Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/714



EVENTS OF 1865—FORREST IN COMMAND—DEPLORABLE SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE—CAVALRY ORGANIZATIONS—BATTLE OF SELMA—GENERAL TAYLOR AT MERIDIAN—MISSISSIPPIANS IN VIRGINIA AND THE CAROLINAS—CAPITULATION OF GENERAL TAYLOR —SUMMARY OP MISSISSIPPI'S CONTRIBUTION OF SOLDIERS—INAUGURATION OF GOVERNOR HUMPHREYS.

N January 24, 1865, Nathan B. Forrest, with promotion to lieutenant-general, assumed command of the district of Mississippi, East Louisiana and West Tennessee. From his headquarters at Verona he issued a circular giving notice of his authority and insisting upon strict discipline, the protection of the rights of citizens and the suppression, even to extermination, of the prowling bands of irregular cavalry which infested the State.

General Chalmers, stationed at West Point, was directed to get up all the Mississippi regiments as rapidly as possible for reorganization, and Colonel Lowry, commanding Gholson's brigade, and Colonel Henderson, commanding detachments of McCulloch's, were ordered to Palo Alto. General Clark, writing General Taylor at Meridian, January 28th, proposed to call out the militia of the State, as had already been done in General Hodge's district, but added that he had 2,000 stand of arms and not exceeding fifteen rounds of ammunition, and he asked for 3,000 more guns. General Taylor answered that he could provision the militia raised, but his supply of arms and ammunition was already insufficient for the Confederate troops of his department. Inspector-General Walter, having visited the northwestern portion of the