The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-11-28


ally upon learning that the wires and
road were cut and he could not recall
his troops. Trenton proved treasure
house to Forrest. He rallied his whole
force there and supplied the men with
captured guns, ammunition, clothing
and rations, besides carrying away
captured wagon trains loaded with
SPOIL The captures, amounting to $780,
600 in value, rearmed and refitted the
whole raiding band. Many of them had
started out with shotguns and flint
locks and gladly traded them for I'm.
Gle Sans improved rifles.
While the main body of raiders
cleaned up Trenton a detachment ran
into Humboldt and gathered in all the
stores piled up there. What could not
be carried away of the combined cap
lures Forrest burned and then set out
for Union City, near the Kentucky bor-
der. News of his ride had preceded
him, and a special officer had come to
the post to organize for defense. For
rest resorted to stratagem, and finally
his troopers overr;En the place and cap
tured all the boys in blue who didn ,
run away.
Union City was the northern termi
nus of the raid. Forrest sent word to
his chief that he had killed 100 Of the
enemy, captured 1000, including four
colonies, ten captains and twenty-threc
lieutenants. Miles of trestlework on
the Obion river were destroyed, and
then the raiders headed toward the
Tennessee river again. Meanwhile Gen
eral Sullivan had organized a force
and sent it northeast from jackson to-
ward Huntington to get between For
rest and the Tennessee river. Another
Federal force was hurried to Colum
bus, Ky, to head off the raiders and
still another pushed south to catch Van
Dorm in Mississippi. With his enemy
SO scattered Forrest was not the man
to be caught. His rowing scouts and
the friendly citizens brought word to
him of what the Federals were doing
and ON the 26th of December he aban
doned Union City and galloped toward
Huntington.
Being warned of Sullivan's command
at Huntington, the raiding chief chose
to avoid battle and prepared to slip
through the enemy's line between
Huntington and Trenton. To accom-
plish this It was necessary to cross the
Obion river. The Federals had de
stroyed all the bridges on the Obion
save one. This the raiders strength
ened, and Forrest himself drove the
first team across to inspire confidence
in the men that the structure was
sound.
Although the raiders were not yet
out Of the tolls, the bold dash upon
Grants line of communications had
paralyzed the Federal movements in
Mississippi. Grant believed that For
rest had at his back all the cavalry of
Bragg's army instead of a single bril-
gade and that Van Dorm had gone
north from Holly Springs to unite his
troopers with those of. the great raider
He Immediately sent word to Sherman
that he must abandon the overland
march to Vicksburg and fall back to-
ward Corinth.
Holly Springs was godsend to For
rest, for it alarmed the whole Federal
army and diverted attention from his
movement in the very direction where
danger was greatest, the region of the
Tennessee, where he must recross.
On the other hand, Van Dorn's dash,
so quickly resulting in Grants aban-
donment of his overland campaign,
was a piece of good fortune to the
Confederates. who stood in need of a
triumph in the west to offset the I'M
broken disasters of the year from Don
elson to Perryville. Van Dorm became
a hero. and the Confederate chiefs saw
that his true place was at the head of
a cavalry corps He had fought so far
in the war as a general of infantry,
distinguishing himself by boldness of
attack, without, however. winning Oh
single field. Immediately following
the blow at Holly Springs he was ap-
pointed to a command of mounted
troops, including Forests brigade and
other Independent bands in the south
west.
AS result of Van Dorn's raid, COM
bined with the work of Forrest,
Grants original plan of campaign
against Vicksburg was upset. Instead
Of cooperating with Sherman by at
lacking the Confederates in central
Mississippi under Pemberton he turned
backward. leaving Pemberton without
a foe. Pemberton at once dispatched
two divisions of troops to Vicksburg
to march against Sherman wherever
and whenever he should appear to
menace the stronghold. But Grant,
cut off by telegraph, lacking supplies
and menaced, as he believed, by a
large force of men mounted a1eld in
west Tennessee, could do nothing to
back up his lieutenant, so he left Sher-
man to forlorn attempt against enor-
nous odds.
GEORGE l.. KILMER.
INTUITION.