ral James Wheeler, McMinnville, Tennessee:_

"Ascertain what direction the enemy takes after leaving Gallatin.

[Signed] "GEO. WM. BRENT, _A.A. Gen'l_."

This proved conclusively that General Bragg believed that Nashville and
the whole of Middle Tennessee was about to be evacuated by the Federal
army.

General Morgan did not believe so, nor did Colonel Breckinridge, who was
charged with the scouting of all the extreme right flank. The latter
officer says: "It is true, that, at this time, General Rosecrans ordered
back his sick, his surplus baggage, camp followers, increased his guard
at every station in his rear, displayed greater vigilance at his
pickets, vailed his movements in greater secrecy, and became stringent
in his rules about passes to and from his camps and lines. All our
scouts reported these movements, and our Generals concluded he meant a
retreat. Morgan believed otherwise," etc.

General Morgan, in reality, believed that these were all the indications
of an advance rather than of retreat, and he confidently anticipated the
former in the early part of April. On the 3rd of April there _was_ an
advance, which, although not of the entire Federal army, yet
comprehended so large a part of it, as to completely rid the country, in
which our command had been wintering, of their presence for a short
time.

This force approached Liberty on the 2nd of April, causing the
concentration there of both brigades, with the exception of the
detachments necessarily sent to observe different important points. The
entire command, after some skirmishing, took position near Liberty, but
to the east of it, and encamped in line of battle, on the night of the
2nd.

The enemy retreated about a mile and bivouacked. Scouts were sent
through his camp that night and discovered that behind the cavalry, was
a heavy infantry force. Other scouts also reported that Hazen was
advancing from Readyville and Crook from Carthage. Colonel Ward was sent
to watch the Carthage roads, and all the rest were disposed to resist
the advance of the enemy directly in front. Colonel Gano was senior
officer and leaving Breckinridge to conduct the retreat to "Snow's
hill," he took charge of the preparations for defense there.

"Snow's hill" was regarded by the majority of the officers (who had
served about Liberty) as a very strong position, but, I believe, that
they all agreed subsequently that the opinion was a mistaken one. As a
defensive p