I identify the letter as one received at Bowling Green by General Buell from Governor Johnson. It is as follows:

STATE OF TENNESSEE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Nashville, September 14, 1862.

Major-General BUELL,

Commanding, &c., District of the Ohio:

GENERAL: It is all-important that Major-General Thomas and his forces, as now assigned should remain at Nashville. There is the utmost confidence in his bravery and capacity to defend Nashville against any odds. I am advised that, including your division of the army, there are not less than 75,000 men in Kentucky and the numbers increasing, so that you will be enabled to meet Smith and Bragg successfully.

I was reliably informed on yesterday that a portion of Bragg's forces were lingering about Carthage and the Cumberland River, Bragg no doubt with them, daily informed as to the number of our forces passing into Kentucky and the forces left here. If our strength is much reduced at this point he will be induced to attack Nashville as a matter of course.

In conclusion I express the strong and earnest hope that the present assignment of forces under General Thomas for the defense of Nashville may not be disturbed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ANDREW JOHNSON,

Military Governor.

It in no manner changed the dispositions made previous to its date for holding Nashville.

Question. What was supposed to be the position of General Bragg's army when the Army of the Ohio marched from Bowling Green on the afternoon of the 16th of September; with what object did the Army of the Ohio start on that march, and what dispositions were made with a view to that object? When was it first known that the rebel army had left Glasgow? When was it first known that the garrison at Munfordville had surrendered to the rebel army, and where was the Army of the Ohio at that time? How far from Munfordville?

When the Army of the Ohio marched from Bowling Green, on the 16th of September, Bragg's army was supposed to be at Glasgow, and the object was to attack it at that point. I have no notes in reference to this part of the campaign and do not recall distinctly the dispositions made. The orders for the first day's march, however, I remember, placed the troops the first night at Dripping Springs, on the main Louisville pike, and Wright's store, on the direct road from Bowling Green to Glasgow. A brigade of cavalry was in advance on each of these roads, and the brigade on the Glasgow road had orders to push forward to Merry Oaks, the enemy's outpost from Glasgow, and ascertain the state of affairs and act accordingly. This brigade drove in the rebel cavalry at Merry Oaks and pushed on to Glasgow, learning that the main body had left. An important rebel mail was captured by it. This cavalry reconnaissance developed the fact that the rebel army had gone toward Munfordville. According to my recollection we heard of the surrender of Munfordville on the second day after leaving Bowling Green and while we were at Dripping Springs, about 26 miles from Munfordville.

Question. Do you know anything of the opinions of the higher officers of the army as to the desirability or expediency of attacking the rebel army in its position at Munfordville? If so, state what that opinion was and whether you heard of any difference of opinion on that point among the higher officers.

I heard the opinions of the highest generals in the army as to the expediency of attacking the rebel army in its position at Munfordville. The opinion was unfavorable to such attack, as the position was known to many of our officers to be one of unusual strength. I heard no difference of opinion on this point.

Question. Was the post of Munfordville under the command of General Buell at the time it was threatened? Had he any knowledge of its defense or control over the strength of its garrison or over its action?

I answer no to all the branches of this question.