there. I could not go to Leesburg, but I got on a mountain near by, within a mile of it, and I had a good spy-glass and saw everything distinctly. I saw forty regiments coming into Leesburg and sixty-odd pieces of artillery. I went back and reported it to Colonel Miles. He turned around to me and said, "It is a damned no such thing," just in that way. That was the first time Colonel Miles treated me so abruptly in his life. I saw the reason of it at once. I told him then he could send some one would see better than I could. He says, "Here is a man that is right from there, and he says everything is quiet." Says I, "Colonel, that man lives 13 miles from Leesburg, and there is a large mountain between him and Leesburg, and he must see clear through that mountain to see better than I did with my glass." I turned to the man, and said, "Mr. Hough" - his name was Hough -"when were you in Leesburg?" He says, " I have not been there at all, but," says he, "I have not heard anything." He had not been there at all, but lives in Hillsborough, 13 miles off, while I had been there, or in sight of there, and had a spy-glass. When the old colonel found I had him a little in that respect, he knuckled down to me and treated me very kindly. He told me to go to Point of Rocks and stay there till further orders. I went there, and was introduced to Colonel Banning, who had command there at that time, and talked with him, I suppose, one hour. I then went off to get my supper - I had had no dinner, in fact - and the colonel came after me, and told me his pickets had been caught off the tow-path some 3 miles below there, and he wanted me to go and see about it. I went and got a squad of men and went down, and sure enough, they were caught off there. I reported that to Colonel Banning, and he immediately telegraphed it to Colonel Miles. That was about 5 o'clock on the evening of Thursday, when they commenced crossing the river - the main body. Colonel Banning got no reply until 12 o'clock at night, and then he got a dispatch that he would be there on picket all night, and I suppose 10,000 crossed over that night, and the first good place they came to, they just laid right down. The next morning at sunrise I came up and reported to Colonel Banning; but no re-enforcements yet. I then told him I would go up and see Colonel Miles; in fact, he told me to go up. I went on to Knoxville, and met Colonel Maulsby, of the Home Brigade, and ate my breakfast with him. He sat down and wrote to Colonel Miles, by me. I went up and saw Colonel Miles, but he would not believe anything I said, or that there were any soldiers over the river, or any danger.

Question. You made the remark a few minutes ago that in that conversation you discovered what was the matter. What was the matter with Colonel Miles?

Answer. That is a thing I did not care about telling; but as you have asked me I suppose I must. I think he had taken too much to drink. I never had seen it the case before, but that was my impression at the time. I had been serving under him before for three or four months, and I never saw that the case with him until that time; therefore I paid no attention to what he said.

Question. Did he continue in that state during the remaining portion of your stay?

Answer. Yes, sir; that was the Thursday week before the evacuation of Harper's Ferry. That was the first I ever discovered in him anything of the kind.

By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. How did his condition manifest itself; was it in confusion of ideas?

Answer. Not at all.

Question. In excitement?

Answer. No, sir; he seemed to be stubborn, nothing else. In the fix he was in then, he would not believe anything you would tell him.

By General WHITE:

Question. Do you mean to be understood that during the siege of Harper's Ferry Colonel Miles was not intoxicated all the time, but he seemed to have enough to make him stubborn? Do you think he was drinking?

Answer. I think he was. I had been reporting to him once or twice a week for at least two or three months, and I had never found him anything else but perfectly straightforward in every respect until about that time.