Much time was consumed by Buell’s army in its march on Perryville, but we finally neared it on the evening of October 7.  During the day, Brigadier-General Robert B. Mitchell’s division of Gilbert’s corps was in the advance on the Springfield pike, but as the enemy developed that he was in strong force on the opposite side of a small stream called Doctor’s Creek, a tributary of Chaplin River, my division was brought up and passed to the front.  It was very difficult to obtain water in this section of Kentucky, as a drought had prevailed for many weeks, and the troops were suffering so for water that it became absolutely necessary that we should gain possession of Doctor’s Creek in order to relieve their distress.  Consequently General Gilbert, during the night, directed me to push beyond Doctor’s Creek early the next morning.  At daylight on the 8th I moved out Colonel Dan McCook’s brigade and Barnett’s battery for the purpose, but after we had crossed the creek with some slight skirmishing, I found that we could not hold the ground unless we carried and occupied a range of hills, called Chaplin Heights, in front of Chaplin River.  As this would project my command in the direction of Perryville considerably beyond the troops that were on either flank, I brought up Laiboldt’s brigade and Hescock’s battery to strengthen Colonel McCook.  Putting both brigades into line we quickly carried the Heights, much to the surprise of the enemy, I think, for he did not hold on to the valuable ground as strongly as he should have done.  This success not only ensured us a good supply of water, but also, later in the day, had an important bearing in the battle of Perryville.  After taking the Heights, I brought up the rest of my division and intrenched, without much difficulty, by throwing up a strong line of rifle-pits, although the enemy’s sharpshooters annoyed us enough to make me order Laiboldt’s brigade to drive them in on the main body.  This was successfully done in a few minutes, but in pushing them back to Chaplin River, we discovered the Confederates forming a line of battle on the opposite bank, with the apparent purpose of an attack in force, so I withdrew the brigade to our intrenchments on the crest and there awaited the assault.

While this skirmishing was going on, General Gilbert—­the corps commander—­whose headquarters were located on a hill about a mile distant to the rear, kept sending me messages by signal not to bring on an engagement.  I replied to each message that I was not bringing on an engagement, but that the enemy evidently intended to do so, and that I believed I should shortly be attacked.  Soon after returning to the crest and getting snugly fixed in the rifle-pits, my attention was called to our left, the high ground we occupied affording me in that direction an unobstructed view.  I then saw General A. McD.  McCook’s corps—­the First-advancing toward Chaplin River by the Mackville road, apparently unconscious