The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-08-17
any means in his power head off and

any means in his power head off and
stop the Union cavalry column.
Re-enforcements ordered to join For
rest failed to reach him, but the in
domitable leader set out with his 2.l00
men to meet the 1000 against him.
The two opposing forces came together
at West Point on the Tibbee River.
fight occurred Feb. 20, 1864.
Smith and Grierson opened the at
tack, advancing in long line. AS they
came within firing distance. what was
their surprise TO see FORESTS men sip
off their horses and dodge behind trees,
rocks and anything that could afford
shelter. Then. as the Union line ad-
vanced still nearer, Forrest gave or
ders to his men to fire. Instantly thor-
sands Of musket balls were poured
into the advancing Union ranks. They
were confused, and stopped. Hundreds
of them fell before the volley of the
unerring marksmen behind the trees
and bushes.
Smith and Grierson had no chance
before a foe like that. Even if their
men had kept in perfect order there
was nothing in sight that they could
fire or charge upon. Their advance
wavered. then stopped. Again came
the deadly volley from the ambushed
Confederates, and the Union soldiers
than before. Their leaders tried TO
form and order them forward again
but each time this was attempted camo
the whitening fire from behind the
bushes. At length they fed. SOoy
Smith, unable to determine the num-
ber of his enemy, believed he had In
front Of him the whole combined cav
airy of the Confederate department
under Lee, Forrest and Chalmers. He
was at this time, Feb 20. within 100
miles of Meridian. II he had not met
with this check from Forrest lie
would not even then have been in time
to join Sherman. Unable to wait any
longer, Sherman had left Meridian on
the return to Vicksburg that same dag.
Feb. 20.
But Smith never advanced any
farther than West Point. Believing he
had the whole Confederate cavalry to
fight, he fell back TO Okolona, some
miles in the rear. On the hills near
the town he prepared to make a stand
against the enemy. His force was di-
vided in three brigades, the first COM
manded by Colonel George E. Waring
since we'll known In literature. But
now the evil consequence of disregard
ing the orders to push on rapidly and
delay for nothing began to be appar-
ent Smiths cavalry was loaded to
some extent with the spoils of war.
More than that. at every stop they
made hundreds of negroes fleeing from
slavery Joined their ranks and impeded
them.
The second fight between Forests
and Smiths forces occurred Feb. 90.
The fight began late in the evening.
The baggage train and pack mules of
Smiths force were already on their
way to Memphis. To save them Smith
made a very obstinate stand and en-
deavored to hold Forests troops in
check At length he resolved to make
a grand cavalry charge. He reined
his horsemen in line and dashed furi-
ously into the Confederate ranks.
The charge was not successful. For
rests command stood their ground
like iron. Smiths whole force was
driven back.
He hastily gathered up his men and
soon had them in full retreat to Men,
phis. On this unfortunate campaign
he had lost five guns. Not more than
2OO men We're lost, but the rest were
discouraged. and third of them re-
turned to Memphis on foot having lost
their horses.
The consequences of Smiths defeat
at Okolona were rather serious for the
general result of the Meridian cam
paign. The cavalry arm of the expc6i-
ton was thus lost to Sherman. who
was thereby prevented from penetrat-
ing to Selma-probably to Mobile. Me
ridian is 135 miles from Mobile
In a congratulatory order to his
army after Okolona, General Polk
said:
1.-The concentrating of our cavalry
West Tennessee formed the real turn
ing point of the paign."-American
Tribune.