Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/72

60 back to Vicksburg about three hundred wagons more than he started with. These wagons and their teams he took from an impoverished and already desolated country, and the very poorest (pecuniarily) class of people, living in the thin piney-woods country through which he passed. Over 10,000 bales of cotton and 2,000,000 bushels of corn were burned. Over 8,000 slaves, mounted on as many mules (stolen), belonging to citizens of the country, were carried off. A Federal writer estimates the damage at $50,000,000. As over three-fourths of this was private property, the future historian may possibly ask, Was this and the towns burned (Meridian, Canton, &c.) the warfare of the civilization of the nineteenth century waged against those who had a few years before been brothers, and among whom General Sherman had lived and derived his livelihood?

General Smith, in his official report, seemed to attach more importance to taking care of the captured and refugee slaves flocking to him, ''to make soldiers out of them after his return to Memphis, than executing the essence of his orders. He was so encumbered, that with his 7,000 splendid cavalry, he permitted Forrest, while he was retreating, to run him out of Mississippi with 3,500 men, and lacked the vim to turn on him and seriously check him.''

The "student of military operations," alluded to by General Chalmers, owes it to himself to look into this campaign, and he may find some reasons for General Polk's action. He, too, may discover that both Polk and the "four splendid brigades of well-equipped and well-drilled cavalry, under West Point officers," did a duty in causing General Smith to retreat; also, that General Polk is entitled to the credit of saving the State of Mississippi as well as General Forrest. 'Tis true General Sherman "crossed such streams as the Big Black and Pearl rivers, and passed through the centre of Mississippi" to Meridian, about one hundred and fifty miles; but the facts and the official reports show that General Chalmers is mistaken about its being done "almost without firing a shot." An examination of the casualties, both Confederate and Federal, will show very little difference in the damage done by the two cavalry commands of Forrest and Lee. Sherman's 26,000 men were met by Lee at the Big Black, and fought every day till its arrival at Meridian, in such manner as was deemed best for the interest of the Confederacy. Smith, with his 7,000 cavalry, marched about one hundred and eighty miles, crossing numerous streams, before any of Forrest's command met him, although by interior