Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-12

R$% doubtable Forrest rode out of NA the Federal lines in west Ten
 nessee, bringing to the Con- federate camps in northern Mississippi his most welcome sheaves of raw fe- cruits for the swiftly vanishing ranks of the Confederate army. This feat had been accomplished almost under the eyes of Sherman, who held division of troops under arms at Memphis, with in days march of the scene of some of Forests exploits, and was person. ally on the way down the Mississippi to marshal forces and eliminate For rest from the war problem in the west But Forrest as a problem got no small CT day by day in spite of Sherman's plans to eliminate
 As a reward for his grand coup in west Tennessee Forrest was at once promoted to the command of an army and placed at the head of Confeder- ate department comprising east Ten nessee and northern Mississippi. It is true that Sherman had already pre- empted large slices of this territory and was trying to hold it down with two divisions of infantry and large de-
  federate government officially named the district Forests cavalry depart ment,'' but Sherman's own people, wrought upon by the logic of facts, dubbed it Forests country
 The Wizard of the Saddle" recog- nized Sherman's rights of pre-emption not at all. While he was busy licking his raw recruits into shape for busi- ness, refitting his battalions and coach ing brigadiers his active scouts brought word that Sherman had struck out from Vicksburg eastward with large body of infantry and was marching to- ward Meridian to establish a base for future operations in holding the coun-. try down. At the same time large column of bluecoated cavalry rode out from Memphis, also heading for Merid- ian. To the Wizard" this combined movement of his enemies looked like plan to slice his country up piecemeal, cut, slash and burn things until crow couldn't subsist there, much more his hungry eyed troopers. As usual, For rest was correct as to the enemy's plan; for the rest, he could look to that.
 The blue cavalry column from the north had the longest trot to take, and Forrest kindly volunteered to guide it to its faraway goal-that is, he stretch ed his battalions across its route in northern Mississippi, put on bold front and gradually retired, leaving the foe to imagine he was driving Forrest out Forrest in person led the right wing of his corps, and his celebrated subchief, General Chalmers, the left wing. A wide interval between the wings was covered by the brigade of Colonel Jeffrey Forrest, brother of the Wizard" and every inch fighter. The colonel maintained a line of fleet cou riers all the way from Chalmers on the left to Forrest on the right, so the wary chieftain never slept without knowing just what the enemy was do ing whether he was being guided into the road Forrest wanted him to take, and details like that.
 The Federal cavalry was commanded by General William Sooy Smith. As the plan was to sweep the country clean of Confederates and leave 1t desolate, the column marched on separate roads, making Forests game easy. If de- tachment of bluecoats took the wrong road in Forests notion he got up fight and retreated, drawing the enemy pellmell at his heels in the proper di- rection Smith entered Mississippi Feb. il and at the end of week was draw ing near West Point, in the angle lying between the Tombigbee on the east of the route and the Oka-tibby-ha, which flows southeast into the. Tombigbee below West Point This angle grew narrower each hour of the southWard march and the streams on each side grew deeper, swollen as they were with recent rains. 1t was trap into which the willy Forrest was leading the enemy. South of the, junction of the two streams Forrest had 5000 cavalry under General s. D. Lee moving north to joine forces in case the enemy could be held for pitched battle. Smith pa- trolled the Tombigbee in search of fer ryboats to get his army across the river into the freer country east of it, but Forests scouts and citizen allies took care that there were no boats in sight for the enemy. Smiths trail was. marked by a line of fire from burning corn and cotton, and the sight in no- wise cooled the fighting ardor of the Confederates. As the column drew near West Point Colonel Jeffrey For rest played along the front, receding slowly and refusing pitched battles. The Federals had closed up and were massed in a force too strong for For rest had he chosen to fight without waiting for re-enforcements. Reluc- tantly he massed his own corps behind a creek four miles back of West Point and allowed his brothers brigade to be driven from the town with flourish of trumpets by the Federals.
 General Smith looked the ground over where Forrest was in position. It ap- peared like a big contract to dislodge the Confederates, and the Federal lead CT decided to make feint along the front and take the back track for Memphis. One bridge was standing on the Oka-hbby -ha south of the town, and this Forrest jealously guarded against persistent attacks of the ene-