Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

---

[487] swells generally from the beginning of the year until April or May, were still too low to allow the Federal gunboats to ascend this river. It would now have been the opportunity to turn against Mobile all the land and naval forces which were between Vicksburg and New Orleans. But Halleck, who had not relinquished his design, assured Banks that his army should have no other destination than the Red River, and Sherman, left with merely his own forces, undertook the campaign of Meridian related in the preceding chapter. As soon as it was ended he proceeded to New Orleans to organize with Banks the Red River expedition, for Halleck, not being able to communicate rapidly with them and with Steele, had directed them to concert together —a rather difficult matter for three generals independent of one another, and whose letters took one to two weeks to reach from one army headquarters to another. Hence, they had been corresponding for more than two months without having been able to settle upon any one essential regarding the expedition. Sherman's visit cut short all difficulties. He promised Banks the co-operation for one month of a corps of ten thousand men, which, ascending the Red River, would meet him at Alexandria. The 16th of March was appointed for the rendezvous, Grant having insisted upon the 15th of April for the return to Vicksburg of the troops thus loaned rather reluctantly to Banks, and which he expected to use in the beginning of spring east of the Mississippi. Not willing to be separated for too long a time from the lieutenant in whom he placed full reliance, nor to leave him under the command of Banks, who inspired him with but little confidence, he did not allow Sherman to lead his troops in person. These were to be escorted by the best part of Porter's fleet and by Ellet's marine brigade, numbering then about three thousand combatants. Banks' army, comprising the Thirteenth and Nineteenth corps, a strong division of cavalry, and a few negro regiments, had been, like all the Federal armies, much weakened by the re-enlistment furloughs, but five or six regiments and seven or eight batteries had come from the North and increased the number of his effective forces. Established on the Teche between Brashear and Vermilionville under the command of Franklin, it was to ascend this stream, via Opelousas, as far as Alexandria, taking the route followed