I believe that the Army of Tennessee to be most affected by this manifesto which was being copied and passed around from camp to camp. Primarily to those Confederate troops in northern Mississippi and Alabama and along the Tennessee river from the Mississippi State line to the Georgia State line and just beyond to Dalton. General Polk, when still in command of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana, in April 1864, complained of deserters from northern Mississippi and Alabama, this being just before being ordered to Join the Army of Tennessee under Johnston at Dalton, GA. Polk was so concerned that he was losing hundreds in his command that he ordered Brig. General Philip D. Roddey on the Tennessee river in northern Alabama to chase these deserters out of their hiding places at what ever cost, to keep them specifically from crossing Brig. General Grenville M. Dodges Union lines and taking the oath of enlistment into the U.S. Army.
To assist Brig. General Roddey in this effort, Polk issued movement orders to Brig. General Samuel Wragg Ferguson`s Cavalry Brigade from Mississippi into Alabama, around Elyton in the Jones Valley (Presently Birmingham), to work north from there to the Tennessee river, and to hunt down these deserters and Unionists in their hiding places and impress them back into the Confederate army. General Pillow, from Tennessee was also ordered to the area as was General Clanton to assist Roddey and Ferguson in this effort. Below are three communications from the "OR" (War of the Rebellion) vetting this out:
1)- Demopolis, April 20, 1864. Major-General Lee, Commanding, &c.:
General: ...I note what you say of sending Ferguson's brigade in pursuit of stragglers and deserters. I have ordered Major-General French to send an infantry command through all the counties of North Alabama to co-operate with General Ferguson, and I now desire you to give orders to General Roddey to deploy enough of his command along the line of the Tennessee River, as near as he may think proper, to intercept such tories end deserters as may attempt to escape into the enemy's lines that way. The movement of Ferguson and the infantry will drive such of them on to Roddey's troops: as are not caught. I desire these movements should be made with vigor, and that they should cover the infected districts thoroughly...
Respectfully, general, your obedient servant,
L. POLK,
Lieutenant- General.
2)- DEMOPOLIS, April 26, 1864. Major-General French, Tuscaloosa:
General: I find it indispensable to clear my department of deserters and absentees, &c, by detachments from my army in the field. I find also that the best results are following upon the vigorous campaigns I am prosecuting in different parts of it. I have moved out already from their hiding places about 1,000 men, and the ranks of all commands raised in this department are being swelled by companies, both infantry and cavalry. I have a work to do in North Alabama, and I want you to make a detachment to do it. General Roddey has been ordered to picket the whole front from the Mississippi State line across the State (Alabama), and along the Tennessee River, to prevent these tories and deserters from escaping to the enemy. I find infantry much more effective than cavalry for this work, and while General Ferguson's brigade has been ordered to move upon these men in the counties lying north of his position (Jonesboro / Elyton), I desire you to send General Cockrell's brigade forward upon that work also. Let him deploy his force right and left on a line running through Tuscaloosa, and take the country from the Mississippi line across toward the railroad, and sweep it all before him up to where he will meet Roddey's pickets, and order him to make thorough work of it. Let him arrest all tories, conscripts, and deserters, and if he shall find any in arms offering resistance let him punish them with death upon the spot. Order him to concentrate all he captures at Tuscaloosa, and hold them subject to my order.
Put yourself in communication with General Lee on the subject of this movement, so as to be informed of the instructions from General Ferguson; also send for Lieutenant-Colonel Baker, commanding post at Tuscaloosa, and get from him such intelligence as he may give to guide your movement. He is acquainted with the country and is a highly intelligent officer. He will indicate where officers in the service of the Government in North Alabama are to be found who may aid your troops in their work. Let the movement be made promptly. I have ordered the brigade of Brigadier-General Sears, now at Selma, to report to you as soon as practicable. You will find it a fine brigade of about 2,500 strong.
I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. POLK,
Lieutenant- General.
3)- Headquarters Lee's Cavalry, Tuscaloosa, Ala., April 30, 1864. Lieut. Col. T. M. Jack, Assistant Adjutant- General, Demopolis, Ala.:
Colonel: I have nothing special to report as regards the enemy in North Alabama, not having received any reliable reports for several days. I am still of opinion no offensive move is intended against Middle Alabama, and that Decatur is re-enforced, as it is threatened, by Roddey. Roddey and Clanton have arranged to cross a large part of their commands, and before this I should have had the result of their operations and more definite information as to the intentions of the enemy.
Jackson's division is about Carthage, and Ferguson near the rail road opposite Centreville (AL). While in Jones' Valley he had to move daily and exhausted the supplies where he went. He was compelled to move to his present position to get supplies by rail and draw a small supply from the country. The railroad (branch) north-east of Montevallo could not supply him, and owing to deficiency of transportation on the railroad he says now that he will not be able to get long forage for his horses. His horses are in bad condition and should be recruited if the exigencies of the service permit, and nothing can be obtained in the country near where he is at present. Have ordered General Pillow to complete the organization of his brigade as speedily as possible, when I propose increasing his command, probably giving him command of Roddey in addition to his brigade. Colonel Foster, Member of Congress from North Alabama, reports that Roddey will have nearly 3,000 men.
Ferguson did not send out an expedition northeast of Elyton, as he was directed, stating that from all he could learn the deserters, tories, &c., were not in squads, but scattered through the woods in hiding-places almost inaccessible to cavalry and where there was no forage. I send him an order today to send 300 men in small squads over the country northeast of Elyton to move on a line with General French, who is organizing an expedition under your orders. I will furnish General French with several squadrons to aid him. It is almost impossible for cavalry to operate in the country above this, owing to want of forage, there being none in the country...
I am, colonel, yours, respectfully,
S. D. LEE,
Major- General.
Brig. General Samuel W. Ferguson, was not able to send his whole brigade on an expedition from Elyton in the Jones Valley to the Tennessee river, due to lack of sufficient forage for his horses, however he did send several company sized scouts to operate in the area, who reported back to him daily, to keep an eye on Dodge`s incursions into the area and to try and locate the hiding places of the numerous deserters for whom they were searching. This had been a problem since January 1864, around the time that the manifesto was being circulated through the various camps in the region, and most of these deserters and Unionists who were evading conscription, were used by Brig. General G. M. Dodge to organize the 2nd Alabama Cavalry Regiment USV, and refill vacancies in the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment USV and the 1st Tennessee & Alabama Independent Vidette Cavalry Regiment. Just a few days later, both Polk and Ferguson were ordered to Dalton, GA. to assist General Johnston and the Army of Tennessee, regarding the upcoming Dalton / Atlanta Campaign, which was initiated in mid May 1864.