Question. When was that opinion expressed?

I do not know that I heard General Thomas express it prior to the time of General Bragg's passing the point, but I understand that he had some time previously given it as his opinion and had urged the necessity of it.

Question. When did you hear that he had expressed that opinion?

I cannot specify the exact time, sir; I did not keep a memorandum of it; but it was while the army was at Louisville, I think.

Question. Do you know where the army of Bragg was when that advice was given?

I do not know exactly where General Bragg's army wa, but I understood the opinion was expressed while General Thomas was at McMinnville. General Bragg's army was constantly moving in the direction of Kentucky, as I understood.

Question. Was the impression made on our mind that when this advice was given Bragg was actually in a position to be attacked at Sparta?

It was that Bragg was moving in that direction, and that there was an eligible point to concentrate our forces and prevent his passage into Kentucky.

Question. Are you well enough acquainted with the country to say now that Bragg could not have pursued any other route?

I suppose there are other routes he might have followed, but it would have thrown him, in my opinion, a great deal out of his way. His army would, in my opinion, have been checked.

Question. What routes do you think of now?

I do not know that I can exactly specify the route he might have followed, unless he had taken some other route higher up the Cumberland River and entered Kentucky somewhere near Birchville; that is, I understand there is a road in that direction through which he could have gone.

Question. Do you think that Bragg would have attacked your army in position?

I think it is very doubtful, sir.

Question. How strong a force would it have required to attack him in position?

It would have depended entirely upon whether he was fortified or not. If not fortified, I think we would have had force enough to have attacked him anywhere almost. He was not fortified anywhere on the road, as I understood.

Question. Do you not recognize that there are natural positions, particularly in mountainous regions, which have many, if not all, the advantages of artificial works?

Yes, sir; there are strong positions in the mountains and on rivers where there are bluffs through which the enemy would not venture to go; but, as I understood the region of country around the direction in which Bragg's army was at the time, we would have had as great an advantage as the enemy if we had pushed on and taken a position equally as good as we had at Murfreesborough, where our army was concentrated, as I understood, for the express purpose of meeting the enemy.

Question. Do you mean that the enemy could not have taken a position at Sparta which would not have given him greatly the advantage, numbers being equal?

I do not pretend to say so, if he had gotten there before we did.

Question. Suppose you had got there first and taken a position too strong for him to attack, could not he have changed his route and avoided you?

I have already stated that he might.

15 R R-VOL XVI