they extend up to the vicinity of Crab Orchard become less pre high as they go up. A very small force on the south side of Dick's River could have held it against a large force attempting to cross. I think the natural defenses formed by the river and its cliffs are about as good as any artificial ones I ever saw. General Buell could not have crossed the river with an opposing force of any strength, such as a reasonable man would have thought of placing there, unless he had made a flank movement in the direction of Crab Orchard and crossed the river where the cliffs drop off and the banks are not high, as in the vicinity of Crab Orchard.

Redirect examination by General BUELL:

Question. Do you mean the Commission to understand, general, that all the rebel forces were on the south side of the Kentucky River and were within concentrating distance of the vicinity of Harrodsburg about the time of the battle of Perrysville; I mean Kirby Smith's original force-Marshall, Stevenson, and Bragg's army proper?

That is my information and belief. A portion of Smith's forces may not have reached Harrodsburg until the day of the battle. They had small forces holding the different points of the country.

Question. Have you seen it stated in the official report of the general-in-chief that I had 100,000 men under my command while I was operating against General Bragg in Kentucky?

I have never seen anything of the kind.

Question. In the various criticisms of the Southern press upon Bragg's campaign and the various apologies made by his friends have you ever seen his retreat excused on the ground that his force was inferior to mine?

I have not; but I have read very few of those criticisms. I do not remember to have read but two articles, I believe, of all of them. I have read some comments in our papers on the controversy between Forsyth and Governor Dick Hawes.

Question. Do you consider that the statement of General Forsyth in the article you refer to, that Kentucky was backed by an army of 40,000 men, was any indication of the actual strength of Bragg's army?

I do not consider it as an indication of the actual strength, for I feel absolutely certain, as far as I can be sure from human testimony and the most reliable information, that there was a much larger force.

Question. Do you understand, general, that in all military operations the sphere of offensive movements is limited by certain circumstances, such as the amount of supplies and the distance to which you can carry supplies with the means available, and perhaps by other considerations also?

I certainly understood that these circumstances mentioned-the amount, condition of supplies, means of transportation, and distance to be transported-and everything entering essentially into the time and expedition at which offensive movements can be made.

Question. Does it not follow, then, that an army may on the defensive for everything beyond the sphere the which is limited by these circumstances, and that within that sphere it may assume the offensive if an enemy should come within its reach?

I suppose there can be no question that the offensive movements of an army must be limited by its means of subsistence and the means of transporting its subsistence; that an army may be on the offensive at one time and on the defensive at another, as they may have the means of supporting themselves in any offensive movement and in transporting subsistence.

Question. Is it not true that an army acting on the offensive within the sphere of its operations may be consequently checked in its offensive movements by the enemy's taking a position which it would be unwise to assail?

I think so, certainly.