According to the Memphis Appeal newspaper, one of the most respected sources of news during the war, the deserter uprising in the remote areas of Southeastern Mississippi was caused by Sherman's march to Meridian and General Polk's decision to abandon the State. The remoteness of the Leaf River Valley also attributed to the affair. A Mr. Hawkins of Smith County, a mill owner held a meeting of the people in the area to convince them in order to save his mill and other mills and properties they had to show the new powers that they were loyal, stay home and work, and do not support the Confederacy. So he produced a home made Union flag and flew it from his mill. The meeting had been attended by some of the deserters (be they from the area or not) and they joined in with this idea that Mississippi was now a Union State. But Mr. Hawkins theory was wrong. Sherman's move to Meridian was a raid, not an occupation. The Confederate Army returned and resumed its authority over the area very quickly.