Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-08-23

kept able and reliable scouts all
around him and at great distances,
and always knew where his enemy
was, what he had, whist he WAS do
ing, and very often for days In adj
vance what he was about to do.
While the enemy were watching
for him at Purdy and Bolivar, he
Unexpectedly crossed the Hatchie
at Estenaula-not, however, with
out some sharp fighting before he
got away. And when they were
expecting him to cross the Wolf
near its headwaters, he made bold
dash for Memphis and crossed one
regiment, having only two armed
companies over Wolf river bridge.
in nine miles Of that city. BY skill
full handling of his five hundred
armed men, and the occasional dis
play Of his large number unarmed,
he fought several successful skirm-
ishes, captured the bridge over
Wolf river near Lafayette station,
on the Memphis and Charleston
railroad, and held the enemy In
check at Collierville until he passed
into Mississippi, with thirty-tive
hundred men, forty wagons loaded
with subsistence, two hundred beef
cattle and three hundred hogs. The
correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial, writing from Memphis
January II, 1864, says: "Forrest,
with less than four thousand men,
has moved right through the six
teenth army corps, has passed with
in nine miles of Memphis, carried
off one hundred wagons, two hun-
dred beef cattle, three thousand
conscripts and innumerable stores,
torn up railroad track, cut telegraph
wire, burned and sacked towns, run
over pickets with a single derrlnger
pistol, and all, too, in the face of
ten thousand men,"
General Forrest was met near La
fayette by General Chalmers, with
twelve hundred men, who covered
his further march into Mississippi,
and who from then, until the close
of the war, was his second in COM
mand.
The next month was occupied in
arms for his recruits and
his command into four
When this took place
many officers who had been COM
little squads as companies
were thrown out of command. This
great dissatisfaction, and
about one-third Of the recruits de-
serted and went back TO West Ten
nessee. Before this organization
was completed, General Sherman
commenced his movements in Mis-
iissippi.
THE DEFEAT OF GENERAL w. sOoY
SMITH.
On the Sd of February, 1864, Gen
sral Sherman began his movement
rom Vicksburg to Meridian, Miss,
md at the same time sent force up
Iy YaZOo City, TO take Forrest in
'ear at Grenada, and ordered Gen
sral w. Sooy Smith to "move from
Jollierville ON Pontotoc and Okla
ona," &C., and TO meet him at
Miss, as near the 10th OF
February as he could.
General Sherman says 'General
Polk seemed to have no suspicion
If our intention to disturb him."
4 this were true, he certainly could
lot say the same thing Of Forrest.
lC knGM lAidb WIS
to move some time before
{ did move. On the Sth two in
antry columns mOved-One on Pan
la and the other on Wyatt-and
m the 9th, one day before the cav
Try started, Forrest, then at oxford,
Chalmers, at Pamela, To
lirmish with the infantry, but that
his was feint, and he must be
eady to intercept the cavalry, which
e predicted would strike for Co
lmbus and the prairie country OF
asst Mississippi, where he had gov
rnment works and large quantity
( corn. McCulloch's and Richard
On's brigades were then stretched
ut from Pamela to Abheyville,
the crossings Of the Talla-
atchie river, while JEFF. Forests
rigade was at Grenada, watching
he forces at YazOo City, and Bell,
{ Oxford, organizing. On the 10th
mith started from COllierville. On
he 18th McCulloch moved 10 Ok
)rd on cOnVerging lines with him.
" the 18th IL was manifest that
mith was moving for the prairie,
nd Forrest ordered a concentration
( his command near West Point to
Intercept him, and this was accom-
lished by the l8th-Jetf. Forrest
there ON the 18th. His
rigade ewas thrown forward towards
.berdeen, and continued skirmish-
~ with the enemy until the 10Th.
m the 10th Bells brigade was sent
} keep on the flank of the enemy
nd cover Columbus, and McCullOch
nd Richardson moved up to sup
Ort jeff. Forrest, and all fell back,
owly skirmishing to West Point.
!. telegram received here announced
lat General $. ID. Lee, with three
would be with us early on
ne 22d, and Forrest retired behind
creek, Of steep banks
nd miry bottom, and over which
lere We're but few bridges, easily
efended. This was perfectly safe
where he could easily hold
10 enemy In check until Lee could
rive. Smith was in complete
tL-de-sac, formed by the Suqua-tOn-
IA on the right, the Tihhee before
i'm, and the Tomblghee on his left;
nd Lee aud Forrest united could
ave crossed the Suqua-tOn-cha
ehind him and captured his cOm-
land. Early on the morning of
Ist heavy fire was opened en- our
lckets, composed of two regiments,
and thrown out in front
I the bridge, four miles west cf
Vest Point. Forrest soon came up
} where i was standing or the
luseway leading to the bridge, and
J 1t was the first time had been
ith him In fight, I watched him
0sely. His manner was nervous,
npatlent imperious. He easked
le what the enemy were doing,
nd when gave him the report
Ist received from Colonel Duff, In
Of the pickets, he said,
larply: 81 will no und see my
If" and started across the bridge,
hich was about thirty yards long,
nd then being Taked by the enc
ly's fire. This struck me at the
me as a needless and somewhat
raggadocia exposure Of himself,
nd | followed him to see what he
Ould do. When we reached the
her bank, the fire Of the enemy
as very heavy, and our mon were
ling backbone running without
At or gun. In an instant Forrest
,ized and threw him on the ground,
ld while the bullets were whistling
lick around him, administered a