General Joseph E. Johnston, Narrative of Military Operations During the Civil War

“ [286] possible.” In relation to that object, for which the expedition was ordered, it certainly was not “a success,” “complete” or partial. And as to any relation between General Thomas's operations near Mill-Creek Gap, and General Sherman's “against Meridian,” the latter was abandoned on the 20th, and the retrograde movement to Vicksburg began on the 21st. In consequence of this, Hardee's troops ( “the reinforcements” referred to above), only the foremost of which had reached the Tombigbee, were recalled by the President on the 23d, before General Thomas's designs had been discovered. It is incredible that the skirmishing about Mill-Creek Gap on the 25th and 26th of February could have been intended to “cause the recalling” of Hardee's troops, for they had been on their way back two or three days; or for the relief of Sherman, who was four or five days march on his return to Vicksburg, while Lieutenant-General Polk's troops were on the Tombigbee. As to being outnumbered, the Federal army had four divisions and six regiments-probably at least seventeen brigades; it encountered seven Confederate brigades on the 25th, and eleven on the 26th.