| Headquarters
Department of the Gulf |
| Mobile, Ala., March 3, 1864 |
| |
| My Dear Sir, |
| I have kept you informed by telegraph of
all events of interest in this department. |
| I am glad that before receiving your
dispatch directing me to operate against Sherman I had sent General
Cantey with a brigade up the Mobile & Ohio Road, with orders to
attack and drive back any raiding party and to delay and obstruct
Sherman's advance, if it should be found he was really advancing on
Mobile by that route. I held re-enforcements ready for General
Cantey. I sent this force up at the very earliest moment possible. |
| The trains with Government stores which
were being run down to Mobile made the movement too late to prevent
the destruction of the bridge at De Soto; but so soon as the enemy
learned of Cantey's advance they retreated hastily toward Meridian,
as I expected. General Cantey reported that the force which had been
coming down this way was only a raid. I took immediate measures to
repair the road, but the injury done to it is very great. Major
Whitfield, of the quartermaster's department, and Mr. Fleming,
superintendent of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, exhibited a great
deal of energy, capacity, and courage in saving the valuable
rolling-stock and the Government stores along the road. |
| ***** |
| There is a body of armed traitors in
Jones County, Miss., who have become so formidable that I have sent
Colonel Maury with a force to break them up. They have been seizing
Government stores, have been killing our people, and have actually
made prisoners of and paroled officers of the Confederate army. They
now threaten to interfere with the repairing of the Mobile & Ohio
Railroad. They are represented to be more than 500 strong, with
artillery. |
| ***** |
| I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
obedient servant, |
| Dabney
H. Maury |
| Major-General, Commanding |
| |
| Hon. James A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War |
|