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

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[517] one hand, threaten the communications between Shreveport and Texas by the section of railroad leading to Marshall, and on the other be within reach of Steele. Banks and Steele once united, Kirby Smith would run a great risk of not being able to cope with them in an open fight. He would then be obliged to shut himself up in Shreveport or to evacuate this place and withdraw into Texas. In the first case, his army would have been reduced to immobility, soon invested, and condemned to the same fate as Pemberton's. In the second case, it would have been powerless and unable to seriously annoy the enemy, as the soldiers from Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri, who composed three-fourths of his effective force, would have left the service rather than cross the frontier of Texas if Kirby Smith had appeared to relinquish the defence of the two former States. The Federals, once established at Shreveport or even only in front of this place, could in a few months repair the Natchez Railroad, and thus dispense with Red River to secure their supplies. They would then be definitely masters of all the country. Such were the chances they could expect if once arrived at Mansfield. It is true that this programme could not be realized without retaining, far from the Mississippi, the troops that were before summer to operate against Mobile and Atlanta; but the Confederates were of course ignorant of the instructions that ought to have already checked Banks' march, and they might have had reason to fear that, by continuing to allow the enemy to advance the better to crush him, Kirby Smith would have to pay very dear for his too skilful combination. The latter, in fact, if on the one hand he refused to reinforce Taylor, had on the other hand greatly weakened the forces that Price might bring to bear against Steele in Arkansas; he had taken from him his old division composed of two Missouri brigades under the command of General Parsons, and two from Arkansas under General Tappan. General Churchill had arrived at Shreveport on the 21st at the head of this little corps. However, after having kept it two weeks Kirby Smith had at last decided upon sending it to Taylor. This important reinforcement had been moved upon Mansfield on April 4th: the announcement of its departure could be considered by Taylor as authorizing him not to hold back any longer. He asked nothing more to take the first opportunity to