After a long period of extraordinary inaction, and after General Bragg had commenced his retreat from Kentucky, General Buell suddenly roused to the necessity of doing something, and moved from Louisville. His army was divided into three corps: the first, under command of Major-General A. McDowell McCook; the second under Major-General Crittenden; the third under Major-General Gilbert. Major-General Thomas being second in command, moved with the second corps; and General Buell himself with the third. The army advanced in pursuit of the enemy, and it was thought that the rebels would concentrate at Danville—but instead of doing so, finding themselves hard pressed, they made a stand at Perryville; where on the evening of the 7th they stubbornly resisted General Buell’s advance. This point became the field of a bloody battle, which took its name from the spot on which it was fought. General McCook did not receive orders to march to Perryville, till three hours after midnight; and though his troops began to advance before dawn they did not reach the battle-field till ten o’clock on the 8th. General McCook formed a junction with General Gilbert’s corps; and in person reported to General Buell for orders. General Buell, appearing to anticipate no serious fighting, gave no orders for immediate attack; and the rebels, taking instant advantage of his indisposition for opening the engagement, resolved to take the initiative before the remaining corps under General Crittenden could arrive. General Bragg drew together his entire force and impetuously hurled them on General McCook’s corps, who met the unexpected assault with the greatest bravery, and stood like adamant before the furious enemy. From two o’clock till nightfall the battle continued to rage with unexampled violence; and both generals—Union and rebel—have recorded it as one of the bloodiest of the war. At General Buell’s headquarters the cannonading was distinctly heard; and he proved himself a most inefficient officer, in not sending the other two divisions to the immediate assistance of General McCook; whose solitary corps of fifteen thousand men was withstanding a force of at least three times their own number. There can be no doubt that the cooperation of the three corps would have insured certain victory; instead of which the brave division, fearfully cut up, after a superhuman contest of many hours was compelled to retire before the superior numbers of the enemy. Having completely overcome the troops under General McCook the rebels followed up their advantage by falling with all their strength on the corps of General Gilbert, which was still waiting orders from the commander-in-chief to hasten to the assistance of General McCook. The battle was instantly renewed with trebly increased fury; the large numbers of the enemy, like a great ocean sweeping on to what they considered an easy victory. But the flood was met and momentarily checked by a brigade under Colonel