USA > Kentucky > History of the 3d, 7th, 8th and l2th Kentucky C.S.A > Part 10
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82
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
"The works at Fort Pillow consisted of a strong line of fortifica- tions, originally constructed by Brigadier-General Pillow, of the C. S. Army, stretching from Coal creek bottom on the left, to the Mis- sissippi River on the right, a length of about two miles, and at an average distance of about six hundred yards from the river. Inside of this outer line, and about six hundred yards from it, stood an in- terior work on the crest of a commanding hill, originally commenced by Brigadier-General Villepigue, C. S. Army, which covered about two acres of ground. About three hundred yards in rear of this, above the junction of Coal creek and the Mississippi River, stood the last fortification, which was a strong dirt fort in semicircular form, with a ditch in front of it twelve feet wide and eight feet deep.
"The enemy did not attempt to hold the outer line, but trained their artillery so as to play upon the only roads leading through it.
"The fight was opened at daylight by McCulloch. He moved cautiously through the ravines and short hills which encompassed the place, protecting the men as much as possible from the enemy's artil- lery, five pieces of which from the fort, aided by two gunboats on the river, played furiously upon them. Moving in this manner, he succeeded about II o'clock in taking the work which I have spoken of as having been commenced by General Villepigue, and the flag of the Eighteenth Mississippi Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Chalmers commanding, which had been the first regiment to enter the fort, was quickly flying above it.
"While Colonel McCulloch had been moved up on the left, Colonel Bell moved up on the right and rear, and Colonel Wilson moved up on the center, taking advantage of the ground as much as possible to shelter their men. Affairs were in this condition, with the main fort completely invested, when Major-General Forrest arrived with Colonel Wisdom's regiment of Buford's division. After carefully examining the position, he ordered a general charge to be made. The troops responded with alacrity and enthusiasm, and in a short time took possession of all the rifle-pits around the fort, and closed up on all sides within twenty-five or thirty yards of the outer ditch. Here a considerable delay occurred from the ammunition being exhausted. A supply, however, was obtained as quickly as possible from the ord- nance train, and everything was made ready for another advance. To prevent the unnecessary effusion of blood, Major-General Forrest now demanded, under flag of truce, the surrender of the place, which, after a parley of about thirty minutes, was refused. The bugle then sounded the charge, a general rush was made along the whole line, and in five minutes the ditch was crossed, the parapet scaled, and our troops were in possession of the fort.
"The enemy made no attempt to surrender, no white flag was ele- vated, nor was the U. S. flag lowered until pulled down by our men. Many of them were killed while fighting, and many more in the at- tempt to escape. The strength of the enemy's force cannot be correctly ascertained, though it was probably about six hundred and fifty or seven hundred. Of these, sixty-nine wounded were delivered
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ENGAGEMENT AT UNION CITY AND PADUCAH.
to the enemy's gunboats next day, after having been paroled. One hundred and sixty-four white men and forty negroes were taken prisoners, making an aggregate of two hundred and seventy-three prisoners. It is probable as many as half a dozen may have escaped. The remainder of the garrison were killed."
Lieutenant Mack J. Leaming, a Federal officer at the fort, made the following report :
"At 5:30 o'clock on the morning of the 12th of April, 1864, our pickets were attacked and driven in by the advance of the enemy, un- der command of General Forrest. Our garrison immediately opened fire on the advancing rebels from our artillery at the fort, while Companies D and E, of the Thirteenth West Tennessee Cavalry, were deployed as skirmishers, which duty they performed until about 8 a.m., when they were compelled to retire to the fort after considerable loss, in which Lieutenant Barr, of Company D, was killed.
"The firing continued without cessation, principally from behind logs, stumps, and under cover of thick underbrush, and from high knolls, until about 9 a.m., when the rebels made a general assault on our works, which was successfully repulsed with severe loss to them and but slight loss to our garrison. We, however, suffered pretty severely in the loss of commissioned officers by the unerring aim of the rebel sharpshooters, and among this loss I have to record the name of our post commander, Major L. F. Booth, who was killed almost in- stantly by a musket-ball through the breast.
"Major W. F. Bradford, of the Thirteenth West Tennessee Vol- unteer Cavalry, being the next ranking officer, then assumed com- mand of the garrison and directed the remainder of our operations.
"At about II a.m. the rebels made a second determined assault on our works. In this attempt they were again successfully repulsed with severe loss. The enemy succeeded, however, in obtaining possession of two rows of barracks running parallel to the south side of the fort and distant about one hundred and fifty yards. The barracks had previously been ordered to be destroyed, but after severe loss on our part in the attempt to execute the order, our men were com- pelled to retire without accomplishing the desired end, save only the row nearest to the fort. From these barracks the enemy kept up a murderous fire on our men, despite all our efforts to dislodge them.
"Owing to the close proximity of these buildings to the fort, and to the fact that they were on considerable lower ground, our artillery could not be sufficiently depressed to destroy them, or even to render them untenable for the enemy. Musketry and artillery firing con- tinued, however, on both sides with great energy, and although our garrison was almost completely surrounded, all attempts of the enemy to carry our works by assault were successfully repulsed, notwith- standing his great superiority in numbers.
"At 3:30 p.m. firing suddenly ceased in consequence of the appear- ance of a white flag of the enemy being displayed. The party bearing the flag halted about one hundred and fifty yards from the fort, when we were informed by one of the party that they had a communication
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
from General Forrest to the commanding officer of the U. S. forces at Fort Pillow. I was ordered out, accompanied by Captains Brad- ford and Young, to receive this communication, which I took back to the fort while the party bearing the same remained for an answer. As nearly as I can remember, the communication was as follows :
" 'HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE CAVALRY, " 'Near Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 12, 1864. " 'Major L. F. Booth,
" 'Commanding U. S. Forces at Fort Pillow.
"'Major: Your gallant defense of Fort Pillow has entitled you to the treatment of brave men. I now demand the unconditional sur- render of your forces, at the same time assuring you that you will be treated as prisoners of war. I have received a new supply of ammuni- tion and can take your works by assault, and if compelled to do so, you must take the consequences.
" 'Very respectfully, your obedient servant, "'N. B. FORREST, "'Major-General, Commanding Confederate Cavalry.'
"To this communication I was ordered to make the following reply, which I placed in a sealed envelope, addressed to Major-General Forrest, and delivered to the party in waiting :
" 'HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, " 'Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 12, 1864. " 'Major-General N. B. Forrest, "'Commanding Confederate Cavalry.
"'General : Yours of this instant is received, and in reply I have to ask one hour for consultation and consideration with my officers and the officers of the gunboat.
" 'Very respectfully, your obedient servant, " 'L. F. BOOTH, "'Major, Commanding U. S. Forces.'
"Desiring to conceal from the enemy the fact of the death of Major Booth and cause him to believe that he was still in command, it was deemed not only proper but advisable that I append his name to the communication.
"I again repaired to the fort, where I had been but a few minutes when the party bearing the white flag again made its appearance with a second communication, and I was again sent out to meet the same. This time, just as an officer was in the act of handing me the com- munication, another officer galloped up and said, 'That gives you twenty minutes to surrender. I am General Forrest.' This I took back to the fort, the party remaining as before for an answer. It read as follows :
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ENGAGEMENT AT UNION CITY AND PADUCAH.
" 'HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE CAVALRY,
"'Near Fort Pillow, April 12, 1864.
"'Major L. F. Booth,
"'Commanding U. S. Forces at Fort Pillow.
"Major : I do not demand the surrender of the gunboats. Twenty minutes will be given you to take your men outside the fort and sur- render. If at that time this demand is not complied with, I will im- mediately proceed to assault your works, and you must take the con- sequences. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, "'N. B. FORREST, "'Major-General, C. S. Army.'
"After a short consultation with the officers of the garrison, it was unanimously voted not to surrender. In accordance with this de- cision I was ordered to write and deliver to the party in waiting the following communication :
" 'HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, " 'Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 12, 1864.
"'Major-General N. B. Forrest, " 'Commanding Confederate Cavalry.
" 'General : I will not surrender. "Very respectfully, your obedient servant, " 'L. F. BOOTH, "Commanding U. S. Forces, Fort Pillow.'
"This I delivered to General Forrest in person, who broke open the envelope in my presence, and after a hasty perusal of its contents, refolded it, when we simply saluted and each went our way."
In a few moments after Forrest received this last communication he ordered a general charge on the fort. A ditch with a bank eight or ten feet high had to be scaled in order to get into the works. Men would get into the ditch and bend over to make a human stepladder for the others to walk up on, and as the men would gain the top of the enbankment they would reach down and pull other comrades up, and in this way, without firing a shot, they lined the outside of the wall of the works, which separated them from the Federals on the inside. At last, when everything was ready, the Confederates leaped to the top of the works and over into the ranks of the enemy, with such dare- devil determination as the Federals could not withstand. Their lines gave way; in one great disordered mass they fled, or attempted to flee, to the river bank under the protection of their gunboats. Great num- bers of them were either killed or wounded while making an effort to escape; others, realizing that escape or rescue was hopeless, threw down their guns; some, wild with fright, rushed into the river and were drowned or shot while attempting to swim away. The slaughter was fearful, as it always is when forts are taken by storming them.
General Forrest was some four hundred yards away when he saw his men scale the walls of the fort. He rushed to the scene and or-
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
dered his men to cease firing, and Generals Chalmers and Bell and Colonels McCulloch, Borteau and Wisdom, who were with their troops, say they enforced the order. Considering the fact that the Confed- erates stormed a well constructed fort with a defense of near six hun- dred troops and a number of pieces of artillery, their loss was small; their killed was fourteen officers and men and eighty-odd wounded. The Federals lost over half their number, the most of them negroes, numbers of whom formerly belonged to the men with Forrest.
Perhaps this engagement attracted more attention throughout the North than any other of Forrest's numerous battles, because of the fact that charges were made by Federal officers that the Federal soldiers were murdered after they surrendered. Congress appointed a com- mittee to investigate, and there was voluminous correspondence in regard to it between Confederate and Federal officers. The story is so familiar to all readers that I deem it useless to go into details at this time.
On April 13th General Forrest moved Chalmers' command back to Jackson, Tenn., where they were joined by General Buford's and other commands, together with quite a number of recruits and a large amount of property captured from the Federal government. With his command, captured prisoners and supplies, he marched leis- urely through the Federal lines back into Mississippi, without any sort of hindrance from the Federals, although they had in that department from forty to sixty thousand troops, held there for the purpose of operating against Forrest.
This ended one of the most brilliant campaigns of the war. Gen- eral Polk and President Davis warmly congratulated Forrest and the Confederate Congress passed a resolution of thanks and congratulation.
Wolfi
Cotton fin
MAP OF THE ROADS AND ADJACENT COUNTRY BETWEEN STUBBS PLANTATION AND FIELD
Las
É Hatdue
BRICES CROSS-ROADS; MISS.
Scale
0
2 Miles
Col. Kennedy
B
2
2
FIELD
Lyons
FIELD
Maj Oliver Nelson
Y FIELD
Hide Lady
Road
Ridge
Widow Wallace
Parson
FIELD
2
Widow Turner
10
.Br
₹
Wid Tapp
Stubbs' Old Plant
Widow Bo Lon
FIELD
A? ?
Humphrey
Camp
F
9
Twitchel
SchoolHouse
Hark Wid. Bryson
Howell
Jin Brice's Crow Heads
wattios to Baldwyn
Tunber is marked _ Fields are marked. F The road between Geber and Brown is fall of short turns. wy billy and the hills covered with pine wood Broe's plantation is the only cleared ground around the crossroads.
CARROLLVILLE
The road from Brown's to Lyons' is hilly from Lyons to Agnew's ridge.
BALDWYN OHIO A.A.
Exhibit F. Sturgis investigation. MOBILE AND
F
FIELD
Conf.
Chung Bry
&Gamble
FIFLD
CHAPTER X.
Brice's Cross-Roads, the Most Brilliant Victory of the War; It Has No Parallel.
After General Forrest had made a successful campaign in the spring of 1864 into West Tennessee and Western Kentucky, capturing Union City, Fort Pillow and attacking Paducah, Ky., he had returned to Mississippi with his command and was encamped in the vicinity of Verona, where abundance of corn could be had. In the latter part of July, learning that a large command of Federals were moving on to Roddy's command, which was near Decatur, North Alabama, deter- mining to go to that officer's rescue, General Forrest had his com- mand in readiness to commence the move by the 28th or 29th of July and put his command in motion in that direction.
First of June found all the available force moving in the direction of North Alabama. On this day Forrest's command was halted by a dispatch from General S. D. Lee informing him that a heavy column of mixed army of Federals were moving out from Memphis in the direction of Tupelo. On the 5th day of June Forrest had succeeded in concentrating his available forces on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad in the vicinity of Tupelo. Buford's division, together with John- son's brigade and Morton and Rice's batteries, was ordered to Bald- win; Rucker was directed to form a junction with Buford and John- son at Booneville on the morning of June 9th. Four or five days previous to this time it had been raining incessantly, making the roads almost impassible for artillery or wagons. In the meantime the Federal column was moving slowly and carefully through Ripley and in the direction of Guntown by Brice's Cross-Roads; during the 9th General Lee commenced making arrangements to fall back with his whole force towards Okolona so as to enable him to effect a junction with other forces which he could get to that point in time to meet the enemy there. General Lee directed General Forrest to put his force between the enemy and Tupelo. Early on the morning of the Ioth Forrest put his command in motion from Baldwin and Boonville on a road running in a southwesterly direction with Lyon's brigade in advance; with Captain Randle's company, of the Seventh Kentucky, in advance. Out some two miles from Brice's Cross-Roads Captain Randle's company came in conflict with a heavy force of Fed- erals. After engaging them long enough to learn the overwhelming number of the Federals, Randle fell back on Lyon's brigade and Lyon moved them at once against the Federal position and drove them back and formed his men on the summit of a ridge from which the Federals had been driven. On this position the Federals opened up a fire from both small arms and artillery. General Lyon directed his men to throw up such cover as they could with logs and rails, and remained in this position for something like two hours. In the meantime Rucker's brigade was moved to the left of the Kentuckians and dismounted and put into position on the Guntown road, and was soon hotly engaged
88
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
with the enemy east of Brice's Cross-Roads. Johnson's brigade was directed to take a position on the right of Lyon's brigade. About this time Rice's and Morton's batteries arrived on the field. They were put into position in the rear and to the left of Lyon and at once opened fire on the enemy. Two companies of the Twelfth Kentucky under Captain Tyler had been ordered to move to the extreme left of the Confederate command and protect that flank where they were hotly engaged for a number of hours.
The following is from Captain Tyler's manuscript :
"I know the history of Brice's Cross-Roads has never been properly written. I will give my recollection of it. Wyeth says, upon the authority of Colonel D. C. Kelley, that it was fought just as Forrest had planned several days in advance. This is a mistake. Forrest probably planned in advance to make a stand there on the banks of Tishamingo creek, but when we reached that point two days previous to this engagement, the information was received indicating that Stur- gis was moving towards Corinth, and we immediately turned north. Bell's brigade advanced to Rienzi and Rucker's and Lyon's brigades to Booneville, Miss. There we remained all day of the 9th of June. General Stephen D. Lee had come up and taken command. That night scouts came in and reported that Sturgis had passed through Ripley, Miss., and moved rapidly down the road leading through Brice's Cross- Roads on to Guntown on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. A council of war was held and a decision quickly arrived at to retreat promptly to Okołona, Miss. General Lee immediately took train for that place, and with him took eight pieces of artillery, leaving us but eight pieces, whilst the enemy had twenty-two pieces. They had also ten thousand five hundred picked troops, including artillery, cavalry and infantry. We, on the other hand, had only four thousand, all told. Orders were sent Bell at Rienzi to fall back with his brigade and Morton's guns. You no doubt will remember we were in the saddle at day- light and moved rapidly south through Baldwin and on in the direc- tion of Brice's Cross-Roads. Our orders were to reach that point and turn northward to Tishamingo creek, just west of that place, and hold it at all hazards, until both Rucker and Bell with their brigades, could reach the cross-roads in our rear and pass on south towards Oxford. So anxious was Forrest that our brigade should succeed in their mission that he came on alone. I remember when we met the enemy he was riding in front with General Lyon, with not a staff officer or even a courier with him. The Seventh Kentucky was in front, and Capt. C. L. Randle, commanding Company A, of that regiment, was well in the front as an advance guard. When we ar- rived within about one and one-half miles of the cross-roads the brigade halted and a messenger came back to me to come to the front with my own company and Company C, of the Twelfth Kentucky (Captain Clanton's company). Upon arriving at the front I found General Forrest and Lyon together at the head of the brigade. The enemy was in full view up the road. General Forrest, pointing to them, directed me to "charge them and see how many were there." This I
GEN. H. B. LYON.
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BRICE'S CROSS-ROADS.
did promptly and in a swift gallop, and received a grilling fire from Warring's entire brigade in line of battle. I withdrew perhaps a lit- tle faster than I advanced. When I reached General Forrest I found the Seventh Kentucky was being dismounted and rushed into line. Just here permit me to refer to a discrepency in history. One says Captain Randle's company was first under fire, another says mine. I think the former correct, for I am sure Captain Randle must have ordered his men to fire before he halted or fell back. When I fell back to General Forrest, he directed me to form on the left of the Kentucky brigade line, and deploy as skirmishers and protect that flank. He directed General Lyon to form his brigade in position and try and hold it, but not to attempt to advance and bring on a general engagement, until he could get his other troops up."
Just before 12 o'clock a part of Bell's brigade arrived upon the ground. They were placed on the left of Rucker, who had been des- perately engaged with the enemy in a hand-to-hand conflict, and while contending with overwhelming odds they resolutely maintained their position. At this time the Federals, about nine thousand strong oc- cupied the arc of a circle something near a mile in extent, while the Confederates, with about three thousand men, confronted them as already indicated. Think of it, a little heroic command about one- third the size of its adversary, not only attempting to retard the march of the enemy, but actually prepared and determined to become the aggressor and risk their chance of victory, against such large odds. It required Confederate soldiers led by Forrest to gain a victory in such condition. Between I and 2 o'clock Forrest, having all his available men in position, a general forward movement was ordered, and for one hour such a scene has rarely ever been witnessed upon a battlefield. Every Confederate advanced with the determination to do or die. The Federals fought well for awhile, at times hurling their massed forces against the thin lines of the Confederates, only to be hurled back in confusion. At times defeat for the Confederates seemed to be inevitable, but the unequalled genius of their commander and the superior courage of his officers and men were equal to the occasion.
Steadily and surely the Confederates advanced. The artillery was handled with skill and unprecedented audacity, at times dashing up in front of the lines and opening fire in the face of the enemy, all the time, however, strongly supported by the men with the gun and pistol. The Federals could not withstand such undaunted courage. Soon their lines commenced wavering and giving way, the Confederates took advantage of the shaky condition, and with one united unprecedented effort pushed forward, carrying everything before them, driving the enemy from the field in confusion and disorder. Morton and Rice dashed their batteries to the front and opened upon the conglomerated mass of humanity mixed up with the stampeded teams of the wagons and artillery, all putting forth all their efforts to escape. The Con- federates continued to press the enemy until every vestige of organ- ization seemed to have disappeared. Leaving their wagon train to- gether with their artillery in the hands of the Confederates, nineteen
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
hundred of the Federal dead, together with two thousand wounded, were left upon the field, which was a larger number than the Con- federates had in the engagement.
Thus ended one of, if not the most signal victories of the war, and it correctly ranks among the most signal victories recorded in the his- tory of Civil warfare.
The writer visited the battlefield of Brice's Cross-Roads in 1891 and wrote the following, which was published by a number of papers :
"I left my home in Kentucky, December 18, 1891, for the purpose of visiting the battlegrounds of some of General Forrest's most im- portant battles, especially those that Buford's and Lyon's Kentuckians were engaged in. It will be remembered by the survivors of Lyon's Kentucky brigade that on the night of the 9th of June, 1864, they camped at Baldwyn, a village on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and on the following morning they were put in motion on a road leading due west from that place. Captain Randle, of Company A, Seventh Ken- tucky, was ordered to take his company, A, of the Seventh Cavalry, and move forward as an advance guard. The enemy was reported to be in the vicinity of Brice's Cross-Roads, five miles from Baldwyn, IO,- 000 strong. Randle found the enemy about one and a half miles east of Brice's Cross-Roads. The road on which Lyon was advancing crossed the road on which the enemy was traveling, at right angles at Brice's.
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