The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-08-17

Sooy Smith with the cavalry? To join
Sherman Feb. 10 was of the utmost
Importance From Memphis to Me-
ridian is $50 miles, and Smith had ten
days to make the distance. He was
ordered to ride rapidly, pausing to-
nothing. +
Smith did not obey. He did not
start till Feb. IL. He did Dst hurry!
his movements.
Thus General Polk had time to save,
himself. He realized that the fate Of
Selma and Mobile depended on theI
junction OF Smith with Sherman. He
quickly gave orders to Forrest to ride
with his cavalry with all speed, and by
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 2,40Q
men to meet the 1000 against him,
The two opposing forces came together
at West Point on the Tibbee River. Al
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 slip
off their horses and dodge behind trees,
rocks and anything that could afford
shelter. Then, as the Union line adj
vanced still nearer, Forrest gave orr
ders to his men to fire. Instantly thoni
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 thei1
men had kept in perfect order there
was nothing in sight that they could
fire or charge upon. Their advance
wavered, then stopped. Again camd
the deadly volley from the ambushed
Confederates, and the Union soldiers
were thrown into worse confusion
than before. Their leaders tried to
form and order them forward again;
but each time this was attempted cama
the whitening fire from behind the
bushes. At length they fed. Sooy
Smith, unable to determine the num-
Der of his enemy, believed he had I'M
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 1GJl
miles of Meridian. If 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 lay,
Feb. 20.
But Smith never advanced any
farther than West Point. Believing NE
had the whole Confederate cavalry to
fight, be fell back to Okolona, some
miles in the rear. On the hills mean
the town he prepared to make stand
against the enemy. His force was di-
vided in three brigades, the first com
manded by Colonel George E. Warning
since we'll known in literature. But
now the evil consequence of disregarl-
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. %.
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
grand cavalry charge. He refined
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 Mem
phis. On this unfortunate campaign
he had lost five guns. Not more than
200 men were lost, but the rest were
discouraged, and a third Of them re
turned to Memphis on foot, having los
their horses.
The consequences of Smiths defea
at Okolona were rather serious for the
| general result of the Meridian cam
paign. The cavalry arm Of the expcdi
ton was thus lost to Sherman, wht
was thereby prevented from penetrat
ing to Selma-probably to Mobile. Me
ridian Is 135 miles from Mobile
In a congratulatory order to hi:
army after Okolona, General Poll
said:
1.-The concentrating Of our cavalry
on the enemy's column Of cavalry from
West Tennessee formed the real turn
ing point of the mpaign."-Americar
Tribune.
His Face Told the Story.
An officer wearing the insignia Of :
colonefs rank came down to see lin
Mr.. Lincoln, as usual, was full Of sym
pathy. He drew his chair near th
colonel. desiring to know what wa