The feat of
Gen. Forrest, capturing 1,500 Yankees with 500 Confederate cavalry, after several days' fighting, is one of the most remarkable of the war. It was on the 30th day of April that he fought and defeated the Vanndale at
Courtland, on the M. and C. R. R., in
Lawrence county, Ala. From this point to
Rome we should judge to be not less than 150 miles, and from
Courtland to
Gaylesville, where
Forrest overtook and fought them, not less than 115 or 120 miles. He then traveled this distance in but little over two days. He overtook, fought, whipped, and captured them in the early part of the third day. Of the last day's fight a correspondent of the
Atlanta (Ga.) Confederacy says:
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At
Black Creek, a very deep, rapid stream, beyond
Gadsden, they burned the bridge and planted their artillery to prevent
Forrest from getting any further.
Upon reaching it, he found he could not ford it. This was the first serious obstacle in the way of the intrepid rebels.
At this moment a beautiful young girl came out to the road from a house close by her countenance radiant with patriotic enthusiasm, and addressed the
General thus: "Ride up, General, to this log. Let me get up behind you. I can soon show you a ford where you can cross, just above the bridge." The General obeyed orders; the young girl leaped up behind him, and they were about to proceed, when her mother came out and said:-- "Stop,
Anna; people may talk about you." "I must go, mother," she replied; "I am not afraid to trust myself anywhere with as brave a man as
Gen. Forrest.
Southern men always protect the innocent and helpless."
The General with his new pilot dashed on through the woods, over logs, brush, &c., and in a few moments struck the path leading to the ford.
Arriving there, he discovered that the enemy had already sent a few to guard the ford. "Get down General," said the girl, "and walk behind me: they will not shoot while I am before you." "No," said the
General, "I am willing to make a guide, but not a battery, of a young lady."
The command with their guns soon came up, when a few shells drove off the guard.
Forrest then ordered all the ammunition to be taken out of the caissons.
Some of the men stripped themselves and pushed the horses down the steep bank and up one equally precipitous on the opposite side, and pulled the artillery across by hand in the same way. In 2 hours all were over, and again the saddle in pursuit of their game, pushed on to
Gadsden.
Here
Gen. Forrest started a courier to this place, to advise the authorities and citizens of the place to prepare for them and hold them in check till he could come up. It was now late Saturday evening. H selected 300 of his men who were best mounted, and about eleven miles this side of
Gadsden, near
Turkeytown, he came up with the entire force of the enemy in ambush near night.
He ordered an immediate charge, which he headed.
The General says that every one of his jaded horses seemed animated with new life, and came up to the work like fresh animals.
He says he never saw any thing like it. Here
Col. Hathaway, the favorite officer of the
Yankees, was killed — it is thought by a private named
Joseph Martin, a mere youth, of Company G,
Biffle's regiment, with an Enfield rifle, at the distance of 600 yards. This was a severe loss to the
Yankees, and did much to dishearten them.
Several of their best men were here killed and wounded.
Forrest lost two of his gallant men:
Privates Hunt, of
Starnes's, and
Roach, of
Biffle's regiments.
This battle was on
Mr. Blount's farm, and the Yanks, it is supposed, in spite for the loss of one of their favorite
Colonel, burnt his gin-house, stables, cribs, &c., and also burned up the
Round Mountain Iron Works.
It was now dark, and night had put an end to the fight.
Forrest waited till all of his men came up, who, though left in the rear with their jaded animals, were hurrying after their glorious leader as fast as possible.
When they all came up,
Forrest again ordered all to advance, when they found the
Yankees had left under cover of darkness, and were pushing on to this place.
About sunrise on Sunday morning
Gen. F. encountered another stream, the Catoosa river, where the
Yankees had burned Dykee's bridge.
Here they again dismounted, stripped, and carried over their guns and ammunition by hand, all in one hour, and again pressed forward.--About 9 o'clock he again came up with and fired into their rear while they were at break fast.
They again fled, leaving mules, wagons, all their hot coffee, etc., but when they reached the front of the
Yankee forces they were halted by
Col. Strait and ordered into line of battle.
This was some 29 miles west of
Rome.
Here
Forrest promptly sent in a flag of truce and demanded the surrender of the whole Yankee command.
This was the boldest game of bluff on record.
Forrest, with less than 500 men, on worn-out horses, demanding the surrender, far out in the country, on a fair field, of 1,368 privates and 101 officers all well armed and in line of battle!
For cool audacity, it excels all history or imagination.
It must be remembered that when he sent back
Roddy and
Edmondson, he started on the chase with about 800 men, ten of whom had been killed, forty wounded, others left, and details sent back till his actual force was less than 500.
During the chase he had captured and sent back over 300 of the Yanks.
Upon this bold demand a parley ensued between
Gen. F. and
Col. Strait, that resulted in the surrender of the entire command, with 1,500 mules and horses, 60 carbines and pistols, 1,300
Enfield rifles, side arms, and divers other articles, amounting in all to over half a million's worth, embracing every comfort and convenience for a select command of 1,800 men, who were detailed specially by
General Rosecrans for this important expedition.--They came from
Nashville on a boat to
Eastport, near
Tuscumbia, where they debarked.--Their instructions were to cross
Sand Mountain, come to this city, burn all Government stores, workshops, foundries, bridges, &c; then the bridges on the
State road; then to push direct to
Atlanta and burn everything there; then make their escape, if possible, through the mountains.
If they should succeed in accomplishing their work, they were to be rewarded by a large bounty and a discharge from service.
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