Don Carlos Buell to Lorenzo Thomas, December 23, 1861

General LORENZO THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Arm y, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: Some explanation of the condition of things here will enable the General-in-Chief to decide upon the question submitted in your telegraph as to the necessity of more troops in this department.

Our returns show an aggregate of some 70,000—about 57,000 for duty. In these are included several Kentucky regiments not yet mustered in, but doing duty—at least one regiment of cavalry, that is worthless for the present (the Pennsylvania regiment)—and some ten raw regiments from Indiana and Ohio, that I have taken at the solicitation of their Governors, for the purpose of removing them from the demoralizing influences of home and to,put them under some system of discipline. These troops, although unfit at this time for active service, have nevertheless a certain moral effect, and are even practically useful as guards to depots, &e. More Kentucky regiments are being consolidated and organized, but the process is tedious, and they generally lack discipline and preparation more than the other troops.

The efficient force may be set down now at about 50,000. Its condition, as regards discipline, may be inferred from the fact that, although it has greatly improved, there are still 5,500 officers and men absent with leave and 1,100 without leave, and there is not much difference between the two classes.

In eoming through Cincinnati from Western Virginia some of the

* Some personal matter omitted.

Ohio regiments dispersed, and of.some that came through to this place officers and soldiers put themselves on the cars and went off in contempt of authority until they were stopped by the provost-guard. But.

this condition of things, I feel assured, is changing. I have found it necessary to make some summary examples, and have instituted courtsmartial and board of examination, which will work some good results at least.

In none of the armies of the Government is there so great a lack of experienced officers in every branch of the service. One of the greatest evils I have to contend with is the ill-judged interference of the State authorities for what they erroneously consider the welfare of their troops. A system of direct communication and administration has been going on between them. Agents of various descriptions are sent among the troops, and the effect is in the last degree ruinous. It originated, perhaps, in a want of the proper means of administration on the part of the Government at first, and will, I have no doubt, soon cease. In fact, Ithink is already in a fair way of disappearing.

The plan which I propose for the troops here is one of defense on the

east and of invasion on the south. For the latter [ think it will not be necessary for me to do more than suggest that the force ought to be inereased rather than diminished. However, a timely and efficient cooperation from other quarters will materially affect this question. For the former I do not think a large force is necessary. An inroad (I should rather say a raid) is now threatened by the way of Prestonburg and Whitesburg. The numbers are variously estimated by rumor. My supposition is that there may be 3,000 men at Whitesburg, and that there probably are 2,000 near Prestonburg. I have no fear that either of them will make any considerable advance into the State even against a weak opposition, but they depredate upon the frontier counties and produce suffering and alarm.

I have now one squadron of Ohio cavalry and one Ohio and two Kentucky regiments of infantry at the mouth of the Sandy to move on Prestonburg, and three squadrons of Kentucky cavalry and one regiment of Ohio infantry moving in the same direction by the way of Paris and Mount Sterling. My orders, on the return of General Nelson, were for one regiment to remain at Prestonburg, and that at the time was supposed to be sufficient, and perhaps would have been if it had remained there; but it was withdrawn to Louisa by the State authorities, to be mustered in, and recently, on the appearance of the force at Prestonburg, retired to the mouth of the Sandy.

It has been so inconvenient to take extraordinary precautions against invasion from the east that I considered it wiser to trust to the chances that they would not be necessary. If I had the means I would put an efficient brigade to operate towards Whitesburg, though it will probably not be necessary if the operations towards Prestonburg are entirely successful, because that will endanger the rear,of the rebel force at Whitesburg.

In the absence of such means as I would wish I do not despair of getting together some force that will answer the purpose in a less satisfactory manner, if necessary. I have a new, but I am told a very good, Ohio regiment at Lexington, which can operate in either direction, and hope soon to have more Kentucky regiments that I can use for the same purpose.

The brigade which I had organized in the Cumberland Gap route has been partially deranged by the unauthorized call of General Schoepf on it to re-enforce Somerset. I shall reinstate it as soon as possible.

oa Lu Omar. XVIL] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.—UNION.

It can hardly be necessary for me to add that, unless some considerable success is gained in the operations this winter towards Tennessee, large re-enforcements will be required in the spring.

With regard to the attitude of the people of Kentucky, I believe the mass of them are loyal to the Union; and this is not confined to the old men, as has been asserted. Evidence of it may be found in the fact that some 20,000 troops, composed of the best material in the State, are now being organized, and the number could be largely increased. But there are communities in which the rebel element predominates, and it acts with the greatest boldness, from the fact that many of the loyal men have entered the service of the Government.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,