Today in History:

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

Page 274 KY.,M. AND E. TENN.,N. ALA.,AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII.

that part of the army to which you belonged were on the 12th and 13th?

Under Major-General Crittenden's, directed by his assistant adjutant-general, Lyne Starling; he acted more as a guide than a director.

Question. Do you know whether General Thomas moved with that part of the army?

General Thomas moved with that part of the army nearly all the time. He gave his personal supervision to the movements of the troops. I do not know where General Thomas was on that particular day.

Question. Do you know whether the other corps of the army did not move on the 12th, that the whole army did not swing around upon its right, changing its front?

It was my impression that the whole army did move. I had no positive knowledge except of the corps to which I belonged.

Question. What division led your corps in the advance on the night of the 13th toward Crab Orchard?

I think the Fifth Division, commanded by General Van Cleve. I may, however, be mistaken in the date.

Question. Whatever division it may have been, do you know the hour at which it started?

I do not know what division. It may have been General Wood's, which started on the night of the 13th.

Recross-examination by General TYLER:

Question. You say it was impracticable for troops to cross Dick's River. Did not almost the entire of Bragg's army cross over Dick's River after the battle of Perryville?

It is probable they did.

Question. At what distance from Dick's River was the bulk of General Buell's army at the time they probably crossed?

Probably from 12 to 18 miles.

Question. If General Buell's army had made a vigorous forward movement could Bragg have passed his army over Dick's River under offensive operations on the part of General Buell?

I do not know; my opinion is that he could have passed the greater part of his army over.

Question. Do you entertain that opinion in the face of the expression you used that it was "impracticable" for troops to pass over Dick's River?

There is a difference in an army passing over and having nothing to impede its progress, and in an army crossing over having a powerful foe to impede its progress on the other side. I conceive very readily how an army could cross over any ravine in the world. I can conceive that the passage of such a ravine as that, with a strong army to contest its passage, might be made absolutely impossible. There is another fact in connection with this: the order of opposing troops in retreat may be very different to opposing troops in an attack in the fact of an enemy; it would make it a great obstacle in one case and very slight in another.

By General BUELL:

Question. Suppose a line like that of Dick's River, absolutely impregnable against assault except at one or two points, with high commanding bluffs on the side toward which the enemy is retreating, is there anything more simple and certain than the passage of an army in retreat in the face of almost any enemy, supposing him to get a certain


Page 274 KY.,M. AND E. TENN.,N. ALA.,AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII.