Munfordville; that I believed we could with them, but that it would be at a great sacrifice of life.

General TYLER. Had you been compelled by an overwhelming force to retreat toward General Buell's headquarters what would have been the condition of your army; would you have been sacrificed or fought you way back?

I would never have left with my troops alive. With the changes I had made during the night I could have retreated on the Springfield road.

The PRESIDENT. When General Bragg's army debouched from the Sequatchie Valley what was the position of General Buell's army in reference to the advance of his (Bragg's army); were you in advance or the rear and what distance from the point where the debouchment was made?

By that time I think most of the army was concentrated at or around Murfreesborough or on those converging lines marching toward Murfreesborough.

By General TYLER:

Question. Was our army in the advance or in the rear of Bragg's army?

I did not know where he was. My idea was that General Buell intended to attack him at some point near McMinnville debouching into the valley of the Tennessee, but this his provisions did not admit of it, and had he gone and fought a battle he would not have had an opportunity of pursuing them and making it a decisive battle.

Question. Could have made them retrograde through the valley and take up another line?

I have never been in that portion of Tennessee, and I cannot give you an intelligent answer to that question.

Question. Suppose he had been headed off, what would have been his course?

Gone back beyond the Tennessee River or he might have taken a position in the mountains themselves, but he could not have advanced or got supplies there. He might have got supplies from Chattanooga or Pikeville or that neighborhood of country. The Sequatchie Valley was a very rich one; any given amount of forage for an army as large as any general would wish to handle might be obtained there. I would state that I always had the most implicit confidence in General Buell as a general, but he was the most uncommunicative general I have ever seen or read of; that is, to his brother generals. He kept his own secrets and plans till there was an absolute necessity for them to be known. I believe that the department of the Army of the Ohio was the most important command in the Army,and without the army being greatly increased in strength no general could operate with any hope of success in Tennessee. It was my opinion then and it is my opinion now. It is the largest contract of the war that is on the table now.

By General ORD:

Question. On the march from Corinth was there much marauding or plundering?

No,sir; there was not. I never allowed it. Some time in August or September there was an order authorizing the appropriation of property for the use of the army received from Washington.

Question. Did that make any difference?

Yes, sir; it ruined the discipline of our army a certain extent. It was the worst order that was ever published for a body of troops. General Pope's orders on the Potomac was the cause of it. Our soldiers read it and believed it. It will demoralize any army in the world. I never failed to give redress to those inhabitants who complained of depredations, and I arrested every field officer in one entire brigade for suffering their soldiers to burn rails to cook with. Of course there were more or less petty grievances that will occur in the march of an army through any country, but General Buell's orders were opposed to it.