e Union armies and began an advance
upon Corinth. He moved slowly and with great caution, and did not reach
the front of the place until the close of May. While making preparations
to attack, Beauregard withdrew and retired still further southward. No
further Union advance was made for some time. The important result
accomplished was in opening up the Mississippi from Cairo to Memphis and
extending the Union line so that it passed along the southern boundary
of Tennessee.

Beauregard resembled McClellan in many respects. He was excessively
cautious and disposed to dig trenches and throw up fortifications rather
than fight. Jefferson Davis always had a warm regard for General Braxton
Bragg, whom he now put in the place of Beauregard. By the opening of
September, Bragg had an army of 60,000 men. Kirby Smith's corps was at
Knoxville and Hardee and Polk were with Bragg at Chattanooga.

They were ordered to march through Kentucky to Louisville, threatening
Cincinnati on the way. Kirby Smith's approach threw that city into a
panic, but he turned off and joined Bragg at Frankfort.

A RACE FOR LOUISVILLE.

By this time the danger of Louisville was apparent, and Buell, who was
near Nashville, hastened to the defense of the more important city.
Bragg ran a race with him, but the burning of a bridge, spanning the
river at Bardstown, stopped him just long enough to allow Buell to reach
Louisville first. This was accomplished on the 25th of September, and
Buell's army was increased to 100,000 men.

BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE.

Disappointed in securing the main prize, Bragg marched to Frankfort,
where he installed a provisional governor of Kentucky and issued a
high-sounding proclamation, to which few paid attention. Bragg had
entered one of the richest sections of the State, and he secured an
enormous amount of supplies in the shape of cattle, mules, bacon, and
cloth. His presence in the State was intolerable to the Union forces,
and Buell, finding a strong army under his command, set out to attack
him. Bragg started to retreat through the Cumberland Mountains on the
1st of October, with Buell in pursuit. A severe but indecisive battle
was fought at Perryville, and the Confederates succeeded in carrying
away their immense booty to Chattanooga, while the Union army took
position at Nashville.

The government was dissatisfied with the sluggishness of Buell and
replaced him with General William S. Rosecrans. He posted a part of h