The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-16
0nited Daughters
 of the Confederacy
fcs.tinued from Page Thirteen.)


 l ferirnents of cavalry and two pieces or |Il1orton,s battery and started in pur- |{nult of the raiders. coming in sight oI ] fhelr campfires at the end of the mrs. Enayss chase. This was the oeginning ] IT the most tragic and highly excitlns running fight of the war. For i've 3}onr days and nights and almost with l suf ceasing and for distance or one huudred and fifty miles Forrest ioi- {oywed close at u heels of the raiders, inflicting severe punishment upon them l constantly, and receiving punishment nj return. To cross the mountain streams in this section or the cuu ,.n try with artillery was fraught with wreat dificulty. Oftentimes the ann munftior was carried over by cav airy, each man with shell, and me men and horses with long ropes would drag the guns across the rocky streams. Eight horses were hitched to each gun so steep and diff cult were the mountain roads. Streight crossed the Warrior river and posted his troops in line of battle on the op- posite bank. Forrest and one Of his aides rode up the stream about one mile searching for a crossing. They found one and a company or raiders guarding it. and there about midnight on May 1st Forrest and his one aide charged this company of soldiers and drove them away. Then sending his aide back he ordered up his regiment, which charged Streights entire com mand and they soon retreated. It was during this running fight that the heroine, Emma Sansom, immor- falized herself and brought honor to the brave women of the Confederacy.
 Having driven Streight from his posi- tfon on Warrior river, Forrest round s o'clock, May 2nd. stationed on the op- posfte bank of Black Creek, with the bridge burned but
 ~What bar were burned bridges or
 flooded lords
 When the Wizard of Battles was
 there?"
 Riding up to house nearby he ask ed if there was another crossing, and while a woman at the door was tell ing him that another bridge could be found two miles up the creek, a six teen year old girl came running ana climbed up behind him, saying sne could show him a ford where she had seen the cows cross.
 She stood at the Generals stirrups and
 this Is all she said:
 I'll lead the way to the ford today. I'm
 a girl but I'm not afraid
 How the gray troops thronged around her! And then the rebel yell! DO you wonder they rode like Romans adown the winnowing winds with Mars himself in the saddle and Minerva up behind? Was ever a foe confronted and captured by such means since days of old and warrior bold and the Maiden of Orleans?
 Reaching this ford they found it guarded by the enemy. Dismountlng under heavy fire and approaching nearer IL rs.I that 1t could be used, and ordering up his troops was soon across the stream. putting the enemy to flight. Forrest pursued them. keeping up the fight fha remainder of the day and night, and until the morning of May Srd when near Lawrence, beyond Cedar Bluff within twenty miles of Rome, Streignt surrendered his 1640 men in the pres ence of Forests APO, thus ending one of the greatest achievements or the war and Rome was saved.
 Miss Emma Sansom, afterwards Mrs q B. Johnson, who rendered this great service to General Forrest, was, as you know. honored by the Legislature Of the State of Alabama by the donation of medal and section or o4o acres of public land,
 It may be timely to mention here another instance of the bravery of an- other Southern girl. which occurred at Thompson's Station, Tenn, when Gem eral Forrest fought and captured Vaughn's Indiana Brigade. As an Arkansas regiment was advancing upon the enemy while passing though her fathers yard, the colonel and color bearer were both shot down. lmn'di- afely Miss Alice Thompson, girl Of seventeen, rushed out and seized the flag and led the regiment on to vlc- tory.
 Many small skirmishes occurred both in the vicinity of Florence and Tus- cun1bia. On account of the depreda- lions committed around Florence by the enemy, Col James Jackson, with part of the 27th and 35th Alabama Regi- ments crossed the Tennessee River at Seven Mile island with one of his com panies, and making his way toward his mother's home, '"The Forks" was told by a negro servant that a company Of federals were footing the old Peters home, now known as the Haley Place. Turning in upon them just be1ore oaV he captured the entire command to- rether with their horses and the pro- visions which they had gathered. and turned loose a herd of 300 cows which the raiders had placed in pen Tor the night to be driven off next morning. This last act proved source Of great happiness to the women and children in the surrounding country who had sur fered the loss of this essential part of their property. The company cap tured was part of an Illinois Regiment and was known as the White Horse Company"
 Another band of raiders was met and repuIsed at Four Mile Branch, Just four miles east of Florence on the Huntsville road. The brave and daunt- less Col. William Johnson of Tuscum- bia, then acting as Bridgadier General, led the charge Ind so completely routed the raiders, who were of Wilder's Brigade, that they returned to their command and announced that Forests whole army was after them, whereupon the entire command left the State and never again crossed the Tennessee line into Alabama. An old log house, rlddled with bullets, Is still standing to mark the scene of this hot skirm- ish
 Among the many memorable incl dents of the campaign, one of the most Interesting to history was the capture of the boy hero. Sam Davis of Pulas- Xxi, Tenn. He was returning to head quarters, and. after the fatigue of four days and nights riding. was crossing the Tennessee River six miles above Florence at Bainbridge-now the foot of Muscle Shoals Canal-when attack cd by a company of Federal soldiers. Young Davis, seeing that escape was impossible, threw the papers which he had, far out into the river, but they were gradually carried by the waters to the shore, being followed down the Tr.. I FaA. eA11