In late October of 1862, Major General William Rosencrans took over the Army of the Cumberland from General Don Carlos Buell. Hallecks instructions to Rosencrans were the following:* Apply pressure on the Confederate Army of Tennessee and force it out of Kentucky; * Cover Nashville and repair the railroad to permit the movement of supples between Nashville and Louisville, Kentucky; and * Maintain pressure on the Army of Tennessee to prevent it from moving West to hinder the operations of General US Grant.