Late April 1865-early June 1865. A large force of Union Cavarly set out to cut through the heart of Alabama and Mississippi. They started from Blakeley, Alabama on Mobile Bay, up to Montgomery over to Mississippi via Columbus to stop at Vicksburg. After leaving Columbus, Mississippi the commmander noted...

"I observed, in marching through the country, a great difference between the conduct and feelings of the inhabitants who had before been visited by our troops and those who had to a great extent escaped the losses of the war and the ravages attending the passage of troops. In the former case we were treated with comparative respect and civility, while in the latter the people manifested the greatest hatred and defiance toward us, and had no hesitation in insulting our soldiers either by words or actions. They still had confidence in the success of their cause, and declared most emphatically their detestation of the Federal Government and a contempt for its authority. I met very few of either class, more particularly among the wealthy, who did not desire the triumph of the Confederacy, and submitted only to superior force. I have constantly exerted myself to maintain strict discipline in my command, and any straggling or marauding, whenever it has come to my notice, has been severely punished. Excepting in a few instances where squads of men have stolen from the column and committed depredations, the people have been respectfnlly treated by my troops. I found that many of the paroled soldiers of the Confederate army returning to their homes were constantly committing outrages to a greater or less extent, which acts a majority of the people were ready to attribute to the troops of my command, though a number of citizens admitted that they had suffered in this way from returning Confederates."

I thought they would have been more accepting to the end of the war. I've read reports of earlier raids through Mississippi by Union forces of how well they were treated, towns like Brookhaven and Summit were very friendly to Grierson's raiders when thhe came through in '63. Now it seems Mississippians were a bit more unwelcoming to the thought of surrender.

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David Upton