It would not do, with his rank and ambition, to assign a junior over him.

Nothing was left, therefore, but to assume the command myself.

I would have been glad to put Sherman in command, to give him an opportunity to accomplish what he had failed in the December before; but there seemed no other way out of the difficulty, for he was junior to McClernand.

Sherman's failure needs no apology.
On the 20th I ordered General McClernand with the entire command, to Young's Point and Milliken's Bend, while I returned to Memphis to make all the necessary preparation for leaving the territory behind me secure.

General Hurlbut with the 16th corps was left in command.