Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-12-27
copyright, 1902, by G. L. Kilmer.1


glory to his innumerable bril-
liant exploits. He was squarely beat
en- at Parker's Crossroads, Tenn, the
SOth of December, 1862.
During the last two weeks of De-
cember Forrest had raided the line Of
the Mississippi Central railroad in the
rear of Grants army operating against
VicEsburg and contributed to the de-
feat of the Federal campaign. There
were swarms of Federals in west Ten
0essee at the time, but so swift had
Forrest moved from point to point that
his enemy failed to bring him to battle
until he was about to return whence
he came, east of Tennessee river.
Forests column was mounted, but
Its speed was regulated by long train
OF wagons laden with the spoils of the
dng near Lexington the raiders must
pass Parker's Crossroads, which hap
pened to be only five miles from the
camp of Colonel Cyrus L. Durham,
Federal officer who had been sent into
the region with an advance guard Of
$500 men to watch Forrest and bring
him to bay.
Dunham's men had marched and
countermarched in search of Forrest
vince the beginning Of the raid and
were travel worn, but under the hope
OF at last trapping the foxy raider
they had made their last stretch of
twelve miles in three hours. Airing
the night Dunham's scouts brought
word that Forrest was making for the
crossroads and was but a few miles
away. He telegraphed word to his
superior that he would coax or force
4 tight out of Forrest in the morning"
and hurried his pickets out on the road
In Forests pathway.
Early in the morning Forests ad-
vance rode up in detached parties and
was met on every hand by Dunham's
wary yedettes. Durham pushed the
uk1rmish fight with great vigor. The
raiders at the front drew back to
await the main body. The encounter
was complete surprise to the troopers,
Tor during two weeks the enemy had
tailed to force or coax 4 fight, and
Forests men believed they didn't
want to.
While his pickets were skirmishing>
Durham formed his line on a ridge
covering the crossroads and the ap-
proaches from Forests position.
There was no way out of the trap for
Forrest except to smash Durham.
This the raider tried to do with artil-
1ery, his soldiers and the train mean
while attempting to pass around the
Federals by the flank. Durham Or
dered his own battery to return the
tire and also to shell the escaping COL
umn, but the Federals were short of
artillery ammunition and could only
keep two pieces in action.
The Confederate artillery fire was
severe upon Dunham's line-just what
Forrest wanted-but instead Of re-
treating from the ridge Durham Or
dered charge upon the hostile guns
At that moment Colonel Napier's Con-
1ederate battalion charged Dunham's
front, and Forrest led three regiments
around the hill to attack the Federal
rear. Dunham's men were facing Ma
piers, but his two guns were doing
some execution in that direction, and
he faced his line about, rushing at For
rests cavalry with bayonets. The
Confederate troopers backed off from
the cold steel, and Napier's men, seeing
the confusion in the force led by their
chief, thought the day was lost and
also retreated, leaving their artillery
between the lines Dunham's sharp
shooters had CUT down the horses of
the caissons and cannon, and the raid
'ers could not save them.
But the battle was not over; Dun
hams danger had increased in spite of
the repulse Of Forrest on the crown of
the ridge. The flank march of the
cavalry had cut Durham off from his
base and the supports he looked for to
come in response to his message that
he would fight Forrest at Parker's
Crossroads. The nearest supports left
their camp many hours march away,
at the time the fight began, and con-
sisted of two regiments, the Twenty
seventh and Thirty ninth Ohio, led by
Colonel J. W. Fuller
When Fuller got within sound Of the
guns, he was overtaken by message
from his chief ordering halt. At the
same time an aid rode back from the
direction of Dunham's battlefield with
the news that Forrest held the road,
cutting off the re-enforcements from
Durham, who was fighting against
odds. Fuller marched on to the help
of Durham. Meanwhile the situation
had become critical for DuMAam, while
even Forests fortunes rested on the
turn of hand. Durham held the
ridge, but having no ammunition for
his guns could not control the road nor
Keep Forrest at a distance. In fact he
was as good as surrounded Forrest
rallied his discounted troopers and at
7 tempted his favorite game Of bluh1ng
tf1Dsa onnmv Ono ~ hic offu un,10hfR nllt