William Boynton, Sherman's Historical Raid

[22] General Buell after General Sherman left Kentucky, will best appear from portions of three letters written by General Sherman while in Kentucky, the first two bearing date about ten days before he relieved General Robert Anderson in command, and the third about a week before he was in turn relieved by General Buell. Muldraugh's Hill is about forty miles south of Louisville, on the railroad to Nashville, and was one of the first points of consequence occupied on that line by the Union forces. General Sherman gives the following account of the movement upon it, and the condition of affairs after his troops were established there:

headquarters Muldraugh's Hill, September 27, 1861.
Captain Oliver D. Green, Adjutant-General.

Sir: When I left Louisville on the cars in charge of the Home Guards, followed by Rosseau's brigade, I understood my orders to be to station parties along the road at all the bridges, secure the road and occupy Muldraugh's Hill. * * * *

This is not an isolated hill, but a range separating the waters of the Rolling Fork of Salt Creek and Green River, the ascent from the north being very abrupt, and the descent to the south being very gradual.

Our position is far from being a strong one when held against a superior force. Roads will enable the enemy with cavalry to pass round us and cut off our communications and starve us out. I have no safe line of retreat, but must stand our ground let what will happen.

Our opponents, led by General Buckner, who is familiar with the ground, are now supposed to be along the railroad from Green River to Bowling Green. Their forces are variously estimated from seven thousand to twenty thousand men; and, I doubt not, they have fifteen thousand, some well and some poorly armed, but all actuated by the one purpose to destroy us. I am fully alive to the danger of our position and to all its disadvantages, especially that of supplies. Our provisions have been hauled up the rugged valley of Clear Creek by hired wagons, and by some which were brought along by the Thirty-ninth Indiana. We can barely supply our wants, and are liable at any moment to have these wagons seized. The reason I came to Muldraugh's Hill was for effect. Had it fallen into the hands of our enemy the cause would have been lost, and even with it in our possession for a week nobody has rallied to our support. I expected, as we had reason to, that the people of Kentucky would rally to our support, but, on the contrary, none have joined us, while hundreds, we are told, are going to Bowling Green. The railroad from Bowling Green toward us is broken at Nolin, ten miles off, and and at another trestle beyond some seven miles. I doubt if this was done by