the rail to Columbus and Sherman a steamer for the same place.  At that meeting, besides talking over my general plans I gave him his orders to join me with two divisions and to march them down the Mississippi Central railroad if he could.  Sherman, who was always prompt, was up by the 29th to Cottage Hill, ten miles north of Oxford.  He brought three divisions with him, leaving a garrison of only four regiments of infantry, a couple of pieces of artillery and a small detachment of cavalry.  Further reinforcements he knew were on their way from the north to Memphis.  About this time General Halleck ordered troops from Helena, Arkansas (territory west of the Mississippi was not under my command then) to cut the road in Pemberton’s rear.  The expedition was under Generals Hovey and C. C. Washburn and was successful so far as reaching the railroad was concerned, but the damage done was very slight and was soon repaired.

The Tallahatchie, which confronted me, was very high, the railroad bridge destroyed and Pemberton strongly fortified on the south side.  A crossing would have been impossible in the presence of an enemy.  I sent the cavalry higher up the stream and they secured a crossing.  This caused the enemy to evacuate their position, which was possibly accelerated by the expedition of Hovey and Washburn.  The enemy was followed as far south as Oxford by the main body of troops, and some seventeen miles farther by McPherson’s command.  Here the pursuit was halted to repair the railroad from the Tallahatchie northward, in order to bring up supplies.  The piles on which the railroad bridge rested had been left standing.  The work of constructing a roadway for the troops was but a short matter, and, later, rails were laid for cars.

During the delay at Oxford in repairing railroads I learned that an expedition down the Mississippi now was inevitable and, desiring to have a competent commander in charge, I ordered Sherman on the 8th of December back to Memphis to take charge.  The following were his orders: 

Headquarters 13th Army Corps, Department of the Tennessee.  Oxford, Mississippi, December 8,1862.

Major-general W. T. Sherman, Commanding Right Wing: 

You will proceed, with as little delay as possible, to Memphis, Tennessee, taking with you one division of your present command.  On your arrival at Memphis you will assume command of all the troops there, and that portion of General Curtis’s forces at present east of the Mississippi River, and organize them into brigades and divisions in your own army.  As soon as possible move with them down the river to the vicinity of Vicksburg, and with the co-operation of the gunboat fleet under command of Flag-officer Porter proceed to the reduction of that place in such a manner as circumstances, and your own judgment, may dictate.

The amount of rations, forage, land transportation, etc., necessary to take, will be left entirely with yourself.  The Quartermaster at St. Louis will be instructed to send you transportation for 30,000 men; should you still find yourself deficient, your quartermaster will be authorized to make up the deficiency from such transports as may come into the port of Memphis.