Using the saddle point method, we obtain from the generating function of the Stirling numbers of the first kind [ⁿ_j] and Cauchy's integral formula, asymptotic results in central and non-central regions. In the central region, we revisit the celebrated Goncharov theorem with more precision. In the region j = n - n^α, α > 1/2, we analyze the dependence of [ⁿ_j] on α.