| Special Orders No. __ |
| Hdqrs. Lieut. Gen. Polk's Command |
| In the Field, near Hillsborough |
| Feb. 9, 1864
|
| |
| I. Major-General French will move with
his command in time to take the cars at Newton Station {on
the Southern (of Mississippi) RR} to-morrow
morning (10th instant) at 6 o'clock and proceed to Meridian. He will move both his troops and batteries, including horses, by
railroad. Should there not be sufficient transportation for both
guns and horses, he will send forward his guns and caissons by the
train and send his horses by the road to Meridian. |
| II. From Meridian he will move with his
command to Mobile by the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, taking the
trains of the evening schedule if possible; if not, then by the
following morning. |
| III. Should he find the railroad
interrupted he will return to Meridian and proceed from thence by
railroad to Demopolis; or if this be not found practicable, he will
march overland to Demopolis and avail himself of steam-boat
transportation by the Tombigbee River to reach Mobile. |
| IV. In case that Major-General French
finds the Mobile & Ohio Railroad interrupted at any point below
Enterprise he will exercise his discretion whether to march to
Mobile or return to Meridian and take the route indicated in
paragraph III of this order. |
| V. On his arrival at Mobile
Major-General French will turn over his command to Major-General
Maury and report in person to the lieutenant-general commanding. |
| By command of Lieutenant-General Polk |
| Douglas West |
| Acting Assistant Adjutant-General |