Today in History:

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

Page 611 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

Question. Do you what delayed General Thomas' division so long after the balance of the army in the movement for Corinth?

In a conversation held with General Thomas on the evening of July 23 he told me that he was obliged to wait; that he was occupying the country and line of railroad until troops from General Grant's army should come up to relieve him. I think General Morgan was the name of the general whom he expected to relieve him. He told me that he had been in readiness to move for some time, and had actually that evening ordered Brigadier General Speed D. Fry's brigade to be in readiness to march from Jackson's Ferry to cross incase the troops from Corinth came up. He remarked at the same time that he was fearful of withdrawing any portion of his troops from the line of railway until they had been actually relieved by General Grant's troops and not until the latter were in full possession, on account of bands of guerrillas who were hovering along the line of railroad.

Question. Do I understand you that the fifteen days' supplies of provisions which were forwarded to Tuscumbia for the use of the army dated from the 20th of July and that the previous supply was exhausted at that time?

Yes, sir.

Question. Do you know whether the supplies embraced in the statement of Captain Symonds which you have submitted to the Commission were actually received at Nashville?

I do not know, sir. I think that some supplies must have been detained along the line of the Louisville and Nashville road between the breaks, because a railroad line of that length could hardly be at any one time clear of railroad trains.

Question. Do you know anything about the shipment of supplies to Nashville by Captain Symonds during the month of August; whether such shipments were made and to what extent?

I have a dispatch dated Louisville, August 4, 1862, addressed to Captain J. G. Chandler, quartermaster on General Buell's staff: "177 tons commissary stores (equal to 75,000 rations) forwarded and 100 tons of grain went forward this morning." Signed W. F. Harris, captain and assistant quartermaster. This is the officer whom General Buell had sent to Louisville to expedite shipments.

I have no consolidated returns of shipments in August. Seventy-five thousand rations per diem was abut the capacity of the railroad when in running order; that was about equal to the total consumption of the army. There were interruptions on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. On August 10 Gallatin was captured by Morgan, the railroad cut, and his subsequent defeat of General Johnston, commander of the Federal forces, and the constant interruptions, lead me to think that not over 600,000 or 700,000 rations were sent forward in August.

Question. Are yo able to state whether the supplies for the army were generally well taken care of or whether they were wasted?

The utmost possible care was taken to preserve the supplies in transit and in depot; but large quantities must necessarily have been wasted in the frequent transshipment from Nashville toward Huntsville from rail to wagon and back again and infording streams. There is always large wastage where supplies are wagoned over rough roads.

Question. As far as you know by comparison with other troops were the habits of the troops of the Army of the Ohio wasteful of economical and careful?

I have served in three departments since the commencement of the war, and I have known no troops managed better or make better use of their rations or use more care thereof than the Army of the Ohio.

Question. What was the amount of supplies left at Huntsville when that place was evacuated?

I do not think there could have been over ten day's supply left there for the forces under General Rousseau, and they took in their wagons all they could possibly haul away. I do not think over 10,000 ration s were destroyed. I was present there at the time and this is my impression.


Page 611 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.