[
583]
Notes.
Note A. Book I., chapter I.
among the companions of
Morgan was
Captain Gurley, who had killed
General McCook the preceding year, when he was commanding a band of guerillas.
This act was considered by the
Federals a murder, and the father of the victim, a vigorous old Kentuckian, though more than seventy years of age, enlisted among the volunteers mustered to pursue
Morgan.
Always on the outposts, he had sworn that
Gurley should die by his hand.
He was killed at Buffington Ford.
A few hours after,
Gurley was made prisoner.
His trial was conducted with the greatest care; he was authorized, for his own defence, to bring before the council of war witnesses belonging to the hostile army provided with passes.
He was able to prove that
McCook, sick and lying in an ambulance, had been surprised by his men, but that, instead of halting, the wagon had fled, and that he had fired the fatal pistol-shot a few seconds only before
McCook had given the signal of his surrendering.
He was therefore clear on this count, but he could not prove that he or his companions were enlisted, even as mere sharpshooters, in the service of the
Confederates.
Not being a case of self-defence, he had therefore acted as an outlaw and not as a soldier.
He was on this account sentenced to be hanged.
Mr. Lincoln confirmed the sentence, but deferred the execution, and, the war coming to an end,
Gurley's life was spared.
Note B. Book I., chapter V.
On the 1st of September,
Bragg—having under his command
Cheatham's and
Hindman's divisions of
Polk's corps,
Cleburne's division of
Hill's corps,
Liddell's and
Gist's divisions of
Walker's
[
584]
corps—shows an effective force of more than thirty-five thousand infantry; which, adding one-tenth for the officers, gives a total of thirty-nine thousand men. From the 1st to the 20th of September his army is augmented, on the one hand, by the return of
Breckinridge's division, thirty-seven hundred and sixty-nine men strong according to the report of its chief, and, on the other hand, by the arrival of
Buckner's corps and of
Longstreet's. This latter general, having united these two corps under his command, besides
Hindman's division, estimates his forces as being twenty-two thousand eight hundred and fifty-two officers and men.
The division of
Hindman, which, according to the official report, showed a total of six thousand one hundred and two men, being included in the muster-roll of September 1st, must be deducted here.
The two corps of
Buckner and
Longstreet give, therefore, together, an effective of sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty combatants.
Finally, on the 20th of September
Gist's brigade, nine hundred and eighty men strong, joined
Walker's corps.
The total of
Bragg's infantry will therefore comprise the following:
