The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-07

with his artillery in a commanding posi-
ton. and contested with gallantry our
crossing the river at this point. This was
about 10 o'clock on the night of the 1st of
May. Forrest, seeing the situation, and
not desiring to sacrifice any of his gallant
band unnecessarily, ordered Billie to take
command and keep up a constant fire on
the enemy, and the writer TO accompany
him In search of another ford or crossing
place. The two Galloped off up the river,
and after travelling about a mile struck a
road leading in the direction OF the river,
and taking this road for the river soon ran
upon a company Of the raiders stationed
on the west bank of the river. Without a
moments hesitation General Forrest or
dered a charge, and We two alone there In
the night, a mile at least from any others
men across the river and took position at
the house where they had been stationed,
which was on the bank of the river.
A soon as they had crossed General For
rest ordered me to go back to the command
and bring up Starnes's regiment, which /
did as soon as possible, and when they came
up General Forrest, placing himself at the
head of this IN moved forward with
the same, crossing the river in front OF the
enemy, firing on us from the opposite side.
The enemy broke before we had much more
than entered the river, and Streight, with
his command, left the main ford, when Bif-
fie. with his regiment and artillery, crossed.
Pressing forward after the raiders for some
two or three miles, another halt was made,
~N 49, ~ &c AtNp th0h nav Ah'A
might have a short rest. In about an hour
afterward the march was again resumed.
About . o'clock the next morning, May 2.
Streight, with his command, on the east
bank of Black creek, he having crossed said
creek n destroyed the bridge. vas found
formed in line TO contest Forests men
crossing the stream. 1t was here that For
rest, at the head of his column, came DASH
ing down the road close on the fleeing Fed
erals, the rear guard OF which crossed the
bridge just as the same was set on fire,
when he rode I'm TO a house standing on the
side of the road. there meeting a young girl
OF about sixteen years of age, who told him
the bridge was destroyed and there was no
other bridge nearer than two miles, but
That there was, near by, a ford she had seen
their cattle wading across in very low
water. This young girl was Miss Emma
Samson, now Mrs. G. B.. Johnson, of Gallo
way, Tex. Forrest asked her to show him
this ford, when she asked TO have a saddle
put on a horse that she might do so. The
general replied, No time for Saddling horses
now; get up here behind me- and took her
behind him. and she showed him the ford.
OPENED FIRE ON RAIDERS.
A once he formed his men i'm position,
opened fire on the raiders with both artil-
lery and musketry, soon driving them
from the bank of the river, when a cross
ing was effected, and the onward march
again resumed. A running fight followed
through the balance of the day and on
late into the night of the second. During
one of the night attacks of the second Col.
Hathaway was killed. and Streight's COM
mand captured q young boy belonging to
our command by the name of Haynes, who
was very closely interrogated by Colonel
Streight, which together with the death of
Colonel Hathaway, so worked upon Streight
and his men that when we came upon them
on the morning of the third at or near
lawrence, a short distance beyond Cedar
Bluff, Forrest conceived the idea that
Streight and his command were ready to
surrender. After maneuvering his men and
making as great a show of the forces pres
ent as possible, he sent Capt. Henry
Pointer, of his STAFF, the only one of his
regular staff with him, with a flag of truce
TO the federal commander, demanding the
surrender of himself and This
demand was finally acceded TO. The num-
Der of men and officers surrendering was
1.640, whereas General Forrest had by ac-
tual number only 40 up and present at the
time the surrender took place.
after the terms of surrender had been
agreed upon, Forrest ordered Bifle's regi-
ment, together with some imaginary com
mand, TO go into camp and feed, while
Captain McLemore was ordered with
Starnes's regiment to act as guard to the
prisoners This regiment numbered 2o
troops were marched at least a mile after
they had surrendered to an open field be-
fore they were ordered to stack their guns.
On reaching this field they were formed
in line, the guns stacked. and they moved
off on the march to Rome, stopping for the
night about ten miles southwest of Rome,
where they were guarded. fed and cared
for just as the soldiers of Forests COM
mand. Reaching Rome on the 4th, about
IL o'clock. our troops were received with
great demonstration and rejoicing by the
citizens.
1T will be observed from the foregoing
that Forrest and his faithful soldiers were
almost constantly in the saddle from the
morning of the 2ith of April until the 4th
of Nav. 1869. but with little sleep or rest
and but little to eat. Everything taken
into consideration this. perhaps. is not only
one, but the greatest military achievement
ever accomplished in the annals of war.
and il was thisc campaign that gave to Gen.
eral Forrest the true appellation of 'the
wizard of the saddle"