This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ... THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION. The opening of the Mississippi River through the disturbed section, and the occupation of Little Rock and Fort Smith by the Federal forces, with the control of the Arkansas River from the head of navigation to its mouth, imposed upon the Commander-in-Chief of the Army the duty of deciding upon definite plans of further operations for an aggressive campaign early in the spring. In the early part of January, after obtaining the views of general officers who were familiar with military operations in the West, he determined to order the concentration of a large force on Red River for the defence of Northern and Western Louisiana, and for the purpose of operating against Texas, using the Red River as a base, with the cooperation of the navy. The troops selected for this movement were from the Department of the Gulf, under General Banks; a detachment of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps, under General A. J. Smith, from Vicksburg, and from the Department of Arkansas, under General F. Steele. In the plan of the campaign the troops of General Banks and General Smith, with the cooperation of the Mississippi Squadron, under Admiral Porter, were to concentrate at Alexandria, Louisiana, on Red River, by the middle of March, when General Banks would assume command of the land forces of the expedition. The next objective point of the campaign was Shreveport, on Red River, where the combined forces, including the troops under General Steele, from Little Rock, were to concentrate by the 1st of May. On the 1oth of March, the force of 9,200 men, under General Smith, left Vicksburg in a fleet of transports, and arrived at Alexandria on the 16th and 19th, being convoyed by Admiral Porter's fleet from the mouth of Red River. A...