The Washington herald., 1914-02-24
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
Feb a. Is6-A Federal Cavalry Force Under Gen William Sooy Smith
Which Had Been Operating Mississippi Was Rreang Confusion
Memphis Tenn Pursued by Confederate Cavalry Under Gen. Nathan
B. Forrest
cwrIttsn szpres.ly Cor The Herald,

I number. There was no sign OF the COM
ing of Forests other brigades.
The Confederate general dashed for
ward and was greeted by cheer from
his men. Then placing himself at their
, head he shouted. Charger ana the
there was no fight. The Union regi-
ments broke and fed.
Gen. Smith reported that "the Second
Tennessee Cavalry. the last regiment OF
the brigade that had thrown into line
to cover the passage Of our columns
by the town, broke from line into col
umns to move of. stampeded and gal
Ioped over our rear guard. drove bat
! terry of little popguns on into ditcn'
where IL was SO badly smashed up that
we could not get 1t along. They
spread confusion everywhere and the
Confederates, taking advantage or It
pitched into US and gave us a pretty
rough handling. infiicting loss upon
Us OF perhaps 800 or 400 men, killed,
wounded and missing.
1--WE at last got organized forces
enough to the rear to check the enemy
again, and continued our running fight.
giving them volley after volley from
every line of cover, and then retiring
to the next"
This sort of fighting was continued for
-
Federals reached . a strong position at
the Ivey Farm, north OF Okolona. where
the roadway crossed q considerable ridge
with approaches over an open field.
Here Gen Smith posted several regi-
ments to check the advancing Confed-
crates.
A sharp engagement ensued, the chief
features of which were q daring charge
by the Fourth Missouri Cavalry. under
Col George z. wsring, jr., which Gen.
Forrest characterized "one OF the grand
est cavalry charges I had ever wit
messed" and a counter charge by the
Confederstes In which Col. jeffrey For
rest lost his life. being shot through the
neck while leading bis men
Forrest weeps fer Brother.
With the fall Of his brother. Gen. For
rest lost for the moment his character
Of the soldier steeled to death.
when Gen. Forrest saw his brother
fall he rushed to the spot" wrote one
OF his officers, "dismounted and, kneel-
ing, held the lHeless form in his arms
and called him several times by name
in a voice choking with anguish.
Realizing then that he was dead. he
kissed him on the forehead, laid him
kCulig dbdhl uPOu TIC to4 LII S1hSN
his aid-de-camp, Maj. Strange. and with
tears in his eyes asked his faithful ad-
jutant to take charge Of his brothers re-
mains"
The brothers had been to one another
almost as father and son. jeffrey was
the youngest and Nathan-or. as he was
better known, Bedford-the eldest OF five
brothers. The father had been dead sew
eral months when the younger boy came
into the world and he had been brought
up under the gentle and affectionate
guardianship OF the frst-born OF the
family
The fall of the younger Forrest ended
the aggression of the Confederates for
the day.
Forests men were running out Of am
munition and their horses. worn by many
days OF hard riding. were exhausted.
Forrest was stunned by his brothers
death and gave orders that the pursuit
of the Federals should cease Gathering
his men about him. he retired toward
Okolona. A small body of Mississippi
State Militia, under Brig. Gen. s. J. Ghol-
son. continued to harass the retreating
Federals until they recrossed the TaIla-
hatchie River.
No Time for Rest.
Yet in spite Of the cessation Of the
vigorous Confederate pursuit. the forced