160 Series I Volume XVI-I Serial 22 - Morgan's First Kentucky Raid, Perryville Campaign Part I
Page 160 | KY., M. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII. |
in no instance had they seen any infantry. It was, however, reported to me, from a pretty reliable source, that Cheatham's division of the enemy was advancing toward Gallatin. With the view of arriving at the information that I desired to get in the most specific and reliable manner I employed a person, of whose loyalty I became entirely satisfied, to go eastward from Gallatin, following up the course of the Cumberland River, till he could obtain accurate and reliable information of the strength, position, movements, and designs of the enemy.
This person left me at sundown Monday, the 8th. During the night of the 8th I received an order from General Buell to move with my division from Gallatin, by way of Mitchellsville, to Bowling Green. I marched early Tuesday morning, and encamped that night in the neighborhood of Mitchellsville; next morning the march was resumed, and I advanced 8 miles beyond Franklin, Ky., when, having made about 22 miles that day, I went into camp. While in camp, about 2 o'clock Wednesday, the spy I had dispatched from the neighborhood of Gallatin joined me. He brought me information, which I then believed to be reliable and subsequent events have to a considerable extent verified it, that the enemy had crossed the Cumberland River at two or three different points, but his information to me was that the bulk of the force had crossed at Gainesborough. He furthermore informed me that all the information he could gain induced him to believe that the enemy's force was about 35,000 strong. He was quite and intelligent person, showing it by his manners and description of things. He furthermore informed me that the line of march of the enemy, as he had learned from soldiers, would be Tompkinsville, Glasgow, and Munfordville. He then added, "Beyond this point, general, I cannot certainly tell you where they will go; but it is generally said in their army that Louisville is their destinationJanuary
Believing this information to be very important, although the man represented to me that he had ridden 150 miles since he had left me at sundown Monday evening, I told him he must go immediately with the information to General Buell, whom I supposed was then in Nashville. I gave him a fresh force and started him off at once, and told him he must see General Buell by daylight next morning. I was then about 56 miles from Nashville and about 12 from Bowling Green. I sent the messenger himself because I did not wish to trust to writing, but wished him to see General Buell himself, that he might tell his own narrative. I do not know certainly what time the next day this person reported to him; but that General Buell saw him I know, because he told me subsequently at Bowling Green that a person had reported to him and gave him the information (whether it was the first time such information was communicated to General Buell I do not know) that the enemy had crossed the Cumberland into Kentucky. It was the first information I had which put the matter beyond all question and set at rest the doubts as to what was the object of the enemy. I wrote a note then to General Rousseau, whose division was ahead of mine in the direction of Bowling Green, communication the information I had obtained from the spy. I furthermore dispatched the information by couriers to the rear to General Crittenden, who was the next in my rear, to General McCook, and requested him to see that General Mitchell, who was in command of a division, got it also. I broke up my camp near night-fall and marched to Bowling Green that night, namely, the 10th of September.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Examination of Brigadier General T. J. WOOD continued.
By General BUELL:
Question. Did you, general, know any reason for the movement of your division toward Bowling Green in advance of your information that the whole rebel army was moving upon Glasgow?
I did not have any positive information; in fact I did not have any. The dispatch I received directing that movement did not contain, so far as I recollect, any reason for it.
Question. Was it known while you were at Gallatin, with more or less certainty, that a portion of the rebel army had crossed the Cumberland River at Carthage and was moving northward?
I cannot say it was known by myself or by any person under my command or with whom I had communication at that time that any portion of the rebel army had crossed at Carthage and was moving northward. I heard a report either Saturday, the 6th, or Sunday, the 7th, ant I think in General Buell's quarters, that some portion of the rebel forces had crossed the Cumberland River at Carthage, but how much re-
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