My understanding was at the time, and has been since, that it had no supplies on the road, and that it retreated over about as bad a road was at that time in Tennessee. I traveled over a portion of it in Kentucky,and it was nearly impassable. A large portion of the supplies received at Mill Springs were transported by water.

Question. In what condition did that army retreat.

In rather an irregular manner, I understood.

Question. Was it not completely disorganized and dispersed, or nearly so?

It was badly whipped, terribly frightened, and retreated it was understood, very rapidly; but most of the troops that were escaped and have been engaged with our army at other points since. Several of the regiments that were there are still in the Confederate service.

Question. Did it not retreat as a disorganized mob?

It is said to have retreated in confusion.

Question. Was not the condition of the roads a security to that army instead of a hinderance?

Its pursuit was never attempted south of the Cumberland River. Its principal security was the Cumberland River.

Question. Suppose there had been no such obstacle in the way, would not the condition of the roads have contributed to the security of that retreating army?

The condition of the roads would have unquestionably embarrassed the pursuit more than the retreat under such circumstances.

Question. You say that the roads from McMinnville toward Nashville would have presented no such difficulty either to the retreating or the pursuing army; is it so, general?

The roads from McMinnville would have offered none other obstructions that would have prevented a rapid pursuit at the time of the defeat of the Confederate army at Mill Springs. The suffering of an army defeated at the time and under the circumstances that the rebels were defeated at Mill Springs was much greater than if defeated at the season of the year and under the circumstances we were placed in when Bragg was at McMinnville.

Question. I meant the suffering of the defeated soldiers from exposure. The suffering in one case would mainly have been from natural causes, would it not, such as the condition of the weather?

Yes; resulting from the defeat.

Question. What would have been the probable cause of suffering in the other case, supposing the weather to be good, the roads good, and every facility for rapid pursuit?

Head, dust, want of water, apprehension of being captured, and all the difficulty that would embarrass a retreating army under such circumstances.

Question. Suppose, in addition to such causes of suffering, the army should be compelled to retard its march as much as would be necessary to collect supplies in the manner you suggest, what must have been the result of the pursuit by an efficient enemy?

If I were to judge of the manner in which the rebel army got from us in Kentucky I would say not very disastrous;but I think if the army were pursued rapidly, vigorously, not to permit itself to be checked by little squads of cavalry and a couple of pieces of artillery on every road, that it would succeed in cutting it up very badly and capturing a large portion of the retreating forces that had been in the fight.

Question. Do you suppose the rebel army, if it had defeated the Army of the Ohio McMinnville, would probably have conducted the pursuit in that way?

I am unable to say what they would have done.