Today in History:

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

Page 495 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

propriate word; nor do I inquire whether they actually suffered these injuries, but whether they complained of them.

I do not recollect of any instance of that kind at Huntsville, though I am aware that complaints were made at other points. The rudeness of soldiers is about all I can remember now. I the matter of pressing horses particularly it was a very grievous one to the. Our men would sometimes, perhaps, use extreme language; the people would provoke it; but i remember nothing else.

Question. Is it a matter of notoriety that great outrages were committed by portions of the troops in that district of country?

If accounts are true of great outrages having been committed, it is. We had some regiment in that division who were extremely hard to control; but they were particularly good at the warfare that was carried on there, I suppose, of abusing the people. For instance, the Nineteenth Illinois has the credit of having a hard reputation. The Tenth Ohio was a pretty good regiment in that way, but it was under discipline. these regiments, particularly the Nineteenth Illinois, were kept out, I believe,as much as possible to the extreme for bushwhacking purpose, as we called. They were very good at that and a very fine regiment when brought into action.

Question. With the difficulty the troops that you had on that line under the command of General Mitchell what would you think of the practicability of supplying 20,000 men at Bridgeport, with the same means of transportation and the railroads of the country as they were at that time?

I should say that it would be wholly impracticable. One thing I distinctly remember: it was the fact of our division train for this small army that General Mitchell had with him at Huntsville of about 5,000 men-that train of 85 to 100 or, say, 125 wagons- was kept so constantly at work that it did not give them time event o have their horses and mules shod in some instances.

Cross-examination by the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. Under whose command was General Mitchell at Huntsville?

General Buell's.

Question. Why, then, do you speak of General Mitchell's policy; was it not fact the policy of the commanding general?

As I understood at that time General Mitchell's command was separate, at the some time being a portion of General buell's army; but he was ordered to go to North Alabama to take possession of that country. I did not join him until after he arrived there.

Question. Were not the complaints of the inhabitants there really based upon your attempt to gather supplies from them and not from any depredation or abuse from the soldiers?

As I said, i am not aware of complaints having been made; they felt bitter, and would raise every possible they could at the most trifling thing. They were paid. I am not aware that anything was ever taken from them for which, they were not paid. In some instances they preferred Confederate notes, but I could not supply them.

Question. What articles did our forces need; were we suffering there from a lack of subsistence?

Bacon was one thing in the way of subsistence. Hay and oats we never had for our animals.the cattle fed on corn and fodder altogether.

Question. Did not the men have a sufficiency of beef, mutton, and pork?

No, sir; we would send our into the country and get in beef cattle frequently and slaughter them. I do not know that we ever had any mutton. Pork we had occasionally, as we could get it from the North. I recollect in one instance we had a yoke of oxen sent to me, that were captured by one of our scouts, belonging to a Confederate officer. They were very poor and thin, but I was ordered to turn them over to the commissary to be killed. We had no fresh beef.


Page 495 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.