The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-11-17

E, some important
horseback charges, but the LAUNDERING
tread Of iron hoofs and whirlwind rush Of
mighty cavalcades were almost unknown.
Forests first act upon promotion was to
organize the troopers assigned TO his lead
ership into q cavalry corps. One brigade
was given to his brother, Col. jeffrey For.
rest, and q regiment In that brigade was
the Seventh Tennessee cavalry, q body Of
men strangers in Forests camps except
BY reputation.
Like most regiments Of Confederate
cavalry, the Seventh had grown up out Of
separate companies Of mounted rangers
that rushed to arms In 1861 to guard some
post or town. These separate companies
In time Joined forces In order to swell their
Importance and roamed and Faided a. bat
talionS until II suited them to unite and
form regiments Logwood's battalion,
comprising four companies from Memphis
and vicinity, was the nucleus Of the regi-
ment. In the winter Of 1862 Col. W. H.
jackson gathered up eight scattering
bands Of west Tennessee troopers and
united them with Logwood's men TO form
the Seventh Tennessee cavalry. The first
rendezvous Of the regiment was Union
City, near the Kentucky border. The
march Of the Union armies southwark in
the Fort Donelson campaign made the
place too hot for troopers In gray, and they
rode away vowing to call back one day,
and they made the promise good.
More than year more was passed In
scouting, diminishing and raiding on .
scale that gave the men plenty Of excite
ment, but never taste Of real war. This
was the regiment that charged on the rail-
road train on the Memphis and Charleston
at Colliersville, Tenn, where Gen. Sher-
man and his staif were riding TO Chatta-
nOoga, Oct. II, 1853.
It was 4 special train filling the gap be-
tween the moving divisions Of the army
and guarded by battalion Of regulars.
The COnfederates waited for the train to
pull out Of the station. then called halt
and demanded surrender. Gen. Sherman
answered mop and ordered tho train
back to the station. The station house
was Of brick and was Ioopholed, and 200
yards away was fort. The regulars, with
some volunteers guarding the place, took
their stand in the station aud fort, and
also in a railroad cut near by. The Con-
tederate leader, Gen. Chalmers, with great
elaboration formed his men for . clean
Tweep. The Seventh was placed abreast
VI the station and fort, and at the sound Of
the bugle dashed calamity up, seizing the
whole train. The supporting columns
all failed to do anything, and the guards
and garrison rallied to concentrate their
strength upon the Seventh, which had to
fall back. Instantly Chalmers ordered
the regiment to again charge the train at
all hazards and burn It. The attempt
was more desperate than the first, for the
Seventh went in alone and took all the fire
Of the defenders. The leader, Capt. J. T.
! L6wler, was hit four times and made pFis-
oner. The rear cars in the train were en-
tered, and several horses, including Sher-
mans pet mare Dolly, his sword and
other headquarters property, carried OF.
| II was too one sided, however, and the
Tennesseaens again backed of covered
with glory and bruises.
Forests first exploit when he got his
newly aedged cavalry corps well In hand
was 10 buffet an extensive raid Of Union
troops from Memphis to the fertile heart
Of Mississippi. It was in February, 1884.
The Union troops were led BY Gen. SoOy
Smith. Forrest set 70 work TO harAss
Smiths march and delay the column until
a favorable opportunity offered TO smite II.
On the 21st Col. JET. Forrest placed his
brigade across the pathway Of the enemy
and fell back slowly, keeping up an ambush
fight. The next day Smith began TO re-
treat, and Col. Forrest turned In pursuit.
At the 6rst stand young Forrest was
mortally wounded while leading 4 charge.
Soon Afterward the Union troops met
their pursuers on a hill near OkolonA.
A less animated soldier than Forrest
would have been slow to charge the line
before him without bringing up help or
resting his men, but be had Just come from
the Sido Of his dying brother, who was an
especial fRvOrite, and seemed bent on
vengeance. He took the Seventh regiment
In hand, sending It's colonel OF to replace
the fallen brigade leader, and dismounted
II for desperate work. As 1t advanced the
Union cavalry trOtted down the hillside,