Satisfied of the impossibility of maintaining this long line with the force I then had, I applied to the general-in-chief for information the whereabouts of General Buell and the importance of holding the line for him. On the receipt of his answer I ordered the withdrawal of the stores and the evacuation of Bowling Green, designing, if necessary, to evacuate Munfordville at a late day. On the same day I believe on which the order was given I received information regarding General Buell's position and movements which induced me to countermand the order and determine to hold both Bowling Green and Munfordville. The information in effect was that General Buell with his entire force was moving into Kentucky via Nashville, where, leaving a garrison, he was to proceed with the remainder of his troops into Kentucky to oppose Bragg, who was moving in the remainder of his troops into Kentucky to oppose Bragg, who was moving in the same direction that General Buell's army was without supplies, and I presumed would count on finding them at Bowling Green. In holding the line of road I therefore held it for him at some risk of the garrison being cut off, as I could not re-enforce them to such an extent as to secure them against an attack of an army. Their security against such an attack must depend upon General Buell's own movements, and, right or wrong, I relied upon it.

3. State as nearly you can the number of troops turned over to Major-General Buell at Louisville previous to his marching out to attack Bragg at Bardstown.

I cannot answer with any certainly, as I was never able to get a return of the troops at Louisville under the command of General Nelson. The regiments, with the exception of those sent from General Grant's army under General G. Granger, were all new, and General Nelson was not able to get returns. On the 15th of September there were at Louisville 18,250 infantry, 1,930 cavalry, and 550 artillery, according to General Gilbert's report. Subsequently there were sent from Cincinnati twenty-four regiments of infantry, two batteries of artillery, and one regiment of cavalry; from Illinois five regiments of infantry, two batteries of artillery, and one regiments of cavalry; from Illinois five regiments of infantry, and from Michigan one regiment of cavalry. I cannot say whether these were all or not, as the Governors of the States in the department were sending their troops as fast as they could be got ready, and may sometimes have neglected to notify the headquarters of the department.

4. State what you know, if anything, of the number of men of all arms combined under Bragg at or after the battle of Perryville?

I know nothing of the strength of Bragg's force except from reports which cannot be considered reliable. General Nelson furnished me the report of a friend of his two saw the troops at Munfordville, and gave their number as "about 30,000, a few more or less;" say they have "other troops coming on." He also reported that previous to the surrender of Munfordville certain officers demanded to see whether the enemy really encompassed the works with the force they pretended to have, and three officers went through their lines and reported as follows: "Total strength 45,000 men; eight batteries on the south side; on the north side they professed to have thirteen regiments and three batteries, about 10,000 menJanuary

5. Inform the Commission what you know of C. C. Gilbert, U. S. Army, being placed and continued in command as a major-general without being legally appointed; also what you know of Captain E. Gay, U. S. Army, being given the position of brigadier-general without legal authority.

I know nothing in regard to Captain Gay's being given the position of brigadier-general. Captain Gilbert was appointed by me a major-general subject to the approval of the President of the United States, and this was done upon the written request of Brigadier-Generals Jackson and Cruft, neither of whom desired to take the command of the forces after Major-General Nelson had been disabled in the battle of Richmond, Ky. A certified copy of the order appointing him is herewith, marked A, and a copy of the letter of Generals Jackson and Cruft, above referred to, marked B. This appointment was at once reported to Washington, and General Gilbert was subsequently appointed a brigadier-general of volunteers by the President, as was also General Terrill, who were appointed in the same order.

H. G. WRIGHT,

Brigadier-General Volunteers.

Subscribed and sworn to before me by H. G. Wright, brigadier-general, this day, 15th of April, 1863.

JOS. CLEMENT,

Justice of the Peace, Jefferson County, Kentucky.