Today in History:

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

Page 383 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

as to the extent of rebel feeling in Kentucky and the number of men that would be likely to join the Confederate on their entering the State, and the numbers spoken of were not intended to represent the strength of the army, but the amount was stated as an argument by Forsyth to show that even with a great number the feeling did not exist in Kentucky which had been represented. The article representing the controversy which I saw, and which was a very condensed statement, made very little impression on me anyway.

Question. I would ask you whether the following sentence impressed itself upon memory to such extent as that you can recollect it: "This is not a supposable case, seeing that Governor Hawes stands as the advocate of the loyalty of the State, which has just refused to take up arms for its own redemption with a Confederate army of 40,000 brave men at its back"?

I have just stated that I never saw the article, and of course it could not have impressed itself upon my memory, as implied by the question, nor do I remember the numbers stated in the article that I did see. I supposed, as I stated before, that it was fixed at an amount sufficiently large for the purpose of the argument, but I do not remember if it was 40,000 or 50,000 or 30,000. I certainly had no idea that it pretended to state the exact number of the rebel army that was in the State.

Question. You wish, then, to correct the impression made yesterday in your explanation to General Buell, that you had seen no such statement as to the number of men under General Bragg in Kentucky made by Mr. Forsyth?

No, sir; I wish to make no correction at all. I do not see that it is at all necessary.

By General SCHOEPF:

Question. In connection with your testimony that General Nelson agreed to serve under his junior in rank, do you know that Congress has vested the President only with that power, and was not General Buell, in assigning a senior to serve under General Wright, assuming a power not delegated to him?

General Buell never did any such thing. I never intimated that he had done any such thing any more than he assigned General Wallace to serve under me. General Nelson and General Wallace both volunteered as a duty of patriotism, as I understood, to serve under those who were their juniors. General Nelson was ordered to Kentucky before the new Department of the Ohio was created, which took Kentucky out of General Buell's command. When General Nelson reached Nashville I advised him by telegraph of it. He continued, however, on his route to Louisville. When he arrived there I showed him the order of the Secretary of War to me creating the department and assigning General Wright to its command. A day or two after his arrival General Wright came, and having seen the first general orders of General Wright, I can state that he assumed command on the 23rd day of September. It was voluntary entirely on the part of General Nelson that he took command under General Wright, just as it was with General Wallace taking command under me.

Question. You stated that Bragg lost during his invasion of Kentucky 8,000 men; will please enumerate those losses?

I cannot answer the question with very great accuracy, not having the papers and records of my headquarters with me. My recollection and present estimate is that there were about 4,300 to 4,500 prisoners taken, and sent to Louisville and paroled there. I think the number altogether would be about 4,800. I think the killed were from 800 to 1,100; I cannot state the exact number. I think there were, from all the information I have, from 2,000 to 2,500 that were paroled, and made their way through the country home; some of them, I have no doubt, joined the army notwithstanding the parole. My estimate is that there were from 6,000 to 8,000, as I stated in my answer. I have no doubt that the final effect of the campaign of Bragg's army diminished it even more than that, if we knew the results upon it after it arrived in Tennessee, but but about which I have meager information and upon which it would not do to form an estimate.

Question. Did not our losses in prisoners, killed, and wounded at Perryville exceed those of the enemy during his invasion of Kentucky?

No, sir; I would not suppose it was to be compared, though I do not know so much


Page 383 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.