Today in History:

117 Series I Volume XVI-I Serial 22 - Morgan's First Kentucky Raid, Perryville Campaign Part I

Page 117 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

Question. Do you know on what day of the week or month you arrived at Bowling Green with your division?

I recollect it was Sunday morning that I arrived within 3 miles of Bowling Green, but cannot state the day of the month.

Question. If the surrender of Munfordville actually took place on the Monday following you arrival at Bowling Green, would it have been possible, if you started from Nashville at the time you did, to reach Munfordville in time to prevent that surrender?

Yes,sir; I think it could.

Question. How many days elapsed from the date of your departure from Nashville and the Monday on which the surrender of Munfordville took place?

We arrived within 4 miles of Bowling Green Sunday morning, 6 o'clock. We marched 12 miles that morning.

Question. Could you have marched from Bowling Green, after having marched 12 miles on Sunday morning, and reached Munfordville in time to prevent the surrender of that place on Monday?

The JUDGE-ADVOCATE. Was it not on Wednesday? That is my recollection of it.

(Conversation between judge-advocate and General McCook, in which it was said that the latter day was correct.)

Question. Was it supposed that the enemy was at Glasgow when you arrived at Bowling Green?

Yes, sir; that was my impression from all I could pick up.

Question. Supposing you had marched by forced marches to the rescue of Munfordville with the rebel army at Glasgow, would you have exposed your re-enforcements to a flank attack from Glasgow?

Yes,sir; we should have had to march together and be prepared for battle.

Question. Could you then, under the circumstances, have made that distance with the rapidity which was necessary in order to reach Munfordville to rescue that place in presence of the rebel army?

My answer to that question is, no.

Question. Which would have been the most judicious determination, supposing it were possible to march by the rebel army at Glasgow, to make that march and leave the rebel army at liberty to fall in upon your rear, occupying Bowling Green, and so cutting off communication eventually between Nashville and Louisville, or even to have sacrificed Munfordville for the purpose of keeping the rebel army in advance and driving it into a position where it could have been operated against by greatly superior forces; which would you have selected?

I would have preferred the latter movement. The former certainly would not have allowed the army to come in on the rear, because had they got possession of Bowling Green it would have been a vital point. Nashville would necessarily have fallen, and they could have done it had we passed them at Glasgow.

Question. Did the rebel army make any stand after it left Munfordville until it arrived at Bardstown?

Not to my knowledge. I heard they had been drawn up in line of battle at Hodgensville for a fight, but I do not know if from my own knowledge.


Page 117 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.