The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-22
Copyright by A

roads supplying Grants army on the over
land march against Vicksburg-a raid
which broke up the Union campaign COM
pletely-and was aiming to reach Lexing-
ton, Tenn, and recross the Tennessee river
in time to elude the pursuers that were
upon his track in numerous parties. As
usual with him, he was aiming to seize the
important point by getting there first
with the most men, that being his maxim
in war, but an Indiana colonel in COM
mand of four regiments sent out in pur-
suit had had the pluck to act upon the
first principle Of the maxim and get there
first, although he had less men than the
foe he expected to engage.
This officer, Col. Cyrus L. Durham, of
the Fiftieth Indiana, was marching with
foot soldiers in pursuit of cavalry, but as
the roads on which both parties moved
converged there was a bare chance that
some mishap to Forrest would reduce the
inequality between horses legs and mems,
and Durham pressed on, hoping for his one
chance. His faith was rewarded, for For
rest lost one whole day. and night by,bad
roads and broken bridges, and when he
came in from the northwest towSrd the
Lexington road he found his way diSDuted
by force that he did not dream of Ns be-
ing in the vicinity. Notwithstanding the
fact that Dunham'S men had marched and
countermarched since the raiders had en-
tered West Tennessee, and were travelw
and weary, the Union command made
twelve miles between O'Clock and dark
on the 30th.
During the night scouts brought word
to Dunham's camp that Forests whole
command was four miles distant, and was
on the road to Parker's Cross Roads, five
miles south of the respective camps, and
the point where his escape was to be effect
ed, if at all The colonel now ordered out
his men, sent word to his superior, Gen. j.
G. Sullivan, who was following up with
re-enforcements, that he would coax or
force fight out of Forrest in the morn
ing, and started for the cross roads. For
rests command was on the road early on
the 31st, and on approaching the cross
roads'the advance was disputed by Dun
hams pickets.
The raiders were handicapped by an i'm
mense wagon train laden with the fruits
of their foray, but as that is part of the
trade of raiding it was their business to de-
fend it and to succeed in spite of it, or be
judged wanting in the elements that make
true soldiers. Durham pushed the skir-
mishing with great holiness. The enemy
appeared in detached parties, and each one
of these was attacked and forced back up
the main body. Meanwhile Dunham's own
force was put in position on a ridge half
a mile in rear of his skirmishers. The
ridge, called Red Mound, covered the cross
roads and the approaches from Forests
position. The Confederate leader began
the real fighting by artillery fire, and under
cover of it attempted to move his men out
by the flank and avoid the fight
To prevent this Durham threw out line
perpendicular to the first, forming an L,
and opened with shells on the retreating
men. The fire was very feeble, however,
and to his amazement the plucky colonel,
who had hazarded SO much upon boldness,
found that the artillery ammunition was
short, and only two pieces out of six on
the field could be engaged. When this
state of things was reported by the COM
mander of the artillery to Durham the lat
ter, as he says in his report, directed that
officer to do the best he could with his
pieces, while he himself turned away to do
the best he could without them.
The fire of the Confederate artillery was
on the contrary very severe, and inflicted
great damage On Dunham's men, and he
decided to silence it by a desperate charge.
just as the column was ready to move a
new danger changed the current of battle
One of Forests battalions under Col T.
A. Napier charged boldly up in the Union
front, and at the same moment Forrest led
three regiments around Dunham's right
flank and charged squarely upon his rear
parallel to the lines which were already
fighting at close quarters. The brave
colonel was now between two fires. Again
his battle genius was equal to that of the
redoubtable warrior pitted against him.
On one occasion Forrest was fighting an
enemy in front, and. an aid rode up and
told him excitedly that there was another
enemy moving up in his rear "Well,"
said he calmly, when we turn around
won't we be en- their rar?'
This very evident conclusion came to
Dunham's mind, and he promptly faced
his men about and charged bsyonets upon
the onrushing cavalry. The Confederate
line was pierced and broken and went off
in confusion. The men on Dunhan's front
thought the day was lost and abandoned
the artillery, the horses having been shot
down by Dunham's men. This made the
new front permanent, and the ridge of
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