Question. Did the army suffer any while they were on half rations and while they were depending principally on the seizures in the neighborhood?

I will state that for a few days after the departure of General Buell, there being but a limited supply of small rations on hand-sugar, coffee, rice, &c., and having a large amount of hard bread and flour-I reported to General Thomas and requested that he would order the issue of full rations of flour and beef, as I thought there was weeks. I submitted a statement of the amount on hand to General Thomas, and he authorized me to issue full rations of flour and meat. I saw no suffering of the men while they were on half rations and I heard no complaints.

Question. Were you with the army while stationed at these various points you have enumerated in Tennessee?

No,sir; I speak in my answer of what I saw and heard. I was not out of Nashville.

Cross-examination by General BUELL:

Question. Could the effect of half rations upon troops that were stationary in garrisons like those at Nashville be any criterion for judging of the sufficiency of such an allowance for troops that were engaged in active service in the field?

It would not. Troops on active duty and marching require more sustenance than those who are leading an inactive life.

Question. Is there not also a much greater wastage of provisions in the hands of troops when they are engaged in active service than when they are stationary?

There is probably twice as much wasted.

Question. Do you know, by the reports of officers of your department or otherwise, that instead of destroying its supplies when it was moving upon Nashville the army collected all the supplies it could from the country and brought them along with it?

Captain Darr, commissary of General Buell's staff, informs me that he had directed the commissaries at all the stations on the Chattanooga Railroad to seize all the cattle and other stores that they could and requested me to give the same directions to the commissary at Columbia and Franklin. I know that these orders were complied with, as beef cattle and flour were brought into Nashville with the army and turned over to the depot. At the time General Buell's army left Nashville, after taking the beef required by them, there were some 600 or 800 head of cattle remaining in Nashville in the hands of the officers of the subsistence department. These cattle were mostly seized by the different commissaries; a few were contract cattle.

Question. Do you know whether the supplies brought in this way were taken up on the returns of the depot commissaries and issued regularly like other supplies?

I believe all the stores and cattle seized by the different commissaries previous to General Buell's departure from Nashville were turned into the depot and taken up on the returns of Captain Little, and issued regularly as other supplies were issued. After General Buell's departure there were very few supplies, with the exception of beef cattle, turned into the depot. If any were taken by the different foraging parties sent out at various times they were not turned into the depot there, but were issued irregularly, if issued at all.

Question. What is your observation of the system of supplying troops by foraging parties, both as regards the discipline of the troops and the economical use of the supplies?

From my observation of foraging, as carried on at Nashville, I consider it very ruinous to the discipline of the army. I saw numerous foraging parties at various times on their return to Nashville-men straggling, coming in without any order, every man for himself; some carrying chickens and other fowls, others pigs, bacon, candle-molds, chairs, brooms, and almost every article of household furniture.