Headquarters department op the Cumberland, Louisville, Kentucky, October 22, 1881.

To General L. Thomas, Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.

Sir:  On my arrival at Camp Dick Robinson, I found General Thomas had stationed a Kentucky regiment at Rock Castle Hill, beyond a river of the same name, and had sent an Ohio and an Indiana regiment forward in support.  He was embarrassed for transportation, and I authorized him to hire teams, and to move his whole force nearer to his advance-guard, so as to support it, as he had information of the approach of Zollicoffer toward London.  I have just heard from him, that he had sent forward General Schoepf with Colonel Wolford’s cavalry, Colonel Steadman’s Ohio regiment, and a battery of artillery, followed on a succeeding day by a Tennessee brigade.  He had still two Kentucky regiments, the Thirty-eighth Ohio and another battery of artillery, with which he was to follow yesterday.  This force, if concentrated, should be strong enough for the purpose; at all events, it is all he had or I could give him.

I explained to you fully, when here, the supposed position of our adversaries, among which was a force in the valley of Big Sandy, supposed to be advancing on Paris, Kentucky.  General Nelson at Maysville was instructed to collect all the men he could, and Colonel Gill’s regiment of Ohio Volunteers.  Colonel Harris was already in position at Olympian Springs, and a regiment lay at Lexington, which I ordered to his support.  This leaves the line of Thomas’s operations exposed, but I cannot help it.  I explained so fully to yourself and the Secretary of War the condition of things, that I can add nothing new until further developments, You know my views that this great centre of our field is too weak, far too weak, and I have begged and implored till I dare not say more.

Buckner still is beyond Green River.  He sent a detachment of his men, variously estimated at from two to four thousand toward Greensburg.  General Ward, with about one thousand men, retreated to Campbellsburg, where he called to his assistance some partially-formed regiments to the number of about two thousand.  The enemy did not advance, and General Ward was at last dates at Campbellsburg.  The officers charged with raising regiments must of necessity be near their homes to collect men, and for this reason are out of position; but at or near Greensburg and Lebanon, I desire to assemble as large a force of the Kentucky Volunteers as possible.  This organization is necessarily irregular, but the necessity is so great that I must have them, and therefore have issued to them arms and clothing during the process of formation.  This has facilitated their enlistment; but inasmuch as the Legislature has provided money for organizing the Kentucky Volunteers, and intrusted its disbursement to a board of loyal gentlemen, I have endeavored to cooperate with them to hasten the formation of these corps.