I am not sure, but I think it is Colonel Garland that requested and received protection from Sherman. I know that in Shermans memoirs he makes mention of the fact that the Colonel who was charged with raising the white flag spent the evening with him for he feared for his life. ( His peers were very upset over the surrender.)
I was just wondering if anyone had any opinons as to weather the Confederate Army stationed at Fort Hindman would have been able to withstand the attack by the Union Army and Navy had this surrender not taken place.
Also, as this was a two day affair, why didn't the Confederate Command in Arkansas attempt to send reinforcements sooner? Surely someone in the high command structure had received reports from scouts that the Union Navy was moving up the Arkansas River. In the days of these gunboats that the Union had, speed was not there forte.

Chuck Lee