Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[453] position. This is a hill covered with underbrush, flanked on the right and left by a swamp, and accessible only by a crest which follows the road from Okolona to Pontotoc. They are about six miles from the latter town. Barteau's troops, a goodly number of whom have been outmarched, are suddenly stopped. The moment is an important one for Forrest, who has remained at their head. He happily sees the remainder of his forces arrive. His brother, who has not been able to get in advance of the enemy, finds him on debouching into the road after having made the required detour. McCulloch rejoined his chief a few moments after. Forrest soon deploys their two brigades, the first on the right, the second on the left, of the road. Leaving to his brother the direction of one wing, he proceeds to take that of the other near McCulloch, and at three o'clock gives the order for the attack. The approaches of the position of the Federals are promptly carried on the right, but their well-sustained fire causes the assailants to fall back. Colonel Forrest is killed at the head of his soldiers, whom he encourages in vain before McCulloch can come into line. General Forrest, who has hastened to witness his brother's last moments, leads his brigade again to the assault. This time the Federals retire, but step by step, inflicting considerable losses on the enemy, and soon make another stand. Hepburn with his cavalry and the Fourth regulars holds back Forrest's brigade, and it requires the arrival of McCulloch to compel him to move forward. He, however, surrenders yet but little ground, and proceeds to re-form behind Waring's brigade, which, in its turn, has halted to cover the retreat. It may be feared, in fact, that this ,retreat will soon degenerate into a complete rout. McCrillis' brigade has not been able to rally. The runaway soldiers, whose number has increased at every step, mingle with the train and the negroes, and form an immense mass rebellious to all authority, which encumbers the road. Before coming to take part in the struggle Waring has endeavored to turn and hold it back in a glade neighboring the road. He did not succeed in this, and the distracted crowd has by its sole impetus broken through two of his regiments. His brigade and Hepburn's alone have to bear the whole burden of the fight. If the line is broken the whole column is lost for ever. But Smith and Grierson