Today in History:

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

Page 12 KY., M. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII.

Gap, the other by way of Somerset. Had General Buell intercepted him on these lines as we think he could have done, from either Perryville or Danville, Bragg would have been compelled to give battle, with the same results, we doubt not, as if he had been defeated before crossing Dick's River.

The evidence establishes that General buell received information on the night of the 11th that Bragg had crossed the river to Camp Dick Robinson; yet he made no determined movement with the main body of his army until 12 o'clock in the night of the 13th. From the morning of the 9th to the night of the 11th he waited to learn whether his enemy would cross the river; that being definitely know, he lost two days before taking any decisive action. Finally, on the night of the 13th, as stated, he started Crittenden's corps through Danville toward Crab Orchard. It was then too late; Bragg, with his column and all his train, had passed the point of interception. To this delay we are compelled to attribute the escape of the rebels from Kentucky.

LEWIS WALLACE,

Major-General and President of Commission.

DONN PIATT,

Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. Volunteers, Judge-Advocate.

[Indorsement.]


HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D. C., May 29, 1863.

As the Commission has reported no charges against Major General D. C. Buell nor recommended any further proceedings I respectfully recommend that the Commission be dissolved, and its officers, as well as General Buell, be ordered on other duty.

So much of the report as states that General Buell's march on Chattanooga was delayed by the repairs of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad and that General Buell's lines of supply were unnecessarily long is incorrect. General Buell had no other line of supply that this road till he reached Decatur and connected with Nashville. General Buell was not delayed an hour beyond what he himself deemed necessary to secure his supplies. Moreover, his lines of supply were those which he himself selected. Indeed there were no others from which to select.

The fault here, as elsewhere, was having too large supply trains and in not living more upon the country. He was frequently urged to subsist his troops in this manner. Whether or not he could have done so is not reported by the Commission.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

[Inclosure Numbers 3.]

The Commission called to investigate the operations of the Army of the Ohio in Kentucky and Tennessee has seen fit to include the march from Corinth toward Chattanooga of that army within its limit of investigation, although such inquiry is evidently not included in the letter of instructions from the War Department. The operations of the Army of the Ohio commenced with that march and therefore it is considered properly the correct commencement.

When the rebels vacated Corinth in 1862, when they had accumulated large stores and an efficient force, here appeared no place upon


Page 12 KY., M. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII.