Today in History:

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

Page 602 KY., M. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII.

subject has mainly been drawn. The judge-advocate informs me also that, contrary to my understanding, the rule of the court requiring a statement of what I propose to prove applies to witnesses that have been summoned as well as those whom I wish summoned, unless they are actually in attendance; and I am requested to give that explanation with reference to Messrs. Downey, Anderson, Yates, and Bruce. The evidence of the former will have reference to Brigadier-General Schoepf's expressions concerning me, and of the three latter to the strength of the rebel forces in Kentucky.

D. C. BUELL,

Major-General.

General DANA. I move to reconsider the vote of yesterday in reference to calling the witness mentioned by General Buell.

The motion, being put, was lost.

(IN OPEN SESSION.)

General Buell, having been notified that the Commission was ready to proceed with the taking of testimony, entered the court-room.

Lieutenant Colonel FRANCIS DARR (a witness for the defense), being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Be General BUELL:

Question. Please to state your name and position in the United States service.

Francis Darr; lieutenant-colonel and commissary of subsistence of the United Stated Volunteers.

Question. State whether you were on duty with the Army of the Ohio during the past year; between what dates and in what capacity.

I was on duty in the Army of the Ohio, on General Buell's staff, as chief commissary in the field, from about the middle of January, 1862, until October 30, 1862, when General Buell was relieved. I was relieved at the same time.

Question. State, as circumstantially as you can, what measures were adopted for subsisting the army from the time it commenced its movement form the vicinity of Corinth to North Alabama until its arrival in North Alabama.

When the forces of General Buell commenced their movement from Corinth eastward I was stationed at Buell's Landing, on the Tennessee River, 2 miles above Pittsburg Landing, supplying his forces from that point. When the said movement was commences I was ordered to move the supplies to Eastport, Miss., about 30 miles above Pittsburg Landing, from which point to a line of march form Corinth eastward to a place called Iuka it was only 8 miles, giving a first-rate road to supply General Buell's troops and saving about 20 miles of land transportation. As fast as the troops reached Iuka on their march eastward from Corinth they drew their supplies from Eastport sufficient to last them until they reached Tuscumbia, to which point from Eastport I was ordered to supply the forces by the river. For this purpose I secured the lightest draught boats, and had considerable difficulty in doing so, as the navigation between Eastport, Miss., and Tuscumbia, Ala., was dangerous and Difficult on account of the low water on Colbert's Shoals, a few miles above Aspirate.

It was at first considered impossible to so supply the troops on account of Colbert's shoals. By General Buell's orders all the river pilots acquainted with those waters and living in the surrounding country were seized on eight at midnight, and kept under close guard to run our steamers, because Union pilots then in the employ of the general were unwilling to undertake running boats to tuscumbia. So difficult was the navigation that I went up on the first boat myself from Eastport to Tuscumbia. We stuck for half a day on the Shoals, and no boat went up the river without sticking there and having considerable trouble. Every boat had to be sent up by force, and threats were made against the captain and the crew. I mention this to show the difficulty of the navigation and the delay and the time consumed in supplying the troops. Boats drawing only 16 inches of water were only able to take about 30 or 40 tons to the trip. Besides commissary stores these boats were obliged to take forage and quartermaster's supplies, as the country through which the troops were marching was totally stripped of its resources by the enemy.


Page 602 KY., M. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII.