exchange of prisoners captured in the last campaign.

General James D. Morgan's division remained in Atlanta at its ease
until the 29th of September, when it boarded the cars and was
transported, via Chattanooga and Huntsville, to near Athens, Alabama.
From this place it was sent on an expedition against General Forrest,
who had been making demonstrations on our railroads, having destroyed
much of the Nashville and Decatur road.

When the division arrived at Athens, Forrest was crossing the Tennessee
at Florence, retreating out of our way as fast as possible. With rapid
marches General Morgan reached Florence in two days, distant from
Athens about forty-five miles. The creeks and rivers on the route were
swollen, but he never stopped for them, for wading through, we went
plodding on. The division arrived within a few miles of Florence on the
evening of the 5th of October, and entered it on the 6th without
opposition, the enemy having completed his crossing. The division could
follow no further, and on the morning of the 10th began its return
march, arriving back in Athens on the 12th, where it boarded the cars
on its return to Chattanooga. The command arrived at Chattanooga in the
night of the 14th, and went into camp where there was neither wood nor
water. The march from Athens to Florence and back again was, under the
circumstances, probably the severest the Eighty-sixth Regiment ever
made; at least, it stands among the hardest. The rains fell in
torrents, but notwithstanding, the command was rushed headlong on
through the mad waters of Flint and Duck rivers, in many places up to
the soldier's armpits.

While the division remained in Chattanooga there was a deal of
excitement and uncertainty respecting the movements of rebel General
Hood, who was making a demonstration on our rear, the command being in
readiness to march at a moment's notice.

General Sherman, however, soon changed his course, so that Hood was
obliged to take a circuitous route to the west and north. To follow
Hood indefinitely, without much prospect of overtaking and overwhelming
his army, would be for Sherman equivalent to being decoyed out of
Georgia. To remain on the defensive, on the other hand, would be to
lose the main effectiveness of his army. Sherman had previously
proposed to General Grant to destroy the railway from Atlanta to
Chattanooga, and strike out through Georgia.

"By attempting to hold the roads," he wrote, "we will lose a th