| Meridian |
| February 13, 1864
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| General Maury |
| Mobile |
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| The enemy's column, 30,000
strong, has continued to move steadily forward since he crossed Pearl River. All information received from every quarter led to the impression,
after passing Brandon, he intended to move on Mobile. If it was ever his intention to do so from that point he abandoned
it, and has been moving since leaving Morton on Meridian. His
progress has been impeded and columns harassed. My force of
infantry, which consists of about 8,500, has been falling back as he
advanced. I have held him in check until I can remove all my
hospitals, commissary, and quartermaster's stores from all my
depots. He may reach the railroad to-morrow or the next day. The
whole of the rolling-stock of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad and the
engines of the Southern {(of Mississippi)} and Selma
{Alabama & Mississippi Rivers} roads will be in Mobile; the
engines within your intrenchments. I send you about 100,000 pounds
of bacon and about the same amount of flour and wheat. I shall
continue to add to your stores by the rivers. My stores have gone
toward Selma, and I shall cover them and wait for the development of events. I
shall send you the First Alabama Regiment. General Forrest reports a
very heavy force of cavalry and mounted infantry, 12,000 strong,
moving on the Prairies, Columbus, &c., with a view of making a junction with
Sherman. After tomorrow your communications must be via Montgomery. You could not have included Cantey's force nor the troops
garrisoning earth and bay works in your estimate of your force. |
| L. Polk |
| Lieutenant-General |
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