| Demopolis |
| April 27, 1864
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| |
| His Excellency President Davis |
| Richmond |
| |
| ***** |
| I am pressing the completion
of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad up to Corinth, and so soon as that is
completed will move Forrest's headquarters up there, take possession
of the fort, will arm it and establish a post there. It will give me
a point from which to afford protection to the Western District, to
threaten Memphis
and Paducah, and from whence to move on the Tennessee
Valley, and so on the flank of any movement from Decatur
southward or eastward. I find, too, it can be availed of as a point
at which to receive from the Tennessee River, via the military road built by Halleck from Pittsburg Landing, 18
miles, commissary and quartermaster's stores in exchange for cotton
under existing contracts. Under the authority of the War Department
I am about completing an arrangement with an entirely reliable
party, a contract for such supplies to be brought in by that route,
the cotton in all cases not to be delivered until the goods are
first received and in hand. |
| The receipts under the J. J.
Pollard contract, via the Yazoo and Mississippi
Rivers, have begun and promise to be what we could desire. I am pressing
the completion of the {Mississippi} Central and
{New Orleans, Jackson &} Great Northern Railroad up to
Holly
Springs, and the connection across Pearl River
with the Southern {of Mississippi} Railroad. In about ten days hope to be able to
transport the stores delivered by rail from any point on that road
via Jackson
eastward. I shall have the railroad southward to the lake shore
completed by the working parties now upon it about the same time.
This will greatly facilitate the transportation of arms to the
Trans-Mississippi Department, as the best point of crossing the
river is about Tunica, as also to receive stores through that route
should it be expedient. |
| ***** |
| I have the honor to be, respectfully,
your obedient servant, |
| L. Polk |
| Lieutenant-General |
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