Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1862-03-26

4 corrse should be adopted from which
The probabilities were that the larger
POI on Of the command would be GU to
pics in an unavailing fight against over
Asile ming numbers. [ understood the
genssal sentiment TO be adverse TO the
pTef lsiti6n. | felt that in this contin-
geneY, whilst it might lie questioned,
whfs her | should, as commander Of the
araF, lead ii 10 certain destruction in an
unstailing fight, yet had right indi-
yidinlly TO determine that I would not
sury. We 4 surrender there. 10 satisfy both
pro- 3si'ions. | agreed 20 hand over the
coEuand TO Brigadier- General BucBner
thToleh Brigadier- General Pillow. and
to Iqakc an effort for my own cxtrication
by Hny and every means that might pre-
sent themselves TO me.
| therefore, directed COX Forrest. dar-
ing and determined officer. at the head of
an s!licient regiment of cavalry. to be
present for the purpose of accompanying
me in what supposed would be an cf-
for'. 10 pass through the cnemy's lines.
Il nounceJ the fact upon turning the
command over TO Brigadicr- Gen. Buck
ner, that | would bring away with me,
by my .ueans l could, my own particular
briaadc, the prOpriety OF which was ac-
quiesceu N on all hands. This. by va
ri0us modes, | succeeded in accomplish
ing to Il great extent, and would have
bright off my whole command in one
way or anOti her if l had had the aSSis
ancu of tielt officers, who were absent
from several of the regiments The
command was turned over to Brigadier-
Gen. Bucbner, who at once opened nego-
tiatiOns with the enemy, which resulted
in ihc surrender of the place Thus
ended the conflict running through four
days and toltl' nights large portion of
which time it was maintained with the
greatest iferceness and obstinacv; in
which we, with force not exceeding
1900, a large portion of whom were
lily armed, succeeded in resisting and
driving back, with discontinue, an army
of more than $4,000 men. | have no
means of accurately estimating the loss
of the enemy. From what | saw upon
the battle field from what l witnessed
throughout the whole period of the con-
fiict; from what | was able to Learn from
sources Of information deemed oF me
worthy Of credit, | have no doubt that
the enemy's loss in killed and wounded
reached a number beyond TCe hlOESEl1d
Our own losses were extremely heavy.
but s2r want Of exact returns I am un-
aH.9 Il state precise numbers. 7 thfnk
they viii not be lar from G5UU klIIed and
wounded. Nothing could exceed the
cooIness and determined spirit of resis-
tance which animated the men in this
long and ferocious conflict; nothing could
exceed the determined courage which
characterized them throughout this ter
rible struggle, and nothing could be more
admirable than the steadiness which
they exhibited nature itself was ex-
hausted in what they knew to be des-
perate fight against foe very many times
their superior in numbers. l cannot par
ticuIarize in this report to you the num-
berIess instances of heroic daring per-
formed by both officers and men, but
must content myself for the present by
saying, in my judgment, they all de
serve well Of their country.
| have The honor TO be, very respectful
ly, your Obedient servant,
fSigned JOHN i. FLOYD,
Brigadier- Gen. Commanding.