The National tribune., 1906-03-22
JOHNNIES WORE THE BLUE.
How FORESTS Men, Disguised as Fed
eral Troopers, Gained Entry to Mem
phis-An Exciting Wartime Incl

phis-An Exciting Wartime Incl
dent.
Referring 10 the achievements OF
Gen. Forrest, as given by Geo. Dallas
Musgrove recently in The National
Tribune. Comrade a. C. Wendell writes
from Minneapolis, Mimi, that, accord
ing to Musgrove. Forrest made de-
tour of so miles and with 1,s00 mer
attacked Memphis at daylight, Aug. 21
1864. Comrade Wendell then gives
his version of the affair. He says:
Il write you this to show how and
why Forrest got into our lines as easy
as he did. To go back to the first act
OF the raid On about June 2 the
Sergeant of Co. G, 39th Wis, with
mile east of old Fort Pickering, when
they discovered Capt. John Lundy, a
Johnny, hiding in some bushes just
outside our lines, supposedly intend
ing to try 10 pass in to Memphis III
night. Our boys brought him into the
39th Wis. headquarters. where he was
kept under guard until Aug. 20, he
being permitted once or twice 10 visit
his sister, who was prisoner in the
Irving Block. On the last visit Lupdy
was heard to say to her: L will have
you out OF here by Monday morning
or die in the attempt This was x
urday, Aug. 20, and the later r. Ilts
show that he knew pretty well just
where help was coming from. He
must have had some communication
with Gen. Forrest during this time,
and it is fully believed by the S9th Wis.
men that he was sent into Memphis
by Forrest as q spy.
"On Aug. 20 he was paroled by Gen.
c. c. Washburn, the new Department
Commander, and liberated under 3d.
900 bonds not to return to Memphis
during the war He rode out of our
lines on a fine bay horse furnished by
his friends, going south on the Her
nando road about sundown, and was
back the next morning with Gen. For
rest and 500 cavalry. They rode up
to our picket line and gave the regular
Federal countersign, stating that they
We're a part of the 1st Ky. Cav, q. s.
A, coming in for supplies. Having the
correct countersigp, this appeared all
right, as the first few hundred wore
our regular u. S. Army clothing, and
it is now believed that Capt. Lundy
had our countersign, given to him by
some traitorous cur in Memphis.
When about one-half of Forests
men had passed inside our lines the
blue coats changed to 'butternut.' Our
boys then saw the trick. and opened
on them, and several were killed on
both sides. Gen. Forrest and his blue
coats had passed on into Memphis,
shooting into the several Federal
camps on the way.
'Thcy killed and wounded quite q
number, and the report of the engage
ment will likely show how many. This
was the style of fighting pursued by
such men as Forrest and Mosby.
Arriving in Memphis. Gen. Forrest
rode his horse into the Office of the
Gayoso Hotel, and, placing the register
on the pommel of his saddle, wrote
his name in full sideways across the
page. Just at that moment the post
commander, Gen. Bucklaid, opened
his bedroom door, supposing some OF
his own men were making the racket.
and said: You men must get out and
stop this internal noise, or I will put
every one OF you under arrest
Gen. Forrest called out, You are
the Yankee son-of-a-gun ] am after,
and let fly a bullet through the door.
The General lodged back, and not
waiting for more clothing, jumped out
the window, took a side street, and
made a 'bee-line' for the fort, short
distance south on the Mississippi
River.
But to return TO Capt. Lundy. He
hoped that Forrest would liberate his
sister, and he no doubt intended 10
surprise and capture the 39th Wis.
while in their hunks asleep. But they
were out and off for Fort Pickering
before he reached their camp.
capt. Lundy with his 'butternuts'
soon overpowered our picket guards,
and. passing along the Hernando road
to the vicinity of the camp of the 137th
ILL.,, filed to the left and headed for
the 39th Wis. camp, where he had been
held a prisoner, and when within a
short distance halted his men for or
ders. Just off the road, and opposite
the head of their column, was the
camp of detachment of the 7th Ill.
Cav, who had come in the evening be-
fore, unbeknown to Lundy, who had
just turned in his saddle TO whisper
back an order to his men. when the
cavalry gave them a yolley, and Lundy
fell from his horse, shot through the
neck. and died in the grassy field near
our camp. His horse and another fine
iron gray ran on through my COM
pany's quarters, and passed me where
AS we afterwards learned, Gen. For
rest did not liberats the sister OF Capt.
Lundy, and his words came true-'he
did die in the attempt AS soon as
the leader was killed the 'Johnnfes'
made q 'right-about' and were driven
east beyond the old female seminary.
In the whole engagement there were
The real bIue-coats drove Gen. Forrest
and his squad some 25 miles to Non
conny Creek, and captured lot OF
his horses and O few Of his men. Most
Of the Union loss fell on the 18TH Ill
Capt. Henry A. Ca 3. now Of st. Paul
Mimi, commanded Co. A Of that regi-
| ment during the fight.
"There was no fighting by the 35th
Wis as a regiment, for they were
moved to Fort Pickering TO guard tina,
place, es 1t was feared that It was the
Confederates' intention TO capture the
fort and the city.
I'VE have often wondered who II
was who gave Capt. LuDdy the Federal
countersign and who it YVES that shot
him.
II shall be glad to hear from any
of our boys, especially the 7th III. Cav
or the 7th Wis. Battery, who did theiI
duty and suffered the greatest loss thai
foggy morning.
"The next year I was with the 45th
Wis. in Co. D. and want to hear from
| them as we'll"
The 9Oth Ohio.
Editor National Tribune: Having had
my attention called to inquiry of Com.
| do T..ffa