Today in History:

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

Page 443 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

Question. Were your sources of information such that you can inform the Commission what officers commanded Bragg's right wing at Munfordville?

I cannot now positively call to mind, though I knew at the time perfectly well; my recollection is that General Polk command, but I am not positive.

Question. Do you know or do you recollect the officers commanding his left wing?

I did know at the time. I supposes that with a little thought it will all come back to me. It is a question of memory upon names which I am unable to recall.

Question. Were Hardee, Buckner, Anderson, Johnson, Polk, Cheatham, Withers, and Jones the officers having command under Bragg?

I recollect Hardee being mentioned an commanding one of the wings, I think the right; but, as I said before, I cannot be positive. I recollect the names of Polk, Buckner, and Cheatham very well, but as to Jones and Anderson being in connection with this army I am not so positive.

Question. Supposing the general officers under Bragg should number eight, what number would you estimate Bragg's army at upon the same principle that you fixed the number of Kirby Smith's in your examination-in-chief?

I do not think I enunciated any principle with respect to Kirby Smith's force. The question arose not about general officers who were there. I think I stated distinctly that my information came from prisoners, officers, soldiers, and citizen. I also obtained that information from officers of General George [W.] Morgan at Cumberland Gap about that time. With reference to the strength of Bragg's forces, if was obtained in the same way, and in addition to this from men were captured belonging to different regiments. We had in our possession prisoners and sick from one hundred and seventy-seven regiments of infantry; the number of cavalry I do not recollect, but it was a large cavalry force. I also had information from that army from very intelligent deserters-officers who had deserted. Putting all those things together, you have the data upon which my answer is founded.

Question. If you had representatives from one hundred and seventy-seven regiments of Bragg's army, upon what principle did you fix that number at 55,000?

That does not necessarily fix the number at 55,000; it is only corroborative, as I regard if, of my estimated strength, after having it enumerated by those and by others who had opportunities of judging. And again it strengthens my assertion of my estimate very much;having representatives from so many regiments, it is almost positive proof that they had that number of regiments or skeletons of them; they were represented in his force.

Question. With that fact alone, of your having representative from one hundred and seventy-seven regiments, what estimate could you make of the under Bragg?

A very fair way to arrive at it would be to ascertain how long, or about how long, these regiments had been in service, their strength at the time of entering into service, and my own experience of the decimation of the original number, of what it would be up to a certain date, taking always our own forces as a standard, in the way they are thinned out by the battle, sickness, disease,&c. Those who are experienced in the military service are capable of forming something like an approximate estimate not varying very materially from the truth.

Question. In making that estimate you calculate upon the fact that you have representatives from every regiments in Bragg's army?

No, sir; not necessarily. We may have prisoners from one-quarter, one-half, or four-fifth; it is fair to suppose that we would have representatives from nearly all. After their hard marching, the battle of Perryville, and the haste with which they got out of the country, more or less would be left behind, broken down and sick, perhaps from every regiment.


Page 443 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.