The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-04-26
EMMA F;RfRrfI SAMSON
By 0. G. Thompson

Those who have been reading thi.
story Of one Of the greatest of For
rests wonderful achievements, mus
not fail to follow it to finish, in the
next issue. Our last chapter left tn,
contcnding forces not far from Rome
If Streight had reached Rome there
would have been great danger Of Tho
fall OF Chattanooga, and disaster tt
Bragg's army.
AS to Streight's hopes of reachins
itome and destroying the bridge be
mind him, and getting some rest fo,
his worn-out men and horses, the mar,
atlve says: But alas for all sucl
nope! The relentless hand which hat
smote him for three successive DAYS
and nights, and banished sleep from
ms worn-out cavalcade, was striking
at him yet, and had no thought of Civ.
1hg him respite. Streight, in fact was
not allowed to stop at Gadssden. AS
ne approached the town, he surround
ed it in order to corral all the horses
and mules belonging to the citizens
lmpressing these, he set fire to several
houses containing small quantities OF
commissaries, and then moved onward
with all speed possible to his mules
and men. All now physically exhaust.
ed, and the latter mentally dispirited
yet ready to fight.
If the state Of the Hoosier Colonel's
men and horses was so deplorable
from fatigue and loss Of sleep, what
must have beenNthe condition of those
who were pursuing him? FORESTS
men had had no opportunities of OBJ
tanning fresh horses and mules when
theirs succumbed to the terrible
strain to which they '~ere subjected
The Federals had swsept the country
clean Of livestock as they marched
and in this, as in the tremendous tacti-
cal advantage Of the ambuscade, they
had the Confederate leader at great
disadvantage. Many of his men had
not tasted food in tw' w'enty-four hours
and number fell from their horses
from sheer exhaustion, and slept by
the roadside as their comrades rode
almost over their seemingly lifeless
bodies. Despite the inspiring exam
ple Of the idolized leader, who did
more work and fighting than any sub
ordinatc-and Notwithstanding the de-
tails-whose duty 1t was to keep the
men awake, rouse up the sleepers and
put them On their horses, Forests
command had crumbled away to a
mere remnant. From A. M. on April
18th to noon Of May End they had
marched 119 miles and fought almos,
without cessation, and still the strong
est Of them pushed on in desperate
emulation Of their indominable leader
Edmondson and Anderson were not
yet up-and did not get up utnil after
the surrender. Their duty was to pre-
vent Streight from escaping north
ward and they were doing it.. His evel
faithful and efficient escort, now re-
duced to about forty electives, some
twenty of the remnant Of his broth
er's scouts, and not over five hundred
OF Starre's and Biffle's regiments (his
entire commanO, made UP the full
quota of the troops with which he
marched east Of Gadsden In front OF
him, and fleeing in despair, were more
than twice as many brave and picked
men OF the enemy. From Gadsden on
Streight says, "The enemy followed
closely, and kept up continuous
skirmish with the rear Of the column
until 4 P. M. at which time we reach.
ed Blount's plantation, fifteen miles
from Gadsden, where wo procured
forage for our ANIMALS. Here de
cided to halt. The command was dis
mounted, detail made to feed tht
horses and mules, while the balance
OF the command formed In line OF bat
tla. Meanwhile the rearguard be
came severely engaged and was driv
en- in."
Forrest, continuing his tactics o
worrying his antagonist, and knowing
the perilous weakness Of his own com