[CHAP. XXVIII.

It was as near as I could get it. It think it is impossible to, when a man's attention is attracted first to one thing and then to another; he may make mistakes. I do not mean to say that my count was perfectly accurate, but it was as near as I could make it.

Question. Counting under those circumstances might you not make a difference of 5,000 men, more or less?

I do not think I could make that much of a mistake, sir.

Question. Did you count the recruits in Kentucky in the same way?

I did not count the recruits at all; I only formed an estimate of them from seeing them in the different regiments. I was told there was a great many more than I made them, but I did not believe it.

Question. Ho were those recruits armed at the time you saw them?

They were all brought up in front of my stable and armed at the armory or the depot the rebels had there.

Question. Have you seen a statement by an ordnance officer connected with the rebel army in Kentucky, published in a Richmond paper, to the effect that he distributed 2,000 muskets and had lost the larger portion of them by recruits going home with them?

I did not, sir.

Question. If Kirby Smith recruited to the extent of 5,000 men would it not be reasonable to suppose that Bragg had gathered up to the same number?

From what I could learn from gentlemen who were with Bragg's army they scarcely got any. General Bragg, in his public speech at Lexington, said that he had been disappointed in getting troops.

Question. Are you so well satisfied with you estimate of the recruits that you could venture to contradict an official report stating the number to be about 2,000?

I should adhere to my opinion as to what I supposed to be the number. I may be mistaken; but I would adhere to what I saw the conclusion I formed from it. I do not know how far the recruits went, but I know a great many of the returned. It was probable that not half the number went out of the State of Kentucky. I know of my own knowledge of a great many who volunteered out of Fayette County and went with the army, but when they got to the Big Hill deserted and came back and are now scattered all over the country, and others who went from other counties deserted and came back. I saw a great many of them.

Question. Was the abandonment of Kentucky on the part of the rebels really owing to their disappointment in obtaining recruits or from lack of co-operation of the people?

It was not so understood in Lexington; it was there understood to be in consequence of General Buell's marching into the southern part of the State.

Question. Was your imprisonment previous or subsequent to the visit to Louisville?

I was arrested once before I went to Louisville and twice afterward.

Question. Upon what ground were you released by General Smith?

When the fact of what I was arrested for was communicated to him he thought it was not sufficient and just ground for imprisoning a citizen and ordered me to be discharged and cautioned me to keep my opinions to myself; that he intended to remain in Kentucky, and expected obedience to the laws from all the citizens. This, I believe, was about the substance of his remarks.

Question. After his knowledge of your opinion what reasons had he for permitting you to go to Louisville?

It was after I returned from Louisville.