had and what we could have gathered from the country, that proposition of yours was practicable.

Well, I think it was practicable; I think we had supplies enough to have enabled us to have met the enemy, fought, and whipped him; but that is simply my opinion, for I do not know the state of supplies.

Question. State to the Commission, general, why you selected Sparta in preference to Altamont.

There was an ample supply of water for our troops at Sparta, greater abundance of forage on the Caney Fork, and the position, in addition to that, was a very strong one. The enemy could not possibly have passed Sparta without fighting. He would have arrived in an exhausted condition, both from fatigue and want of supplies, and in my opinion could not have fought more than one day.

Question. With the army concentrated at Sparta would it have been necessary to have watched the passes at Spencer, altamont, and other points by which he might have gone into the plains of Tennessee?

Yes; it would have been necessary until we ascertained positively that enemy was on the road to Sparta.

Question. Had the Army of the Ohio sufficient force to have

accomplished that?

That is a difficult question to answer, because we cannot always tell what movements an enemy may make. If the enemy had turned either of the roads it might have compelled us to withdraw from some of those roads to meet him. If he had not attempted any of those roads in force it would not have been necessary to use so large an observing force. I cannot say positively whether the army had a sufficiently strong force to have accomplished that thoroughly.

Question. After the army was concentrated at Nashville what would have been the effect upon the invading force had our army moved to Lebanon, upon the Cumberland?

The enemy being at Sparta and having their flank protected by Caney Fork, it would have been affected but little by the removal of the army to Lebanon, because they could have thrown out flank guards sufficiently strong to have prevented us from making any decided attack upon them until they had prepared themselves.

Question. What point upon the Cumberland would your better judgment suggest as being sufficient to affect the invading force and at the same time cover Nashville?

Lebanon would be an excellent place to cover Nashville while the enemy were marching from Sparta to the Cumberland, and as soon as they arrived at the Cumberland it would have been necessary to cross our forces to prevent the enemy from approaching Nashville from the north side of the river. Therefore if I had been in command of the forces while the enemy were marching from Sparta and Gainesborough I should have thought the best plan to throw a portion of the forces into Lebanon and concentrate the remainder at Gallatin, so as to be as near supporting distance to the troops at Lebanon as possible.

Question. When General Buell and forces marched out of Nashville toward Gallatin and Bowling Green did you understand the object of their march?

I understood it generally to be to watch the enemy and if possible to get into Bowling Green before he could arrive, so marching, however, as to prevent him from striking at the railroad from Nashville to Bowling Green. I do not think that General Buell wished to engage the enemy before reaching Bowling Green himself.

Question. Having secured Bowling Green, did you understand what next the object?

As far as I know his next object was to offer battle to the enemy, that is, if he could succeed by reaching Bowling Green in putting his troops between Louisville and the enemy.

Question. Having secured Bowling Green, what other point on the railroad became one of importance to our army?