divisions dug six miles of rifle-pits and constructed six strong batteries in one week, for which they were highly commended by General Grant. Immediately after the surrender of Vicksburg, General Smith moved with his division against General Johnston, at Jackson. He participated in several sharp skirmishes, and in one of them lost eighty men in five minutes. After this he was assigned to duty on General Grant's staff as Chief of Cavalry, and in that capacity accompanied the General to Nashville and Chattanooga. About this time General Smith was ordered to collect all the available cavalry at Memphis and to move southward, and to effect, if possible, a junetion with General Sherman's forces at Meridian, on the celebrated raid to that point. There was at least twelve thousand Rebel cavalry which could be concentrated against General Smith; and it was definitely understood between General Sherman and General Smith, that the latter was not to risk a sacrifice of his command to cut his way through, General Sherman stating that his own success was not contingent upon a junction of the forces. It was thought that a junction could be effected at Meridian by the 10th of February; but the cavalry did not concentrate as rapidly as was expected, and General Smith did not leave Memphis until the 10th. At the very start the advance was confronted by General Forrest, who disputed the crossing of the Tallahatchie. Leaving a brigade of infantry to engage Forrest, General Smith threw his whole cavalry force up the river thirty miles, and crossed without firing a gun. Passing through Pontotoc toward Huston, he approached a swamp over which the road passed on a corduroy causeway. This road was held by a strong force, and as it was impossible to flank the swamp, General Smith changed his course, and turning to the left struck Okaloona, and sweeping down the Mobile and Ohio Road destroyed thirty-five miles of railroad, thirteen bridges and trestles, two trains of cars, five million bushels corn, and seven thousand bales of Confederate cotton. Negroes came in from every direction, bringing with them, in many instances, the horses and mules which their masters had sent them into the woods to secrete. When the expedition reached West Point, at least five thousand negroes and three thousand head of stock were collected. At the Octibbeha General Smith again encountered Forrest's entire force. The river was fordable at only one point, and that was guarded by a force fully equal to General Smith's. He was now one hundred and sixty miles in the Rebel territory; he was encumbered by his captures, and a Rebel brigade was moving upon his rear; accordingly he commenced to retire, and for the first sixty miles there was continuous fighting. The Rebels acknowledged a loss in killed and wounded of five hundred (among them was Forrest's brother, a Colonel commanding a brigade), and, in addition, they lost two hundred and fifty captured. The National loss was two hundred and fifty killed, wounded, and missing. General Smith reached Memphis safely with the stock, negroes, and prisoners, and on reporting to General Grant at Nashville, he was commended for the skill with which he managed the enterprise. When General Sherman succeeded General Grant in the command of the |