[CHAP. XXVIII.

I do not remember his receiving such distinct instructions before out occupation of the Gap.

Question. Read this dispatch, if you please, colonel, and see if this is the one you have in your mind.

The dispatch presented to the witness was as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS, June 10, 1862.

"General MORGAN, Cumberland Ford:

"Considering your force and that opposed to you, it will probably not be safe for you to undertake any extended offensive operations. Other operations will soon have an influence upon your designs, and it is therefore better for you to run no risk at present.

"JAMES B. FRY,

"Colonel and Chief of StaffJanuary

This does not appear strongly enough worded to have allowed General Morgan to doubt for one moment the advisability of his advancing on the Gap, considering the difficulties he had to overcome, unless the word "other," which appears in this dispatch, may have had an influence at the time in inducing General Morgan to obey strictly the slightest wish, for fear of embarrassing the movement of General Buell; and yet I must believe that this is the identical dispatch which caused the retrograde movement, because I cannot now remember any other dispatch similar to this, and I do remember the latter part of the dispatch, namely, "other operations will soon have an influence upon your designs, and it is therefore better for you to run no risk at present,"having been read by me in some dispatch shown to me by General Morgan.

Question. I wish to submit this dispatch to you also, colonel, and ask whether in view of this dispatch the other ought not to have been considered suggestive rather than imperative:

"CUMBERLAND FORD, June 8, 1862.

"Major-General BUELL:

"Baird's brigade marches this morning and Carter will close up the rear to-morrow. It has become necessary to station the Forty-ninth Indiana, with two pieces of artillery, at Barboursville. On yesterday a spy, pretending to be a deserter, was brought into camp. He left Cumberland Gap on the day before yesterday at 2 o'clock a.m. He reports the enemy's force at Cumberland Gap at over 5,000; at Big Creek Gap at 18,000, with troops at Clinton and Knoxville. Should their forces concentrate they outnumber us nearly three to one. What is General Negley doing? Answer at once, as I start at noon to go to the head of the column. I send copy of this to Governor Johnson and to the Secretary of War.

"GEORGE W. MORGANJanuary

After reading this communication from General Morgan I consider the dispatch from General Buell as suggestive rather than a direct order.

Question. Colonel, look at this dispatch also, if you please, and state whether you ever saw it or were informed of its contents:

"HEADQUARTERS, June 10, 1862.

"General MORGAN, Cumberland Ford:

"Your information with regard to the evacuation of Cumberland Gap may be true; and, if so, it probably resulted from General Mitchel's force appearing before Chattanooga. If the Gap is evacuated you should seize and hold it and take any other advantage that may present itself, but not advance to points from which you would have to fall back.

"JAMES B. FRY,

"Colonel and Chief of StaffJanuary

I think I have seen this dispatch before.

Question. Do you consider that this dispatch restrained General Morgan from pursuing any advantage that might present itself to him?

I cannot answer the question in relation to the dispatch, but I can remember distinctly General Morgan telling me, shortly after the occupation of the Gap, that he