As early as the 27th of July, 1863, General Sherman
reported that the leading citizens of Jackson and the sur-
rounding country had "implored" him to take some action
by which peace might be restored and the state readmitted
to the Union. Both the army and the people, he declared,
were dispirited and ready for peace. ¹ A meeting had already
been held at Jackson on the 21st of July to consider a plan
of reorganization. Delegates from a number of towns were
present, and the question of restoration was fully discussed.
They asked for permission to reorganize the government in
conformity with the Constitution and laws of the United
States. Sherman at once informed his chief that he thought
the movement should be received with favor, as it would
constitute an "admirable wedge" which might be used to
great advantage. ³ Subsequently he informed a committee
that his government was still theirs, and it would be easy to
put into operation in their county. "You are still citizens
of the United States and of Mississippi," he said. "You have
only to begin and form one precinct and then another. Soon
your county will have such an organization as the military
authorities will respect. One county will affect another,
and the moment you can, by fair elections, send representa-
tives to Congress, I doubt not that they will be received, and
then Mississippi will be again as much a part of the United
States as Kentucky or Indiana, and will soon have courts and
law and all the other machinery of government." ⁴

In the official report of his expedition to Jackson in Sep-
tember, 1863, he said: "I know that many of the best in-
habitants of the state are now clamorous for peace on any
terms perfectly acceptable to all who do not aim at the
absolute destruction of this part of the United States." ⁵
There can be no doubt that Sherman's statement contained
a large element of truth. Although, as he says, the peace
party was made up of some of the most distinguished and
best citizens of the state, it is impossible to form any intelli-
gent idea of the numerical strength of the party. There
were, doubtless, many who secretly favored peace, but who
did not have the courage to announce their professions
openly. To do this was in some communities not pleasant,
in some, perhaps, not safe. It was a general belief in the

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