' s ▁Army ▁of ▁Tennessee . ▁Smith ▁received ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁" Thanks ▁of ▁Congress " ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁for ▁his ▁actions ▁at ▁Richmond . ▁ ▁Trans - Miss iss ippi ▁Department ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁Trans - Miss iss ippi ▁Department ▁( prim arily ▁Ark ansas , ▁Western ▁Louisiana , ▁and ▁Texas ) ▁and ▁he ▁remained ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁for ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁based ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁time ▁in ▁Sh re ve port , ▁Louisiana . ▁As ▁forces ▁under ▁Union ▁Maj . ▁Gen . ▁U ly ss es ▁S . ▁Grant ▁tight ened ▁their ▁g rip ▁on ▁the ▁river , ▁Smith ▁attempted ▁to ▁interven e . ▁However , ▁his ▁department ▁never ▁had ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁station ed ▁over ▁an ▁immense ▁area ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁able ▁to ▁concent rate ▁forces ▁ade qu ately ▁to ▁challenge ▁Grant ▁nor ▁the ▁Union ▁Navy ▁on ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁Union ▁capture ▁of ▁the ▁remaining ▁strong holds ▁at ▁V icks burg ▁and ▁Port ▁Hudson ▁and ▁their ▁closing ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁to ▁the ▁enemy , ▁Smith ▁was ▁virt ually ▁cut ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁capital ▁at ▁Richmond . ▁He ▁had ▁to ▁command ▁a ▁nearly ▁independent ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder acy , ▁with ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁inher ent ▁administrative ▁problems . ▁The ▁area ▁became ▁known ▁in ▁the ▁Confeder acy ▁as ▁"