He had a desperate set of fellows under him, and at that very time there is no doubt the feeling of the Southern people was fearfully savage on this very point of our making soldiers out of their late slaves, and Forrest may have shared the feeling.
I also had another serious cause of disturbance about that time.

I wanted badly the two divisions of troops which had been loaned to General Banks in the month of March previously, with the express understanding that their absence was to endure only one month, and that during April they were to come out of Red River, and be again within the sphere of my command.

I accordingly instructed one of my inspector-generals, John M.

Corse, to take a fleet steamboat at Nashville, proceed via Cairo, Memphis, and Vicksburg, to General Banks up the Red River, and to deliver the following letter of April 3d, as also others, of like tenor, to Generals A.J.

Smith and Fred Steele, who were supposed to be with him: HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, April 3, 1864 Major-General N.P.BANKS, commanding Department of the Gulf, Red River.
GENERAL: The thirty days for which I loaned you the command of General A.J.Smith will expire on the 10th instant.