The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-05-21

TAKE BACK YOUR SWORD, COLONEL"
sat down quietly to take account of stock,
as it were. AS he stated in a dispatch to
Bragg, he had made clean sweep of Fed
erals north of Jackson and west of the
Tennessee river. He had killed and wound
ed 100 of the enemy; had captured 1 200, in
Guiding colonies, majors, 10 captains
and % lieutenants. His own loss was
killed, 12 wounded and missing. He was
at the end of his northward journey.
After destroying four miles of trestle
work and the bridges on the Obion river
Forrest started to return to middle Ten
nessee. Meanwhile his almost unopposed
progress northward had spread confusion
among his enemies from Washington all
along the southern border to Grants head
quarters in Mississippi. To complicate
matters in the Union lines still further Gen
Earl Van Dorm had dashed into Holly
Springs, Miss, where Grants immediate
supplies were stored, and burned up every
thing. This occurred on the Goth. On the
23d Grant sent word to the commander of
the expedition going down the Mississippi
by water that he Grant would be obliged
to abandon the overland route on account
of the raids in his rear and had fallen back
from Oxford. 1t was supposed at first that
Ill OOTu IuONtu uOTIu lIOIu OpTluSS
to join Forrest. and it was also supposed
that Forrest had with him all the cavalry
of Bragg's army, which he formerly COM
manded, instead of merely brigade, with
the addition of battalion under Col. Ma
pier that joined at Trenton on the Doth. It
was believed at army headquarters and in
Washington that Forrest would push north
to Columbus. KY, and perhaps recapture
IS1o md N al hp,uu n1 tI,n
wires in all directions. The petty CON-
manders INVEST Tennessee were bothered
with contradictory orders, being told to go
north to catch Forrest, east to head him off
from recrossing the Tennessee, and south
to confront Van Dorm Out of all the ac-
tivity there was evolved movement of a
force under Gen. Sullivan northward from
Jackson to Trenton and then eastward to
Huntington. This brought it south of For
rest, and between him and any practicable
point of recrossing the Tennessee river.
Forests scouts kept him well informed
Of all that menaccd him, and on the 26th
the raiders made a forced march from
Union City in the direction of Huntington
Being warned of what awaited him there,
and not at all anxious for prospective glory
with the Alternative of a whipping, Forrest
prepared to slip through between Hunting
ton and Trenton. The Obion river lay
across his path with ell the bridges gone,
excepting one that the enemy had deemed
impossible and had not destroyed. This
the raiders strengthened by spiles, aud For
rest, in order to give confidence to his dis
heartened men, drove the first team across
On the 3Cth the raiders encamped nine
miles from Lexington. In the morning For
rests advance was met at the junction of
the Huntington road by the 6ri gade of Col.
G. l.. Durham, the advance of Gen Sull
vans force, moving from Huntington
southwark to intercept him. The battle Of
ParAer's Cross Roads followed, and For
rest got the worst of it. He lost his am
intuition train, but saved everything else,
AM! learning that another force was pursIt-
Ing him from Trenton he pushed rapidly
,wari Clifton, and OH the morning of Jan
was back in middle rcuuessee.
GEORGE l.. kILMER.