Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-12-19

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horseback charges. but the laundering
tread Of iron hoofs and whrlwlnd rush of
mighty cavalcades were almost unknown.
FORESTS first act upon promotion was &C.
organize the troopers assigned to his lead
ership into a cavalry corps. one brigade
was given to his brother. Col. Jeltfcy For.
rest, and regiment In that brigade was
the Seventh Tennessee cavalry, a body oi
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 ranger
that rushed 10 arms In 1861 TO guard nomc
post or town. These separate companies
In time joinc, forces In order TO swell theii
Importance and roamcl aud raidod as bat
talions until II suited them to unite aud
form regiments. LoRwood's battalion,
comprising four companies from Memphis
and vicinity, was tho nucleus NJ the rcyi
ment. la the winter Of is0i-9 Col. W. II.
Jackson gathered up eight scattering
bands 81 west Tennessee troopers aud
united them with Loywood's men TO form
the Seventh Tennessee cavalry. The fiat
rendezvous Of the regiment was Union
City, near the Kentucky border The
march Of the Union armies southwark In
the Fort Donclson campaign made the
place too no: for troopers IN gray, aud they
rodo away vowing To call back ono day.
and they made the promise good.
More thnn year more was passed IN
scouting, diminishing and raiding on u
scale that gave the men plenty Of excite.
mont, but never taste u real war Thl,
was the regiment that charged on the rail
road train ON the Memphis aud Charleston
at Collicrsville, Tenn. whore Gen. Shcr,
man and his stan were riding TO Chatta
nooga, Oct. II. 1854
!, was a special train filing the gap be.
tween the moving divisions OF tia army
and guarded bya battalion OF regulars.
Tho Confedcrntes waited for the train tc
pull out OF the station. then called n halt
and demanded surrender. Gen. Sherman
answered "Now and ordered tho train
back to the station. The station honss
was OF brick and was ioopholed, and SOC
yards away was fort The regulars, with
some volunteers guarding 'ho place, took
their stand In the station and fort. and
also 10 n railroad cut near by. The Con
fedcrnte leader. Gen. Chalmers, with great
elaboration formed his men for a clean
sweep. The Seventh was placed abreast
Of the station and fort, and ut tue sound Of
this bugle dashed CALAMITY up, selling tn.
whole train. Tho supporting columns
all failed to do anything. and tho guard.
and garrison rallied 10 concentrate theli
strength upon the Seventh, which had &c
fall back. Instantly ChalmeiB ordered
the regiment to again charge the train at
all hazards and burn It, The aticmp,
was morn desperate than the frat, for the
Seventh went In alone and took all the fire
OF the defenders The leader, Capt. j. 4.
l.awler, was hit four times and made prls
onor The rear cars In the train were en-.
tered. and several horses, including shcr.
mans pet mare Dolly. his sword and
other headquarters property. cnrsied on.
II was too one sided, however. and the
Tennesseaens again backed oil covered
with glory and bruises.
Forests first exploit when he got hi,
newly iedged cavalry corps well Ia hand
was 20 buffet M extensive raid Of Union
troops from Memphis to the fertile heart
OF Mississippi. II was In February, 1884.
The Union troops were led by Gen. Sooy
Smith Forrest set To work TO hnraSs
Smiths march and delay the column until
n favorable opportunity offered TO smitc IL.
On the 2lst Col. Jeff. Forrest placed his
brigade across the pathway Of the enemy
andfe back slowly, keeping up an ambush
fight. The next day Smith began 10 ~.
treat, and Col. Forrest turned In pursuit.
At the first stand young Forrest was
MORALLY wounded whfN leading u charge.
Soon aftcrward the Union troops met
their pursuers on hill near Okolonn.
A less animated soldier than Forrest
would have been slow TO charge the linc
before him without bringing up help OF
resting his men, but he had just come from
the side Of his dying brother, who was an
especial favorite, and seemed bent on
vengeance. He took the Seventh regimen,
In hand, sending It's colonel OH to Replaces
the fallen brigade leader, aud dismounted
II for desperate work. As It advanced the
Union cavalry trotted down the hillside