In the meanwhile Buell had arrived at Louisville, system had been substituted for the chaos which had previously obtained there, and orders were issued for an advance upon the enemy with the purpose of attacking and the hope of destroying him within the limits of the “blue grass” region, and, failing in that, to drive him from Kentucky.  The army moved October 1, 1862, and my division, now a part of the Third Corps, commanded by General C. C. Gilbert, marched directly on Bardstown, where it was thought the enemy would make a stand, but Bragg’s troops retreated toward Perryville, only resisting sufficiently to enable the forces of General Kirby Smith to be drawn in closer—­they having begun a concentration at Frankfort—­so they could be used in a combined attack on Louisville as soon as the Confederate commander’s political projects were perfected.

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.