et formed a junction with Kirby Smith, and his force then in
position probably did not much exceed 20,000.(18)

The position had no special advantages, was well known to many of
Buell's officers, and should have been to Buell himself. In case
of defeat, Bragg's army must have been lost and Kirby Smith's left
to the same fate. Green River, passable in few places in Bragg's
rear and to the north, would have rendered retreat impossible for
a defeated army, and, besides, Bragg had no base north to retreat
to. The situation was well understood in our army, except by Buell,
who seemed to fear a junction with Kirby Smith had been formed,
though Wilder (just paroled) and others of his officers on the day
of the surrender informed Buell that no junction had been made.
Wilder, however, had an exaggerated opinion of Bragg's strength at
Munfordville. The junction of the two Confederate armies did not
take place until October 9th, at Harrodsburg, the day succeeding
the battle of Perryville.(19)

Buell had, south of Bragg, not less than 50,000 effective men. He
since admits he had 35,000 men present before he ordered Thomas'
division and other troops up from Nashville.(19) Thomas arrived
on the 19th and 20th. There was some skirmishing on the 20th, and
Bragg was then permitted to withdraw without further molestation
across the river, whence he marched northward. The slowness of
the movement of Buell's army from Nashville to Bowling Green and,
after delaying there five days, thence towards Munfordville, was
freely commented on by his army at the time. It was composed of
seasoned and experienced troops, eager to find the enemy and give
him battle.(20) In the history of no war was a more favorable
opportunity presented to fight and reap a victor's fruits than at
Green River, but the time and men for great and controlling success
were not yet come.

The water supply northward of Bowling Green, already spoken of,
was at best poor and deficient, especially in the hot September
weather. The pools or ponds, befouled by the shooting in the
February preceding of diseased and broken-down animals of Hardee's
army on its retirement from Bowling Green, contained the most
noxious and revolting water, yet it was at one time, for a large
part of the army, all that was to be had for man or beast. I
remember Colonel John Beatty and I, on one occasion near Cave City,
stood in a hard rain storm holding the corners of a rubber blanket
so