The National tribune., 1910-02-10
CAPTURE OF MEMPHIS BY FOR.
REST.
Only a Few Union Men There TO OPP
pose the RcbeIs-Driyen Out by Col
Orcd Recruits.

Editor National Tribune: In reply to
Comrade Henry Esley, First Sergeant,
Co. B, eth Ill. Cav, Hazelhurst, ILL.,, in
The National Tribune of Dec. 80. l wish
to correct a statement as to conditions
in and about Memphis at the time of
its capture by Gen. Forests forces in
the Spring of 1864. If Comrade Esley
was with his regiment at Okalona
and Ivy Farm on Feb. %, 1864, he
ought to know that if any of that cav
airy force had been at Memphis on
April 10. 1864, when Forests forces
came into Memphis there would have
been an entirely different record made.
On April l Gen. A. j. Smith left Mem
phiS with approximately 5000 infantry,
cavalry and artillery for the purpose of
giving battle to Forrest. Taking all the
effective troops, including the cavalry
then at Memphis, he proceeded to
Grand Junction, Tenn, via Colliersville
and from there south to Oxford, Miss,
driving Forests forces before him, and
hoping to get him to make stand. He
arrived at College Hill (OXford), Miss,
on April Z, and the enemy was sup
posed to be in his front On the morn
ming of the Sth the advance guard and
flankers found only few skirmishers,
but no enemy to contend with, but
learned that Forrest had gone north
with his entire force. Gen. Smith then
ordered return to Memphis, hoping to
catch up with Forrest.
Forrest made a forced march with
his command, crossing Wolf River near
Colliersville and keeping a course east
of Memphis on his way to Fort Pillow.
Sending a small detachment of about
700 or 500 under Coils. McNeely and
NcGuirk into Memphis, they arrived
about o'clock a. M, April H. lhey
came thru the chain pickets at two ar
ferent points-one, the largest, by the
river road, from the south, coming
upon a regiment of new troops Il un-
derstood at the time), the l42d III.
They rode thru the camp, firing right
and left into the tents, and came on
into the city, one company gong ui-
rectly TO the Gayosa House ana taxing
possession of 1t. They rode their horses
into the office and down thru the corri-
dors, smashing in the panels of the
doors with the butts of their guns, as
they said, looking for officers.
Another squad went direct to Gen.
headquarters, captured the
guard and forced their way into the
front of the building. Gen. Washburn,
sleeping in a back room, jumped out OF
bed, and, picking up his clothes. rushed
out of the back door into the alley and
up to Fort Pickering in his night
clothes, losing fine gold watch from
his vest as he ran.
Attack on the Prison.
Another and larger body went to the
post office and the Irving Block tthe
military PRISON., where about 1000
civil and military prisoners were being
held They had broken in the doors at
1ir1oy he
of the prison, which was
by a Lieutenant and about 25
men. A few small squads were riding
at random thru the city. The only
Union troops in the city was small
contingent of provost guards, one bat
.ery of light artillery, less than regi-
ment of colored troops just being Or
yanized from the contrabands from the
0kalona raid, and a few guards at the
post headquarters, with a few more at
he hospital. The new regiment, just
arrived, camped mile outside the city, |
Is mentioned, and the chain picket, a |
hin line extending from the river on |
he north to the river on the south, |
could not be concentrated.
The First Brigade, Cavalry Division, |
amp was at Egypt Station, eight miles |
out on the Collierville road, with few |
men. A general court-mar- |
.ial was in session at Memphis, Col. |
Hurst, 9Th Tenn. Cav, being President;
Capt. Frank Reeder, 9Th Pa. Cav, and
I being members. We were rooming
and boarding at Capt. Hinkle's private
residence, on East Adams street, and
were awakened by the musket firing.
| woke Capt. Reeder, and we dressed,
put on our side arms and ran up to the
corral, across the street from the For
rest House, on Adams street We were
admitted and soon had our horses sad
1led.
We rode out into the street, and
about a half block west to the street
looking down to the post Office we saw
several hundred Johnnies on their
horses, firing occasionally into the
We had not exposed our
selves, and did not know what we would
10 for a few moments. We saw COM !
pany of infantry wheel into Adams
street, coming from the north down
Main street. 1t was just light enough
10 see they wore the blue, and we rode
forward to meet them. Immediately
behind them came another company;
they We're the newly organized cOlored
troops.
Asking the Captain to take command
Of the rear company, / gave the orders:
Fix bayonets' and 'Double-quick,"
When we reached the next street the
wheeled by company into that
street, and at the command we charged
them with the bayonet. They broke
and ran, only a few shots being fired
by our troops. AS I passed the north
east corner of Court Square one of their
men and a horse was on the ground. |
We drove them out of town to the
southeast, at what they called Five
Points. By the time we reached the
suburbs they had gathered all their
force, forming in field, and took pos
session of a two-story square brick
school house.
We formed in the road running east
and west in their front, and had ex-
changed one round of musketry when
he battery came up. ] ordered them
o throw their guns into position in the |
,ront yard of a cottage house in rear of |
our lines and shell the school house |
This they did effectively, the infantry |
keeping up their fire, driving them from |
heir position in the field. Being mount |
ID, they soon were out of sight.
l did not meet or see an officer that |
morning above the rank of Captain. |
We had not more than 400 men all |
-old engaged. / have never seen an |
official account on the Federal side, and |
now little Capt. Reeder and I thought |
0f 1t is shown by our riding back to the |
corral, where we left our horses. and |
vent down TO an early breakfast. We |
hen walked up TO the Gayosa House
zen. Washburn's headquarters and post |
headquarters, asking what damage had |
been done. We could learn of nothing
II consequence.
No one was killed on our side. The
rebels lost a number of killed and |
wounded and few prisoners. / cannot
give the exact figures. The Captain
ihd sat on the court-martial that day.
The Fort piIIo,y Nasc..,a