The National tribune., 1903-01-08
iAHEHPHlS

|
SCENE OF A. j SMITHS CAMPAIGN AGAINST
FORREST.
Oklahoma. His scouting parties had kept
| him fully advised Of Gen. Smiths move
ments from the time he assembled his
army at La Grange. Gen. Forrest knew
| that Gen. Smith was moving south to give
| him battle. and he decided to make every
| needed preparation to give him vigorous
| reception. On the night of July 8 Gen.
| Forrest ordered Gen. Chalmers to send
| one of his brigades to PontotOc, in ad-
| vance of the arrival OF the head of Gen.
Smiths column, and to move his other
| brigade to a point four miles west OF
Tupelo to the infantry camps at the cross
| ing of the Tupelo and Pont0toc road with
| the Chesterville and Oklahoma road. Gen.
Chalmers sent Col. McCulloch with his
| brigade to POntotoc and accompanied Col.
| Rucker with his brigade to the infantry
| ..ampSround. as ordered.
Gen Chalmers sent Maj. Crump, of his
staff, to see Gen. Forrest ald receive in
structions. Mai. Crump returned at day
| light on the 10th with orders for Gen.
| Chalmers tn move forward to Pontotoc.
| ION Gen. Buford and take command Of
| all the forces present. On the morning of
| the 10th Gen. Smith resumed his move
| ment upon Pontotoc: so it happened that
on that day the Confederate and Union
forces had Pontotoc as their objective.
FIRST SERIOUS OPPOSITION.
Col. sIcCuIloch having the shortest dis
lance TO march. reached POntotoc on the
afternoon of the 10th. while Gen. Smith
went into camp that night about FIVE miles
| north of the town. On the morning of the
| 18th Gen. Smith. marching forward, found
| Col. McCulloch with his brigade occupy
| ing the town. with at least brigade of
| troops as a reserve on hill south of the
| town. The 7th Kan. Cav. was thrown
| forward to engage the enemy. with a bri-
-ade of infantry as support. while Gen.
| Grierson swung around onto the right
| flank of the enemy. This combined move
ment was pressed with vigor and soon re-
suited in driving the entire Confederate
force from the town and from the hill:
| hey left their dead and wounded behind
them.
1t was now apparent to Gen. Smith
that he was not far distant from the main
body of the Confederate force. So he
decided to make an examination Of the
situa ton, and for that purpose he detained
| the main body of his troops at POntotoc
during July IL. Lieut.-Col. Rurgh, with
the 9th III. Cav. supported by Lieut.. Col.
Main with the SD Ind. moved forward
on the Okalona road for the purpose of
developing the enemy and to ascertain
definitely the topography of the country.
FORESTS STRONG POSITION.
Gen. Forrest had chosen a most defensi-
BILE position from which to deliver battle.
He was nine miles south of Pontotoc: his
fortified line of battle was on the crest Of
| hill with n wide, swampy bottom in his
front, this bottom traversed by two creeks.
Gen. Smith took in the situation at once.
Gen. Forrest had posted himself in a po-
Sition of such natural strength. and had
protected and fortified il with such skill
that it would be an act Of folly and mad.
ness to undertake its capture by direct
assault.
Gen. Smith decided that he would lure
his willy antagonist from his stronghold
and fight him upon ground Of his own
choosing. On the morning Of the 18th
Gen. Smith. instead OF moving south upon
Oklahoma, as was expected Of him. moved
,ut westwardly towards Tupelo. IS miles
away. All the cavalry was placed in
front except the It'll Kan. Cav, which
with Col Bouton's Brigade of Colored
troops, brought up the rear. The skirmish
ers were kept posted on the Okalona road
until the column moved out. Gen. Grier
son encountered strong force of cavalry
II
'ow, with his splendid brigade. had the
'drancc, and kept up the skirmish for 1(
miles.
1t was not long after the skirmshers
were withdrawn from the Oklahoma road
until pursuit was made by the Confeder
ate troops. Gen. Forrest was now clearly
OF the opinion that Gen. Smith was ir
full retreat and this opinion was strength
ered during the day by the fact that while
be made number of heavy attacks upor
] Gen. Smiths moving column there wa.
no attempt made by him to halt his col
umn. form line of battle and bring on
general engagement. II was obvious tina
. Gen. Smiths aim was to continue hi.
march. hating only sufficient force tt
fight to protect his trains.
: When Gen. Smith had arrived within
six miles of Tupelo the enemy concen
. trated four brigades in charge upon hi
wagon train. Here q severe fight of hal
an hour occurred. but the enemy was re
pulsed with heavy loss.
. Gen. Grierson pushed forward AM
reached the town of Tnpelo. The wagoI
forward to and beyond TupclO. Gen
Smith soon reached the town with his foo
soldiers and promptly formed line Of BATH
!. facing toward Pontotoc.
D The Third Division, Col Moore com
manding. having the advance. was forme
on the left Of the road facing toward
Z Pontotoc. The First Division, Brig. C en-
e Mower commanding, was formed on tn
a right OF the road. two brigades front witt
! two brigades in reserve. Col. Benton
] Colored Brigade was posted In the rear o
the Third Division facing the left flank
: this disposition, with the cavalry in tn
b rear, protected the wagon train. TIL
troops bivouacked in line Of battle durin,
the night.
, Gen. Forrest, with his entire command
e accompanied by Lieut.-Gen. Lee, was il
t hot pursuit during the entire day, and q
night assembled his troops ready for bat
, tie the next morning.
/ Ito be cOntinued.)