Ticket to Nashville

The Seventeenth Kentucky Volunteers have been stationed at Columbia for about two weeks, but plans are initiated on this date to move them to Nashville.  Recall that, after three months in Nelson's Division, they were detached for guard duty at Pulaski and officially assigned to McCook.  While General McCook remained at Battle Creek to guard against a rebel advance from Chattanooga  Nelson has been pursuing Confederate cavalry in the area surrounding Nashville, leaving Major Sidell in charge of the capital's defense.  Nelson returned to Nashville on the evening of August 19th and was not satisfied with Sidell's defenses. 

Buell's response is to send one more fighting regiment (the Seventeenth) to Nashville, but he is more concerned with the increasing threat of Bragg's growing army in Chattanooga than the annoying raids of Forrest's Cavalry.  At least the foot-weary infantrymen will have the use of the railroad on this trip.  There will be no forced march carrying full packs  in 100 degree heat kicking up a cloud of dust that permeates everything.  They will not have to breathe dust, eat dust or wipe the dust from their eyes with their dust-covered hands.  Their bodies would not be encrusted with dried mud, as the sweat ran down their dust-covered faces and necks and shoulders in brown riverlets only to be baked dry by the hot southern sun.  On the contrary, this should be a pleasant ride amongst the rolling green hills and valleys of northern middle Tennessee-  terrain very similar to their homes along the Green River.

Ref.:  http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/recordview.cfm?content=/023/0380

HEADQUARTERS, Huntsville, August 20, 1862.
Major SIDELL, Nashville:

Send a train to Columbia to take Seventeenth Kentucky to Nashville and retain it there, and send one of the regiments now there to protect repairs on railroad. The road must be opened, and rapidly as possible. See Mr. Anderson about it, and push it through without further orders in case telegraph is cut between us. All the supplies, forage, beef cattle, &c., which can be got about Nashville must be secured. With the Seventeenth Kentucky you will have eight regiments at Nashville, which will be enough to hold it and open the road to Kentucky. Send to Decherd and Murfreesborough all the supplies you can.

JAMES B. FRY.

Ref.:  http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/recordView.cfm?Content=023/0379

HEADQUARTERS, Huntsville, August 20, 1862.
General NEGLEY, Columbia:

Send the Seventeenth Kentucky to Nashville by rail as soon as practicable.

JAMES B. FRY.