The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1902-12-19
g g IS g g g $3.50 g g g g g g
go HDAkIT AEE m A Forteth q
VMAIvE HI EU Anniversary War Story
90 90
$ 0.-.": !: !, $50. UP by RAIDERS s.
e g 90 g 50 90 g 50 90 50 80 g 50 81

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 Dor
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 overran the place and cap
tured all the boys in blue who didn't
run away.
Union City was the northern terml-
nus of the raid. Forrest sent word to
his chief that he had killed 100 of the
enemy, captured 1,200, including four
colonels ten captains and twenty-three
lieutenants. Miles of trestlework on
the Obion river were destroyed, ana
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. XIV, to head off the raiders ana
still another pushed south to eaten van
Dorm in Mississippi. With his enemy
so scattered Forrest was not the man
TO he caught. His rowing scouts ana
! the friendly citizens brought word to
him of what the Federals were doing,
and on the 26th of December he aban-
6 doned Union City and galloped toward
1 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
a Huntington and Trenton. TO accom-
= plish this it was necessary to cross the
i Onion river. The Federals had de-
stroyed all the bridges on the Ob1on
4 save one. This the raiders strength
- ened. and Forrest himself drove the
= first team across to inspire commence
- in the men that the structure was
n sound.
7 Although the raiders were not ye'
- out of the tolls, the bold dash upor
r. Grants line Of communications nae
- paraIyzed the Federal movements II
~ Mississippi. Grant believed that For
rest had at his back all the cavalry o.
Bragg's army instead of single orl
eade and that Van Dorm had gone
- north from Holly Springs to unite hi
e, 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
4 ward Corinth.
| Unauestionably Van Dorn's feat a
Holly Springs was a godsend to For
| rest. for it alarmed the whole Fedora
| army and diverted attention from nj
i movement in the very direction wher
4 danger was greatest, the region OF tn
u Tennessee, where he must recross.
a On the other hand Van Dorn's dasi
1 80 quickly resulting in Grants aoaI
d donment of his overland campaign
Il was a piece of good fortune to tn
] Confederates, who stood In need OIL
4 triumph in the west to offset the III
I broken disasters of the year from dol
n olson TO Perryville. Van Dorm BEGAN
Il a hero and the Confederate chiefs sa
I that his true place was at the heau
a cavalry corps. He had fought so II
nd in the war as a general of infantr
MI distinguishing himself by holiness
M attack, without, however, winning
mi a single field. Immediately tolo"h
MI the blow at Holly Springs he was q
WI pointed to a command OF mount
4 troops. including Forests brigade a
n other independent bands in the SOU
VI west.
nj Asa result of Van Dorn's raid, co
"a hined with the work OF FORE
~ Grants original plan of campal
~ against Vicksburg was upset. lnste
of cooperating with Sherman by
\I lacking the Confederates in cent
vi Mississippi under Pemberton ne turi
WI backward, leaving Pemberton with
foe. Pemberton at once dispatcl
- two divisions of troops to Vickso'
rms ~ ,norcb AGAINST sherman where
and whenever he should appear
for- menace the stronghold. But Gri
peeli cut off by telegraph, lacking supp
tele- and menaced, as he believed D!
'Dert large force of men mounted afield
tne west Tennessee, could do nothing
lum- hack up his lieutenant, so he left 5
For man to a forlorn attempt against e
, rsio nous odds.
How GEORGE L. KLINE
;zard