Col. John C. Moore, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 9.2, Missouri
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[199] and had made his headquarters at Washington. Between him and Shelby there was from the first a strong affinity, which in the course of the winter resulted in an understanding that as soon as it was possible to move the troops in the spring—as soon as there was enough grass to support the horses—a cavalry expedition, in the nature of a forlorn hope, would be sent into Missouri under Shelby, to be followed as closely as practicable by the infantry, with St. Louis its objective point. Gen. Kirby Smith practically endorsed the enterprise, and during the winter and early spring Shelby sent officers upon whom he could rely to North Arkansas and Missouri to have things in readiness by the time he came.

During the winter there were reports without number of movements on the part of the enemy; and the cavalry which was camped near Fulton, and sometimes the infantry which was camped near Camden, were sent from place to place to check them, but the reports always proved to be false or at least exaggerated, and there was no fighting. It was not the policy of the Federals in the condition things were to take any chances. They were content to wait.

General Lee's surrender at Appomattox was an earthquake shock to the Trans-Mississippi department. If the management of the department had been irresolute before, it became paralyzed in view of that great and unexpected disaster. Shelby, however, issued a stirring address to the soldiers of his division, in which he reminded them of the hardships they had undergone, the dangers they had faced, the battles they had fought, the victories they had won; and besought them, in memory of the unsullied battle-record of the division and of the comrades who had died on the field of battle, to stand firm and not entertain even the thought of surrender. His men stood by him, as they always had done and as they did to the last. There were meetings of the governors of the states —Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and Missouri—but the