Today in History:

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

Page 279 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

but was detached about three months. I reported at Louisville about the 15th of February, was with the army about a month, and was then detached from it and served on the Tennessee River.

Question. State, in a general way, if you please, the position of the army in the months of July and August last and the means by which it was supplied.

The army was located from Tuscumbia, Ala., along the railroad running from that point to Chattanooga-from Battle Creek near Chattanooga; then from Decatur to Nashville, on the Decatur and Nashville road; and from Battle Creek in the direction of the Nashville and Chattanooga road and along that road. From the time the army crossed the Tennessee River the supplies were drawn from Nashville; both roads were used in the transportation of supplies from Nashville.

Question. State, if you please, what means were used to supply the troops in the positions which they occupied and to get supplies forward to the point from which they would start to advance against Chattanooga, that being the object.

After the troops crossed the Tennessee River to march toward Chattanooga they were supplied from Louisville as the principal depot and Nashville as an intermediate depot, and from Nashville by two railroads, one the Nashville and Decatur and the other the Nashville and Chattanooga road. This was for about a month, for the Nashville and Decatur road was soon abandoned, as the troops concentrated toward Chattanooga, and then there was but one line of communication from Louisville to the depot nearest to the position of the troops, which was Stevenson. The line was about 350 miles. About fifteen days' supplies were kept on hand at Nashville, and about 100,000 half rations, barely two days' supplies, at Stevenson; and this by using every means of transportation that the railroads could furnish, and to do this cars were purchased by Government and put upon the roads. In this state of affairs the army was on nearly half rations from the middle of July till the army arrived in Louisville. The supplies were carried to the camps at Battle Creek by means of wagons, of which there was a very limited supply, as the bulk of the transportation of the army was employed in carrying supplies to points where the railroads had been previously cut; in other words, the wagons were on the railroad far above the army while it was in the vicinity of Battle Creek.

Question. Were these means used to the fullest extent to push forward supplies to the depot at Stevenson?

Yes, sir.

Question. Do you know what efforts were made by orders and dispatches to have supplies thrown into Nashville rapidly?

Generally I do. I know that I was kept pushed all the time to be more energetic, to see that others were more energetic, and to push everybody that I could in my position to hurry forward supplies; that was the cry, as it were. The military superintendent of the road was also at work day and night endeavoring to conduct the road so that the greatest amount of work could be got from it with the limited amount of rolling stock and its poor condition generally.

Question. Were the Cumberland and Green Rivers made use of as long as they were available to throw supplies into Nashville?

The Cumberland was, I am enabled to state. Green River was not used while I was attached to the army?

Question. In what condition did you find the country in regard to supplies; to what extent did you avail yourself of its resources?

Forage was procured in the country. There was none brought by the railroad. There was but a limited supply of forage up to the 20th of August, when the new crop of corn came in, when there was plenty of forage. As far as I was able to learn there was but very little forage in our advance toward Chattanooga after leaving Stevenson. There were no other supplies for the quartermaster's department in the country. There was a small supply of forage brought through from Nashville about the 1st of August, but no accumulated supply.

Question. What was the force at Huntsville during the time you were there?

I should say about 3,000 men at Huntsville and within a mile or two.


Page 279 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.