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ace impassable save by the smallest boats。 My inland expedition is now moving； and I will be off for Jackson and Meridian to…morrow。 The only fear I have is in the weather。 All the other combinations are good。 I want to keep up the delusion of an attack on Mobile and the Alabama River； and therefore would be obliged if you would keep up an irritating foraging or other expedition in that direction。
My orders from General Grant will not； as yet； justify me in embarking for Red River； though I am very anxious to move in that direction。 The moment I learned that you were preparing for it； I sent a communication to Admiral Porter； and dispatched to General Grant at Chattanooga； asking if he wanted me and Steele to cooperate with you against Shreveport； and I will have his answer in time； for you cannot do any thing till Red River has twelve feet of water on the rapids at Alexandria。 That will be from March to June。 I have lived on Red River； and know somewhat of the phases of that stream。 The expedition on Shreveport should be made rapidly； with simultaneous movements from Little Rock on Shreveport； from Opelousas on Alexandria； and a combined force of gunboats and transports directly up Red River。 Admiral Porter will be able to have a splendid fleet by March lst。 I think Steele could move with ten thousand infantry and five thousand cavalry。 I could take about ten thousand； and you could； I suppose； have the same。 Your movement from Opelousas； simultaneous with mine up the river； would compel Dick Taylor to leave Fort De Russy （near Marksville）； and the whole combined force could appear at Shreveport about a day appointed beforehand。
I doubt if the enemy will risk a siege at Shreveport； although I am informed they are fortifying the place； and placing many heavy guns in position。 It would be better for us that they should stand there； as we might make large and important captures。 But I do not believe the enemy will fight a force of thirty thousand men； acting in concert with gunboats。
I will be most happy to take part in the proposed expedition； and hope； before you have made your final dispositions； that I will have the necessary permission。 Half the Army of the Tennessee is near the Tennessee River； beyond Huntsville； Alabama； awaiting the completion of the railroad； and； by present orders； I will be compelled to hasten there to command it in person； unless meantime General Grant modifies the plan。 I have now in this department only the force left to hold the river and the posts； and I am seriously embarrassed by the promises made the veteran volunteers for furlough。 I think； by March lst； I can put afloat for Shreveport ten thousand men； provided I succeed in my present movement in cleaning out the State of Mississippi； and in breaking up the railroads about Meridian。
I am； with great respect； your obedient servant；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General； commanding。
The object of the Meridian expedition was to strike the roads inland； so to paralyze the rebel forces that we could take from the defense of the Mississippi River the equivalent of a corps of twenty thousand men； to be used in the next Georgia campaign； and this was actually done。 At the same time； I wanted to destroy General Forrest； who； with an irregular force of cavalry； was constantly threatening Memphis and the river above； as well as our routes of supply in Middle Tennessee。 In this we failed utterly； because General W。 Sooy Smith did not fulfill his orders； which were clear and specific； as contained in my letter of instructions to him of January 27th； at Memphis； and my personal explanations to him at the same time。 Instead of starting at the date ordered； February 1st； he did not leave Memphis till the 11th； waiting for Warings brigade that was ice…bound near Columbus； Kentucky； and then； when he did start； he allowed General Forrest to head him off and to defeat him with an inferior force； near West Point； below Okalona； on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad。
We waited at Meridian till the 20th to hear from General Smith； but hearing nothing whatever； and having utterly destroyed the railroads in and around that junction； I ordered General McPherson to move back slowly toward Canton。 With Winslow's cavalry； and Hurlbut's infantry； I turned north to Marion； and thence to a place called 〃Union；〃 whence I dispatched the cavalry farther north to Philadelphia and Louisville； to feel as it were for General Smith； and then turned all the infantry columna toward Canton； Mississippi。 On the 26th we all reached Canton； but we had not heard a word of General Smith； nor was it until some time after （at Vicksburg） that I learned the whole truth of General Smith's movement and of his failure。 Of course I did not and could not approve of his conduct； and I know that he yet chafes under the censure。 I had set so much store on his part of the project that I was disappointed； and so reported officially to General Grant。 General Smith never regained my confidence as a soldier； though I still regard him as a most accomplished gentleman and a skillful engineer。 Since the close of the war he has appealed to me to relieve him of that censure； but I could not do it； because it would falsify history。
Having assembled all my troops in and about Canton； on the 27th of February I left them under the command of the senior major…general； Hurlbut； with orders to remain till about the 3d of March； and then to come into Vicksburg leisurely； and； escorted by Winslow's cavalry； I rode into Vicksburg on the last day of February。 There I found letters from General Grant； at Nashville； and General Banks； at New Orleans； concerning his （General Banks's） projected movement up Red River。 I was authorized by the former to contribute aid to General Banks for a limited time； but General Grant insisted on my returning in person to my own command about Huntsville； Alabama； as soon as possible； to prepare for the spring campaign。
About this time we were much embarrassed by a general order of the War Department； promising a thirty…days furlough to all soldiers who would 〃veteranize 〃viz。； reenlist for the rest of the war。 This was a judicious and wise measure； because it doubtless secured the services of a very large portion of the men who had almost completed a three…years enlistment； and were therefore veteran soldiers in feeling and in habit。 But to furlough so many of our men at that instant of time was like disbanding an army in the very midst of battle。
In order to come to a perfect understanding with General Banks； I took the steamer Diana and ran down to New Orleans to see him。 Among the many letters which I found in Vicksburg on my return from Meridian was one from Captain D。 F。 Boyd； of Louisiana； written from the jail in Natchez； telling me that he was a prisoner of war in our hands； had been captured in Louisiana by some of our scouts； and he bespoke my friendly assistance。 Boyd was Professor of Ancient Languages at the Louisiana Seminary of Learning during my administration； in 1859…'60； was an accomplished scholar； of moderate views in politics； but； being a Virginian； was drawn； like all others of his kind； into the vortex of the rebellion by the