Col. John M. Harrell, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 10.2, Arkansas
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[102] facts will be sufficient, I think, to set Governor Rector at rest and to assure his people that the arteries of the Confederate government do extend across the Mississippi river. I was a little surprised at this proclamation of the governor, as I had, previous to leaving Arkansas, taken particular pains to explain to him the military necessity of the army of the West joining General Beauregard at Corinth, and the advantages that would accrue thereby to the Confederacy as a whole, of which Arkansas would reap her share, of course. He professed to understand them, and gave his hearty concurrence to the measure. Why he has changed since in his views I cannot imagine, unless the dunghill policy of fighting at every State's threshold was too alluringly pressed upon him by shallow politicians, too weak to see beyond the door and too cramped in patriotism to go beyond it. I think the matter is now at rest, and that his proclamation is buried with the unwise things of the past and has left no sting behind.

The forcible protestation of citizens against the withdrawal of all the fighting men of the State to distant fields was none too early. Major-General Hindman heard it and accepted the assignment, in the latter days of May, with Price to be his lieutenant. It caused troops to be hurried forward to Hindman, from Texas

It may have been that the heroic methods of General Hindman, made apparent in the sequel, were those only which could have saved the State, but it is easy to believe that a kindlier course might have resulted more happily. It is singular that he should have yielded to any ‘solicitations’ to accept this assignment to duty. He was at the time in command of the largest division in the army at Corinth, composed of veteran troops, who, as he says, ‘were certain to win distinction for their commander.’ He had proved himself, in action, one of the most capable, daring, reliant officers in high command, without previous military training. While other measures than those adopted by him might have succeeded better, the fact remains, that he suppressed a growing spirit of discord in the State, which threatened to make it the arena of a war