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； Colonel J。 I。 Alexander； Fifty…ninth Indiana。
My personal staff； as usual； have served their country with fidelity； and credit to themselves； throughout these events； and have received my personal thanks。
Inclosed you will please find a map of that part of the battle…field of Chattanooga fought over by the troops under my command； surveyed and drawn by Captain Jenney； engineer on my staff。 I have the 。honor to be； your obedient servant；
W。 T。 SHERMAN； Major…General commanding。
＇General Order No。 68。＇
WAR DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT…GENERAL'S OFFICE WASHINGTON； February 21； 1884
Joint resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Major…General W。 T。 Sherman and others。
Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled； That the thanks of Congress and of the people of the United States are due； and that the same are hereby tendered； to Major…General W。 T。 Sherman； commander of the Department and Army of the Tennessee； and the officers and soldiers who served under him； for their gallant and arduous services in marching to the relief of the Army of the Cumberland； and for their gallantry and heroism in the battle of Chattanooga； which contributed in a great degree to the success of our arms in that glorious victory。
Approved February 19； 1864。 By order of the Secretary of War：
E。 D。 TOWNSEND； Assistant Adjutant…General。
On the 19th of December I was at Bridgeport； and gave all the orders necessary for the distribution of the four divisions of the Fifteenth Corps along the railroad from Stevenson to Decatur； and the part of the Sixteenth Corps； commanded by General Dodge； along the railroad from Decatur to Nashville； to make the needed repairs； and to be in readiness for the campaign of the succeeding year； and on the 21st I went up to Nashville； to confer with General Grant and conclude the arrangements for the winter。 At that time General Grant was under the impression that the next campaign would be up the valley of East Tennessee； in the direction of Virginia； and as it was likely to be the last and most important campaign of the war； it became necessary to set free as many of the old troops serving along the Mississippi River as possible。 This was the real object and purpose of the Meridian campaign； and of Banks's expedition up Red River to Shreveport during that winter。
CHAPTER XV。
MERIDIAN CAMPAIGN。
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY； 1864。
The winter of 1863…'64 opened very cold and severe； and it was manifest after the battle of Chattanooga； November 25； 1863； and the raising of the siege of Knoxville； December 5th； that military operations in that quarter must in a measure cease； or be limited to Burnside's force beyond Knoxville。 On the 21st of December General Grant had removed his headquarters to Nashville； Tennessee； leaving General George H。 Thomas at Chattanooga； in command of the Department of the Cumberland； and of the army round about that place； and I was at Bridgeport； with orders to distribute my troops along the railroad from Stevenson to Decatur； Alabama； and from Decatur up toward Nashville。
General G。 M。 Dodge； who was in command of the detachment of the Sixteenth Corps； numbering about eight thousand men； had not participated with us in the battle of Chattanooga； but had remained at and near Pulaski； Tennessee； engaged in repairing that railroad； as auxiliary to the main line which led from Nashville to Stevenson； and Chattanooga。 General John A。 Logan had succeeded to the command of the Fifteenth Corps； by regular appointment of the President of the United States； and had relieved General Frank P。 Blair； who had been temporarily in command of that corps during the Chattanooga and Knoxville movement。
At that time I was in command of the Department of the Tennessee； which embraced substantially the territory on the east bank of the Mississippi River； from Natchez up to the Ohio River； and thence along the Tennessee River as high as Decatur and Bellefonte； Alabama。 General McPherson was at Vicksburg and General Hurlbut at Memphis； and from them I had the regular reports of affairs in that quarter of my command。 The rebels still maintained a considerable force of infantry and cavalry in the State of Mississippi； threatening the river； whose navigation had become to us so delicate and important a matter。 Satisfied that I could check this by one or two quick moves inland； and thereby set free a considerable body of men held as local garrisons； I went up to Nashville and represented the case to General Grant； who consented that I might go down the Mississippi River； where the bulk of my command lay； and strike a blow on the east of the river； while General Banks from New Orleans should in like manner strike another to the west； thus preventing any further molestation of the boats navigating the main river； and thereby widening the gap in the Southern Confederacy。
After having given all the necessary orders for the distribution； during the winter months； of that part of my command which was in Southern and Middle Tennessee； I went to Cincinnati and Lancaster； Ohio； to spend Christmas with my family； and on my return I took Minnie with me down to a convent at Reading； near Cincinnati； where I left her； and took the cars for Cairo； Illinois； which I reached January 3d； a very cold and bitter day。 The ice was forming fast； and there was great danger that the Mississippi River； would become closed to navigation。 Admiral Porter； who was at Cairo； gave me a small gunboat （the Juliet）； with which I went up to Paducah； to inspect that place； garrisoned by a small force； commanded by Colonel S。 G。 Hicks； Fortieth Illinois； who had been with me and was severely wounded at Shiloh。 Returning。 to Cairo； we started down the Mississippi River； which was full of floating ice。 With the utmost difficulty we made our way through it； for hours floating in the midst of immense cakes； that chafed and ground our boat so that at times we were in danger of sinking。 But about the l0th of January we reached Memphis； where I found General Hurlbut； and explained to him my purpose to collect from his garrisons and those of McPherson about twenty thousand men； with which in February to march out from Vicksburg as far as Meridian； break up the Mobile & Ohio Railroad； and also the one leading from Vicksburg to Selma； Alabama。 I instructed him to select two good divisions； and to be ready with them to go along。 At Memphis I found Brigadier…General W。 Sooy Smith； with a force of about twentyfive hundred cavalry； which he had by General Grant's orders brought across from Middle Tennessee； to assist in our general purpose； as well as to punish the rebel General Forrest； who had been most active in harassing our garrisons in West Tennessee and Mississippi。 After staying a couple of days at Memphis； we continued on in the gunboat Silver Cloud to Vicksburg； where I found General McPherson； and； giving him similar orders； instructed him to send out spies to ascertain and bring back timely information of the strength and location of the enemy。 The winter continued so severe that the river at Vicksburg was full of floating ice； but in the Silver Cloud we breasted it manfully； and got back to Memphis by the 20th。 A chief part of the enterprise was to destroy the rebel cavalry commanded by General Forrest； who were a constant threat to our railway communications in Middle Tennessee； and I committed this task to Brigadier…General W。 Sooy Smith。 General Hurlbut had in his command about seven thousand five hundred cavalry； scattered from Columbus； Kentucky； to Corinth； Mississippi； and we proposed to make up an aggregate cavalry force of about seven thousand 〃effective；〃 out of these and the twenty…five hundred which General Smith had brought with him from Middle Tennessee。 With this force General Smith was ordered to move from Memphis straight for Meridian； Mississippi； and to start by February 1st。 I explained to him personally the nature of Forrest as a man； and of his peculiar force； told him that in his route he was sure to encounter Forrest； who always attacked with a vehemence for which he must be prepared； and that； after he had repelled the first attack； he must in turn assume the most determined offensive； overwhelm him and utterly destroy his whole force。 I knew that Forrest could not have more than four thousand cavalry； and my own movement world give employment to every other man of the rebel army not immediately present with him； so that he （General Smith） might safely act on the hypothesis I have stated。
Having completed all these preparations in Memphis； being satisfied that the cavalry force would be ready to start by the 1st of February； and having seen General Hurlbut with his two divisions embark in steamers for Vicksburg； I also reembarked for the same destination on the 27th of January。
On the 1st of February we rendezvoused in Vicksburg； where I found a spy who had been sent out two weeks before； had been to Meridian； and brought back correct information of the state of facts in the interior of Mississippi。 Lieutenant…General （Bishop） Polk was in chief command； with headquarters at Meridian； and had two divisi