The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-07
A WAR REMINISCENCE
REBEL GEN. FORREST'S PURSUIT
AND CAPTURE OF col. sTREIGHT.
The story Told at Recent Confederate
Rcuuion-Forced March for
Ten Days.
New Orleans Times-D Democrat.

Home the other day a very interesting ac-
count Of Forests famous pursuit and cap
:ure Of Streisht. The account was written
at the request of General Stewart by Maj.
VI. II. Gift, who participated In the action.
The account is as follows:
"On the 23d Of April. about IL o'clock p.
n. 1868. General FORREST. then encamPed
from Gen. BraxtOn Bragg. commanding
the Army of Tennessee, directing him 10
make a forged march in pursuit OF the red
eral Colonel Streight. with his old BRIGADE.
then consisting Of Starnes's Fourth, Dbl
.relPs Eighth, Bifie's Ninth, Cox's Tenth.
EdmOndsOn's Eleventh Tennessee Regi-
ments and Morton's Battery. soon aIter
this order was received the Eleventh moved
out for cambridge on the tennessee river,
with instructions to cross there and unite
with Roddey's brigade as soon as possible.
Tbe baIance of the brigade moved about 3
O'Clock on the morning OF the 24th. DlDrell'
with the Eighth, was ordered TO take one
gun and move down on tne h9Tth slae OF
the Tennessee river. In the direction or
Florence. TO divert the enemy and make
them think there was a force there intend
ing TO cross the river, in order TO compe!
the federal forces on the south side OF the
river at EastpOrt, and moving IN the direc-
ton Of Tuscumbia, to fall back. Inc
Tenth. having been previously sent OF on
other duties. took no part iii this raid. Gen.
y. Il. Forrest accompanied the Fourth ana
Ninth Tennessee Regiments. with Morton's
Battery. Colonel Starnes being sick at the
time. Captain McLemore commanded the
Fourth I'm this raid. and afterwards became
colonel of it,
FIGHT DoDGE's COMMAND.
The march from Spring Hill, Tenn, to
Decatur. or Browns Ferry, on the Tennes-
see river. was made in the thirty-six hours;
the river was crossed on the 26th. On the
9th the command moved TO Town creek,
where on the 18th we had a stubborn fight
with Dodge's command. On the evening
of the 18th General Forrest received in
formation of the movement of Streight with
his command, east OF us, and in the direc-
tion Of Moulton, and. divining his purpose.
he directed Colonel Roddey TO take his
the Eleventh Tennessee Regi-
ment Edmondson's). and Julian's battalion,
throw them between Dodge and Streignt,
and follow directly after the raiders, Gen:
Forrest placing himself at the head OF
Starnes's and Biftie.s regiment, and TWO
pieces of MortOn's battery, and terrelis
six pieces started in pursuit of Streight
and his by way of CORTLAND
Ala.
on the night OF the 18th, halted long enough
to feed, and moved out for Moulton as soon
as the horses had time TO eat, Soon after
leaving MOulton, Billie was ordered to take
his own regiment and the Fourth 10 a point
some miles northeast OF what is known as
Days Gap, at the foot OF Sand mountain,
a O1A CdAAAC oOe OA u - NAC
tain, in order to prevent Streight from
taking this road and return TO Dodges
command. On reaching this point Biffie
was To wait further instructions from Gen.
Forrest. Before reaching the point we
heard the firing at Days Gap and knew
that Forrest. with Roddey's brigade and
EdmondsOn's regiment, had come upon
Streight's command and the fight was on.
we, with impatience, waited for
Streight's men to come down the road, or
for an order from General Forrest to join
in the fray. However, we did not have
long to wait. as the firing ceased and soon
after General Forrest rode up TO these
two regiments in quite a passion, stating
that his brother had been wounded, two
pieces of his artillery captured and that
by - he was going to take those Two reg
iments and whip and capture Streights
command
THE writer, NJ. II. Cliff, was ordered to
mount the men,. and to report to MIN as
one of his staff for the time being, which /
did. Forrest placing himself at the head
of these two regiments, Starness Fourth
being in the front, ordered the men to
move out at double quick, which they did,
and from the time we the
movement until we struck the rear or
Streights column; our NINA had Oeen
permitted. When the head OF the Column
struck or came up with the enemy the
order was to charge, not wait in column.
1t was about IL o'clock in the morning
when these two regiments. that is the adj
vance of them, came upon the rear OF
Streights command, and Forrest at their
head charged with those that were UP and
drove the rear guard of the enemy, and
then II was a running fight until about
dusk of the 9th, when Streight with his
entire command made a stand on a consid-
cradle hill with every advantage In his
favor.
CHARGED IN COLUMN.
.sWhen Forrest discovered that the Fed
eral forces had made a stand he did not
halt his command TO form in line of battle.
but charged in column, the Fourth Tonnes
see leading, and before Bifle's regiment
had reached the ground night had set I'm.
He directed me TO go back and form Bf-
fe's regiment in line of battle, and then
instruct Biffie to take his around
on our right, the enemy's left, and attack
them i'm the rear. This 1 did, reporting at
once to Forrest of Biffles movements.
General Forrest sent his escort on our left
and the enemy's right to cooperate with
Biffie in this night attack in the rear. 1t
was not long after Billie started for the
rear until L recognized that he was already
In the rear of the enemy by a signal agreed
upon, and so stated TO General Forrest, at
about which time we heard the musketry
from Biffle's brave men, and We knew then
that IL would only be a short while until
Streight with his would leave
the neld. or he was ours.
Forrest pressed forward with StarneS $
gallant soldiers to such close quarters that
we could see the officers of Streights COM
manG beating their men over the neadS
with their sabers, and hear them swearing
at them to keep them in line This was
a glorious fight. one that did the soldiers
hearts good TO look upon, made there in
the mountains in the darkness of the night,
almost hand TO hand, with only the light
from the vivid flash of the artillery and
small arms to show the position Of each TO
the other. and how to take advantage OF the
situation. However, il did not last a great
while after Biffie reached the rear, as soon
thereafter Streight and his left
the field, leaving their dead and wounded,
together with the two guns captured by
them I'm the morning at Days Gap, in our
possession.
General Forrest. however, throwing Bif-
he's regiment in front now. at once took
up the pursuit and followed the raiders so
closely that a running hight was kept up
until about l o'clock in the night, when
Streight. selecting another advantageous
T General Forrest and his He dis
mounted Colonel Hathaway with his regi-
ment. and formed them in line on. n COM
manding position with the balance of his
troops on the TANKS, hoping 10 ambuscade
General Forrest. but Streight had not yet
learned the wiley nature of the man he
had 10 deal with. General Forrest az once
discovered the attempt to ambuscade, and
ordered Up two of his guns and opened fire
on the ambassadors. the first fire killing
eighteen OF them. This was between > and
ranks and mounting their horses or mules
rs soon thereafter as possible, made OF in
the direction OF Brownsville. Billie. with
his regiment. was now again thrown in
front. and the pursuit was again taken up
and continued until about 4 o'clock in the