” 9—Cotton worth $700,000 burned at Wilmington, N. C.
” 20—Negro troops cover the retreat of a defeated white Union force at Olustee, Fla.
” 28—The large armies being broken up or concentrated, and the lines of communication very much interrupted, many Union cavalry raids, aiming to break the lines of communication by railroad completely, to lay waste the country, and to free the negroes, who were raising supplies for the Southern armies, in the far interior, were undertaken. That of Sherman to Meridian, in Miss., and of Grierson and Smith, and many smaller ones, were executed during this month. The damage to railroads and the supplies destroyed were incalculable. 18 blockade runners and other vessels bringing supplies to the South were destroyed during the month.
Mar. 2—Gen. Grant made Lt. General; the only one who had reached that dignity since Gen. Washington—Gen. Scott being Lt. Gen. only by brevet.
” 12—Gen. Grant made Commander-in-chief of the U. S. armies.
” 15—The President of the U. S. calls for 200,000 more men.
” 25—Confederate Gen. Forrest makes three assaults on Paducah, Ky., with loss of 1,500 men, in vain.
” 28—A severe defeat inflicted on Southern forces at Cane River, La.
Apr. 4—Gen. Marmaduke defeated by Gen. Steele, Unionist, at Little Missouri, Ark.
” 8—Gen. Banks suffers reverses on the Red River, and retreats with loss.