Nelson, General Wright (I believe), also I think, General Rousseau, Mr. James Guthrie, and several other gentlemen,also General Finnell were there it was stated by one or by all that he did leave Battle Creek, in front of Chattanooga. That conversation made more impression on me than any that I recall. From some surgeons of Bragg's army who were prisoners I have had the same statement; also from officers who were left behind. I asked them if they had full rations, and they replied that they had no coffee, and I think they said they had but half rations of flour and salt meat. They had some beef that they drove along, and the cavalry picked up some been and sheep in the country. About their living better in Kentucky than they ever did before, that was their statement - that they had provisions in greater abundance and of better quality than they had found before or at any time during the war.

Question. General, I will ask you to tax your memory and state to the Commission precisely what General Thomas did say as to the amount of provisions taken from Chattanooga by Bragg.

It will be impossible. I cannot state that General Thomas said it. I am sure General Buel said, and I judged it was the universal opinion, because there was no dissenting voice. It seemed a settled fact. It was one of those consultations or councils that occasionally took place, and where I took no notes as to what any individual said; it was one of those conversation, having only a momentary importance, where we were reviewing the history of the whole thing - the point started from, the length of time on the march, comparing the routes and about what distance the two armies had marched. It would be impossible to state whether General Thomas or General Rousseau said it, but this was the conversation in which the fact was stated. General Buell I am sure stated in on this occasion; how he obtained the knowledge I do not know. I suppose he obtained it as we all obtain such information. I had heard the same thing before.

Question. What time did Bragg take to march from Chattanooga to Sparta?

I do not recollect, sir.

Question. Did the officers of the Army of the Ohio inform you that he arrived at Sparta with his army very much distressed from fatiguing marches and lack of supplies?

Not that I recollect.

Question. Did they not inform you that from Sparta to Bardstown he lived upon the country he marched through?

Only so far as I have mentioned. They obtained only partial supplies - beef and mutton; and, further, I did not get that information from our own officers, but from Bragg's officers and men.

Question. Were your opportunities and means of obtaining information as to the force and position of Bragg's and Kirby Smith's army superior to those you had of obtaining information of the force and position of General Buell's army at that period of time?

At what period of time or between what periods of time?

Question. At the same time at which you are estimating the force and position of Bragg.

My facilities for ascertaining the number of Kirby Smith's force, I judge, must have been quite equal to if not better than those of General Buell up to his arrival at Louisville. I further judge that my means and facilities of information whereby to judge of the strength of Bragg's force after its arrival at Munfordville, or perhaps a little sooner, were about the same as his own. What information he had I believe he communicated to me freely; he had spies out, so had I, and sometimes I communicated with him two or three times a day and he with me. We had information from prisoners, spies, and deserters who were coming in; besides we had men in our employ who visited their camps, who would go and stay three or four days at a time. Previous to the arrival of Bragg's army of course General Buell's facilities must have been greater than those of any other officers, as he was in that immediate section of country. I will now add that I supposed I was the first officer that reported the movements of this army from the time it left Tupelo. I was then in position to know more, being at the time in command of the advance of the whole army of Corinth, from 25 to 40 miles in front of Corinth. Through spies and deserters, while