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of Columbus, on the Mississippi, because they gave the Federalists, on the margin of the two rivers now opened to them, a base of operations parallel to the line of communications which connected the Confederate army, at Columbus, with their base.
The next defence was attempted at Island No.10, between that place and the city of Memphis.
The Federalists, after an expensive and futile bombardment, made an essay to pass the batteries with their gunboats, without waiting to silence them; and being partially successful in this, compelled the evacuation of the post, which they could not reduce, by threatening the communications of the garrison.
The necessary corollary was the fall of Memphis without a defence.
There now remained for the Confederates, no practicable line of operations, in all West and Middle Tennessee: for the reason that the three streams, diverging from points near Cairo, the great naval depot of the Federalists, and open to their fleets, gave them bases of operations on all their banks, parallel to any line upon which the other party might move.
The determination of Generals A. S. Johnston and Beauregard to transfer the campaign to the southern bank of the Tennessee, was therefore in strict conformity with military principle; although it required the loss of the Capital of the fine State of Tennessee, and two-thirds of its territory.
The result of their wise strategy was the victory of Sbiloh, April 6th: yet even this was almost neutralized by the facility of concentration, which the naval resources of the enemy gave them.
The selection of Corinth as the strategic point for the protection of the State of Mississippi was also correct: for it gave the command of the railroads diverging thence eastward and southward.
But the advantage of river transportation for troops and munitions of war, to the neighborhood, speedily enabled the Federalists to assemble so enormous a preponderance of means in front of General Beauregard's position there,
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