USA > Kentucky > History of the 3d, 7th, 8th and l2th Kentucky C.S.A > Part 11
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Lieutenant B. P. Willingham, of Randle's company, with a squad, was thrown forward in advance of the company. He met the enemy and fired the first gun of the engagement. The company soon came in conflict with greatly superior forces and was forced to fall back upon the brigade. Lyon ordered Randle to dismount his men, move forward on foot and develop the enemy's position. This was done with spirit. Soon they were found strongly posted in heavy force. The brigade, except the Eighth Kentucky, which was held back in reserve, was dismounted and moved upon the enemy's position. After a stub- born resistance they were forced back on their main command around Brice's house at the cross-roads, Lyon halted his brigade immediately on the ground where the Federals made their stand and formed across the road fronting west; the Seventh Kentucky on the right, the re- mainder of the brigade on the left. While in this position the enemy opened up a heavy fire of artillery on them from batteries situated near Brice's house, or the cross-roads. Demonstrations were made as though they were going to move onto Lyon. He therefore ordered his men to throw up a cover of fallen timber and rails, but they did not advance. It will be remembered that when the Federals made this first stand there was a cotton gin about one hundred yards off on the right of the road and a small field extended east along the road, through which a portion of the Kentuckians charged on the enemy that had taken position behind the gin.
On the left of the road there were large oak trees and open woods ; the Federals were now formed in a half semi-circle around Brice's house at the cross-roads, fronting east, south and southwest. Rucker
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and a portion of Bell's brigade took position on Lyon's left, extending around across the Guntown road. Morton and Brice's batteries having taken position, about I o'clock Forrest ordered a general attack all along the line?
The Kentuckians advanced down on the Baldwyn road, a por- tion of them, the Seventh remaining on the right of the road, the re- mainder on the left. At that time the undergrowth, blackjacks, hickory and small oaks were so thick in places around Brice's house one could not see a man fifty yards in front of them. Such was the case all the way on the right of the road, where the Seventh Kentucky advanced. Therefore the enemy's position was not discovered until the Ken- tuckians were within less than fifty yards of them. A destructive fire was opened on them, which caused them to halt, but not to recoil. At that close range the terrible conflict was kept up for some time. Just at this time the success of the conflict seemed to be hanging in equal balance. At last there was a determined spontaneous forward move- ment all along Forrest's line, which Sturgis' army could not withstand.
The Third, Eighth and Twelfth Kentucky moved directly down on the concentrated Federal batteries around Brice's house, while the Seventh Kentucky, which was on Forrest's extreme right, bore to the right of the cross-roads crushed the Federals' left wing and intercepted the Ripley road, on which they were attempting to fall back. When the Seventh Kentucky struck this road their line was formed nearly parallel with it. Major Hale, who was in command of the Seventh, wheeled to the right as soon as he reached the road. This placed him in advance of any of the remainder of Forrest's army and immediately behind the retreating and crushed Federals, who had been driven from their positions around Brice's house. A vigorous pursuit was at once instituted. At Tishamingo creek, about one-half mile north of the cross-roads, the Federal commander made an effort to rally the routed army, but he could not succeed in checking the victorious Confederates.
Again, out about two miles from the cross-roads, at the big white house of Rev. Samuel A. Agnew's, the enemy made an attempt at their last stand. The Seventh, having been joined by the rest of the brigade, moved on to the enemy at once. Just at this time Morton's artillery came thundering up in front of the enemy, unlimbered and opened fire on them. It was such signal bravery as this throughout Forrest's command that day that made it possible for him to gain such a brilliant victory. The Federals, who attempted to make this stand, were soon brushed back, and Sturgis and Grierson's army of eight thousand men was a disorganized and ungovernable mass.
The Federals left strewn along the road about twenty pieces of artillery and the same number of caissons, over two hundred wagons loaded with supplies and about twenty-five ambulance wagons. All evidence of the worst routed army of the war was plainly visible. The Federals left on the battlefield seven hundred killed and wounded and more than two thousand prisoners in the hands of Forrest's com- mand. The official reports show that Forrest had, of all arms in the engagement, less than three thousand five hundred men. This was
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
Forrest's most signal victory, and, taking everything into considera- tion, it was one of the most brilliant victories of the war.
The foregoing, in the main, was the battle of Brice's Cross-Roads, as the writer, who was a private in the Seventh Kentucky, saw it.
There has been a question ever since that battle as to why it was fought then and there. Some claim that it was planned by General Forrest several days before ; others say that Forrest was trying to move his command further south to the vicinity of Tupelo, and found the enemy across his premeditated line of march, and that General Buford suggested the attack at that time. The following is a manuscript from Captain F. C. Terry, who served on the staff of General Buford :
"As to the Guntown or Brice's Cross-Roads affair, on the 9th of June, General Forrest was at Booneville with the main body of his men. Colonel Bell and his brigade were at Rienzie, ten or twelve miles up the road in the direction of Corinth. At daylight Lyon, with the Kentucky brigade of Buford's division, was ordered to take the road to Tupelo and find the enemy and engage him. General Buford, with the artillery (Morton's and Rice's batteries of eight guns each) remained at Booneville, writing for Colonel Bell to join him, which he did about 7:30 a.m., and the column took the road after General Lyon. About 9:30 perhaps, the sound of an engagement at the front was heard and the column was pushed along as fast as the horses could go with safety, as the road was very wet from recent heavy rains, and the day excessively hot. General Forrest, getting notice, sent a num- ber of couriers in quick succession to tell Buford to hurry his column forward. Buford directed the writer, who was acting A. I. G. on his staff, to ride rapidly forward and say to General Forrest, ‘that he was coming as rapidly as it was possible for him to do.' General Forrest was found alone, sitting on the ground under a tree. Gen- eral Buford came up in twenty minutes, and after asking where the line of the enemy was and for the direction of Brice's house and the distance, he asked, 'General, what is your plan of action.' General Forrest replied, 'General directs me to push my column past the cross- road and move on to Tupelo, where we will unite our forces and give the enemy battle.' General Buford's reply was, 'Well, you have all your men on the ground, the enemy is moving rapidly up the Ripley road. It is very hot and his men will be badly blown when they get up, and I think now is the time to strike him before he gets his men in line.' Forrest replied, 'If that is it I will take Bell's brigade and strike his right flank. You place the artillery and get to work with it, and when you hear me charge, press him heavily in the center.' There were only three of Bells regiments in this charge. General Buford had detached Colonel Barteau's Second Tennessee Cavalry at old Car- rolton, with orders to strike the Ripley road about two miles west of the cross-roads. That move caused all the cavalry of the enemy to leave the front and hurry back on the Ripley road to check Bartea11 and protect their train. The world knows the rest."
Captain Henry A. Tyler, who was in command of Companys A and C of the Twelfth Kentucky, and who was ordered to move and
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remain on the extreme left, says: "On moving to the left in order to give room for Rucker to form on Lyon's left, I learned that the Gun- town road was about half-mile to the south and left. Realizing the danger to our position from a movement down that road, I went on to it and took my position in that road, and Rucker threw Duff's Mis- sissippi regiment of his brigade out to fill the gap. The two brigades under the order of General Forrest simply sought to hold their posi- tion until Bell's brigade and Roddy's men could be brought up. They reached the field about 2 p.m. Roddy's men were sent to the right of Lyon ; Bell's brigade to the left of Rucker, and General Forrest, riding at the head of Wilson's regiment, reached me on the Guntown road just about 2 p.m. A brigade of the enemy had just a few minutes be- fore been double quicked down the Guntown road and would soon have flanked Rucker. Seeing them coming I had formed my men across the road, six line deep, my flanks extending into the black-jack tim- ber, which fortunately came near the road on each side and opened fire upon the advancing columns which caused them to halt and front into line, forming across the road, and immediately began advancing through the timber and down the road in line of battle. Just then Forrest, at the head of Wilson's regiment, came up. He said to me that his troops were all up and he would begin an advance of his en- tire line. He directed me to dismount my men and form on the ex- treme left, and still continue to protect his flank. I did so quickly and had just ordered my men to advance when the enemy opened upon us at pretty close range. From the first volley I received a spent ball on my instep. It hurt worse than the shot I had received in a former engagement that went through my leg. I thought my foot was torn to pieces ; I dropped my pistol and grabbed my foot. General Forrest was about ten steps away behind an old house. He galloped up to me and asked if I was much hurt. I said, 'It hurts like hell, General, but I do not see any blood or bones.' He said, 'You aren't hurt much ; come on-and I did. We soon drove the enemy out of the black-jack thickets in our front and soon had them on the run.
"In the meantime Duff's Mississippi regiment had formed on the left of Bell's brigade and I was immediately on their left. We were soon in about one-quarter of a mile of Brice's Cross-Roads, where a brigade of infantry could be plainly seen double-quicking down the Tupelo-Pontotoc road. As soon as they had gone down the road far enough to be immediately in our front, they fronted us and began an advance directly upon our line. I was on the extreme flank on my line, striving to carry out my orders to protect the flank. The Federal brigade continued to advance and soon were closing on us. I lost here in two minutes more men killed and wounded than in all the day be- sides. There was a field just to my left. Seeing I could not hold my position longer, but mindful of my instructions to protect the flank at all hazards, I ordered my men to give way and run to the left and jump over the fence; then I ordered them up the line of fence, until we were well on the Federal flank, when we dropped to the ground and, pushing our guns through the cracks near the ground, opened fire upon
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
their flank. This immediately threw their line into confusion. Their extreme right exposed to our fire gave way and broke. Then they began to change front so as to meet us. Just then, to our great joy and relief, Wilson's regiment, under its brave colonel, and Newsom's regiment, led by its gallant Lieutenant-Colonel D. M. Wisdom, came up at a double quick and charged the badly disorganized brigade in my front. They caught them on their badly disorganized flank after par- tially making their change of front to attack my position. It was but a few minutes before they were fleeing from the field in the direction of Brice's Cross-Roads badly disorganized.
"Soon we reached the rise of a hill in our front and the whole scene around the cross-roads was in full view. Such a panic I had never witnessed. The Federals were in full retreat, without any order -a frantic rabble; and our men from every side closing in on them. The first thing that attracted my attention was General Lyon at the head of the Kentucky brigade pushing up to the Brice house. Just then Captain John Morton, of the artillery, appeared and soon his artillery opened at close range upon the seathing mass of disorganized Federal soldiery. His shot came so near my men that I was com- pelled to cross back to the east side of the road. In my advance I had crossed the Pontotoc road to the west. Then, too, I saw Colonel Rucker and Colonel Bell both leading their brigades upto the cross- roads and General Forrest. It was but a few minutes when we all met at the cross-roads. We were certainly a happy and enthusiastic band but little organization. Soon, however, we were in pursuit up the road towards Ripley in pursuit of the flying enemy.
"You see, I differ with Wyeth in his statement based upon what Colonel Kelley wrote him. The battle was not fought as Forrest had planned on three days before. But it was a very unexpected engage- ment upon his part. He was making Herculean efforts to escape to Okolona. He was simply cut off and forced to fight."
Report of General Washburn :
"I ordered out on the morning of the Ist of June my entire effect- ive force here, consisting of three thousand three hundred cavalry, five thousand infantry and sixteen pieces of artillery. The infantry force was all moved by rail on the Ist of June to a point between Collierville and LaFayette, where a bridge was destroyed. The cavalry, artillery and wagon train moved on the same day. The force sent out was in complete order and consisted of some of our best troops. They were ordered to go in the lightest possible marching order, and to take only wagons for commissary stores and ammunition. They had a supply for twenty days. I saw to it personally that they lacked nothing to insure a successful campaign. The number of troops deemed necessary by General Sherman, as he telegraphed me, was six thousand, but I sent eight thousand."
The above is an extract from a report of General Codwallader C. Washburn, who was in command at Memphis and sent out the expedi- tion under General Sturgis, and should know how many men he sent out under the officers.
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General Sturgis' first report of his disaster at Guntown, or Brice's Cross-Roads is as follows:
"Ripley, Miss., June 11, 1864.
"Yesterday we had a very hard fight near Guntown. The enemy was in very large force. Our loss in killed and wounded is very heavy. We have lost most everything, including a number of wagons and artillery, with ammunition. I have fallen back to this point. The enemy will probably try to cut me off. I am working toward Mem- phis and the Salem and Lamar road. If possible, please send me a brigade of infantry to help me. Please send a train of forage and some commissary stores to the railroad terminus. The enemy has been concentrating his forces and has drawn troops from Mobile and other points. Yours respectfully,
"S. D. STURGIS."
The following is from General Forrest's report :
"On the night of the 9th I received dispatches reporting the enemy in full force encamped twelve miles east of Ripley on the Gun- town road, having abandoned the upper route as impracticable.
"Orders were issued to move at 4 o'clock on the following morn- ing (10th instant). General Buford was also directed to order the immediate return of Bell's brigade from Rienzi to Booneville. The wagon train of my entire command, in charge of Major C. S. Sever- son, chief quartermaster, was ordered to the rear and southward to Booneville, east to the railroad to Verona. I moved as rapidly as the jaded condition of my horses would justify, intending, if possible, to reach Brice's Cross-Roads in advance of the enemy. On arrival at old Carrollville, in advance of the command I received intelligence that the enemy's cavalry was within four miles of the cross-roads. I im- mediately sent forward Lieutenant Black, temporarily attached to my staff, with a few men from the Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, who soon reported that he had met the advance of the enemy one mile and a half north of the cross-roads, and was then skirmishing with them. I ordered Colonel Lyon, whose brigade was in front, to move forward and develop the enemy, and wrote back to General Buford to move up with the artillery and Bell's brigade as rapidly as the condition of the horses and roads would permit, and ordered him also to send one regiment of Bell's brigade from Carrollville across to Ripley and Gun- town road, with orders to gain the rear of the enemy or attack and annoy his rear or flank. Moving forward Colonel Lyon threw out one company as skirmishers, and soon after dismounted his brigade and attacked the enemy's line of cavalry, driving them back to near the cross-roads, at which place his infantry was arriving and being formed. Desiring to avoid a general engagement until the balance of my troops and the artillery came, Colonel Lyon was not pushed forward, but in order to hold his position secure he made hasty fortifications of rails, logs and such other facilities as presented themselves. I ordered up Colonel Rucker's brigade, dismounting two regiments, under Colonel Duff, mounted as a reserve, and throwing it out well on the extreme
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
left to prevent any flank movement on the part of the enemy. Colonel Johnson was also moved into position.
"We had a severe skirmish with the enemy, which was kept up until I o'clock, at which time General Buford arrived with the artillery, followed by Bell's brigade. The enemy had for some time been shell- ing our position. On the arrival of the batteries I directed General Buford to move them into position and open fire, in order to develop the position of the enemy's batteries and his lines. The enemy re- sponded with two guns only. The firing from our batteries was dis- continued, while Lyon and Johnson were ordered to move their lines forward. It was now I o'clock and as all my forces were up I prepared to attack him at once. Taking with me my escort and Bell's brigade, I moved rapidly around to the Guntown and Ripley road and advanced on the road, dismounting the brigade and forming Russell's and Wil- son's regiments on the right, extending to Colonel Rucker's left, and placing Newsom's regiment on the left of the road ; Duff's regiment, of Rucker's brigade, and my escort were placed on the left of Newsom's and formed the extreme left of my line of battle.
"Before leaving General Buford I ordered him the moment the attack began on the left to move the center and right rapidly forward. Owing to the density of the undergrowth Colonel Bell was compelled to advance within thirty yards of the enemy before assaulting him. In a few seconds the engagement became general, and on the left raged with great fury. The enemy, having three lines of battle, the left was being heavily pressed. I sent a staff officer to General Buford to move Lyon's and Johnson's brigades forward and press the enemy on the right. Newsom's regiment was suffering severely and was giving way. Colonel Duff and my escort dismounted, were ordered to charge the enemy's position in front of Newsom's regiment, and succeeded in driving the enemy to his second line, enabling the regiment to rally, reform and move forward to a less exposed position. Fearing my order to General Buford had miscarried, I moved forward rapidly along the lines, encouraging my men, until I reached General Buford on the Blackland road, and finding but two pieces of artillery in posi- tion and engaged, I directed my aide-de-camp, Captain Anderson, to bring up all the artillery and ordered General Buford to place it in action at once, which was promptly done.
"The battle was fierce and the enemy obstinate; but after two hours' hard fighting the enemy gave way, being forced back on his third and last line. Colonel Barteau, in command of the regiment sent from old Carrollville, had gained the rear of the enemy, and by his presence and attack in that quarter had withdrawn the cavalry from the enemy's flank and created confusion and dismay to the enemy's wagon train and the guard attending it. The cavalry was sent back for its protection, and the enemy, now in front, made a last attempt to hold the cross-roads; but the steady advance of my men and the con- centrated, well-directed and rapid fire from my batteries upon that point threw them back, and the retreat or rout began. He endeavored, after abandoning the cross-roads, one piece of artillery, several cais-
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BRICE'S CROSS-ROADS.
sons, and a quantity of ammunition, to protect his rear and check pursuit, taking advantage of every favorable position along his line of march, but was speedily driven from them. Pressing forward, he was forced to abandon many of his wagons and ambulances. Before reach- ing Tishamingo creek the road was so blockaded with abandoned vehicles of every description that it was diffcult to move the artillery forward. Ordering up my horses, they were mounted and the pursuit was then continued and the enemy was driven until dark. He attempted the destruction of his wagons, loaded with ammunition and bacon, but so closely was he pursued that many of them were saved without in- jury, although the road was lighted for some distance. It being dark and my men and horses requiring rest, I threw out an advance to fol- low slowly and cautiously after the enemy, and ordered the command to halt, feed and rest."
CHAPTER XI.
Battle of Harrisburg, Miss. Federals, Under A. J. Smith, about Fifteen Thousand Strong; Confederates about Seven Thousand Strong, Under S. D. Lee. Illy Advised and Badly Managed by the Confederates.
About the 4th of July, 1864, a force of Federals, consisting of three thousand two hundred cavalry, under General Grierson and eleven thousand infantry, and twenty-four pieces of artillery, under Major- General Andrew J. Smith, marched from LaGrange and the vicinity of Memphis in the direction of Okolona, the prairie country of Mis- sissippi, passing through Ripley, where they first came in contact with Forrest's pickets or scouting parties. On the 10th Smith's army neared Pontotoc, marching in line of battle, as though he constantly antici- pated striking Forrest's command. Generals Chalmers' and Buford's divisions had been pushed forward in the direction of Pontotoc and the head of Smith's column, about two miles south of town and im- mediately south on the Okolona road. The Kentucky brigade, under Lyon, and Mabry's brigade, all under Buford, were ordered to form line across the road and prepare to resist the advance of the Federal army.
The Confederates constructed some temporary breastworks of rails and logs; they remained in that position during the night of the 12th. The next morning the enemy made some demonstrations in front of Buford's command and made a sharp attack on the Kentucky brig- ade, but refrained from bringing on a regular engagement. All at once General Smith seemed to have changed his mind, and commenced moving his command east, in the direction of Tupelo. The Kentucky brigade was moved up rapidly to Pontotoc and then thrown on the flank of the enemy, traveling country roads running parallel to the Tupelo road, on which the Federals were moving. About nine miles from Tupelo, Generals Rucker and Bell made an attack from the south of the road, and succeeded in capturing some of Smith's wagons, but there was a Federal brigade close at hand which drove them back. This brings us up to the battle of Harrisburg. The Kentuckians suf- fered more there than at any other battle in which they were engaged.
THE BATTLE OF HARRISBURG.
The fact that the Kentucky Brigade, composed of the Third, Seventh, Eighth and Twelfth Regiments, lost forty-five per cent of their number engaged in the battle, is a matter of history. That it was an ill-advised and terrible slaughter all agree. As to who was responsible for it seems to be still in dispute. The battle was fought by about fifteen thousand Federal troops, commanded by General A. J. Smith, and about seven thousand Confederates, commanded by General S. D. Lee.
The day before the battle the Federal army had marched from Pontotoc to Harrisburg, a distance of about sixteen miles, and was
COL. EDWARD CROSSLAND.
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BATTLE OF HARRISBURG, MISS.
hard pressed both in rear and flank by portions of Forrest's command. On the evening of the 13th the Federals halted at the old town of Harrisburg and prepared to give battle, forming line at a well-selected point on an elevation, with open field in the front; around the brow of the summit of this hill the men were formed, and he strengthened his position by making breastworks of old logs, rails and such other things as they could procure to protect them. Their line was formed in an arch or half-circle, with apex fronting west in the direction from which the Confederates made their assault. Early on the morning of the 14th, the Confederates were formed in line to make the attack, and in the following order, as Forrest states it in his report: "The entire command was dismounted, General Roddey's troops were placed on the extreme right, the Kentucky Brigade, commanded by Colonel Crossland, in the center; Bell's brigade was formed in the rear of Mabry's brigade as his support, but was subsequently marched forward and formed between Mabry's and Crossland's brigades. General Chal- mers' division of cavalry and. General Lyon, who had been placed in command of the infantry, was formed in the rear, to be held as reserve to support the entire front line."
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