
Tennessee River, and the former south of it.
Bragg won the race, and with fully 40,000 men turned his face towards the
Ohio.
Bragg divided his force into three corps, commanded respectively by
Generals Hardee,
Polk, and
E. Kirby Smith.
The latter was sent to
Knoxville, Tenn., while the two former held
Chattanooga and its vicinity.
Buell disposed his line from
Huntsville, Ala., to McMinnsville,
Warren co., Tenn. So lay the opposing armies when
Kirby Smith left
Knoxville to invade
Kentucky.
Bragg crossed the
Tennessee, just above
Chattanooga, on Aug. 21, with thirty-six regiments of infantry, five of cavalry, and forty guns.
Louisville was his destination.
He advanced among the rugged mountains towards
Buell's left at McMinnsville as a feint, but fairly flanked the Nationals.
This was a cavalry movement, which resulted in a battle there.
The horsemen were led by
General Forrest, who, for several days, had been hovering around
Lebanon,
Murfreesboro, and
Nashville.
Attempting to cut off
Buell's communications, he was confronted (Aug. 30) by National cavalry under
E. P. Fyffe, of
Gen. T. J. Wood's division, who had made a rapid march.
After a short struggle the
Confederates were routed.
Supposing
Bragg was aiming at
Nashville,
Buell took immediate measures to defend that city.
