184 WHIP AND SPUR. 



there was much cheerful and unrestrained talk 

 as to the plans and prospects of the future cam- 

 paign, disclosing the fact that as there seemed 

 no chance of doing efficient service in Tennessee, 

 the whole body would move at once to Central 

 Mississippi and operate in connection with the 

 army in Georgia. This report, which we had 

 no reason to disbelieve, decided A. J. to aban- 

 don a difficult and unpromising pursuit, and to 

 return to Union City and Columbus. We found, 

 on our return, a communication from the head- 

 quarters at Memphis to the effect that Forrest 

 had crossed the railroad and gone far south 

 into Mississippi. 



We had no further service of importance or 

 interest in this region. "Jackson's Purchase" 

 was thenceforward quite free from any consid- 

 erable body of the enemy ; and when our cler- 

 gyman found, a few weeks later, that we were all 

 ordered to the south, he came for a settlement 

 of his accounts, saying that he had been able to 

 deceive his wife only up to the time of our inter- 

 view at Jackson, and as his life was no longer 



