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r No。 3； created the Department of the Mississippi； consolidating the three departments under Generals Halleck； Hunter； and Buell； and placed General Halleck in command。 Halleck at once ordered Buell to march his army to Savannah； and to execute the movements that had already been agreed on by them。
Buell immediately gave his attention to the preparation of his command to carry out these orders。 He directed O。 M。 Mitchel to march south； strike； and hold the Memphis and Charleston Railroad。 Organizing the seventh division of his army； Buell assigned General George W。 Morgan to this command。 This division was formed of four brigades； out of a number of regiments gathered up from different points in Kentucky。 General Morgan concentrated his entire command at Cumberland Ford； being directed to take Cumberland Gap if possible and to occupy East Tennessee if able to enter。 If not； then to resist any advance of the rebels。
General E。 Dumont was placed in command of Nashville。 The Twenty…third Brigade under Colonel Duffield； composed of four regiments； was ordered from Kentucky to garrison Murfreesboro； and protect the road from Shelbyville to Lavergne。
Buell designated the First Division under Thomas； the Second under McCook； the Fourth under Nelson； the Fifth under Crittenden； and the Sixth under Wood； to constitute the army under his personal command； which was to join Halleck in the operations against the enemy's position at Corinth。 These divisions； with cavalry and artillery attached made a force of 37；000 effective troops。 In addition to these； Buell had under his command 36；000 effective men to defend his communications； maintain his line of supply； enforce order within his lines； and to perform any special duty assigned to them。 The muster…rolls of his army showed that he had at this time 92 regiments of infantrynot including those sent to Halleck under Cruft。 These regiments aggregated 79；334 men。 He had 11 regiments； 1 battalion； and 7 detached companies of cavalry； making a total of 11；496 men； and 28 field； and 2 siege batteries； with 3；935 men。 The grand total was 94；765 men。 His effective force； however； was 73；487 men； comprising 60；882 infantry； 9；237 cavalry； and 3；368 artillery。
Buell's army； after crossing Duck River； pressed rapidly forward。 The day before Nelson's arrival at the Tennessee River he was informed by General Grant； to whom he had reported his movements by courier； that he need not hasten his march； as he could not cross the river before the following Tuesday； the 8th。 Nelson's entire division； with forced marches； reached Savannah April 5th； the other division closely following。 Ammen's brigade of Nelson's division crossed the river on the afternoon of the 6th； and reported to Buell； and was engaged in the battle of that day； aiding in resisting the final attack of Chalmers on the left of Grant's command。 Crittenden's and McCook's divisions arrived on the field during the night of the 6th； and took an active part in the fighting of the next day。 The rest of the command arrived on the field after the battle。
The movements of the troops of the 〃Army of the Ohio〃 in the battle of Shiloh and in the operations against Corinth are treated in Volume II。 of this series； and it is not within the purview of this volume to enter further into the narrative of their service than to give a few brief facts as to the disposition of the troops； in order to follow the subsequent events in which the Army of the Ohio was the main actor。
Chapter IV。
Morgan's and Forest's Raids。
On April 11th； Halleck arrived at Pittsburg Landing and at once reorganized the troops in his command； designating the divisions of his army as the right wing； centre； left wing； reserves； and cavalry under Major…Generals George H。 Thomas； D。 C。 Buell； John Pope； and J。 A。 McClernand and Brigadier…General A。 J。 Smith respectively。 Thomas's command comprised four divisions of the 〃Army of the Tennessee；〃 and his old division of the 〃Army of the Ohio。〃 The remainder of the army was under the command of Buell。 After the fall of Corinth； the enemy breaking his large force into several smaller commands rendered necessary a similar disposition of the Federal forces。 Buell was ordered with his command to enter into a campaign looking to the occupation of East Tennessee。 One division of his army under O。 M。 Mitchel left Nashville about the middle of March under orders to proceed to Murfreesboro and repair the railroad bridges burned by Johnston on his retreat。 On Colonel Duffield's reporting with the Twenty…third brigade； Mitchel pressed forward to Shelbyville and from there by a rapid movement on the 7th of April he occupied Huntsville； Ala。； with Turchin's brigade； Kennett's Ohio cavalry； and Simonson's battery； capturing 170 prisoners； 15 locomotives； and 150 passenger and freight cars； and a large amount of army stores。 On the 8th； Mitchel ordered Sill with his brigade to proceed east along the line of the railroad to seize Stevenson； the junction of the Nashville and Chattanooga； and Memphis and Charleston Railroads； and directed Turchin with his command to move west and take possession of Decatur and Tuscumbia。 This was successfully done； and Mitchel was in possession of over one hundred miles of this important link connecting Corinth with Richmond in the heart of the enemy's territory。 He then posted his troops at the more prominent points； ready to move to any place threatened by the enemy。
On April 29th； Mitchel； hearing of the advance of the force under Kirby Smith from Bridgeport against the command beyond Stevenson； moved as rapidly as possible by rail from Huntsville to resist him。 He found the enemy had attacked the detachment posted five miles west of Bridgeport； and that his troops had driven the enemy's advance back across Widow's Creek。 The bridge over this creek had been burned by the enemy on their retreat。 Mitchel strengthened the detachment and engaged the attention of the enemy by an apparent effort to cross this creek； while with his main force he advanced on Bridgeport by a detour by the left and drove that portion of the enemy in the town across the Tennessee River。 In their retreat the enemy set fire to the bridge reaching from the west bank of the river to the Island。 This bridge Mitchel succeeded in saving； but the bridge east of the Island was completely destroyed。 General Mitchel then turned his attention to that part of the enemy's force at Widow's Creek； which he succeeded in capturing； taking in all some three hundred and fifty prisoners。 Early in May； Mitchel； who had been placed in command of all the troops between Nashville and Huntsville； ordered General Negley with the Seventh Brigade； belonging to McCook's divisionwho had been left at Columbia on the advance of the main army upon Savannahto make an advance against General Adams with a brigade of troops at Rogersville； Ala。 At the same time Mitchel sent Colonel Lytle from Athens； Ala。； to cooperate with Negley。 On the 13th； the enemy learning of the approach of the Federal forces； retreated across the Tennessee River。 This placed Mitchel in complete position of that portion of Alabama north of that