The National tribune., 1902-06-05

quantity OF ammunition, with reserve
supply, was scrupulously kept on hand.
and the same in respect to intrenching
tools. II rations were to be had. proper
supply was kept in store, SO there should
be no delay in response to marching or
ders. The Brigade Quartermaster and In
spector-General were watchful and dill
gent to know that eve,. thing was kept in
readiness. The Medical Department was
on the alert in respect to the health of the
troops: serious cases requiring long treat
ment were carefully transferred to the
General Hospital.
THE MERIDIAN RAID.
When / joined my command already the
Meridian Raid was well under way. A
Provisional Division had been made M
from the Fifteenth CorDs to unite witt,
troops Of the Army of the Cumberland to
make a demonstration upon Dalton. then
occupied by Gen. Joseph +. Johnston.
commanding the Confederate troops of the
West.
The object of the movement against
Dalton was to hold Gen. Johnston's forces
from moving against Gen. Sherman n.
Meridian. Miss. Gen. Sherman moved out
from Vicksburg Feb. 3, 1861 with two
columns; Mcpherson commanding two di-
visions on the right and Gen. Hl,rihut
commanding two divisions on the left: Col.
Il. +. WinslOw, commanding a brigade Of
cavalry, having force in advance of each
column.
Brig Gen. W. sooy Smith, with 1000
cavalry was to march out from Memphis
on the same day. engage Gen. Forrest
wherever he might find him, and joint
Gen. Sherman at Meridian.
This campaign was carried G;lt with
great success in Midwinter 1t was de-
signed simply as a raid in force against
the railroads of central Mississippi. Meri-
dian was the objective point; there the
railroads crossed. Lieut.: Gen. Polk COM
manded the forces in Mississippi. Gen.
Shcrman's movement was entirely unex-
pected, and the Confederate General was
unable to unite his forces against so willy
an adversary as Gen. Sherman. Gen
Sherman actually met but little resistance
lie reached Meridian Feb. IA. and remain
ed in Meridian five days. The army was
set to work to destroy the arsenal, i'm
mense storehOuses and the railroads in
every direction
The Mobile & Ohio Railroad and the
Jackson d Selma Railroad were so utter
ly demolished for 30 or 40 miles each way
from Meridian that they were useless dur
ing the balance of the war.
The idea was TO paralyze the rebel
forces by destroying their lines of com
muncation, that the Union forces at
Vicksburg and other important points
could be geeatly reduced, and atleast 90
600 men BE- withdrawn from the line Of
fheI Mississippi Valley and transferred to
northern Georgia to cooperate in the great
movement planned for the Spring of 1864
Gen. w. Sooy Smith had the misfortune
of not -beirs able to cooperate in this cam
paign. He did not leave Memphis until
Feb. IL, eight days after Gen. Sherman
left Nicksburg. He advanced only as far
as West Point, where he had n fight with
Forrest. He turned back on the 22d. pur-
sued by Forests cavalry, a force said to
have been much inferior to his own. Gen.
Sherman WAS greatly disappointed in not
being joined by Gen. Smith. His plan
was to drive Forrest out Of Tennessee,
aE.i with the combined force to nilic,
every ps ssible damage on the enemy. Gen.
81 oman sent part of his force to Canton,
aud pushed Winslow ont with his cavalry
TO connect with Gen. Smith, but he was
not to be found.
Gen. Sherman, however, accomplished
a-great work; he drove the enemy out Of
Mississippi. broke up more than 100 miles
of railroad, and produced general con-
sternation throughout the country. He
created the impression with Confederate
Generals that he actually intended to
move against Mobile. He left his base.
and penetrated farther into the heart of
the Confederacy with his army than had
ever been done before. His army returned
to Nicksburg without being followed by
the enemy. This great raid of Gen Sher-
man opened the campaign of 1864 in the
West.
Gen. Sherman had been directed to CO.
operate with Gen. Banks in the Red River
campaign, and sent two divisions OF. 10000
men, commanded by Gen. A. J. Smith and
Gen. Mower. These troops were to he
returned in 30 days TO be ready to join
in the great campaign in Georgia to open
up in the Spring. This campaign west Of
the Mississippi River was favorite
scheme Of Gen. Halleck. and was under
! taken by his direction while he was Com
mander-in- Chief, against the judgment and
advice Of Gen. Grant, who favored an ex-