The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-30

advance force occupying the country 70
the Green river and Bowling Green being
10 supporting distance Of Tennessee, fron
and through which reinforcements must
come 4, unexpectedly the Kenaarkians
should lail 10 rush 70 Buoknsr's standard
at HE approach. He regarded e A. ne
ceseary 70 held Bowling Green, not oniy
till the navigation of Green firet was
destroyed, but 10 mAss q depot or sup-
plies. He also thought Il ahouldbs ford.
led; that il an advance could be made.
garrison could defend Il; thus increas.
ing the available force for the 6eld,--
Il attacked there BY superior ndmbers
the fOrthcati0na would account for The
disparity Il Is proper however, 20 add
that ! have heard, not only from General
Johnston, but from other respectable
sources, that not long after Gen. Backper
took possession Of Bowling Green, upon
his inquiring by despstch Of General
Johnston whether he (Buckner) should
advance, General Johnston told him h
depended upon circumstances; that he
must keep his line Of communication
with Tennessee open, aud that II he could
do this, and thought proper, he might
advance. As that accomplished and raf-
liant officer did not advance. 1 presume,
all who knew him will at once see that Il
was for valid reasons out Of the peculiar
circumstances in the midst Of which be
was.
A1isaceT s. AS near As can ascertain
between three and four thousand, Che
rest OF the force being distributed along
the turnpike in the direction of Nashville.
On the Friday before the DoneIson fight
began, General Johnston ordered prepay
alton TO begin for eyacuating Bowling
Green. On Thursday the troops began
moving, those remaining being engaged
in getting off supplies off Government
stores by rail to Nashville and south
ward. ia. 1l1li
AnSlCer G. For the troops along the
turnpike none; they would have been
compelled TO march. For those al Bowl
ing Green.
Aastcer z. Answer in No. 8. l
AllSlUer g. do not know, having gone
out of Nashville in the direction of MUIR
froesbOro, on Tuesday morning, General
Floyd being in command at that city
with orders and a sufficient force 70 re-
main till the supplies were removed, or
the enemy made IL necessary for him 20
retire as he was ordered not 20 fight a
battle in Nashville. l am told that In
consequence OF tho destruction OF the
Stones river bridge, at which Lieut. Col.
Johnston was killed, The supply Of trans
portatiQn was cut short, and in conse-
| quence more Government stores were
lost than otherwise would have been.--
But ! don't know anything about these
things of my own personal knowledge
do know that till / left Nashville Gen.
Floyd displayed his accustomed energy,
in saving all that was possible. TO save
all the Government stores, and was hay
ing them removed by every possible
means Of transportation. - ,
AR5l0erS 8 and TO- IL General Floyd.
or any other General, &C Fort Donelson.
ever asked for reinforcements during the
struggle there, never saw such request.
/ l do not believe endorsements were ever
asked for at all. had access 10 all The
dispatches, and read them az received,
and ] never saw such request; nor did
/ ever hear OF such request ell 10 was
stated 70 mo by the Hon. II. 8. Foote, In
Richmond, that such a request was &C
tually made by the Commanding General
| at Donelson. ,ll
A respectable gentleman also stated to
me in Colonel Foote'S presence, at bis
room on the night these interrOgationH
were presented to me, that Colonel VIM.
Preston had told him a. Nashville that
such request had been made. have seen
Colonel Preston on the subject and he
authorized me 70 say that that gentleman
was mistaken; that he (Preatonl never
aw such a request and 10 certain that
none was ever made. Such, TOO, Is the
concurrent testimony Of every member OF
this stat, and there must be some misap.
prehension on this subject on the part of
the honorable chairman Of the special
committee. However, II reinforcemsnts
had been asked for, IL will DO readily
perceived that they could not possibly
have been sent
have the honor to be your obedient
servant, Sc.