[CHAP. XXVIII.

Question. Supposing it had been known that General Bragg designed to cross from the Sequatchie Valley to Sparta, what would have been the effect of concentrating the Army of the Ohio at that point?

The effect would have been to divert him from the difficult road from the valley to Sparta and leave open to him the better and parallel roads to Altamont and McMinnville, thus throwing him between Sparta and Nashville and other points in Middle Tennessee and on the best roads in that country. That is to say, it would have opened the route the enemy most desired, and probably been fatal to the army at Sparta.

Question. What would have been the effect of dividing the Army of the Ohio between Sparta and McMinnville, with the view of opposing him at either of those points?

The effect of this division would have been but little different to that of concentrating at Sparta. By moving to Spencer the enemy would be at liberty to overwhelm the force at McMinnville and would probably subsequently destroy that at Sparta. A rapid advance to Spencer on the part of the enemy, with suitable demonstration on Sparta, would have prevented that force from getting back to McMinnville before the force there should be overcome.

Question. What circumstances or considerations induced the concentration of the Army of the Ohio at Murfreesborough?

The operations of the enemy's cavalry, affecting the means of supply of the Army of the Ohio, rendered any extended offensive operations of that army impracticable; a want of forage about McMinnville and Altamont rendered it impossible to keep a large force there for any length of time, and if the enemy did not choose to give battle the army would have been compelled to go to Murfreesborough, and perhaps Nashville, to restore the line to Louisville. It was hence best to put it at Murfreesborough at once and watch the further movements of the enemy.

Question. What do you know of the determination of General Buell to hold Nashville when the bulk of the Army of the Ohio moved north into Kentucky after Bragg, and have you any reason to believe, or do you believe, that he was influenced in that determination by any expostulations or persuasions of Governor Andrew Johnson?

As the army was concentrating at Murfreesborough about 1st September it was learned that Kirby Smith, with a strong rebel force, was in Kentucky and had defeated Nelson at Richmond, and that the State was pretty much in his hands. This, added to the fact that the Army of the Ohio was already cut off from Louisville, imposed the necessity of turning attention immediately in that direction. It was therefore with great pleasure and satisfaction that the Army of the Ohio learned about this time that Bragg was moving toward Kentucky. This enabled the army to cover and restore its line from Louisville to Nashville and hold the opportunity of fighting Bragg. In determining the disposition of the army to meet this new state of affairs I know that the first question the commander of the Army of the Ohio entertained was, what arrangements should be made to hold Nashville. I know he was determined to hold it; he told me he considered this necessary. As soon as he got to Nashville he rode over the line of defense to designate the points to be held; some of them were already in process of being fortified in pursuance of previous orders. The troops to garrison the place were designated and organized, and after considerable deliberation the commander was named and received his instructions. I have no reason to believe, and I do not believe, that he was influenced in his determination in this matter by Governor Andrew Johnson. I know that after these arrangements were all completed he informed me that he was going to tell Governor Johnson what he had determined to do, and that he went out and returned and told me that he had informed Governor Johnson of his determination, and gave me an account of the interview. I know of no other interview than the one just mentioned between the commander of the Army of the Ohio and Governor Andrew Johnson on this subject.

Question. Do you identify the letter now submitted to you as one received at Bowling Green by General Buell from Governor Johnson? If so, state what action was taken on that letter, and whether it in any manner changed the dispositions previously made for holding Nashville. Repeat the letter in your answer to this question.