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

Page 147 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

NASHVILLE, December 14, 1862-10 a.m.

Commission met pursuant to adjournment. All the members present; also the judge-advocate and General Buell.

Colonel STREIGHT (a witness for the Government), being duly sworn by the judge-advocate, testified as follows:

By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. State your named and position in the service of the United States.

A. D. Streight, colonel, commanding the Fifty-first Indiana Volunteers.

Question. State, if you please, where you were in the service during the invasion of Bragg from Chattanooga to Kentucky.

I started from Stevenson on the 20th or 21st of September with the Twentieth Brigade, and joined Crittenden's division at Bridgeport; marched with Crittenden to this point, where we joined Wood's division, and from here we marched with Wood's division.

Question. What position had Wood's division in the army in the march from Nashville to Bowling Green and Munfordville?

We marched in the advance from here to Gallatin; then we crossed to Mitchellsville. What force went up the other road I am unable to state. We joined other troops at Mitchellsville. Who had the advance that day I cannot say, but we arrived in the advance at Bowling Green. We went in the advance, I am certain, on our route as far as Mitchellsville, and we arrived in the advance at Bowling Green. Whether there were not some other troops marching in the advance some other day I am unable to say.

Question. What time colonel, did it take you to march from Nashville to Munfordville; what time did you leave Nashville and what time did you arrive at Munfordville?

I have no dates; I cannot therefore give the exact days. Our first stay was at Gallatin, where we remained one day; we then moved rapidly to Bowling Green. One day and night we marched, I think, 36 miles.

Question. What time were you marching from Nashville to Bowling Green; how many days, and how long did you remain at Bowling Green?

We remained at Bowling Green five or six days, but the number of days we were marching I cannot recollect so well. I remember we were very impatient at lying idle, but it strike me that we were on the road but three days from here to Bowling Green, and from there we did not move so fast, though we marched most of one night, and next day we moved up to within a few miles of Cave City, then to Cave City, which would make five days' marching. This would include all the marching from here to Cave City, where we halted. When we moved up it took all day to go to Munfordville. We were five or six days at Bowling Green and about five days at Cave City.

Question. Where were you at the time Munfordville surrendered and upon what day did it surrender?

I disremember, but we were on the march from Bowling Green to Cave City. The day after we arrived at Cave City the prisoners came down, and I think they surrendered the day before. It was not far from the time that we left Bowling Green; it was on the next day. I may be wrong as to the date, but not more than a day.

Question. What was the estimate placed upon the number of the invading army by intelligent officers during that march?

Well, sir, it was variously estimated at from 30,000 to 40,000. I do not think anybody estimated it above 40,000; some as low as 25,000. From facts I could gather they might have had from 30,000 to 35,000. There were various rumors, but all very indefinite. We were not in a position to know very definitely facts relative to it. I, at Gallatin, learned from General Wood that he had sent a part out who reported it


Page 147 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.