| Reports of Brig. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest, commanding expedition into West |
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Tennessee, of operations, December 11, 1862 - January 3, 1863
Tacken from www.cavalry.km.ru BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, Near Union City, Tenn., December 24, 1862 GENERAL: In accordance with your order I moved with my command from Columbia on the 11th instant, reached the river at Clifton on Sunday, the 13th, and after much difficulty, working night and day, finished crossing on the 15th, encamping that night 8 miles west of the river. On the 16th [18th] we met the pickets of the enemy near Lexington and attacked their forces at Lexington, consisting of one section of artillery and 800 cavalry. We routed them completely, capturing the two guns and 148 prisoners including Col [R. G.] Ingersoll and Maj [L. H.] Kerr, of the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry. We also captured about 70 horses, which were badly needed and immediately put in service in our batteries. The balance of the Federal cavalry fled in the direction of Trenton and Jackson. We pushed on rapidly to Jackson, and on the evening of the 18th drove in their pickets on all the roads leading out of Jackson. On the same night I sent Col. [G. G.] Dibrell on the right of Jackson to tear up the railroad track and destroy the telegraph wires. He captured at Webb's Station 101 Federals, destroying their stockade, and tore up the road, switch, &c., at the turn-out. At the same time that Dibrell was sent on the right Col. [A. A.] Russell. [Fourth Alabama Cavalry], and Maj. [N. N.] Cox, [Second Battalion Tennessee Cavalry], with their commands were sent out on the left to destroy bridges and culverts on the railroads from Jackson to Corinth and Bolivar. The next morning [December 19] I advanced on Jackson with Colonel [T. G.] Woodward's two companies and Col. [J. B.] Biffle's battalion of about 400 men, with two pieces of artillery from Freeman's battery. About 4 miles from Jackson skirmishing began with the skirmishers, and the enemy was reported advancing with two regiments of infantry and a battalion of cavalry. We opened on them with the guns, and after a running fight of about an hour drove them into their fortifications. The enemy had heavily re-enforced at Jackson from Corinth, Bolivar, and La Grange, and numbered, from the best information I could obtain, about 9,000 men. I withdrew my forces that evening and moved rapidly on Trenton and Humboldt. Colonel Dibrell's command was sent to destroy the bridge over the Forked Deer River between Humboldt and Jackson. Col. [J. W.] Starnes was sent to attack Humboldt. Colonel Biffle was sent so as to get in the rear of Trenton, while with Major Cox's command and my body guard, commanded by Capt [M.] Little, and [S. L.] Freeman's Tennessee battery I dashed into town and attacked the enemy at Trenton. They were fortified at the depot, but were without artillery. After a short engagement between their sharpshooters and our cavalry our battery opened on them, and on the third fire from the battery they surrendered. We lost 2 men killed and 7 wounded; the enemy 2 killed and over 700 prisoners, with a large quantity of stores, arms, ammunition, and provisions, which for want of transportation we were compelled to destroy. We captured several hundred horses, but few of them were of any value; those that were of service we took, and the balance I handed over to the citizens, from whom many of them had been pressed or stolen. Colonel Russell, who was protecting our rear at Spring Creek, found the enemy advancing and following us with 3,000 infantry, two batteries, and several hundred cavalry. He skirmished with them during the evening and the next morning before daylight dismounted half of his command and succeeded in getting within 60 yards of their encampment. They discovered him and formed in line of battle. He delivered a volley as soon as their line was formed and the balance of the regiment charged on horseback. The enemy became panic-stricken and retreated hastily across Spring Creek, burning the bridge after them. We have heardnothing from them since in that direction. Col. [James W.] Starnes took Humboldt, capturing over 100 prisoners. He destroyed the stockade, railroad depot, and burned up a trestle bridge near that point. Colonel Dibrell's command failed to destroy the bridge over the Forked Deer River, as the enemy were strongly fortified and protected by two creeks on one side of the railroad and a wide, swampy bottom on the other, which rendered the approach of cavalry impossible. He dismounted his men, and while approaching their fort a train arrived from Jackson with a regiment of infantry. Lieutenant [John W., jr.,] Morton with two guns opened on the train, when it retired, the troops on it gaining the stockade. Owing to the situation of the stockade and the density of the timber and the wet, miry condition of the bottom, the guns could not be brought to bear on it. Night coming on Colonel Dibrell withdrew and rejoined my command. We remained in Trenton during the night of the 20th, paroling all the prisoners and selecting from the stores at the depot such as were needed by the command. On the morning of the 21st I fired the depot, burning up the remaining supplies, with about 600 bales of cotton, 200 barrels of pork, and a large lot of tobacco in hogsheads, used by the enemy for breastworks. After seeing everything destroyed I moved on in the direction of Union City, capturing at Rutherford Station two companies of Federals and destroying the railroad from Trenton to Kenton Station, at which place we captured Col. [Thomas J.] Kinney, of the One hundred and twenty-second [One hundred and nineteenth] Illinois Regiment, and 22 men left sick in the hospital. I took a portion of the command and pushed ahead to Union City, capturing 106 Federals without firing a gun. I destroyed the railroad bridge over the bayou near Moscow and am completing the destruction of the bridges over the North and South Fork of Obion River, with nearly 4 miles of trestling in the bottom between them. We have made a clean sweep of the Federals and roads north of Jackson, and know of no Federals except at Fort Heiman, Paducah, and Columbus, north of Jackson and west of the Tennessee River. Reports that are reliable show that the Federals are rapidly sending up troops from Memphis. One hundred and twenty-five transports passed down a few days ago within ten hours, and daily they are passing up loaded with troops. General Grant must either be in a very critical condition or else affairs in Kentucky require the movement. In closing my report, general, allow me to say that great credit is due to the officers of my command. They have exhibited great zeal, energy, endurance, and gallantry. Colonel Russell and his command deserve especial notice for their gallantry in the fight at Lexington and Spring Creek. Capt. [F. B.] Gurley, [Fourth Alabama Cavalry], with 12 men charged a gun at Lexington supported by over 100 Federal cavalry. He captured the gun, losing his orderly-sergeant by the fire of the gun when within 15 feet of its muzzle. My men have all behaved well in action, and as soon as rested a little you will hear from me in another quarter. Our loss so far is 8 killed, 12 wounded, and 2 missing. The enemy's killed and wounded over 100 men; prisoners over 1,200, including colonels, 4 majors, 10 captains, and 23 lieutenants. We have been so busy and kept so constantly moving that we have not had time to make out a report of our strength, and ask to be excused until the next courier comes over. We send by courier a list of prisoners paroled. General, I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, N. B. FORREST, Brigadier-General, Commanding in West Tennessee. General BRAXTON BRAGG, Commanding Army of Tennessee. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, Clifton, Tenn., January 3, 1863. GENERAL: I forwarded you from Middleburg, per Lieutenant Martin, a detailed report of my operations up to the 25th ultimo, which I hope reached you safely. I left Middleburg on the 25th, proceeding via the Northwestern Railroad to McKenzie's Station, destroying all the bridges and trestles on that road from Union City to McKenzie's Station. From McKenzie's Station we were compelled to move southward in the direction of Lexington, as the enemy in force occupied Trenton, Humboldt, Huntingdon, and Lexington. After my command left Trenton they commenced re-enforcing and moving to the points named with a view of cutting off my command and prevent us recrossing the Tennessee. Understanding a force was moving on me from Trenton in the direction of Dresden, I sent Col. [J. B.] Biffle, [Nineteenth Tennessee Cavalry], in that direction to protect our movements toward Lexington, intending if possible to avoid the enemy andgo on and attack the enemy at Bethel Station, on the Mobile and Ohio road, south of Jackson. We left McKenzie's Station on the morning of December 28, but in crossing the bottom had great difficulty in crossing our artillery and wagons; the bridges proved to be much decayed and gave way, forcing us to drag our artillery and wagons through the bottom and the creeks. It was with great difficulty we got through by working the entire night, and our men and horses were so much fatigued that I was compelled to encamp at Flake's Store, about 16 miles north of Lexington, when under ordinary circumstances and good roads we ought to have reached Lexington that night, which place had been evacuated by the enemy, believing that I would either cross the Tennessee at Huntingdon or else that I would move northward. On the morning of the 31st we moved off in the direction of Lexington, but had not gone more than 4 miles before we met the skirmishers of the enemy. We engaged and fought six regiments for five hours, driving them back until 3 o'clock in the evening, [when] they took shelter in a grove of timber of about 60 acres inclosed by a fence and surrounded by open fields. I had sent four companies to Clarksburg to protect and advise me of any advance from Huntingdon, and finding that we were able to whip the enemy, dismounted a portion of my cavalry to support my artillery and attack in front while I could flank them on each side and get Col. [A. A.] Russell's regiment, [Fourth Alabama Cavalry], in their rear. We drove them through the woods with great slaughter and several white flags were raised in various portions of the woods and the killed and wounded were strewn over the ground. Thirty minutes more would have given us the day, when to my surprise and astonishment a fire was opened on us in our rear and the enemy in heavy force under General [J. C.] Sullivan advanced on us. Knowing that I had four companies at Clarksburg, 7 miles from us on the Huntingdon road, I could not believe that they were Federals until I rode up myself into their lines. The heavy fire of their infantry unexpected and unlooked for by all caused a stampede of horses belonging to my dismounted men, who were following up and driving the enemy before them. They also killed and crippled many of the horses attached to our caissons and reserved guns. I had sent back 2 miles for more ammunition. My men had been fighting for five hours, and both artillery and small-arm ammunition were well-nigh exhausted. We occupied the battle-field, were in possession of the enemy's dead and wounded and their three pieces of artillery, and had demanded a surrender of the brigade, which would doubtless have been forced or accepted in half an hour, the colonel commanding proposing to leave the field entirely and withdraw his force provided we would allow him to bury his dead; but believing I could force, and that in a short time, the demand, the fighting continued, the Federals scattering in every direction. The stampede of horses and horse- holders announced that help was at hand, and finding my command now exposed to fire from both front and rear I was compelled to withdraw, which I did in good order, leaving behind our dead and wounded. We were able to bring off six pieces of artillery and two caissons, the balance, with the three guns we captured, we were compelled to leave, as most of the horses were killed or crippled and the drivers in the same condition, which rendered it impossible to get them out raider the heavy fire of the enemy from both front and rear. Our loss in artillery is three guns and eight caissons and one piece which burst during the action. The enemy's loss was very heavy in killed and wounded, and as we had the field and saw them piled up and around the fences had a good opportunity of judging their loss. We gave them grape and canister from our guns at 300 yards, and as they fell back through the timber their loss was terrible. The prisoners say that at least one-third of the command was killed or wounded. From all I could see and learn from my aides and officers they must have lost in killed and wounded from 800 to 1,000 men. The fire of our artillery for accuracy and rapidity was scarcely, if ever, excelled, and their position in the fence corners proved to the enemy, instead of a protection, a source of great loss, as our shot and shell scattered them to the winds, and many were killed by rails that were untouched by balls. Captain Freeman and Lieut. [J. W.] Morton of our batteries, with all of their men, deserve special mention, keeping up, as they did, a constant fire from their pieces, notwithstanding the enemy made every effort at silencing their pieces by shooting down the artillerists at the guns. The whole command fought well. We had about 1,800 men in the engagement., and fought six regiments of infantry, with three pieces of artillery, which we charged and took, but were compelled to leave them as the horses were all killed or crippled. We brought off 83 prisoners, and they report their respective regiments as badly cut up. They lost 3 colonels and many company officers. We have on our side to deplore the death of Col. [T.] Alonzo Napier, [Tenth Tennessee Cavalry], who was killed while leading his men in a charge on foot. He was a gallant officer, and after he fell his command continued to drive the enemy from their position on the right bank, strewing their path with dead and wounded Federals. I cannot speak in too high terms of all my commanding officers; and the men, considering they were mostly raw recruits, fought well. I have not been able as yet to ascertain our exact loss, but am of the opinion that 60 killed and wounded and 100 captured or missing will cover it. I saved all my wagons except my ammunition wagons, which, by a mistake of orders, were driven right into the enemy's line. This is seriously to be regretted, as we had captured six wagon loads of it; and when I ordered up one wagon of ammunition and two ambulances, the wagon-master and ordnance officer not knowing exactly what kind was wanted, or misunderstanding the order, brou |
