General ORD. I beg to remark that we should bring this question to a vote. The judge-advocate has no business to direct what the witness shall not say.

The JUDGE-ADVOCATE. I was instructed by the Commission to warn witness to say only that which they knew of their own personal knowledge.

General TYLER. If the judge-advocate is to be lectured, I vote that the court be cleared.

The court was cleared, when, after discussion, the judge-advocate withdrew the remark.

The WITNESS. I do not.

Cross-examination by the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. General, what was done with the fortifications about Decherd when the Army of the Ohio fell back to Nashville?

Nothing, to my knowledge.

Question. What became of the various improvements made by your-self and others upon the various lines of railroad when you fell back to Nashville?

I burned a number of bridges that were situated between Decherd and Murfreesborough; also one of the stockades.

Question. Will you state what number of bridges were destroyed?

I think three; two of the most important.

Question. Were not all the lines of railway, that had been put in order with so much labor, destroyed when the army fell back?

I do not know what was done upon any other line than the one from Stevenson to Nashville.

General BUELL. I will save the judge-advocate time and trouble upon the subject, if he desires, by saying to the Commission that they were destroyed or ought to have been; that I gave directions to General Smith to destroy the bridges, as he moved along the road, as far as Murfreesborough.

The PRESIDENT. Then it becomes important for us to know whether your order was executed; and, if so, how far.

General BUELL. My directions were confined to the destruction of the bridges, I believe.

By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. How much of that order was executed that was referred to by General Buell?

As already stated, three of the bridges were destroyed; two of them were the most important, one over Elk River and the other over Duck River. There were a number of small bridges-I do not exactly recollect how many-that were not destroyed.

Question. You may state why they were not destroyed.

Some of them were situated at some distance from my line of march, and I thought that the small ones would be easily repaired, at any rate, while the larger ones were being rebuilt, and, if so, their destruction would cause the enemy no additional inconvenience or loss of time.

Question. At what time did you become aware of the fact that Bragg was crossing the Tennessee River at Chattanooga?

The first information that I deemed reliable of this crossing I received while at Decherd, but at what precise date I do not remember.

Question. Was it in the forepart of August?

I think it was in the latter part of August.