Question. Do you know anything in regard to the amount of supplies procurable in the valley of the Tennessee, as far as you had any opportunity of observing; had the previous occupation of that country by our troops and other causes effectually drained it of supplies?

I know that it was exceedingly to procure supplies or forage. I think no provisions of any amount could be collected between Decatur and Stevenson. That region of country had been occupied by our troops under General Mitchel for some months previous to the arrival there of the remainder of the Army of the Ohio, and must have been dependent on that region to a great extent for their supplies, inasmuch as railroad communication with Nashville had not been restored. The inhabitants of Huntsville were actually in want during my command of that post immediately after my arrival there.

Question. State, if you please, what time you were at Huntsville and what position you occupied there.

I was there in June and July. I was assigned to the command of the Third Division, and being the ranking officer, was in command of the post.

Question. State, if you please, what you know of the resources of the country at other points where you were stationed during the months of July and August, particularly along the Chattanooga Railroad north of Stevenson in the direction of Nashville.

From Stevenson to Cowan it is a barren, mountainous country. We there reach the valley of Middle Tennessee. That portion of it immediately adjacent to the mountains is fertile. Passing a belt of 4 or 5 miles we come to a glade country, the soil of which is thin and not very productive; it extends in the direction of Nashville to a point about 3 miles to the northwestward of Tullahoma. We there reach a hilly country that is but moderately productive, which extends to within about 10 miles of Murfreesborough. The country from that to Nashville is mostly level and fertile. A belt of fertile country next to the mountains follows the direction of the mountains, I believe, as far as McMinnville.

Question. How was that part of the country that you were in off for supplies last summer and were the supplies made use of for the public service as far as possible?

Supplies could not be collected to any very considerable extent. I received an order to collect all within my reach, and in compliance with that order succeeded in getting a thousand barrels of flour at Manchester, and perhaps two hundred barrels in all near Tullahoma at McQuiddy's mills. I also got beef cattle and sheep enough to supply my troops, who were part of the time on half rations.

Question. Did these supplies that you collected from the country go into the hands of the commissaries to be issued as regular supplies or were they consumed by the troops in addition to the half rations which were authorized to be issued?

They were turned over to the commissary to be issued regularly.

Question. Were you employed after the evacuation of Corinth in superintending repairs on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad between Corinth and Decatur? If so, please state, as circumstantially as you can, the work that was performed and the time occupied in that way and whether the work was executed with industry and energy.

I was so employed. The road had been greatly damaged by the destruction of its bridges and trestle work, both by our own troops and the troops of the enemy. There were placed under my command for the execution of the work an entire regiment of Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, with the exception of a detachment of two companies which were then serving with General Mitchel. In addition to that force I was authorized by order of General Buell to call upon division commanders whose troops were on the line for such additional force as I might require. I employed all the force that could be worked at the various points requiring repairs and pressed forward those repairs with all diligence, constructing 1,200 feet of bridges and trestle work, some of it to the height of 40 feet, and consumed in repairing the road about three weeks. Troops were ordered forward for the special purpose of assisting in the work and guarding the working parties.