Col. J. Stoddard Johnston, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 9.1, Kentucky
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[115] hands of General Bragg, the conception and original plan should be credited to Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. Long deferred justice to the latter distinguished soldier requires, therefore, a brief statement of the facts upon which this conclusion is based, wholly in the cause of historic truth, and with the most impartial fairness to both officers. As has been already stated, General Bragg had succeeded General Beauregard in command of the Western department on the 17th of June, 1862, while Gen. Kirby Smith was in command of the department of East Tennessee with headquarters at Knoxville. With the occupation of Cumberland Gap by Gen. Geo. W. Morgan a few days after this, and the demonstration made by General Buell on Chattanooga in his behalf, General Smith, becoming convinced of the peril which threatened his department, applied to General Bragg for reinforcements. But General Bragg, having conceived the idea of attacking General Buell in flank in Middle Tennessee, as he was slowly making his way eastward, replied that in view of this proposed movement he needed every man. (See Rebellion Records, part 2, Vol. XVI, page 701.) General Smith on the 24th urged upon the authorities at Richmond the necessity of aid, without which they must elect either to give up Chattanooga or East Tennessee, and General Bragg sent Gen. John P. McCown with a small division to Chattanooga, where he arrived on July 4th. For nearly a month, during which occurred the cavalry operations detailed in the preceding chapter, General Bragg adhered to his purpose of moving northward against General Buell and reaching Nashville by that route.¹

Meantime Gen. Kirby Smith organized the cavalry commands of General Morgan and Forrest, and sent them on their raids of his own motion, as well as to retard the progress of Buell until Bragg could so strike him, as to relieve his own department.