Unknown to Oliver D. Greene, September 27, 1861

HEADQUARTERS, MULDRAUGH’S HILL; KENTUCKY,
September 27, 1861.

: September 27, 1861. Capt. OLIVER D. GREENE, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Louisville, Ky. :

SIR: When I left Louisvillein the ears, in charge of the Home Guard, followed by Rousseau’s brigade, I understood my orders to beto station parties along the road to guard the bridges, secure the road, and to occupy the Muldraugh’s Hill. On reaching the Rolling Fork of Salt River we found it a deep stream, with railroad bridge burned down and still burning. This, of course, stopped our progress, and we disembarked the men. “Various rumors of the force of the enemy which had done this wanton mischief and stolen various ears and locomotives reached me, but estimating the force not to exceed 200, I sent forward a strong picket of 400 men, under Colonel Rousseau, and afterwards strengthened it by another 400, but receiving a telegraphie order from you on the 21st, I recalled Rousseau. Finding the effect of this to be very bad, and that great importance was attached to Muldraugh’s Hill, and having notice of re-enforcements, I concluded we should reoccupy the hill; and accordingly, on Sunday morning, the 22d instant, I put in motion Rousseau’s brigade, and followed up with the Thirty-eighth In- – diana, Colonel Scribner, and the Forty-ninth Ohio, Colonel Gibson, and a detachment of regulars, under Captain Swaine. We ascended Clear Creek Valley, near the railroad, to the top of Muldraugh’s Hill. We – examined the ground near the tunnel, and then proceeded to Elizabethtown, and encamped near the town. The next day we moved on the Lebanon road to this camp, where we have been ever since.

Since our arrival the command has been re-enforced by the Thirtyninth Indiana, Colonel Harrison. On our way up I left Colonel Crittenden’s regiment to guard the road to Colesburg, but have since called him forward, and he is now posted beyond Elizabethtown, the guarding of the road being intrusted to Colonel Hughes’ [Hecker’s ?] Ilinois Regiment.

This is not an isolated hill, but à range separating the waters of the Rolling Fork of Salt Oreek and Green River, the ascent from the north being very abrupt and the descent to the south being very gradual. Our position is far from being a strong one when held against a superior force. Roads will enable an enemy with cavalry to pass around us and ent off our communications and starve us out. We have no safe line of retreat, and must stand our ground let what will happen. Our opponents, led by General Buckner, who is familiar with the ground, are now

supposed to be along the railroad from Green River to Bowling Green. Their forces are variously estimated from 7,000 to 20,000 men, and I doubt not they have 15,000, some well and some poorly armed, but all actuated by a common purpose to destroy us.

I am fully alive to the danger of our position and to all its disadvantages, especially thatof supplies. Our provisions have been hauled up the rugged valley of Clear Creek by hired wagons and by some which were brought along by the Thirty-ninth Indiana. We can barely supply our wants, and are liable at any moment to have those wagons seized. The reason I came to Muldraugh’s Hill was for effect. Had it fallen into the hands of our enemies, the cause would have been lost, and even with it in our possession a week nobody has rallied to our support. I expected, as we had reason to, that the people of Kentueky would rally to our support, but, on the contrary, none have joined us; while hundreds, we are told, are going to Bowling Green. The railroad from Bowling Green towards us is broken at Nolin, 10 miles off, and at: another trestle beyond some 7 miles. I doubt if this was done by Buckner’s orders, but rather by the small parties of guards left to protect them, and who were scared at our approach. I have from time to time given you telegraphic notice of these events, and must now await the development. We should have here at least 20,000 men; but that has been an impossibility.

Truly, yours, W. T. SHERMAN . . y)