The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-18
GOLD FORREST"
The Battle OF Tishmingo Creek. "You
Cant Whip Old Forrest:

Cant Whip Old Forrest:
We copy the following from a speech
of Gen. Chalmers, before the Southern
Historical Society, on the splendid mill
tary career of Gen. Forrest.
Forrest reached Tupelo, Mississippi,
on the 5th of May, 1864, and was busily
engaged in recognizing his command,
now considerably increased by recruits
and the addition. of Gen. Gholson's bri-
gade.
On the 26th, by order of Gen. S. D.
Lee, department commander, Chal-
mer's with McCulloch's and Neely's bri-
gades were ordered to Monte Vallo, Ala
bama, to protect the iron-works of that
region. On the 31st Forrest started
with Bufords division for Tuscombia to
assist Roddy in meeting movement in
that quarter, and had reached Russell
vile, Alabama, when he received infor-
nation that Sturgis, with eight thousand
infantry, five thousand cavalry and six
batteries was moving from Memphis into
Mississippi, parallel with the Memphis
and Charleston railroad. Forrest began
at once to concentrate his scattered COM
mand.
Rucker, from Oxford, with three small
regiments, was thrown across the Talla.
hatchie at New Albany, and commenced
to retard the enemy's advance. This
little brigade, under Rucker, who was
second only to Forrest as a fearless fight.
er-composed of three regiments. under
three dashing young Colonels, Duff, Bill
Taylor and Alexander Chalmers-was
highly complimented by Forrest for his
gaIlantry in performing his duty. On
the 9th Forrest took position with two
brigades of Buford's.. division, Johnson's
brigade of Rcddy's division, and Rucker's
brigade of Chalmers division, east of the
Hatcl,ie, near Rienzi, to dispute the pas
sage of Sturgis, over that river, suppos-
ing he was moving to re-enforce Sherman
in Georgia. The scouts now reported
Sturgis moving south toward Forests
camp at Tupelo. Chalmers, with two
brigades, was then at Monte Vallo, Ala
bama Roddy, with one brigade, near
near Jackson, Mississippi. Gen. S: D.
Lee, now in command, determined to
fall back toward Okalona until he could
concentrate his forces, and left that
night by rail, after ordering Forrest to
get in front of Sturgis and retard his ad-
vance. Forrest moved before day to take
position at Bryce's crossroads, on divid-
ing ridge where the waters of the Hatchie
rise and run north and of the Tallahat-
chic rise and run south, and when in
four miles of that place he learned that
the enemy had already occupied it and
were now between him and his headquar-
ters at Tupelo.
He had with him there his three
smallest brigades, the effective strength of
which at that time he reported as follows: {:
Lyons, eight hundred; Rucker's, seven
hundred, and Johnson's, five hundred (;
while Buford, with Bells brigade, about
fifteen hundred strong, and two batteries
of artillery were some distance in the
rear. Ordering them to move instantly
up, which they did, coming eight miles in
gallop, he moved forward with the men
he had and opened the fight, and at the
same time ordered Buford to send one
regiment across the country to attack the
enemy in the rear. The battle ragged
fercely for some hours, with doubtful
success, and eight hundred federals, six
hundred and forty confederates fell dead
and wounded around Bryce's house. One
popularity of Forests fighting was his al
most reckless use of artillery, and on this
occasion he had eight pieces of artillery
that were boldly handled by Captain
Martin, a beardless youth with the face
of woman and the courage of lion.
The federals made several splendid
charges, that were repulsed at short range
by the artillery, double-shotted with
canister. The Confederates insist that
both the federal infantry and cavalry
were in this fight. The federal cavalry
officers who censured Sturgis say they
had cavalry alone, and that instead
of falling back with cavalry on to his in
fantry, prepared i'll line, he under
took to hold the position with his caval-
ry and bring up his infantry five or more
miles at double-quick, and that they
arrived broken down and Uniformed just
as the cavalry were driven back on them,
and all went pell-mell together. Be this
as it may, when Forrest captured Bryce's
house, the enemy's infantry in column
were in full view coming up. He turned
loose on them his own eight pieces of
artillery and six more just captured, and
about that time Bartian's regiment struck
them in the rear, and the flight COM
menced.
A more terrific pursuit was never seen.
The negroes had been sworn on their
knees in line before starting from Mem
phis to show no quarter TO Forests men,
and on their shirts and banners was in
scribed, Remember Fort Pillow
This had double effect; it made the
federals afraid to surrender, and infuria-
ted Forests men and it is said that
teen hundred were killed in this pursuit,
which was continued sixty miles. The
exact truth as to this flight will, perhaps,
never be known; but taking either the
federal or confederate accounts of it, it
was the most brilliant victory of the war
on either side. Forrest reports his force
at thirty-two hundred cavalry and eight
pieces of artillery. The federal report
places Sturgis's force at thirty-three hun
dred cavalry, ffty-four hundred infantry
and seventeen pieces of artillery. With
superior force of cavalry, he might
we'll have expected to hold, with them
alone, his position, we'll selected at
Bryce's crossroads, until his infantry
could come up. Sturgis was as much as
tonished at his defeat as any one, and
was so terribly mortified that when A. j..
Smith moved out after Forrest, conf
Dental spy from Memphis reported that
Sturgis was sitting in hotel soliloquiz-
ing, at can't be done, STRIP and when
asked what could not be done he said,
'They Can't whip old Forrestp'
In this battle two thousand prisoners
were taken, all the artillery seventeen
pieces), the whole ordnance train, we'll
supplied with ammunition and many
articles of value to US; the ambulance
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