Mississippi, and to start by February 1st.  I explained to him personally the nature of Forrest as a man, and of his peculiar force; told him that in his route he was sure to encounter Forrest, who always attacked with a vehemence for which he must be prepared, and that, after he had repelled the first attack, he must in turn assume the most determined offensive, overwhelm him and utterly destroy his whole force.  I knew that Forrest could not have more than four thousand cavalry, and my own movement would give employment to every other man of the rebel army not immediately present with him, so that he (General Smith) might safely act on the hypothesis I have stated.

Having completed all these preparations in Memphis, being satisfied that the cavalry force would be ready to start by the 1st of February, and having seen General Hurlbut with his two divisions embark in steamers for Vicksburg, I also reembarked for the same destination on the 27th of January.

On the 1st of February we rendezvoused in Vicksburg, where I found a spy who had been sent out two weeks before, had been to Meridian, and brought back correct information of the state of facts in the interior of Mississippi.  Lieutenant-General (Bishop) Polk was in chief command, with headquarters at Meridian, and had two divisions of infantry, one of which (General Loring’s) was posted at Canton, Mississippi, the other (General French’s) at Brandon.  He had also two divisions of cavalry—­Armstrong’s, composed of the three brigades of Ross, Stark, and Wirt Adams, which were scattered from the neighborhood of Yazoo City to Jackson and below; and Forrest’s, which was united, toward Memphis, with headquarters at Como.  General Polk seemed to have no suspicion of our intentions to disturb his serenity.

Accordingly, on the morning of February 3d, we started in two columns, each of two divisions, preceded by a light force of cavalry, commanded by Colonel E. F. Winslow.  General McPherson commanded the right column, and General Hurlbut the left.  The former crossed the Big Black at the railroad-bridge, and the latter seven miles above, at Messinger’s.  We were lightly equipped as to wagons, and marched without deployment straight for Meridian, distant one hundred and fifty miles.  We struck the rebel cavalry beyond the Big Black, and pushed them pell-mell into and beyond Jackson during the 6th.  The next day we reached Brandon, and on the 9th Morton, where we perceived signs of an infantry concentration, but the enemy did not give us battle, and retreated before us.  The rebel cavalry were all around us, so we kept our columns compact and offered few or no chances for their dashes.  As far as Morton we had occupied two roads, but there we were forced into one.  Toward evening of the 12th, Hurlbut’s column passed through Decatur, with orders to go into camp four miles beyond at a creek.  McPherson’s head of column was some four miles behind, and I personally