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ingencies he must have at least one hundred locomotives and one thousand cars。 As soon as Mr。 Guthrie； the President of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad； detected that we were holding on to all his locomotives and cars； he wrote me； earnestly remonstrating against it； saying that he would not be able with diminished stock to bring forward the necessary stores from Louisville to Nashville。 I wrote to him； frankly telling him exactly how we were placed； appealed to his patriotism to stand by us； and advised him in like manner to hold on to all trains coming into Jeffersonville； Indiana。 He and General Robert Allen； then quartermaster…general at Louisville； arranged a ferry…boat so as to transfer the trains over the Ohio River from Jeffersonville； and in a short time we had cars and locomotives from almost every road at the North； months afterward I was amused to see； away down in Georgia； cars marked 〃Pittsburg & Fort Wayne；〃 〃Delaware & Lackawanna；〃 〃Baltimore & Ohio；〃 and indeed with the names of almost every railroad north of the Ohio River。 How these railroad companies ever recovered their property； or settled their transportation accounts； I have never heard； but to this fact； as much as to any other single fact； I attribute the perfect success which afterward attended our campaigns； and I have always felt grateful to Mr。 Guthrie； of Louisville； who had sense enough and patriotism enough to subordinate the interests of his railroad company to the cause of his country。
About this time； viz。； the early part of April； I was much disturbed by a bold raid made by the rebel General Forrest up between the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers。 He reached the Ohio River at Paducah； but was handsomely repulsed by Colonel Hicks。 He then swung down toward Memphis； assaulted and carried Fort Pillow； massacring a part of its garrison； composed wholly of negro troops。 At first I discredited the story of the massacre； because； in preparing for the Meridian campaign； I had ordered Fort Pillow to be evacuated； but it transpired afterward that General Hurlbut had retained a small garrison at Fort Pillow to encourage the enlistment of the blacks as soldiers； which was a favorite political policy at that day。 The massacre at Fort Pillow occurred April 12； 1864； and has been the subject of congressional inquiry。 No doubt Forrest's men acted like a set of barbarians； shooting down the helpless negro garrison after the fort was in their possession； but I am told that Forrest personally disclaims any active participation in the assault； and that he stopped the firing as soon as he could。 I also take it for granted that Forrest did not lead the assault in person； and consequently that he was to the rear； out of sight if not of hearing at the time； and I was told by hundreds of our men； who were at various times prisoners in Forrest's possession； that he was usually very kind to them。 He had a desperate set of fellows under him； and at that very time there is no doubt the feeling of the Southern people was fearfully savage on this very point of our making soldiers out of their late slaves； and Forrest may have shared the feeling。
I also had another serious cause of disturbance about that time。 I wanted badly the two divisions of troops which had been loaned to General Banks in the month of March previously； with the express understanding that their absence was to endure only one month； and that during April they were to come out of Red River； and be again within the sphere of my command。 I accordingly instructed one of my inspector…generals； John M。 Corse； to take a fleet steamboat at Nashville； proceed via Cairo； Memphis； and Vicksburg； to General Banks up the Red River； and to deliver the following letter of April 3d； as also others； of like tenor； to Generals A。 J。 Smith and Fred Steele； who were supposed to be with him：
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI NASHVILLE； TENNESSEE； April 3； 1864
Major…General N。 P。 BANKS； commanding Department of the Gulf； Red River。
GENERAL： The thirty days for which I loaned you the command of General A。 J。 Smith will expire on the 10th instant。 I send with this Brigadier…General J。 M。 Corse； to carry orders to General A。 J。 Smith； and to give directions for a new movement； which is preliminary to the general campaign。 General Corse may see you and explain in full； but； lest he should not find you in person； I will simply state that Forrest； availing himself of the absence of our furloughed men and of the detachment with yon； has pushed up between the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers； even to the Ohio。 He attacked Paducah； but got the worst of it； and he still lingers about the place。 I hope that he will remain thereabouts till General A。 J。 Smith can reach his destined point； but this I can hardly expect； yet I want him to reach by the Yazoo a position near Grenada； thence to operate against Forrest； after which to march across to Decatur； Alabama。 You will see that he has a big job； and therefore should start at once。 From all that I can learn； my troops reached Alexandria； Louisiana； at the time agreed on； viz。； March 17th； and I hear of them at Natchitoches； but cannot hear of your troops being above Opelousas。
Steele is also moving。 I leave Steele's entire force to cooperate with you and the navy； but； as I before stated； I must have A。 T。 Smith's troops now as soon as possible。
I beg you will expedite their return to Vicksburg； if they have not already started； and I want them if possible to remain in the same boats they have used up Red River； as it will save the time otherwise consumed in transfer to other boats。
All is well in this quarter； and I hope by the time you turn against Mobile our forces will again act toward the same end； though from distant points。 General Grant； now having lawful control； will doubtless see that all minor objects are disregarded； and that all the armies act on a common plan。
Hoping； when this reaches you； that you will be in possession of Shreveport； I am； with great respect； etc。；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General commanding。
Rumors were reaching us thick and fast of defeat and disaster in that quarter； and I feared then； what afterward actually happened； that neither General Banks nor Admiral Porter could or would spare those two divisions。 On the 23d of April； General Corse returned； bringing full answers to my letters； and I saw that we must go on without them。 This was a serious loss to the Army of the Tennessee； which was also short by two other divisions that were on their veteran furlough； and were under orders to rendezvous at Cairo； before embarking for Clifton； on the Tennessee River。
On the 10th of April； 1864； the headquarters of the three Armies of the Cumberland； Tennessee； and Ohio； were at Chattanooga。； Huntsville； and Knoxville； and the tables on page 16； et seq。； give their exact condition and strength。
The Department of the Arkansas was then subject to my command； but General Fred Steele； its commander； was at Little Rock； remote from me； acting in cooperation with General Banks； and had full employment for every soldier of his command； so that I never depended on him for any men； or for an