The Arkansas Post prisoners were exchanged at City Point, Virginia, and were retained east of the Mississippi River. The Vicksburg parolees were supposed to report to Demopolis, Alabama, upon being formally exchanged, but relatively few did so. Most remained west of the Mississippi, and their regiments were reorganized and retained there.
For those Trans-Mississippi units in service east of the Mississippi, some managed to get a transfer back to this side of the river through the efforts of their generals. Here's an example --
###
Hdqrs. Fifth Mil. Dist., Dept. Miss. and E. La.,
Grenada, July 22, 1863.
Colonel B. S. Ewell, Asst. Adjt. General, Dept. of the West, Brandon, Miss.
Colonel: I desire most respectfully to present for the consideration of the general commanding some views for the future action of a part of this command, which have been submitted to me by the two senior colonels of the command, and which, in part, at least, meet with my approval.
The recent movements of our armies in Virginia, Tennessee, and this State have greatly circumscribed the district of country from which we can hope to obtain supplies, and this difficulty is greatly increased by the emigration of large numbers of our citizens with their families and slaves from this and other States to localities where they will be protected by our arms. The enemy are still pressing us at every point into still narrower bounds, and it is thought that the best and speediest means of relieving this quarter, at least from that danger, will be to create an army on the west side of the Mississippi River of sufficient size to alarm the enemy for the safety of their communications by the river.
Again, the regiments in my command which were enlisted west of the Mississippi are greatly dimished in numbers, and there is but little hope that they will be able to recruit here. The people in this State, like those of Kentucky after the evacuation of Bowling Green, and those of Tennessee after the battle of Shiloh, are now much depressed, and it will be some time before much assistance can be received from them, particularly in filling up regiments from other States. On the other hand, the people of those districts of which the enemy have had possession for some time, are, I am informed now willing to enlist. West Tennessee is beginning to rally, and Colonels McCulloch and Slemons are informed that Missouri and Arkansas are full of men who would join their regiments if they were among them. The number of them will be increased by the extension of the age of those liable to conscription, and by the fact that a considerable number of men from General Pemberton’s army have been allowed to cross the river. If an attempt is made to force them to return at once to this side of the river, they might seek to avoid it, but it is believed that they would readily reassemble for duty on the other side. These men, united with other experienced officers and soldiers of that department, and the new recruits who could be collected, would, it is thought, form a force so considerable as to make it prudent for the enemy to send a portion of his force from this side of the river to hold them in check, and consequently to relieve our army here to that extent.
In view of these circumstances, it is proposed that the Second Missouri, Second Arkansas, and First Tennessee Regiments of Cavalry and Willis’ battalion Texas Cavalry, having an effective strength of about 800 men, shall be allowed to cross the Mississippi, with orders to arrest all deserters and stragglers from other commands, and authority to recruit own ranks by conscription or otherwise, and that, when a sufficient number of men has been obtained, they should be authorized to make a raid into Missouri and Illinois, and return through Kentucky and Tennessee, unless it should be thought best that they should return directly across the Mississippi. This would leave Colonel W. C. Falkner’s regiment and Major Chalmers’ battalion Partisan Rangers, with all the State troops, to operate in this military district. They, with the command of Colonel Richardson and others in West Tennessee, will be sufficient to repel all small parties of the enemy and to give notice of the advance of any considerable force, which is all that I am able to do with my present command.
These views, so far as they relate to the beneficial results to be derived form increasing our army in the Trans-Mississippi Department, and to the probability that the Missouri and Arkansas regiments would be able to enlist many recruits if allowed to go to the other side of the river, have my approval, and are recommended to the favorable consideration of the general commanding. If he should approve of them, I would respectfully ask that he will allow me to take command of the troops who cross the river, and also that the detached companies from the Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas regiments, viz, Captain Savery’s, Second Missouri; Captain Cochran’s, Second Arkansas, and Captains Weeks’ and Stell’s, of Willis’ battalion, now under Major Bridges, may be ordered to rejoin their commands.
I inclose a copy of a letter, of which I forwarded the original on yesterday, showing the dispositions I intended making of my forces, and my arrangements for getting out supplies form this part of the country. The latter can be continued for some time, even if a portion of the troops should be removed.
JAMES R. CHALMERS.