The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-18


tread OF iron hoofs and whirlwind rush Of
mighty cavllcadcs were almost unknown
FORESTS first act upon promotion was to
organize the troopers assigned to his lead
ership into cavalry corps. One brigade
was given to his brother, Col. jeffrey For
rest aud u regiment in that brigade was
the Seventh Tennessee cavalry Il body of
men strangers i'll 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
III time Joined forces in order to swell their
Importance and roamcu and raidcI rs bat
talions until it suited them to unite and
form regiments. Logwood's battalion,
comprising four companies from Memphis
and vicinity, was the nucleus of the reCi-
mcnt. In the winter of 1862 Col w. II.
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
tile 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 Il year more was passed in
scouting, siirr,iShing and raidiny on Il
scale that gave the men plenty of excite
Elcnt, Dut never taste of real war. This
WAS the regiment that charged ON the rail
road train Ga the Memphis and Charleston
ut Colliersvil!c. Tenn, where Gen. Shcr-
man and Ills staff were riding; to Chatta
nooga, Oct. II, ioG;;
1t Was Il special train filling the gap be-
tween the moving divisions of the army
and guarded by Il battalion of regulars.
The Confcdcrates waited for the train to
pull out OF the station, then called n halt
and demanded surrender Gen. Sherman
answered Nor and ordered tho train
back to the station. The station house
was of brick and was loopholcd, and 200
yards away WASH fort. The regulars, with
some volunteers guarding the place, took
their stand in the station and fort, and
also in n railroad cut near by. The Con.
federnte leader, Gen. Chalmers, with great
dcliberation formed his men for n clean
sweep. The Seventh was placed abreast
OF the station and fort, and at the sound of
the buSle dashed galantly 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 Mt
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. r.
Lawler, was hit four times and made pris-
oncr 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
1t was too one sided, however, and the
Tennessenens cgan backed off covered
with glory and bruises.
Forests first exploit when he got his
newly fledged cavalry corps well in hand
was to buffet an extensive raid OF Union
troops from Memphis to the fertile heart
of Mississippi. 1t was in February, 1864
The Union troops were led by Gen. Sooy
Smith. Forrest set to work to harass
Smiths march and delay the column until
favorable opportunity offered to smitc il.
On the 2lst Col. JEFF 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 first stand young Forrest was
MORALLY wounded while leading a charge.
Soon afterward the Union troops met
their pursuers on n hill near Okolona
~ less animated soldier than Forrest
would have been slow to charge the line
before him without bringing up help or
resting his men, but he had just come from
the side of his dying brother, who was an
especial favorte, and seemed bent on
vengeance. He took the Seventh regiment
in hand, sending its colonel Off to replace
the fallen brigade leader, and dsmounted
it for desperate work. AS it advanced the
Union cavalry trotted down the hillside
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