May 11th

"Contrary to our expectations; Capt Richardson receives orders to take his Company to Tullahoma, Tenn, at the same time impression is made on his mind by the Sec'y of War, that this order is issued to keep down any dissatisfaction amongst the other "Post" troops, and that other orders will be issued for us to go to the Trans Miss Dept."

It could be that this "to Keep down any dissatisfaction amongst the other "Post" troops," was a part of the decisison to send these troops back too the West? It could be that those men expected to return to Arkansas. Who wouldn't have wanted to do that, not realizing that they could not get across the Mississippi at that time. That could also be the reason that they were thought of as being unruly, hard to control troops, that no one really wanted.