Battles And Sketches of the Army of Tennessee

attacking Beech Grove. On the 18th at da.ylight, I moved the Seventeenth and Twenty- eighth Tennessee regiments across the river from Mill Springs to Beech Grove. On the 18th, I was informed that the force under General Thomas was encamped at Webb's (Logan's) Cross-Roads, a point ten miles from Beech Grove and eight miles from Somerset, at which the roads from Columbia to Somerset and Beech Grove to Somerset unite, and that it would there await both a reinforcement (that I was advised was advancing from the rear) and the passage of Fishing Creek by the Somerset force. It was necessary that the Somerset force should cross Fishing Creek before it could join the force under General Thomas or approach Beech Grove, and for these purposes it had advanced from Somerset. I was advised that late and continuous rains would prevent the passage of Fishing Creek on the 18th and 19th by any infantry force. In the then condition of my command I could array for battle about 4,000 effective men. Absolute want of the necessary provisions to feed my command was pressing. The country around was barren or exhausted. Communication with Nashville by water was cut off by a force of the enemy occupy- ing the river below. The line of communication in the rear was too long to admit of winter transportation and extended through a barren or exhausted country. To defend Beech Grove required me to draw into it the force from Mill Springs. From the course of the river and the condition of things...