208 Series I Volume XVI-I Serial 22 - Morgan's First Kentucky Raid, Perryville Campaign Part I
Page 208 | KY., M. AND E. TENN., N. LA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII. |
I did not send written communications, only verbal ones, to the commanding officer at Bowling Green (I did not know if General Buell got them), stating that I must receive assistance, as a large force was coming in to take Munfordville. Mr. Miller got through to Bowling Green. Whether the others did or not I do not know. I have never send them since. Mr. Miller staid there till Monday, the 15th, 3 o'clock, and then started back for Munfordville, and got back Tuesday night at dark, and told me I could expect no assistance from Bowling Green; that no troops had started to relieve me at the time he left. Up to that time I intended to fight them, be their force what it might, expecting, from the dispatch I had received from General Gilbert, that I would receive assistance from Bowling Green. At the time Mr. Miller came in Polk's right wing of Bragg's army had crossed the river 8 miles above and come down on the north side, completely surrounding me. I knew that no force could relieve me from Bowling Green, except a large one, after Friday, the 13th, and that after the fight on Sunday a large force was between Bowling Green, and Munfordville, and lay there apparently quiet, I think, two days. I afterward asked Colonel Walter, of Bragg's staff, what was their object in lying still, and why they did not come up in force and take me instead of having a small force so cut up as Chalmers' force was on Sunday. He said they had a cavalry force on the north side of the river to prevent my retreating, and that they lay there expecting a force would come from Bowling Green to relieve me, in which case they meant to fall upon it and cut it to pieces, but that when they found General Buell moving up with his whole army, they then moved forward to take Munfordville and hold Green River against General Buell's army.
When I was a prisoner by some accident they did not parole me. When I got into General Buell's lines I went to his headquarters and told all I knew about their forces their means of subsistence, &c. This was on the night of the 18th, about 9 or 10 o'clock. His headquarters were at Prewitt's Knob. General Buell questioned me closely about their numbers and position. I told him they had from 35,000 to 40,000 men; that they had no provisions that would sustain them three days; that if their whole force fought as they had fought me, no reasonable force could drive them away from Green River; but if their supplies were cut off from the east they could not live there three days; they would either be compelled to come out and fight or fall back from there, which afterward proved to be the case. In the terms of surrender I obtained four days' rations for my men, leaving only one day's for their forces there. They seemed much disappointed at not getting more provisions.
On Wednesday and Thursday, 17th and 18th, they gave me liberty to go anywhere I pleased throughout their camp, and I went about as I pleased. I saw no trains of provisions. I noticed some wagons with ammunition. I examined a number of haversacks of the dead killed on Sunday, and found that their provisions consisted almost entirely of green corn. I never say an army in a more perfect state of discipline. They were terribly ragged and dirty and apparently tired out. I was present with General Buell when the information reached him that the enemy had reached Munfordville. That was on Sunday, 21st, then about 7 miles from Munfordville. We were then moving forward in line of battle apparently. General Buell had immediately on my arrival in his lines ordered my exchange. I supposed I was on duty. I was also with him explaining the road and the character of the country when he received notice that Kirby Smith's and Bragg's forces had formed a junction, which proved afterward to be false. I then came through with the army to Louisville, and was there notified that my exchange was not consented to by General Bragg.
Question. What number of men, munitions, and other stores were surrendered at Munfordville?
There were 3,546 men, according to the parole list, ten pieces of artillery, tents for about one and one-half regiments, and one day's rations for the men.
Question. What sort of a man is this scout you speak of?
A very reliable man; at least, so I found him.
Question. State in what manner you made up your estimate of Bragg's army.
I received information on the 15th by way of Glasgow that Bragg's army consisted of one hundred and four regiments, including cavalry and artillery. I received information from another source, from a Mr. Simpson, of Glasgow, and by citizens and scouts, that Bragg had eighty-four regiments of infantry, that he had twelve batteries of artillery, and that his cavalry force numbered from 6,000 to 10,000; that the regiments would number about 350 some said 400, some not over 325; but from my own observation I think they averaged 350 men. One hundred and four regiments of 350 men would be 36,400; twelve batteries of 130 men each would be 1,560, making in the aggregate one hundred and four regiments, 37,960 men. If the regiments numbered
Page 208 | KY., M. AND E. TENN., N. LA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXVIII. |