Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-16
Copyright, 1904, by c. L. KAmer.1

I 9&s# l ~N HE Confederate cavalry leader
 M General N. B. Forrest added to
 0 his reputation as great horse
 back fighter by winning a re- markable victory at Brice's farm Mis- sissippi, June 10, 1864. An army of 5000 Federals under General s. D. Sturgis marched out of Memphis with I flying colors to sweep Forrest and his rough riding band off Sherman's line l of communications. Sherman was then closing in on Atlanta with a large ar \ my and drawing his supplies by rail I from Nashville, Tenn, hundreds of l miles from the scene of operations.
 Twice before within the space of six l months the ubiquitous raider Forrest had been slated for destruction by his anxious foefnen for the purpose of safeguarding Sherman's march. Gen. scral Sturgis himself led an expedition out of Memphis to entrap Forrest at the time of the Fort Pillow affair in April but the movement had failed, like many others of the same nature in the course of the war. When Sturgfs came within sight of Forrest at Brice's F dissuaded by his officers and formed for battle on the arc of circle three fourths of a mile in extent about half j mile from Brice's house, his right 4 resting upon the main road along which he was marching southward. l His force comprised two brigades of cavalry and three brigades of infan- try, with two six gun batteries of light artillery.
 ! Forrest had with him I.yon's, Ruck- CTS and Johnsons brigades, all mount ed men, and two four gun batteries, about 3,2OO troops in all The ground where Sturgis formed his men was ele- vated and thickly clad with stunted trees and tangled undergrowth, which furnished cover for the troops. A eau < tious soldier in Forests place would I have taken a good position across the valley and compelled his foe to assume the initiative, but the impetuous fighter was fearful of delays and gave the or \ der for general attack Sturgis' men received the assailants with terrible l fire, and the southern line was repuls- ed, with confusion in some places. Op- portunely Forests batteries came to the front at gallop and opened brisk ly on the Federals confronting Ruck- er's brigade. Under cover of the cannonade Rucker pushed his line for ward, but the carnage inflicted by Sturgis' firm line again caused the southerners to waver.
 Sturgis was not on the field during Forests first attack, and his brigade commanders failed to take advantage of the confusion in Forests column. No effort was made to follow up when ever one of the southern battalions re- coiled from the deadly fire. Neither did the Federals attempt to turn the Hanks of the enemy s shorter line. Sur gis was five miles in the rear, bringing. up brigade which had been delayed by q quagnire in the road produced by recent heavy rains. His officers at the front advised him to form the infantry for battle at some point in the rear of the fighting line and withdraw the cav < airy to that position. This he declined to do and nlassed his whole command in front of Forrest, with his artillery stationed along the road
 It was past noon when Sturgis brought up the last troops and For. rest saw that his foe was being re- enforced. Ordering his artillery cap- tains to double shot the pieces with canister, Forrest led them to within sixty yards of the Federal line just as Sturgis was taking the offensive < and his troops emerging into open ground near Brice's house. After two or three discharges from each of the eight guns in position the brigades Nf YrH,1 Federal left flank The Fedesals were pressed slowly back upon Brices house by this flank attack Meanwhile Fuckers, brigade. re-enforced during tAe fight by two regiments under Colo nel Bell, moved forward across the fields and over fences, using their re volvers freely, toward the house. At this point the slaughter was fearful. Fully 800 Federais, according to Con- x, federate accounts, lay dead and wounded around the house.
 For time this assault was held in check by the steady fire of Sturgis' cavalry on the front line Finally, when Forests men pressed up to within seventy paces of the center of tha Federal line, it gave way, expos ing the flank of Colonel George F.. Warnings brigade, which held posi- tion in the woods and up to that time had beaten back every advance of the foe Waring fell back and carried along Winslow's brigade as well.
 Forests line, now shortened and strengthened, pressed on after the re- treating Federals Six of Sturgis' guns were captured around Brice's house Tn charge of the Eighth Ken lucky cavalry upon this battery the color bearer was disabled by a shot, and Sergeant Brown of Company A seized the falling flag, rushed ahead , of the line and placed it upon one of, the Federal guns.
 Forests artillerists promptly man.. ned the captured guns and turned them upon the Federals. The fire from these pieces disabled the horses att