[CHAP. XXVIII.

Colonel JOHN F. DE COURCY'S examination continued.

By General BUELL:

Question. How long was it after the receipt of the first telegraphic dispatch from General Buell's headquarters to General Morgan, of the 10th of June, before the orders were given for the retrograde movement?

Almost immediately.

Question. Can you state with reference to the date of this telegraphic dispatch of the 10th when it was received by General Morgan-about how long after its date, as accurately as you can?

I cannot state accurately, but I think it must have been some time in the afternoon of the 11th or 12th.

Question. On the 13th of June General Morgan telegraphed to General Buell's chief of staff as follows: "On yesterday I received your telegram, giving me authority to operate offensively or not, according to my judgment." How happened it that it required till the 18th of June to recover the ground which had been lost in those few hours between the telegraphic dispatch upon which General Morgan commenced his retrograde movement and the telegraphic dispatches of the same date which authorized him to act at his discretion?

Because General Morgan had been concentrating his troops at Rogers' Gap by two roads. General Baird's and my brigade started from Cumberland Ford toward Rogers' Gap; General Carter's and General Spears' brigades marched through Big Creek Gap by Barboursville, with the view of threatening the enemy which was supposed to be guarding that Gap. After the receipt of the order countermanding the forward movement General Carter's and General Spears' brigades were ordered back by telegraph, the wires having been conducted the greater part of the way on their line of march. The roads were narrow and much encumbered; at Big Creek Gap General Spears' brigade had had a large amount of work to do in clearing a blockade. The delays therefore had been great, and when everything was ready for the concentration all the labor and time were lost. The men were fatigued and demoralized by the counter order, and the subsequent forward movement was not made with the same alacrity which had been evinced by all ranks in the first instance. Counter- marching on narrow roads always takes a great deal of time, and the roads we had to countermarch on were of that kind-difficult and narrow. All expedition was used, as far as my memory serves me, in reconcentrating at Rogers' Gap; but notwithstanding every exertion said reconcentration was not effected until the evening of the 17th of June; by this I mean the complete reconcentration of all trains, batteries, infantry, and cavalry. It must be remembered that General Carter's and Spears' brigades had at the very least 25 miles longer march to make than the brigades of General Baird and myself. A glance at the map will at once show that I am probably understanding the excess of march which General Carter's and Spears' brigades had to make.

Question. That does not quite answer the question. It appears that these two telegraphic dispatches were received within a very few hours of each other. I would like you to explain, if you please, how it happened that the order for the retrograde movement was obeyed with so much greater alacrity than the order for the reconcentration.

I was not present when the second order was received by General Morgan, that officer being then more than 20 miles distant from Rogers' Gap, and I almost imagine that he did not receive the order, from the fact, probably, that he had no telegraphic operator to take the dispatch off the wires. I suppose the dispatch was taken first of all of the wires and then had to be sent after and in search of General Morgan. The courier that I sent myself to General Morgan, telling him that I should not move, had to search for the general and had some difficulty in finding him.

Question. Where was General Morgan when he received the first dispatch?

At Rogers' Gap.