Today in History:

790 Series I Volume XXXII-III Serial 59 - Forrest's Expedition Part III

Page 790 Chapter XLIV. KY., SW., VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA.

follow. McPherson has been at Huntsville some time. General Maury is willing to send 3,000 infantry and two batteries from Pollard. Can it be done immediately?

J. E. JOHNSTON.

DEMOPOLIS, April 17, 1864.

General COOPER:

Scouts report from Vicksburg and Memphis a continue movement of enemy's troops up the Mississippi; also arrival of troops at Waterloo from below, by way of Tennessee River. They march thence around the shoals on north side to Decatur, where they are concentrating. There are few troops on the Mississippi. Following just received:

On the 10th there were two divisions of infantry and four regiments of cavalry at Decatur, one division of infantry at Athens, one on the way from Nashville, and one division at Huntsville, all under command of Logan, and preparing for a movement in two columns down Jones' Valley, direction of Tuscaloosa and Coosa Valley toward Selma. The command numbers about 20,000.

L. POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

DEMOPOLIS, April 17, 1864.

General BRAGG,

Richmond:

Loring's division is at Montevallo, on railroad, 50 miles above Selma; French's division at Lauderdale Springs, near Meridian; Sears' brigade at Selma; Cantey's at Pollard; the rest in Mobile. Three of Lee's brigades of cavalry near Tuscaloosa; two in front of Baton Rouge and Vicksburg; one of Forrest's above Grenada, the rest in West Tennessee. Gholson's Mississippi brigade at Tupelo. I refer you to a dispatch of to-day to General Cooper:

L. POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

MOBILE, April 17, 1864.

Lieutenant-General POLK:

The fleet, with exception of six vessels, has left Pensacola.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.


HEADQUARTERS,
Demopolis, April 18, 1864.

His Excellency President DAVIS,

Richmond, Va.:

From dispatches sent to the War Department you will have seen that it is the purpose of the enemy to move in force done through the northern part of this State upon the iron and coal region, and upon Selma and Montgomery.

You are aware that the infantry force at my command in very small, consisting, aside from the Mobile garrison, of less than 8,000,


Page 790 Chapter XLIV. KY., SW., VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA.