patrol the river. As the machinery was continually getting out of order, he was afraid it would become unmanageable and be taken by the guerrillas, who would destroy the boat and take the gun.

Question. Did it ever make a trip up the rive?

It made one trip up. How far I do not remember.

Question. Did it go as far as Bridgeport?

I do not know. as they were going up the river they were fired upon beyond Gunter's Landing by a party of guerrillas as the boat went near the bank, and some bullets went through the barricade. I heard they went nearly up to Bridgeport. That is my impression, though I do not know the exact distance they went.

Question. What was the defect or peculiarity in the engine which made it inefficient for that purpose?

It was, I think, a cast wheel, and the wheel was breaking. It was also a stationary engine, and had to be made so that we could reverse it, and the reversing greasing was constantly getting our of order. We had the castings made at Huntsville.

Question. How many men was it intended to carry as a guard or crew?

I do not know how many men it was intended to carry, but there was one company of the Tenth Ohio, Captain Steele, and one gun of Captain Loomis' Michigan Battery.

Question. What were its performances as a ferry-boat?

We built two boats, and placed one on each side of this ferry-boats, calculating to drive wagons on each side-two wagons to a boat-and distribute men on the ferry and on each of the two lighters, to ferry them across the river. We used it for some time-I do not know how long-with two boats. One of them became unserviceable, so that we were compelled to use but one.

Question. Could you carry animals with the wagons; and how many men could you carry in addition?

I never saw them carry any wagons or mules across or any men. I never was down there at the time the boat was running as a ferry-boat. When it was built it was put in charge of ferrymen that were sent there; but the calculation was to put two wagons and four mules to a boat; that was General Mitchell's idea.

Question. How many men was it estimated to carry in addition?

From 250 to 300 men was one calculation.

Question. Do you know whether in practice its capacity proved to come up to the estimate?

I think it did not, as I heard a great many complaints about it.

Question. What were the dimensions of those flats used in connection with the gunboat for ferrying?

The one we made was about 54 feet long and 14 feet wide; that was the good one. I do not remember the dimensions of the other, but it was smaller.

Question. What was the difficulty in replacing these boats when they became disabled?

It was impossible to get the sides or the lumber to cover the bottom. We had a great deal of trouble in getting those we had there; they were a little decayed, and we had to patch them up so as to make them serviceable.

Question. Do you know anything about the measures that were taken to get out the lumber for the construction of the pontoon bridge at Bridgeport after my arrival at Huntsville last summer?

I received an order from General Mitchell to set all the mills running between Huntsville and Stevenson to get out lumber for the pontoon bridges; and after a great deal of trouble I got two started; they were some 5 miles between Huntsville and Stevenson. But it was impossible to get the men to work at them; they were afraid of guerrillas running in upon them at night. It was considered dangerous to start