The Progress., 1892-10-22

also bent Cu = charge The TeuueS,ccans
quickly dropped into Il depression and al
lowed their opponents to ride close up 70
their lire. 1t took but couple Of volieys
to empty scores OF saddles anI send the
horsemcn back up the hill.
The instant the tide turned Gen. For
rest shouted the command, "Char.e
them" and the regiment arose with Il
yell and dashed after the fleeing cavalry,
not stopping until the line was broken
and Il battery captured and turned upon
its friends. The enemy was completely
routed, and the Seventh kept up the chase
fo- hours, outs,ripping the rest of For
rests cDmugEd. That night Forrest
bivouacked With the regiment and praised
the fighting qualities of the men ~ openly
that the troopers were named FORESTS
Pets" an honor previously monopo.ized
b7 his own old regiment. After the fight
Forrest remained in the vicinity some
days, and an enthusiastic lady OF Abar-
deem, inspired by the general admiration
Of the TcnneSsceans, presented them with
battlcn1g made fropsIcr satin wedding
dress This incident had Il sequel.
One month later Forrest made another
Of his numerous iucursious across west
Tennessee The important post Of Union
City lay in the path, and Col. Duckworth.
Of the Seventh, was ordered TO attack it
with Lis own regiment aud II couple Of
others in support. Col. Duck worth led the
Seventh, and coming to close quarters
under cover Of darkness saw by the light
of a burning house that the place was sur
rouGdcd with rife pits and abatis and
strenul heued by "A large rcdoubt. Having
put his neck into Il trap, 50 to speak, he
was in tight place. FORESTS orders
were imperative, and his Fans elsewhere
called for the fall of Union City.
Col. Ducllworth and his men knew the
ground thoroughly, having campcd there
in 1881. so it WIS decided to adopt ruse Of
war to even up the odds somewhat. They
hadn't Il single cannon along, but they
riggcd up a substitute out Of Il log and Il
section OF wagon gear, which, if il wouldn't
20 Off. would scare equal tn the best, and
that was nll that was needed. The troop
ers GiSmountcd and marched iii front Of
the works, sending the horses with holders
to the rear. At the proper time the horse
holders sounded the bugle and led the
horses back again to the line on a thun-
dering gallo2 to simulate cavalry re-eu-
forcc;nents Then Col. Duckworth rode
up TO the fort and demanded surrender in
the name of Gen. Forrest.
The Union commander, who was colo
mel, answered the demand hy aSHinG TO
meet Gen. Forrest Mt the flag Of truce to
| arrange terms. Col. Duckworth promptly
signed Forests name with full rank, to II
note stating that major general was not
| expected to rar!ey with an enemy CT IN
ferior rank and that Col. DUckworth, Of
the Seventh Tennessee cavalry, would ar
range the details. 1t so happened that the
garrison was composed of the Seventh
Tennessee Union cavalry, and whether the
| Union colonel. in fit of enthusiasm Ovei
the unique meeting, determined TO let the
! rivals indulge in a handshake, or whether
nervousness over that Quaker gun, which
the telegraph operator in town magniiled
| into two cannon, cliuched the raiders ar
guHlent, has never been explained. but at
any rate the perturbed commandant
promptly hOisted the white flag. Thus
| after an absence Of two years the old ran
! gers again owned the town of Union City
It. was while taking the back track from
this raid that Forrest stormed Fort Pile
| but the Seventh had 10 share in that In
| glorious exploit. Then the whole corps
galiopcd once more 20 central Mississippi
| to meet the Union raiding expedition und
| Gen. Sturgis. a finishing fight took pla
| ut Br;ce's Crossroads, June ~.
A month later another Union column
tried the experiment and met Forrest at
| Tupelo. After some minor fights the
| Union troops picked their ground and
awaited battle. Forrest dismOunted his
men and led them recklessly toward the
| breastworks Gcrcss open ground swept
with canister and musketry fire. The
slaughter was enormous, but the persistent
| fighter put in bis last reserves, which in
cluded the Seventh. The heat was intense
| and the soldiers were suffering with ia
| tigue and thirst, but they struggled on
across that field of dead to within seventy
yards Of the batteries. Nearly half Of them
were shot down, and the heat prostrated
| those spared by the bullets so that the
| line melted from view and FORESTS last
| hope was gone.
Although victorious at Tupelo the Union
column marched home to Memphis, and
Forrest once more set out to carry the war
into Africa by stirring things mp in west
| Tennessee. In the raids that followed the
Seventh picked up to fighting strength