General BUELL. If now the Commission or any member of the Commission would accept the suggestion of another question, I have no doubt it would have a tendency to bring out information that has seemed to be desired.

The PRESIDENT. I would suggest, general, that you have the question written.

The question was as follows:

"Does your estimate of 15,000 as being the strength of the rebel force under Kirby Smith in Central Kentucky include the column under General Stevenson which came in somewhat later? State also what you understand to have been the strength of that columnJanuary

The Witness. The estimate I spoke of had no reference to General Stevenson's column. That column, as I understood, did not approach Lexington, but went from some point in Madison County toward Danville or Harrodsburg.

Commission adjourned to meet February 21.

CINCINNATI, February 21, 1863.

Commission met pursuant to adjournment. All the members present; also the judge-advocate and General Buell.

G. W. DOWNING (a witness for the defendant), being duly sworn by the judge-advocate, testified as follows:

By General BUELL:

Question. State your name, if you please.

George W. Downing.

Question. Are you a resident of Kentucky?

Yes, sir; I reside near Lexington.

Question. Did you see General Breckinridge, of the rebel army, in the month of October last? If so, please state where.

I did sir; I saw him in Knoxville.

Question. State what information you received from General Breckinridge in regard to the movement of his division into Kentucky shortly previous to that time.

General Breckinridge stated to me that he was on his way to Kentucky, and within a days' march of the Kentucky line, when he received orders to return to Knoxville.

Question. What was the date of this interview with General Breckinridge; according to the information given you, about what time was this movement taking place and when was it countermanded?

i could not say exactly the date. I think it was in the latter part of October. I could not exactly state at what date the order was countermanded. He had received orders and his army had tuned toward Knoxville before the other army had got to Cumberland Gap, but I do not exactly know the time.

Question. Where was his division at the time you received this information?

His army, or the most of it, had moved to Murfreesborough. a portion of it was gone on. While he was waiting to get upon the cars I had a conversation with him of twenty or thirty minutes.

Question. Was he moving his whole force by railroad, did you understand?

Yes, sir.

Question. Do you know where the army of General Bragg was at that time?

The most of it had arrived in the vicinity of Knoxville.