F. A. SMITH (a witness for the Government), being duly sworn by the judge-advocate, testified as follows:

By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. State you name and residence.

My name is F. A. Smith; residence, Munfordville, Ky.

Question. State if you were there at the time of the surrender by Colonel Wilder. If so, what was the number of General Bragg's army?

I was in the vicinity. The surrender, I believe, was at night. I was in town next morning about 9 or 10 o'clock. The number of men I do not know only from some officers on General Bragg's staff; they told me they had sixty regiments. I traveled over the encampment a great deal, and from the best estimate I could make in seeing the regiments, having counted many before, I estimated them as averaging from 200 to 700. My estimate was about 400 on the average for each regiment. I came in on the turnpike road; traveled with one regiment of cavalry and met another, which was said to be under command of General Forrest and some other general whose name I do not know. I did not estimate them at more than 800 each. In all the interviews I had with General Bragg I never heard him say what his force was. This statement of their having sixty regiments of men was made to me by Colonel Schultz, of New Orleans.

Question. You can state how your own estimate tallied with the statements of officers on General Bragg's staff.

No one told me how many men they had. I learned that they had sixty regiments. I heard Bragg say himself that they had seventy-two pieces of artillery.

Question. State what you know of Breckinridge's force at that time and where it was.

I know nothing of it whatever only from what General Bragg stated. He stated that Breckinridge's was in the rear of General Buell with about 40,000, in his pursuit.

Question. Give the conversation, as you recollect it, between General Bragg and yourself.

I asked General Bragg if he was not placing himself in rather a precarious situation, between two great armies, or was it not a very ugly position to be in. He said it was, and that was just the condition of General Buell, being between his own army and General Breckinridge's, and the only way that General Buell would ever get to Louisville would be to turn off to the left and cross the river and come up on the Indiana side. He also stated that General Buell was a very smart man and knew it himself, and never would attempt to get to Louisville in any other way.

Question. Did you have any communications with General Buell on this subject; if so, what passed between you?

I did, sir. I called to see General Buell at Woodsonville, at night-the same night of the skirmishing of Bragg's rear guard and the approach of General Buell's army at Green River. I told him my purpose in calling to see him was to give him all the information I could in regard to Bragg's movements, for which General Buell thanked me very kindly. I told General Buell everything I knew that would result with interest to the Federal army. I gave General Buell my views in regard to the course, route, and destination of General Bragg's army. My views were made up on that subject from being called on frequently by Bragg's engineers to give them information as to routes and watering places. I told General Buell I thought there would be no doubt that the destination of General Bragg would be Bardstown and that his route would be by way of Hodgensville. I gave him the number of General Bragg's forces about as I have here.

Question. State what comment General Buell made when you informed him of the number of General Bragg's army.

General Buell, in all my information to him, seemed to be very quiet and calm; he listened very attentively and with interest to all I had to say; made little comment on anything. General Buell asked me many questions in regard to the route, water-courses, &c., and showed me his maps. We both looked over them. His maps were good-brought many roads to my wind I had forgotten. General Buell at that time seemed to be anxious to get couriers to go to Louisville.