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323 16. Final Operations Being advised to go by the ocean route to New Orleans, and thinking it might be the most expeditious, we left Washington on the evening of February 15 with that purpose in view. But upon arrival at New York City the next day, [we] found that in order to embark on a through or fast ocean steamer there would be several days’ delay. Therefore, I decided to proceed via Cairo and the Mississippi River to the Crescent City. We left New York via the Pennsylvania Central Railroad on February 17. Upon arrival at Pittsburgh, I instructed Captain Woodward to go direct to Paducah to arrange for the shipment of our horses; also to trace up and have our baggage shipped to New Orleans and to procure transportation for our servants. While he was performing that duty, I in the meantime snatched one day to visit my family at Jacksonville. From thence I proceeded via Tolono on the Wabash and Illinois Central Railroad and thus managed to rejoin Woodward at Cairo on the 22nd. We then continued our journey together by steamboat to our destination. Early on the morning of the 24th we reached Memphis. While the boat remained at the landing putting off and receiving freight, we called upon the officers of our acquaintance in the city and made a short visit with my brother and family. His wife had been dangerously ill, but was then convalescing and felt sure of a speedy recovery. We left Memphis the same day but were delayed by fog and violent winds, and did not get to Vicksburg until sometime before daylight on the 27th. While the boat stopped, we made our way in the dark into the post to call upon Generals Washburn and Morgan L. Smith, both of whom we found in bed, but who cheerfully got up to receive and have a talk with us in regard to army matters. We passed Natchez, Mississippi, on the evening of the 27th and made tolerably good time thereafter until arrival at Baton Rouge, where the boat remained for several hours discharging freight. The place seemed remarkably familiar to us and brought fresh to our minds the scenes connected with the raid of 1863. From that point our progress was slow, as numerous Final Operations • 324 delays occurred on account of the continued stormy weather. Within six miles of New Orleans, the boat had to lay up for one whole night owing to an unusually dense fog then prevailing, and we did not reach New Orleans until March 1, 1865. Upon arrival, I at once reported to General Canby and soon after received the following orders [March 1, 1865]: “Brevet Major General B. H. Grierson, U.S. Vol’s., is hereby assigned to the general command of all the Cavalry in this Military Division, and to the special command of all the Cavalry forces designated for service in the field.” I accepted General Canby’s kind invitation to dine with himself and family at 4 p.m. that day, and remained at his house until 7 p.m., where I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Canby, her niece, and another lady. I was delighted with Mrs. Canby’s quiet, unassuming manner, and judged her to be much like the general in temperament. She possessed a fund of information well stored in memory, with a rare faculty of imparting it, and she related many amusing reminiscences of army life, much to the enjoyment of all who were present. Captain Woodward and I passed the evening from 7 to 9 o’clock at General Hurlbut’s quarters, situated on the same street only a few doors from General Canby’s. Besides the genial general, we met Mrs. Hurlbut and were most agreeably entertained. Upon return to the St. Charles, to give still greater variety to the day’s operations, we went to the theatre. After the performance, [we] returned to the hotel, where before going to bed I wrote my daily letter to Mrs. Grierson giving a detailed account of those occurrences. In accordance with the wish of General Canby, I called at his office at 10 a.m. on March 2 to confer with him in regard to the selection and concentration of the cavalry for field operations. From a list prepared by Colonel [T. C.] Christensen I found that there were about 36,000 cavalry and mounted infantry in the Military Division of West Mississippi, widely scattered...

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