Question. Would the rations from holly Springs have arrived in time to supply the army at Corinth until the rations from the depot could be brought up?

Answer. Yes, I think they would. I think that the rations we met at Ripley on the 8th would have been in Corinth on October 5 or 6 had they not been turned back through fear of the enemy, then advancing toward Davis' Bridge.

Question. Will you state what were given to supply the army with subsistence upon its arrival at Holly Springs after the repulse at Corinth?

Answer. While at Ripley, on our return from Corinth, the commissary at Jackson was directed to send 100,000 rations to Oxford and 100,000 to Holly Springs. A portion of the latter were at Holly Springs when the army arrived there and 50,000 rations were at Oxford several days before the army arrived at Holly Springs, but did not reach Holly Springs, but did not reach Holly Springs for several days in consequence of want of railroad transportation.

Question. Do you know why these arrangements in regard to breadstuffs failed for a few days?

Answer. I do not think there was any failure; that is, I think the army was supplied with rations after arriving at Holly Springs, and from September 24 to October 15 nearly 100,000 rations, more were issued by me than they were entitled to for this time; I mean transferred in build to brigade commissaries.

Question. Can you exhibit returns to show this?

Answer. I can exhibit returns and receipts of brigade commissaries.

Question. Upon your arrival at Holly Springs what arrangements were made in the neighborhood for supplying the army with breadstuff's and were arrangements made by my orders?

Answer. I was directed by General Van Dorn to employ every mill in the neighborhood and make every exertion to procure fifteen days' rations for the army as quickly as possible. For a few days I was only able to get enough to supply the daily consumption of the army and in the course of a week or ten days to get three or four days in advance, but the milling capacity in that neighborhood was insufficient to do more than this.

Question. Did General Van Dorn, upon his return to Holly Springs, use all his authority in attempting to get up from the depots below rations for the troops of his command?

Answer. He did, and did supply the daily consumption of the army, but arrangements to accumulate a stock where broken into by General Pemberton, who took command in the mean while and made his own arrangements, which were sufficient.

Question. Did you attempt to make a reconnaissance of the enemy's position at Corinth on the night of October 3 last by my orders? If so, how far did you go until met with the enemy's line of sharpshooters?

Answer. I did. I went within 40 or 50 yards of the enemy's sharpshooters, near enough to see three of them distinctly. These men were about 100 yards in front of General Moore's pickets and near enough to Corinth for me to hear distinctly commands given by the enemy in the town and to hear the rattling of wagons, the sound of axes, and the hum of voices about the town.

Question. Do you know whether or not General Van Dorn was acquainted with the country in the vicinity of Corinth?

Answer. Yes; I believe he wa s very familiar with it. The spot on which he slept of Friday night, October 3, was within 50 yards of where he had his headquarters when he went to Corinth last spring with the Army of the West, and I have ridden with him on several occasions to reconnoiter that country.

The court adjourned at 4.30 p. m. to meet at 9 a. m. on the 20th instant.