General McDowell also made the following objection: It is objected to by General McDowell that the witness be now allowed to explain the movements made, qualify the evidence given in chief, or make remarks concerning the evidence so given, at least till after he shall have directly and specifically answered the cross-interrogation propounded to him.)

The court was cleared.

The court was opened, and the following, its decisions on the objections, announced:

"The first objection is not well taken. The question may involve a reference to an order of General Pope."

"The second objection is not applicable to the point before the court."

By direction of the court the recorder read the following:

The witness is directed to answer whether the counter-march made by going to and returning form Manassas was by General McDowell's orders alone; and, if not, he will state directly by whose orders, in connection with General McDowell's, it was made.

Answer. It was not by General McDowell's orders alone. I marched by orders of General McDowell toward Manassas, and by orders of General Pope from near Manassas to New Market.

The court adjourned to meet at 11 o'clock a. m. to-morrow, December 27, 1862.

THIRTY-FIRST DAY.

COURT-ROOM, COR. PA. AVE. AND FOURTEENTH ST.,

Washington, D. C., December 27, 1862.

The court met pursuant to adjournment. Present, * * *, and Major General FRANZ SIGEL, U. S. Volunteers, the witness under examination.

* * * * * * *

Question by General MCDOWELL. You have stated (twenty-seventh day's proceedings) that you proposed to General Pope to march your corps to New Market instead of Manassas, as ordered by General McDowell. State whether, therefore, it was not the order he issued for you to march to Centreville via New Market on your own proposal to march to New Market that your troops were counter-marched, if they were counter-marched.

Answer. It was the order of General Pope which directed me to march to Centreville, and it was my proposal to General Pope that I should be permitted to march by New Market, as i was near the road leading by New Market to Centreville. It was by this order of General Pope that I marched to New Market and came back near to the point from which I had started. I have to add that at this time General Milroy was at Manassas, or very near to Manassas, and that he joined me at New Market, whilst I asked General Pope to be allowed to march to New Market to avoid the circuitous road by Manassas.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Was or was it not then on your proposal that troops were made to come back to near where they started from?

Answer. Certainly, and especially because I thought that the enemy was not at Centreville, but somewhere between Centreville and Groveton and New Market, and as I thought that it was our object to march against the enemy on the shortest line.