USA > Kentucky > History of the 3d, 7th, 8th and l2th Kentucky C.S.A > Part 14
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Filled with enthusiasm at the prospect of once more seeing their homes, even though it was attended with some risk, the men in the advance, under Captain Forrest, could with difficulty be restrained ; and when they heard him answer the quick challenge of the sentinel, they became more than ever eager for the encounter.
"Who goes there?" was suddenly heard to break the stillness of the morning hour, as also the Confederate captain's cool and prompt reply : "A detachment of the Twelfth Missouri Cavalry, with rebel prisoners."
The rejoinder came, "Advance one," when Captain Forrest rode forward in person, having previously, in a low tone, directed his men to move slowly but closely behind him. Meanwhile, General Forrest, with his escort, moving with the head of the main column, was but one hundred paces rearward, with not a little anxiety heard the chal- lenge, as also some moments later, the sound of a heavy blow, followed soon by the discharge of a single gun.
Captain Forrest, it seems, as he rode forward, met the Federal picket, mounted, in the middle of the highway. As soon as he was within reach of the unsuspecting trooper, the Confederate officer felled him to the ground by one blow with his heavy revolver, while at the same instant, his men sprang forward and captured the picket post of some ten or twelve men-dismounted at the moment-a few paces to the rear of the left of the highway, without any noise of tumult, except the discharge of the single gun, as we have said, by General Forrest.
Sending his prisoners immediately to the rear Captain Forrest pressed on for a quarter of a mile, when he encountered another out- post, which greeted him with a volley. The daring Confederates dashed forward, however, and scattered the enemy in every direction ; but, unhappily, forgetting the strict orders to be as silent as swift in their operations, shouting lustily. The contagion spreading, the cheer
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
was taken up by the whole column, which was now roused to a state of irrepressible eagerness for the fray. By this time the head of the column was within a few paces of the Federal camp, on the outskirts of the city. Day was breaking and a long line of tents were visible, stretching across the country to the eastward and westward of the highway for nearly a mile. The alarm having been given, and the orders prescribing silence generally forgotten by the men, General Forrest directed the ever-present Gaus (his bugler) to sound the charge, and all the bugles of the several regiments took up and re- peated the inspiring notes. Another cheer burst forth spontaneously from the whole line, and all broke ardently forward in a swift, im- petuous charge. Two only of Neely's regiments charging into the encampment eastward of the road, the way for some moments, was obstructed by another of his command, so that Logwood was unable to push on and enter the city as soon as had been expected. More- over, in making the attempt to break through, his men became inter- mingled with those of Neely's regiment; some confusion resulted, for the greatest exultation now prevailed among the men. Meanwhile Cap- tain Forrest, charging rapidly down the road toward the city, with his little band (some forty strong), encountered an artillery encamp- ment eight or nine hundred yards beyond the infantry cantonment. Sweeping down with a shout, and a volley from their pistols, the Con- federates drove the Federals from their guns (six pieces), after kill- ing or wounding some twenty of the gunners. This effected, they pressed forward into the city, and did not halt until they drew rein before the Gayoso Hotel, into the office of which Captain Forrest and several of his companions entered, without dismounting; and in a moment, his men, spreading through the corridors of that spacious establishment, were busily searching for General Hurlbut and other Federal officers, to the great consternation of the startled guests of the house. Some of the Federal officers, roused by the tumult, rushed forth from their rooms, misapprehending the gravity of the occasion, offered resistance, and one of their number was killed and some others captured, but Major-General Hurlbut was not to be found.
Meanwhile, Colonel Logwood having broken through the obstruc- tion in his path, with a large portion of his command, found a formid- able line of Federal infantry drawn up facing the road on his right, or eastward, which opened a warm musketry fire upon the head of the Confederate column. Ordered to push on into the heart of the city, without halting to give battle on the wayside, Logwood, placing him- self at the head of his men, pressed onward for some distance, run- ning a gauntlet of small arms volleys, until a turn of the road brought him in the presence of a line of infantry directly across the way and sweeping it with their fire. There was a fence on the one hand, a broad, deep ditch on the other. Unswerved, on rushed the Confed- erates with their well-known yell-the men with their rifles poised as so many battle maces, and their officers, saber in hand, burst through the opposing ranks. Hastening onward, a battery was seen to the left, but commanding a straight reach of road ahead, and the gunners of which were busy charging their pieces. In view of the danger his
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OPERATIONS ABOUT OXFORD AND MEMPHIS.
command incurred from this battery, Logwood was obliged to charge and disperse those who manned it; and, giving the command to charge, again his men clubbed their rifles, and with a shout, swooped down upon their luckless enemy, a number of whom were knocked down at the pieces, while the rest were driven off before they could fire a gun. Resuming his charge toward the city, Logwood, in a few minutes, en- tered and galloped down Hernando street to the market-house and up Beale to Main street and so on to the Gayoso House on Shelby street. The men, now wild with excitement, dashed forward at a run, shout- ing like so many demons, regardless of the fire opened upon them by the Federal militia from windows and fences. The women and chil- dren, and some men, were screaming or crying with affright, or shout- ing and clapping their hands and waving their handkerchiefs with joy as they recognized the mud-bespattered uniforms of the Confed- erate soldiery in their streets once more. Soon, indeed, the scene was one of memorable excitement.
Memphis was the home of many of those gray-coated young raiders who thus suddenly burst into the heart of the city that August morning. The women, young and old, forgetting the custom of the hour, throwing open their window-blinds and doors, welcomed their dear countrymen by voice and smiles, and every possible manifesta- tion of the delight inspired by such an advent.
Reaching the Gayoso finally, Colonel Logwood completed the search of that hotel for Federal officers, after which, collecting his men in hand as soon as possible, he began to retire by Beale street, about 9 o'clock, as it was learned through scouts that a strong Federal force was being rapidly concentrated upon that point. During this time, it will be remembered, Lieutenant-Colonel Forrest also had been ordered to penetrate the city. Speeding with his regiment toward the head- quarters of Major-General Washburn, on Union street (opposite Third), he reached the point without serious resistance, to find, how- ever, that the Federal commander has flown, but several of his staff officers were captured before they could dress and follow their fleet- footed leader. Meanwhile Neely had met serious resistance in the execution of his orders. The infantry, at least one thousand strong, which was his duty to attack, as we have seen, had been formed in line in time to receive his force with a warm fire of small arms. See- ing this check, General Forrest, who had remained with the reserve under Colonel Bell, led them rapidly by the right flank to reinforce Neely; but on the way developed a cavalry encampment just east- ward of the infantry, from which the Confederates were received with a heavy fire. Being in advance, as usual, Forrest charged promptly with his escort over intervening fences and through some gardens, dis- persing the dismounted occupants of the encampment and capturing nearly all their horses, with a number of prisoners; Neely, at the same time, making a vigorous onset upon the infantry, succeeded in driving them, with some loss, from their position. Whereupon they and the dispersed dismounted cavalry took refuge in the extensive brick building of the State Female College, several hundred yards dis-
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, STH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
tance, a strong defensive position. Followed by the Confederates, the enemy poured a noisy and annoying fire from behind the cover afforded by the college. At this Forrest ordered up Lieutenant Sale with the artillery, and dismounting some of the troops, made an effort to dislodge the Federals, and an animated skirmish ensued. A num- ber of shells were thrown and exploded in the main building; but it soon became apparent the position was only to be gained at a loss far greater than was required for the success of the expedition, and the attempt was not made. Finding that the enemy was rapidly rallying and assembling, Forrest had previously ordered the troops to evacuate the city, and concentrate at the Federal infantry camp which we have mentioned. This order found the Confederates greatly dispersed and widely spread over the city, many with the hope and object of meet- ing and greeting friends and kindred, but for the most part intent upon the discovery and appropriation of horses. Few, indeed, retained their regimental, or, in fact, company organizations. As soon, however, as they could be collected and Lieutenant-Colonels Logwood and Forrest having effected a junction on De Soto streets, they moved out to- gether, but encountered a strong body of infantry formed across the road, near Provine's house, as a support for the battery there; the gunners of which had twice been dispersed was found re-manned once more, and commanding the road. A warm collision occurred, in the course of which Captain Peter Williams, Fifteenth Tennessee, charging the battery with his company (I), was in turn charged and driven back; but reinforced by Company H, Lieutenant Witherspoon, of the same regiment, the battery was again charged and taken, Colonels Logwood and Forrest then hastened to rejoin their commander, as directed.
As all the Confederates were now withdrawn from the city, except some stragglers, and those who had been captured or killed, General Forrest gave orders for the whole force to withdraw. The object of the expedition having been in the main attained by the confusion and consternation into which the garrison had been thrown by his opera- tion of that morning, it only remained to secure the entire success of Forrest's plans, that General A. J. Smith should receive as early intelligence of the occurrence as practicable, and therefore he retired to give General Washburn leisure and opportunity to telegraph the menacing situation at Memphis, and to ask for succor, which it was felt assured he would do.
Meanwhile, some of the Confederates who had lingered in the city, or had lost their way in the general dispersion which occurred, were chased out by a body of several hundred Federal cavalry, a strong detachment of which made a dash at some of Forrest's men still in the infantry camp, and just in the act of mounting. Seeing their jeopardy, Forrest sprang forward with a few men of the ever-reliable Second Missouri, that happened to be most convenient, and a close, sanguinary collision took place. Among the slain was Colonel Starr, of the Federal army, who, while urging his men to attack, was mor- tally wounded by the hands of the Confederate leader himself. With this affair the contest was ended.
CHAPTER XIII.
Forrest's Raid or Campaign into Middle Tennessee. Capture of Athens, Sulphur Springs Trestle and Engagement about Pulaski. Re-, crossing the Tennessee River in the Face of a Large Force of the Enemy. Johnsonville Affair. Capture of Steamers.
From the time Forrest commenced his brilliant operations in Mississippi, West Tennessee and Kentucky, General Sherman, who was in command of the Federal Army of the Tennessee, was con- tinually apprehensive that Forrest would operate on the railroads in his rear. His military eye saw at once that he could do the Federals more harm and the Confederates more good there than anywhere else he could possibly be sent. Forrest saw all along that it was the place for him to operate, and insisted on his government send him there, but they only consented after it was too late to accomplish the purpose that could have been reached a number of months before. When Joseph E. Johnston was confronting Sherman with a strong army, who had implicit confidence in their commander, and was therefore forcing Sherman to make extremely slow progress, and in the meantime rely- ing almost exclusively on the railroads to furnish him with supplies, if Forrest had been permitted at that time to have done what Sherman was so apprehensive of, and what Forrest knew was the proper thing for him to do, it is possible Sherman would have been forced back to where his supplies could be transported; but they hesitated until John- ston had been removed from the command of the army and the South- ern crops had matured, on which Sherman could subsist his army in- dependent of the railroad. Nevertheless, Forrest's operations, late as they were and under circumstances as I have described, caused con- sternation among the Federal officers all over that department, and gave Sherman a great deal of anxiety.
In making preparations to cross the Tennessee River into Mid- dle Tennessee, Forrest ordered General Chalmers to take command of all his men whom he would not himself require. The force he was preparing to take with him was composed of Bell's, Lyon's and Rucker's brigades (as reliable troops as there were in the Confederate army. They understood their leader and had implicit confidence in him, and he knew his men and knew he could rely on their doing their duty under any conditions. The whole number was about thirty-five hundred effective men.
On September the 21th the command was at Ross' ford, at Calbert's Shoals on the Tennessee River, and without any mishap forded the stream. The artillery and wagon train were put across the river at Newport and joined the command a few miles from Florence, where they went into camp for the night. The following morning the com- mand was joined by more than one thousand of Roddey's men, under Colonel W. A. Johnson, and later on by some straggling men of Wheeler's command, which increased Forrest's available force to about forty-six hundred.
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
On the morning of the 22d the command commenced moving early and rapidly in the direction of Athens, Ala., where there was a well- constructed fort, garrisoned by a force of fourteen hundred men.
The Twentieth Tennessee and Fourteenth Tennessee were sent south of Athens to cut the Nashville & Decatur Railroad, and to cut the telegraph wires. The main column arrived in the vicinity of Athens late in the afternoon of the 23d, and were at once placed in position around the town and fort. While the Confederates were ex- tending their lines they were fired on several times from a battery inside the Federal's fort. The railroad at Athens runs nearly due north and south.
Before the command had all taken their position, a train was heard coming from toward Nashville; a regiment was, therefore, sent to obstruct the road and prevent reinforcements from going to the rescue of the Federals in the fort. Bell was directed to take position with his brigade north of the fort, Kelley on the southeast and Lyon, with the Kentucky brigade, was assigned a position west of the fort; John- ston, with his small brigade, formed across the road leading out toward Florence. The movements were made so rapidly that before the Fed- erals realized it they were completely surrounded and all avenues of escape were completely cut off. Captain Morton, Forrest's chief of artillery, was directed 'to place his guns in good positions in order to open on the Federals early the following morning.
At about 7 o'clock on the morning of the 24th Buford's division, Bell's and Lyon's brigades, were moved forward in full view of the fort. The Kentuckians occupied an open space in full view of the well-constructed works, and while thus standing the men were informed that in a few moments they were expected to move forward and take the fort. General Lyon, cool and deliberate, as he uniformly was under trying circumstances, passed along the line making his arrangements for the charge, informing the troops what was expected of them, and admonishing them to have their guns and ammunition in readiness for quick and effective work. The writer saw those Kentuckians in a num- ber of dangerous places, but never did they appear more serious than on that occasion; but with all their seriousness they had that deter- mined expressed "to do or die," that characterizes men of superior courage. General Forrest had his men located so as to make the best impression as to their number, a practice he resorted to on numerous occasions. I do not now believe that Forrest had any sort of idea of sacrificing his men by throwing them against that almost impregnable fort, but at that time his men fully believed that he intended to do it; so he had us fooled then as well as the Federal commander. After the artillery had played on the works of the enemy for some time, Forrest ordered them to cease firing and he sent in, under a flag of truce, the following demand for the Federals to surrender :
"HEADQUARTERS FORREST'S CAVALRY,
"In the Field, Sept. 24, 1864.
"Officer Commanding U. S. Forces, Athens, Ala .: I demand an an immediate and unconditional surrender of the entire force and all
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FORREST'S CAMPAIGN INTO MIDDLE TENNESSEE.
government stores and property at this post. I have a sufficient force to storm and take your works, and if I am forced to do so the responsi- bilities of the consequences must rest with you. Should you, however, accept the terms, all white soldiers will be treated as prisoners of war and negroes returned to their masters. A reply is requested imme- diately.
Respectfully,
"N. B. FORREST, "Major-General C. S. Army."
Colonel Wallace Campbell, colonel of the One Hundred and Tenth United States (colored) Infantry, was in command of the Federal forces there; and to the demand to surrender he sent a reply :
"I have the honor to decline your demand of this date."
Forrest then asked for an interview with Colonel Campbell, any- where outside the Federal fort. The interview was granted. At their meeting Forrest impressed upon the colonel that he was influenced by the highest principles of humanity; that he could and would take the fort, but knew, if it was done by storming, that the slaughter would be great, and proffered to show him his forces so he would know for himself that he was abundantly able to force the work.
"Colonel Campbell, accompanied by another officer, went along our lines, and seeing the number and enthusiasm of the men, surrendered the fort with its entire garrison." (Forrest's report.)
Colonel Campbell says in his report: "Accompanied by Lieuten -- ant-Colonel J. A. Dewey, I immediately met General Forrest. He told me that he was determined to take the place, that his force was sufficiently large, and have it he would, and if he was compelled to storm the works, it would result in the massacre of the entire garrison. He told me what his force was, and said myself and one other officer could have the privilege of reviewing his force. I then took Captain B. M. Callander and rode around his entire line, thereby satisfying myself and the captain accompanying me that there were at least ten thousand men, and nine pieces of artillery. It was now II in the morning. I had been dilly-dallying with General Forrest since 8 in the morning, expecting reinforcements would come from Decatur. Believing they could not reach me, I ordered the surrender of the fort."
General Forrest was able to make the Federal officers believe that his forty-five hundred men were at least ten thousand by moving his forces in such a way as to have the Federals see them twice, or per- haps some of them three times. When Campbell surrendered his forces at the fort, his expected reinforcement was perhaps not more than a mile away, making for the fort as fast as they could push their way. They had been sent out from Decatur by train, but had been intercepted by Kelley, Logwood and Jesse Forrest's regiments. The Federals made a desperate effort to fight their way to the fort, not knowing, of course, that the forces there had surrendered. In this engagement Colonel Jesse Forrest was wounded, together with a number of others, before the Federals were finally overpowered and captured. There were two small block houses occupied by Federals close by the garri-
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
son and both surrendered, one, however, refused to do so until Cap- tain Morton fired a few shots into it from one of his batteries.
A large lot of commissary's and quartermaster's stores, together with over a thousand stand of small arms and ammunition, about forty wagons and three hundred horses fell into Forrest's hands. The cap- tured property was at once started to the south side of the Tennessee River. General Forrest at once sent General Taylor, the commander of his department, the following dispatch :
"My forces captured this place (Athens) this morning, with thir- teen hundred officers and men, fifty wagons and ambulances, five hun- dred horses, two trains of cars loaded with quartermaster's and com- missary stores, with a large quantity of small arms and two pieces of artillery. My troops in fine spirits. My loss, five killed and twenty- five wounded."
Immediately after the surrender of the Federal forces at Athens, Forrest put his command in motion north along the line of the railroad. Out about five miles another block house was encountered, garrisoned with about thirty men. They capitulated on demand, and the command moved on a few miles and went into camp for the night. On the morning of the 25th the command continued its movements north, destroying the railroad as they went. At Sulphur Springs trestle a formidable stockade was found, and together with the fort there were two block houses, all constructed and garrisoned to protect a very long and important bridge on the Alabama & Tennessee Railroad. Mor- ton's guns were soon placed in advantageous positions and at once opened on the Federal works with a terrific fire. Some of the men with small arms were dismounted and moved up within easy rifle- shot of the Federals, and opened up such a fusillade the Federals could not put their heads above the works. In a short time there was but the slightest sign of resistance from the fort. At this point, Forrest says, in his report :
"I deemed this an appropriate occasion to demand a surrender, and sent a flag of truce for that purpose. After a short parley with Colonel J. B. Mennis, the commanding officer, the fort surrendered. The enemy suffered severely in the assault. The colonel (Leathrop) commanding was killed early in the fight. Almost every house was perforated with shells, and the dead lay thick along the works of the fort. The fruits of the victory consist, besides the prisoners, of seven stands of small arms, two pieces of artillery, three ambulances, sixteen wagons, three hundred cavalry horses and equipments, medical, quar- termaster and commissary stores."
Forrest appeared in Middle Tennessee with such a force, and exaggerated as it was, created a flurry and serious apprehension among the Federal officers throughout all that country from Kentucky to Georgia. Sherman was realizing what he had been anticipating and seeking to avoid for a year. A combined force of Federals of no less than twenty-five thousand was put in operation against Forrest. Grant, on the 26th of September, telegraphed Sherman: "It will be better to drive Forrest from Middle Tennessee as a first step." Sherman re-
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FORREST'S CAMPAIGN INTO MIDDLE TENNESSEE.
plied : "Have already sent one division to Chattanooga and another to Rome. Can't you expedite the sending to Nashville of the recruits that are in Indiana and Ohio? Forrest is now lieutenant-gen- eral and commands all the enemy's cavalry."
On the 29th General R. S. Granger, from Decatur, telegraphed Thomas : "The fort at Sulphur Springs trestle has been captured; block house at Law trestle was surrounded. Generals Forrest, Bu- ford and Lyon, with eight thousand men and eight pieces of artillery, threatened Elk River bridge. Escaped prisoners report that General Wheeler and Roddey were expected to join them at Columbia or Franklin, and combined forces were to attack Nashville."
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