Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-03-18

.Shelbyville a movement OF troops I'M
der Colonel Streight was begun, the
boats for carrying them down the
river" being hauled alongside of the
wharf at Nashville
Tenders, bearing the horses osten-
sibly for Colonel Streight's expedition,
preceded and followed the transports,
some OF which landed at Cumberland
Iron Works and at Dover, seven miles
below, to unload supplies for the troops
destined, as was learned at later day,
to destroy the Confederate works and
stores at Rome, Ga
When Colonel Streight's command
had gathered large number of mules,
etc, belonging to Messrs Woods,
Yeatman & Co, who owned Cumber.
land Iron Works, it took the route for
Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River,
where transports we're awaiting to bear
It up that stream TO a point nearer to
Rome, its final destination as after
ward appeared.
On learning that the transports were
headed up stream from Fort Henry an
express was Immediately sent to Gen
eral Forrest, and the same informa-
ton was forwarded, CT a most leisure
" gait, 10 Spring Hin
On receiving this information, Gen
eral Forrest, who had been skirmish-
ing with Federal force in the yicin-
Hy Of Florence. sent party to OBJ
serve Colone! Streight's movements UNI
til his objective was developed.
In few days he vas advised that
Colonel Streight had disembarked his
forces. which. mounted on the best
horses. was hurrying across the coun-
try.
Believing that Colonel Stretghrs
objective was to pene trate and lay
waste the country, comparatively un.
protected to the south and vest. Gen
eral Forrest took steps to intercept
him. or to press him so closely as to
prevent the thorough accomplishment
of his work of destruction.
So, appearing to be beaten In the
contest before him General Forrest
gathered up all his forces including
all details for scout and other duty
which were within call, and set out
| ito capture that Teller, or to run him
down TO the Dry Tortugas
| In short time the pursuit was be-
gun In real earnest, the men entering
as heartily into the chase as did their
| untiring commander
| But "a stern chase" is proverbially
"a long chase" and here the boys had
the fullest yerifcation of the old saw
for two days and nights elapsed before
| they were near enough to the enemy
to discover, from various unmistakable
signs that he was not far in advance
The chase now became furious, and
we scarcely spent the time required
for making coffee and cooking other
food, around the campfire; for, now
that Colonel Streight's motives daWned
| upon MS, every nerve was bent to
thwart his project
Nor was ii long before the pace be-
gan TO tell upon the horses in both
commands. Especially was this the
case with the horses ridden by the en-
envy as they were not Injured to forced
marches, made on empty stomachs, as
We're TO some degree our horses
On reaching Blue River we were
much chagrined TO discover that the
enemy had crossed before us and had
fired the bridge, the timbers of which
were falling into the stream when the
main body of cur already depleted
force arrived
AL this iuncture Miss W, whose
parents resided in the vicinity. came
to our rescue and offered to pilot the
General to ford bur a short distance
above
This offer was gladly accepted, and
We crossed the stream in the face OF
battery placed by the enemy to in
terrupt our march
Forcing the passage, We compelled
the artillery to vacate their position.
and were soon in full chase, sweeping
aside small detachments left by the
enemy to retard our pursuit of the
main force.
II now became of the most vital i'm,
p0I Ldtlft ttStL NC Hllbuiu flNSE " TN
the enemy at the earliest moment. for
our command had dwindled down 10 a
mere handful
The enemy felt the necessity OF
pressing or, end ii possible 10 gain a
few hours IN which the work Of de-
struction might be completed 80 he
hurried on, every short distance being
marked by a spent horse or some 9th
er evidence Of his mad ride, while the
route passed over by Forrest was
marked by dead horses and--sleeping
troopers!
Our force was now reduced to about
seven hundred men, and. II the chase
continued, we could net hope TO reach
Rome with more than one-half Of that
number force much TOO small to
cope with Colonel Streigh<s sixteen
hundred under ordinary circumstances
But We reflected that the enemy had
no means Of learning accurately how
rapidly our force vas being disinte-