ernment needed its officials should take peaceably and peacefully, and that all private marauding, stealing, and robbing, which tended to the destruction of discipline and the efficiency of the army, should be repressed, and I have had occasion at various times to see that policy enforced in person by General Buell, and I believe that on call proper occasions that policy was enforced. That has been the policy of General Buell, as far I have understood it, during the time that he commanded this department. As his army marched to Shiloh this policy was pretty faithfully carried out, but as the army returned in September last there was a great want of discipline exhibited; yet as it returned comparatively few grievances were complained of or outrages committed, and that is something I have never understood. I do not think that the want of discipline arose from any fault General Buell, for I consider him one of the best disciplinarians I know.

Question. Do you know any instance of my failure to make use of the supplies of the country through which we were marching when they were necessary for the efficiency of the army?

No, sir; quite to the contrary. On all occasions when the army needed supplies and they could be obtained they were freely taken and used. I have never known a United States officer in this war that would fail to take supplies when the army needed them and he could obtain them.

Question. My policy with reference to slaves in the country through which we have marched has been made a subject of inquiry before the Commission. Will you please state what you know in regard to it?

The question is somewhat indefinite. I can say this much of General Buell's policy, that he desired to have as little to do with the slaves as might be. When they were needed as teamsters or to work on the fortifications I understood it to be his wish to use them freely as teamsters when belonging to secessionists and to take them all alike when they were needed on the fortifications. I recollect he objected to having slaves in camp, on the ground that whatever might be the political principles of the owners their presence there tended to the demoralization of the army; that they consumed the supplies intended for the army or else were driven to steal and maraud to get something to eat. I believe his policy was to turn all slaves whom you might call "surplus" out of camp up to the time that the law was changed on that subject. I believe he was opposed, as distinctly as I was, to aiding in any possible way a secessionist in obtaining possession of his slaves, but desired that loyal men should have their negroes. With General Buell's concurrence I used several hundred negroes at Huntsville and Nashville in erecting fortifications, and he knew that I had a great number of able-bodied negroes as teamsters in my command, as I think I informed him several times and as he could see himself. He objected to negroes going with the army in large numbers and waiting on the soldiers, as was practiced in the troops of General Mitchel and perhaps in others.

Question. Do you know any instance of my availing myself of the information of negroes, particularly when we were in Northern Alabama, and of my making certain disposition of my troops in consequence of their reports?

Yes, I know of several such instances occurring in which negroes gave information and bodies of troops were used on that information.

Question. Was that information generally of much value?

Generally not the least, and on the occasion I refer to the stories told by the negroes were either entirely untrue or so exaggerated that the information amounted to nothing except to fatigue and weary our soldiers to no purpose. The negroes are far more useful to the rebels than to us, although nearly all of them are friendly to our Government, and for the reason, among others, that they are so useful to the rebels I am opposed to their awning any.

Question. State, if you please, what you know in regard to the scarcity or abundance of supplies in North Alabama and other parts of the country through which we marched last summer.

Supplies were very scarce on the whole line of march; in fact I think the inhabitants had not enough for their own purpose, though in some neighborhoods we could procure forage and now and then other supplies for the army. It was this scarcity that created the difficulty of keeping up very strict discipline, as one cannot very well punish a soldier who gets something to eat on the plea that he is suffering with hunger. We were a good deal of time on half rations from Huntsville up to Kentucky.