on the record. I admit the fact that General Breckinridge was not at Munfordville.

The court was cleared.

After discussion a vote was taken and the question and answer decided to be admissible.

General BUELL. I desire to say that I am not satisfied with that method of obtaining information, that is, by private consultation of the judge-advocate with the witness, as a general rule. I care nothing about this particular instance. I am not satisfied that the judge-advocate should himself be willing to pursue that course.

The JUDGE-ADVOCATE. It was only because this man was sheriff of the county and anxious to return and because I wished to avoid putting the Government to the expense of recalling him that the question was put to him last night.

General BUELL. The matter and points of this investigation have only come to my knowledge as they were presented in the testimony, and I have responded to them at the moment without time or opportunity for much reflection. It has frequently happened that questions have occurred to me which would have been pertinent, but I have let them pass, desiring not to delay the proceedings of the Commission or cause the inconvenience which would result from recalling the witness.

GEORGE R. TAYLOR (a witness for the Government), being duly sworn by the judge-advocate, testified as follows:

By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. State your name and residence.

My name is George R. Taylor; I reside at Munfordville, Ky.

Question. Were you in Munfordville at the time of its surrender and can you state anything as to the size of General Bragg's army?

General BUELL. I request that the testimony upon this point may be determined somewhere now, because it will extend our investigations indefinitely if it is to continue. The process of calling up witnesses merely for the purpose of multiplying evidence will prolong your investigation to an indefinite extent.

The PRESIDENT. Do I understand you to object to the testimony?

General BUELL. No, sir; but I desire to present this view of the matter to the Commission. There must be some time when the prosecution will cease; it ought to have ceased before the defense commenced. This indefinite calling of witnesses to give evidence on a question upon which there can be no end of testimony is useless. The first evidence introduced before the Commission was to establish the strength of General Bragg's army, and it has been continued up to this moment, and as I introduce witness other witnesses are introduced on the other side. It is an interminable way of conducting the business before the Commission, and I notify the Commission now that it will be necessary for me to summon other witnesses who were then on the line of march of the enemy to establish a truthful view of this question. The attempt to represent Bragg's army as a handful of men is not only unfair, it is absurd. I have no disposition to magnify it, but I am sorry to see a disposition manifested to bring it below what is really the truth.

The JUDGE-ADVOCATE. The view taken by General Buell is true, but it was an irregularity that was unavoidable from the nature of the