If, so state what you know with reference to these several points. You may in this connection, if you please, state by what routes the enemy invaded Kentucky, and what points he occupied and what points he threatened.

My official position did require me to inform myself on the points enumerated, and in addition I received on one or two occasions verbal instruction from Major-General Wright to assist General Nelson by advice, counsel, head work, and hard work, and in fact everything I could do.

It would be better for me to state first that there was a rebel force already in Kentucky, under the command of Major General Kirby Smith. That force entered Kentucky, from the best information that could be obtained, on or about the 20th of August, perhaps a little, coming in from the south through the Big Creek Gap and Walker's Gap, about 40 miles west of Cumberland Gap, passing these two gaps with a force of about 18,000 strong. After clearing the gaps in this direction a rebel force under General Stevenson united with Kirby Smith's, of 6,000 strong. A portion of this force reached the city of Lexington, I think, about the 2nd or 3rd of September; remained in the State, occupying a position part of the time in front of Cincinnati, Cynthiana, Lexington, Mount Sterling, Frankfort, with some small posts, such as Nicholasville and Goergetown. The force which subsequently came into Kentucky, I learn, was under the command of General Bragg; it left some point on Battle Creek; the date I do not remember well enough to state, but my recollection is that it was about the 1st of September. It struck almost directly for the town of Glasgow; thence to Munfordville; from Munfordville it moved on to Bardstown. After leaving Munfordville General Nelson and myself were sending spies and obtaining information from all possible sources - from deserters that came in. The force by these parties was represented to be varying from 65,000 to 80,000; but from everything we could gather, the opinion of General Nelson, General Wright, and several others and myself was that Bragg's force numbered from 50,000 to 55,000 men. That was the estimate put upon it by those best informed. I think I was the only one who put it at a little lower. My estimate was from 45,000 to 50,000. I have since learned that our estimate of 50,000 to 55,000 was very nearly correct.

These them, were the two rebel forces in Kentucky on or about the 25th of September. Kirby Smith commenced about this time, or a few days previous, concentrating his forces at Frankfort, so that on or about the 25th of September Bragg was at Bardstown or near these- his main force was there - with some 55,000 men. Kirby Smith had lost by desertion and had left a great many sick (I found 1,500 at Lexington), which reduced his force to from 18,000 to 20,000 men. This was the strength and position of the two rebel armies from the best information we could get, and was the opinion of other general officers, about the 25th of September, 1862. Smith's army concentrated at Frankfort; it was lying about at Lexington. Some 6,000 or 7,000 came over under Heth (as near I could ascertain) in front of Cincinnati.

The PRESIDENT. You mean to say the Bragg was at Bardstown and Kirby Smith at Frankfort at the same date?

The WITNESS. Yes, sir; about the same time. Bragg in person was at Frankfort, but the bulk of his force was at Bradstown. The objects of these forces, Bragg's and Smith's, in my opinion and that of others, as we supposed at the time, was a union and the attempted overthrow and defeat of General Buell's army at such a point as they could meet it with advantage. I learned that the object of Kirby Smith's advance was to get into Kentucky as early as possible in advance of Bragg, for the purpose of securing supplies of provisions, clothing,animals - in fact everything they stood in need of - and for establishing depots at convenient points for the use and benefit of Bragg's army on his arrival. Another object that I understood at the time, and have heard it a thousand times since, was that they expected a very large re-enforcement - that Kentucky would rise. A have heard officers assert that they expected a

re-enforcements of about 50,000 men in Kentucky. With this they believed themselves enabled to defeat any force we had and then march to the Ohio. At the time it was my impression, from the best information I could get, that they meditated an attack upon Louisville, but I have since become satisfied that they regarded Louisville as of little or not importance to them.

By General BUELL:

Question. Was there in Louisville about this time a large amount of public and private property such as an army would require?

There was up to about the 25th of September, or perhaps a little earlier, a good deal of clothing and provisions, by which most of it was removed to the opposite side of the river.