Today in History:

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

Page 613 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

Question. Would you consider that the same thing must be expected whenever troops return to the vicinity of their homes after a long absence from them with the mild discipline which is enforced in our armies?

I do; on account of the strength and natural desire of people absent a long time from their homes to see their families and on account of the non-punishment of previous examples of the same kind and on account of our people not having been used to the privations caused by war keeping them from their homes.

Question. State all that you know in regard to the amount of straggling from the army on the march from Louisville to Perryville.

On the march from Louisville I rode with the center column, commanded by General Crittenden, on the line of the Louisville and Bardstown pike. On the arrival of the column at Springfield I was sent back to Bardstown, that being considered the most central point to superintend the movements of supplies for the army, and attend to any other business which might be forwarded to me there, that being the terminus and as far as we had erected the telegraph. General McCook's column having moved on a different road to the left and General Gillbert's command having joined our column at Springfield I can only speak of what I saw at that time of those two columns. I noticed that all the old troops, as we called the army that had come up from Tennessee, marched in their usual close order, and on account of this example kept the column composed of the new and old troops treaty well up; but returning from Springfield to Bardstown during the night I found many stragglers who had hidden during the day in the woods, but were mostly from the new troops absorbed by us at Louisville. On my arrival at Bardstown I asked of the officers in command of the post if there were there, that they should be sent forward immediately. From the march of the 7th of 8th stragglers who had hidden along the road during the days or who had loitered in Louisville came thronging through bardstown, and up to about the 15th or 16th a great many passed through - in my judgment 5,000 or 6,000. I took particular notice of what part of the army the stragglers were composed, and with but rare exceptions I found them to be entirely of the new troops, who, either for purposes of plunder or not being accustomed to march, stragglers were pushed behind the column. By General Buell's orders, twice a day stragglers were pushed through Bardstown at the point of the bayonet by the provost guard. By order of General Buell I directed Colonel Minty, of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, who was coming up in charge of the ammunition train, to detail a portion of his cavalry to sweep the road and drive ahead of him every straggler.

Question. Do you know whether the orders were frequent and urgent for an accumulation of supplies in Middle Tennessee for Louisville during the last summer?

Yes, sir, they were; for it was our constant aim to hurry forward all the supplies possible. The frequent interruptions by the rebel raids kept us constantly on the alert to take every advantage of the river and railroad communication and wagoning to bring forward supplies.

Question. From you experience what do you think of the practice of supplying as large a force as was in Middle Tennessee last summer from the resources of that country, in the midst of active operations and in the midst of a population disposed as the people of Middle Tennessee were to the Government at that time?

I think it was impossible to submit an army in that region of Middle Tennessee, strong enough to occupy the country, off the resources thereof, on account of the destitution of the people, they having been almost entirely stripped by the rebels. That the people were hostile to us there can be no doubt, because the rebel hands of guerrillas infesting that region were composed entirely of the inhabitants thereof.

Question. In an attempt to depend mainly upon the resources of the country which army would fare best, the Army of the Ohio or the rebel army? And give your reasons for whatever opinion you may have upon that subject.

In my opinion the rebel army, because the inhabitants of that region would have been volunteer foragers, and would have brought any supplies, pound by pound, to


Page 613 Chapter XXVIII. GENERAL REPORTS.