, 1863-05-12


the very heart Of rebeldom. Yet, if Colonel
Straight could succeed in destroying the
bridges at Decatur, at Bridgeport, over the
Coosa, and the arsenals and public buildings
at Rome and Atlanta; VIC all felt that We could
afford the capture of him and his gallant
band.
The Chattanooga Re5el Of May 7th is before
me, and allow it to tell the story from the
time Of Forests departure from Middle
Tennessee. It's statement evidently contains
many exaggerations, errors and falsehoods,
but 1t is at present the best We have:
Gen. Forrest, with his old brigade, consist
ing Of his own original regiment, Starn's,
Biddle's and Edmondson's regiments, with
six pieces Of artillery, $500 strong, left Spring
Hill on Friday, the 24th Of April, TO go to the
assistance Of Col. Roddy, who was holdius a
large force Of the enemy in check at and be-
yond Courtland. Ala. The column;witl, For
rest at is head, moved rapidly southward,
through Giles county, to the Tennessee, and
crossed at Browns Ferry. On Tuesday, For
rest came up with Roddy at Town Creek,
small stream in IN open, flat country, with
stunted underground, q few miles beyond
Courtland, in the direction Of Tuscumbia.
Here they united forces, and attacked the Gu
emy in force, believed TO be 10000 strong,
infantry. The fight lasted several hours.
The artillery firing ceased about 3 o'clock in
the afternoon. Occasional skirmishing with
small arms wound up the engagement Of the
day. At dark, Forrest fell back to CORTLAND,
and threw out pickets on all t1e roads leading
into that town.
In the meantime 4 force Of mounted infln.
try, 1000 strong, under Col. Straight, lad
gone round CORTLAND as if desiring 10 get in
the rear of Forests force. Next morning
early, Forrest started in pursuit Of this party,
leaving . portion Of Roddy's command in
Courtland. Straieht aud his men, instead Of
attempting to get in his rear, were really on
an expedition to central Georgia, and were al
ready 1c0 miles away in that direction, when
Forrest overlook him at Davton's Gap, in the
Here an engagement occurred and the enemy
we're driven forward with 4 loss Of forty killed
aud wounded, and fow prisoners. About
Fix miles further on, the enemy was nsaiu
oyertaken by starnc's and Biddlc's regiments,
and another brush Of lalf an hours duration
ward, and two pieces Of artillery taken from
Col. Rodjy at Town Greek were recaptured.
In This fight eighteen Yankees were struck
down by one discharge Of our artillery, from
| pieces playing upon them.
Fifteen miles south Of this point our men
! again came upon the enemy in ambush, aud
another tight tnsued-or, rather, our boys
drove them from their ambush by a vigorous
charge. Indeed, it was one succession Of
bold and desperate charges upon ambuscadc
Yankees for thirty miles, until they were
finally captured. Next day the Yankees were
ove1hauled ut Blanchardsyillc, from which
they wtrt driven forward as before, with the
loss Of three killed. Twelve wounded pris-
oncrs and negroes Were captured at tanon and
atpoint6 MI along the route.
General Forrest still pursued close upon
| their heels, the Yankees burning bridges be-
| hind them as they fled. The bridge near Cad
sen was destroyed, but tho enemy were driven
! from the town before they had time to de-
! stroy anything in it, Citizens could scarcely
realize that the invaders were Yankees, and
on seeing them for the first time, invariably
took them for Confederates.
Nine miles beyond Gadsen, onr men again
came up with the enemy in ambush, and q
fight ensued, when Yankee Col, Hathaway,
a Captain. and several other officers were
killed. The iron works, 4 few miles further
the Yankees, but only partially destroyed.
| The Yankees were finally oyertaken two
| miles from Cedar Bluffs and twcnty-six miles
from Rome. Their advance guard. two hun
dred strung, lad gone on towards Rome, and
were checked two miles from that city, By
armed citizens. Forrest, dashed upon the
main body, his force reduced By fatiguing
| pursuit, to no men, The enemy fired one or
| two rounds from little mountain howitzer,
| and slight rife skirmishing constituted ali
the fighting at Cedar Bluffs Forrest coolly
summoned the enemy to surrender Col.
the officers should retain their sidearms. The
prisoners, amounting to 100, were marched
on mile before they were required to stack
arms, virtually guarded by force Of only one.
fourth their own number. In reality, II was
never knew It. They supposed he lad d
larger force In tue rear. They were per
haps deceived by story by one oi
our own men, captured at Dayton Gap, who
told Col. Straight that Forrest had 5,0OO
men. "What brgades p demanded the Ian.
KEGS his own, Ar.nstrong's and Roddy's,' u
promptly replied the prisoner. "Then, by
Jupiter, we are lost,' exclaimed the non
pluesed Yankee, turning to his men. So they
were, for they surrendered In half an hour.
Their reception in Rome beggars descrip'
n.ds:e to greet the hero, who entered amid
waving Of handk kcschiefs, shouts Of the people
and booming Of cannon. It was the most
brilliant net Of the war. Both men and leaders
have won the lasting gratitude eoftheircountry
Nathaniel Bedford Forrest stands at the held
The object Of this lncursion Of Yankees
60 far from their main force, aside from thci1
intense anxiety to avoid Forrest, was to reach
the Georgia State road, burn bridges, tear uI
rails. aud play old Harry generally.
The force under Col. Straight consisted o'
|
Indiana, and three companies Of reneg.lt
Alabam{ans. The latter will be scnt to Rich
moud, the others paTolcd.
/ Thus ends the rebel account of this to-be
famous expedition. Col. Straight and mel
were, indeed captured, but the rebel trouble:
in Alabama and GcorEia are not yet over, TO-
the same paper has the following:
ALARMING NEws.-Express messengers aui
| others from Rome Ga last evening renor
another raid into North Alabama and Gcorcl
by Yankees, $500 strong. The 50th Georgi
regiment returning to Bridgeport, was stop
ped and ordered BACK to Rome, mounted Of
captured horses and led to meet the invaders
II WAS believed the Yankees werc at Talladega
Ala, 50 miles south Of Rome.
Capt Forrest, brother Of the General, wa
mortally wounded In the fight near Rome
The rebels saJ our forces burned every graf,
Of corn they could find between Coursland an,
Tuscumbia, and destroyed all the provisions
They also burned the Military College at l.
grange. Union troops have eyacuated Tus
; cunsbia.
The Re5el also contains the following tele
gram
RICHMOND, May 5.-No official dispatch va
received last night OF this morning from Gen
Lee, but private telegrams represent our vic
. | LOTT Us complete JACKSON s Lett tlu Is 1Qll
nmputated below the shoulder, by Dr.. Nc
: Gwinn Of Winchester. The General was re
moved to a country house, fifteen miles iron
Richmond, and Is dong well. Direct commu
, nication With our army Is not yet established
4 guard Of Yankees was captured, yesterday
, ut Tunstalls Station on the York River Rail
, road, where skirmish occurred between til
! Yankees and a few Confederate inEsntry
The enemy fs reported in force near Ed
wards depot, four miles this side Of Big Black
! They captured 600 Of our pickets.
SECOND DISPATCH
The enemy we're 1cpulscd yesterday at Ar
derson's Ferry on the Big Black, after fou
hours severe fighting.
THIRD DISPATCH.
Twelve houses were burned at Byha1a b
the Yankees, who cncamped at Gwinn's Mill
seycn miles above Byhala
A Yankee raid was made On Holly Spring
: on SUNDAY. Capt. Mitchell ambushcd IS tue
+ went ont, with i've men, and Killed Col. 5e1
kins, capturing his papers and horse.
4 RIcu1oSp, May 6th.-We have the otficit
: account Of the destruction Of two baIges an
= one tug, at Vicksburg, on the Sd tns u
l VII