Today in History:

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

Page 405 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

By General BUELL:

Question. Do you know why the brigade which preceded you to Bowling Green was ordered to that point?

I do not know positively, but supposed that it was ordered there to strength the garrison of that place, in anticipation of a movement of the rebel forces in that direction.

Question. Do you understand it to have been independent of a movement of the Army of the Ohio toward Kentucky and was it considerably in advance of that movement?

It was considerably in advance of that movement, and I supposed it to be part of the distribution of that army, with a view to meeting the rebel force that was then understood to be advancing northward; but at that time I had no knowledge of any intended movement of the Army of the Ohio into Kentucky; I supposed its movements to be entirely controlled by those of the enemy.

Question. Were your instructions to you orally or in writing?

They were given to me orally, except the order to proceed to Bowling Green and there assume command.

Question. How long did the troops which were ordered to that point precede you?

I think four or five days, but am not sure.

Question. Is it proper to say that the Army of the Ohio remained at Bowling Green from the time of the arrival of this detachment for this special service up to the time of the departure of the army from that point in its advance toward Glasgow or Munfordville?

I should think not.

Question. What was the estimated strength of the rebel force at Corinth about the time of the evacuation of that point?

I should think an average of the estimates I heard to be about 100,000.

Question. What is supposed to have been the distribution of that force after its abandonment of Corinth?

I have very limited means of information on that point. I heard that the main body retreated southward, and that a portion of it was thrown, by rail most of the way, into the vicinity of Chattanooga, and thought there would be a race between the two armies for that point.

Question. Of what detached armies or large bodies of troops that have been generally recognized as taking part in the military operations of the rebels was that army composed?

I do not know that I could mention them all. The army that retreated before us from Shiloh, commanded first by Sidney Johnston and then by Beauregard, constituted one portion of it, and I understood the armies of Price and Van Dorn were present at Corinth. It was also understood that Bragg's force had arrival from Mobile.

Question. Can you name the principal commanders belonging to that consolidated force that had previously exercised independent commands?

Price, Van Dorn, Bragg, Polk, Beauregard, who command that army proper, and was then understood to be in command of the whole force. Thee might have been others, but those names were most frequently mentioned in the information that we received from within the rebel lines.

Question. Do you consider that the presence of certain high commanders would generally indicate the organizations of any particular army; that is, would it generally indicate that the force to which they have habitually belonged will form part of that particular army?

I think their presence would indicate the presence also of commands appropriate to their rank. Whether the particular commands to which they have been attached


Page 405 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.