Question. Do you know anything of any deserters and unwarranted absentees from the Army of the Ohio after its arrival on the Ohio at the mouth of Salt River?

I know that there were a great many absentees, particularly officers; but every precaution was taken at General Buell's headquarters to prevent it and very stringent measures were adopted, but I do not think these orders were fully carried out by brigade and division commanders. I heard that officers were absent with the permission of the brigade commanders. They got across the river by other means than those used by the public (ferry-boats), because there were guards to prevent them.

Question. Have you any means of arriving at an estimate of the number of officers and men absent without leave from the Army of the Ohio on its arrival at Louisville? If so, state the number.

In August there was an order issued from General Buell's headquarters, calling attention to the number of absentees, officers and men, and putting it at 14,000.

Question. The question refers to the number of officers and men who absented themselves without leave from the time the army arrived at the mouth of Salt River until its arrival at Louisville-officers and men who were supposed to have gone to their homes without proper authority.

I have no means of ascertaining the number, but I suppose that in nearly every case the officers who went did so with the permission of their colonels, and they of course would not report it, and no reports were made up at that time which would show how many of these officers were absent.

Question. Is it or is it not a notorious fact that the Army of the Ohio during that interval suffered a great diminution of its numbers from this cause, and do you know anything about the facts?

It was not noticeable from the diminution of its numbers as much as from the fact that almost all those who went away without authority were officers and that these officers took advantage of their positions to go off without permission and it was well known throughout the States where these officers went that they were absent without permission.

Question. In estimating the strength of the Army of the Ohio on its arrival at Louisville at 45,000 have you made any allowance for these absentees?

The estimate of 45,000 is taken from the report of the strength of the army before it left Nashville; it therefore does not include the absentees. I presume that in the Kentucky regiments there were more absentees when we left Louisville than from other regiments, as I know that one or two regiments raised near Louisville had a great many absentees, some of whom had to be brought in by force. Even after they had been searched for there were a great many still absent.

Question. Taking 45,000 as the number of troops of the Army of the Ohio that left Nashville and deducting from them the losses from all causes on the march from Nashville to Louisville what would be the number of the old troops of the Army of the Ohio which left Louisville on its march toward Bardstown?

I presume there were about 43,000. On our march from Nashville we left quite a number at different points on the road, at Bowling Green and at other stations where there were hospitals. Many broke down from forced marches. The roads were very dusty, and we had a great many sick who had given out from exhaustion, and these were left behind on our march toward Louisville, and they did not rejoin us in time to march with the army towards Bardstown.

Question. Does this estimate include the old troops of Sill's and Dumont's divisions?

There were no old troops in Dumont's division; it was composed entirely of new regiments. It does include the old troops of Sill's division.