Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-12-13

: drums beat infantry calls to make be-
heve that he had at hand the forces at
/ tributed to him. The danger to Jack
son was thus made the question of the
hour all along the line, and troops were
taken from weaker places to march
to the relief of Jackson.
Several hundred Federal troops start
ed from Trenton, a station north of
Jackson, to reinforce Sullivan's COM
mand. FORESTS men made a dash for
Trenton and found only couple of
hundred raw recruits in garrison. The
commandment surrendered uncondition-
ally upon learning that the wires and
road We're cut and he could not recall
his troops. Trenton proved a 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 rettted 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 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 bo1-
der. News of his ride had preceded
him, and special officer had come to
the post to organize for defense. For
rest resorted to stratagem, and finally
his troopers overran the place and cap
tured all the boys in blue who didn't
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 1900, including four
colonies, ten captains and twenty three
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 Column
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 single bri-
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 Vfcksburg and fall back to-
ward Corinth.
Internationally Van Dorn's feat at
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,
50 quickly resulting in Grants aban-
donment Of his overland campaign,
was piece of good fortune to the
Confederates, who stood in need of a
! triumph in the west to offset the .un-
broken disasters of the year from Don
elson to Perryville. Van Dorm became
hero, and the Confederate chiefs saw
that his true place was at the head Of
cavalry corps. He had fought so far
In the war as a general Of infantry,
distinguishing himself by boldness of
attack, without, however, winning on
q single field. Immediately following
the blow at Holly Springs he was ap-
7 pointed to a command of mounted.
/ troops, including Forests brigade and
other independent bands in the south
west. f. i. 81. ~ s. = !" -.
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
T. hq NJ