Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862.
Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Ed.

General Morgan has had very great difficulties to contend with, and merits praise for the zeal and ability with which he has conducted his column. I deem it proper to submit the accompanying dispatches between General Morgan and my headquarters in explanation of certain paragraphs in his report.

Respectfully,

My column is on the march. The advance guard has passed the Cumberland.

A reliable scout has just come in. The enemy has withdrawn from Big Creek Gap and will reach Cumberland Gap to-day. Reliable letter from Clinton also informs me that the road between Clinton and Knoxville is lined with troops coming this way. It is probable that the enemy is concentrating his entire force in East Tennessee upon my immediate front. The march of to-day will be executed as before ordered, but it may become imprudent to pass mountains unless a strong diversion be made upon Cleveland or Chattanooga by General Mitchel. Will the interests of the service permit such a diversion to be made?

Col. A. Jamison [?], Cumberland Gap, has been re-enforced by a brigade of four regiments of infantry, one battery of artillery, and 400 cavalry, and a brigade has just arrived at Big Creek Gap from Knoxville. Kirby Smith is again at the former gap, the defense of which has been increased since our last-received reconnaissance. Two regiments from Virginia, probably forced back by the advance of Cox, have reached Knoxville, and the enemy has withdrawn the bulk of his force from the neighborhood of Chattanooga and Cleveland. I had taken steps to organize a partisan regiment, under Colonel Clift (commissioned by the Secretary of War), in Scott and Morgan Counties, Tennessee, in order to annoy the enemy's rear. During the last three weeks there have been rumors of the intended invasion of Kentucky by Smith. Some of our friends in East Tennessee attach consequencetothese reports. Three of .my brigades threaten the enemy's front.

Baird's brigade marches this morning, and Carter's will close up the rear to-morrow. It has become necessary to station the Forty-ninth Indiana, with the two pieces of artillery, at Barboursville. On yesterday a spy, pretending to be a deserter, was brought into camp. He left Cumberland Gap on the day before yesterday at 2 o'clock a. m. He reports the enemy's force at Cumberland Gap at over 5,000. At Big [53] Creek Gap there are 8,000, with troops at Clinton and Knoxville. Should their forces concentrate the enemy will outnumber us nearly three to one. What is General Negley doing? Answer at once as I start at noon to go to the head of the column. I send copy of this to Governor Johnson and Secretary of War.

General Negley is fully employed in Middle Tennessee, and can give you no direct assistance. He is, however, opposite Chattanooga, but his stay there cannot be depended upon. The force now in Tennessee is so small that no offensive operations against East Tennessee can be attempted, and you must therefore depend mainly on your own resources.

Considering your force and that opposed to you, it will probably not be safe for you to undertake any extended offensive operations. Other operations will soon have an influence upon your designs, and it is therefore better for you to run no risk at present.

General: I had the honor to receive your telegram. It was too late to change my plans. I have advanced upon a road so narrow that two wagons cannot pass each other. The guns had to be drawn over several hills by block and tackle. I need say nothing of the difficulties of such an advance. A retrograde movement would be next to impossible. My troops are confident and in good spirits. To fall back would demoralize them. Will you pardon me, general, for asking where it is possible to re-enforce General Negley so as to retain Smith at Chattanooga? My advance guard occupies Rogers' Gap, and will probably descend into the valley to-morrow. To-day our pickets had two skirmishes with those of the enemy, in which he sustained some loss in killed and wounded. On our side there were no casualties. I will try and destroy railroad bridges on either side of Knoxville, and throughout will act upon a bold, determined policy, as it is the only prudent one in my position. The present fate of East Tennessee depends upon Kirby Smith being all occupied at Chattanooga. Copy of this sent to Secretary of War.

Most respectfully,

General Buell:

We have information, derived from our scouts, that Big Creek Gap is evacuated. This information is confirmed by a deserter from General Spears, who also gives a rumor that Cumberland Gap has also been evacuated. I am inclined to credit this rumor, inasmuch as the air was filled with smoke on yesterday for a circumference of from 15 to 20 miles from Cumberland Gap, which was probably caused by burning timber, in order to create a curtain of smoke behind which to retreat. However 1 have sent reliable scouts to both of these points to ascertain the actual facts. If the enemy has retreated I shall march at once upon Knoxville, and thence operate upon the rear of the enemy, who has probably gone towards Chattanooga.

Your information in regard to evacuation of Cumberland Gap may be true, and, if so, probably resulted from Mitchels force appearing before Chattanooga. If the Gap is evacuated, you should seize it and hold it, and take any other advantage that may present itself, but not advance to points from which you would have to fall back.

General Negley has been withdrawn from before Chattanooga, but General Mitchel is instructed as far as possible to keep his troops in a position to threaten that point. As you were previously advised, you will have to depend mainly upon your own ability to beat the force opposed to you.

General Morgan is advancing on Cumberland Gal. Endeavor as much as possible to keep your force in an attitude to threaten Chattanooga and occupy the attention of Kirby Smith. How many roads do you find leading to Chattanooga between McMinnville and the river? What is their condition and which the best? What is the condition of the road 1y Jasper and Stevenson?

Or wherever his headquarters may be about Cumberland Ford:

General Buell desires to know what you propose to do and where you are going to concentrate your troops.

The general cannot determine your position from the places you speak of. They are not on our maps and not known to any one here. State where you are, referring to localities mapped or generally known.