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10. Operations against Forrest
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225 10. Operations against Forrest Leaving his army at Canton, Mississippi, General Sherman reached Vicksburg on February 27. The rebels were surprised that the Meridian campaign ended as it did. They expected that Mobile would be attacked, or that Sherman’s army would at least make a movement into the interior of Alabama. General [Leonidas] Polk1 issued an order congratulating his army on the successful termination of the campaign, and referring to General Sherman’s withdrawal to the Mississippi River, stated “that never did a grand campaign inaugurated with such pretensions, terminate more ingloriously.” Although the damage done to the railroads in the vicinity of Meridian by General Sherman’s army was very serious, yet the rebels soon had them in running order again, and soon recovered all the territory they had abandoned. After the return of the Meridian expedition, the entire state of Mississippi and West Tennessee were voluntarily given up to the enemy. Although the exigency for troops elsewhere may have made it necessary, it was unfortunate that, after all the hard work and fighting undergone by our troops, such a course had to be adopted. The Red River campaign, which Banks had been ordered to make, absorbed nearly 40,000 men for a long time and ended ingloriously. Altogether, the spring campaign opened rather discouragingly for the Union cause. About the same time, too, in the spring of 1864, while yet in the fiercest struggle of the rebellion, the three-years term of enlistment of a large number of the men of our regiments expired. Of course, the army was greatly weakened thereby. The rebels, knowing it, sought their own advantage in the occasion. The retention of the veteran troops was a matter of vital importance to our cause, and great efforts were made to re-enlist them. I certainly never considered myself a speechmaker. I always, as a rule, avoided placing myself where there would be any probability of being called upon for such a purpose, having a natural dread of attempting to speak in public. Nevertheless, I did the state some service when I went out one March day Operations against Forrest • 226 to a sort of mass meeting of my brigade, to induce the officers and soldiers to continue their service until the war was over. I had used considerable exertion to get the most eloquent and competent speakers in the command for the occasion, and did not suppose it would be necessary to say anything myself, beyond mingling in a social way with the troops, and thus endeavor to bring about the desired result. Upon my arrival at the camp, addresses had already been made by a number of the regimental commanders, among others Colonels McCrillis and Prince, and Captain [Morland L.?] Perkins, the last two being lawyers and professional orators. But it appeared that no one had touched the right chord to reach or stir up the enlisted men. Even some of the officers seemed to be rather lukewarm in their efforts. The men, who appeared not unwilling to continue a soldier’s life, thought they might as well go home first and see what would turn up, stating that perhaps some other regiment would suit them best. And so, the enlisting dragged heavily. The command had cheered loudly at my first appearance in camp. After mingling with and talking to the officers and men as contemplated, I saw that still greater effort would be required. To the repeated calls of the soldiers, feeling that it was my duty to exert myself to the utmost, I finally responded to the oft-repeated cheers and desires of the officers and men by jumping up into a wagon and giving utterance to my earnest feelings. Without one moment’s thought as to what I would say, the words came to my mind. Being honestly proud of such a command, and knowing that the officers and soldiers entertained warm regard for me in return, I referred briefly but vividly to their services for the past three years. Giving them the credit justly due, [I] appealed to their patriotism and love of country, which I knew to be genuine. Above all else, [I] touchingly pictured their return to the midst of their homes, their families, sweethearts, and friends. Not that they were going there to stay when the life of the nation was still in danger and the country needed their services. But they were going back...