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The retreat of General Bragg was conducted without further incident, the roads and weather fortunately being favorable, and on the 20th the advance of the army passed through Cumberland Gap.
Yet it was an arduous retreat.
The change from a country of plenty, with high hopes of wintering in Kentucky, to hard marches with scant food and disappointed expectations, had a telling effect upon the troops, who left the State footsore and poorly clad and shod to encounter a severe snow storm upon entering East Tennessee. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, having been turned back on the 17th when nearing Cumberland Gap, as already related, had moved into Middle Tennessee, and on the 28th of October arrived at Murfreesboro with 2,000 men as the advance guard of the army of occupation, soon to be reinforced by the greater part of General Bragg's army.
General Buell, unable to cut off Bragg's retreat, issued orders looking to the return of his army to Nashville.
General Halleck, upon receipt of the announcement of the battle of Perryville and Bragg's retreat, on the 18th of October replied: ‘The rapid march of your army from Louisville and your victory at Perryville have given great satisfaction to the government,’ these being the first words of commendation Buell had received since he left Corinth.
A number of official communications had been addressed to him in this interval, warning him that he would be removed if he did not show better results, and on his arrival at Louisville he had been met with orders to turn over his command to General Thomas, but the latter protested that this was unjust and the order was rescinded, Thomas accompanying Buell on the Perryville campaign as second in command.
In the same dispatch of congratulation quoted above, Halleck informed General Buell that he was expected to drive the enemy from East Tennessee as well as Kentucky.
To this Buell replied that it was impossible to invade East Tennessee at that time on account of the
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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