FORREST'S RAID.

431 was reported within two miles. General Sullivan ordered out the 43d Illinois, Colonel Ingleman, to go to the front and hold back the rebel advance as much as possible. Ingleman ambuscaded his force and waited Forrest's approach. As the rebel advance came on, the 43d fired a terrific volley into the unsuspecting ranks and then commenced falling back slowly, harassing the enemy at every step. In the afternoon more reinforcements arrived at Jackson forwarded from Oxford by General Grant. Forrest, posted as to these reinforcements and constantly harrassed by Colonel Ingleman, feared to attack, and commenced throwing shells into the town hoping to destroy it. Gen. Brayman's brigade was ordered out as skirmishers and did its work so well that it forced back the rebel skirmishers two miles, and then encamped.

On the 20th, leaving eleven hundred men to guard Jackson, Generals Sullivan and Haynie, with the remainder, numbering about seven thousand, set out in pursuit of Forrest, Major Smith of the 45th Illinois being left in command of the town. On the same day cannonading was heard in the direction of Spring Creek and Humboldt, and five hundred men were ordered to reinforce Trenton by way of Humboldt. It was not until late in the afternoon that the news was received that Forrest had destroyed the trestle work on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and had captured Humboldt, Trenton, Dyer's, Rutherford, Keaton and other stations on the road.

On the 21st, not finding the rebels, General Sullivan returned to Jackson, where an attack was continually anticipated, and soon after his return, the following troops, by his order, reported to General Haynie: 106th Illinois, Colonel Latham; 119th Illinois, Major Watson; ninety men of the 11th Illinois cavalry; a company of the 18th Illinois; the 39th Iowa, and the Iowa Union Brigade. With these troops he commenced repairing the broken road. Having put the road in running order he moved on to Humboldt, where he remained until the 26th, having been joined in the meantime by the 126th Illinois, Colonel Beardsley, the 122d Illinois, Colonel Rinaker, and the 7th Tennessee. Leaving Colonel Beardsley at Humboldt he moved to Trenton, arriving there at noon of the 26th, and reporting to General Sullivan. Upon sending out his scouts he found that Forrest had changed front, having a portion of his force at Middle

burg and the remainder at Dresden, and that the rebel pickets were not over two miles from his own. On the 27th Gen. Sullivan forwarded to him five regiments and two batteries, and at night came up with the remainder of his force.

They

On the morning of the 28th, General Sullivan camped at Shady Grove, about half a day's march from Huntington. Captain Burbridge, of the 11th Illinois cavalry, was ordered forward on the 29th to occupy Huntington and hold a bridge over a small stream beyond, and prevent the enemy from crossing to the town. reached the bridge about the same time with the rebel pickets, but the latter fell back and the 11th held the position. The rest of the column rapidly came up and the regiments were placed in position, while another detachment of cavalry was sent out four miles towards Forrest's advance to hold a second bridge on the Dresden road, which was accomplished with small loss.

On the 30th, finding that they were cut off from passing through Huntington, the rebels moved in south and west directions, intending to reach Lexington. General Sullivan learned of the movement and dispatched Colonel Dunham and the 2d brigade to intercept them. Late in the evening the brigade reached Clarksburg, nine miles from Huntington. Thence it moved on towards Lexington. Forrest's force in the meantime had made a detour to the westward and reached the Lexington road at Parker's Cross Roads, intending to strike the road through Lexington for Clifton, the proposed crossing place of the Tennessee River. Colonel Dunham's little force reached the Cross Roads on the morning of the 31st, and to his surprise he found himself confronting Forrest's force drawn up in a field supported by three batteries in front, and the road through which he must pass encircled with rebel cavalry, the whole commanded by Forrest in person. All that was left for Colonel Dunham was to fight it out. Escape was impossible. The enemy made the attack with the batteries. Dunham's brigade formed in solid column south of the batteries, in as good a position as they could find. The enemy poured a terrific storm of shot and shell into and around the column, and for three hours the battle raged fiercely, the little band fighting without hope, but determined to fight on even to the death. But soon all ammunition gave out.

It

PARKER'S CROSS ROADS.

433

could not be replenished, but each man stood in his place, steadily, coolly, as if on parade, and the rebel cavalry pressing on them and hurled back with the bayonet. There was a sudden movement of the enemy to the right and the brigade was hemmed in, but they never flinched. They still fought on, contesting every inch of ground with the bayonet. Seeing their hopeless condition and perhaps admiring their bravery, Forrest ordered a cessation of hostilities and a parley ensued. A flag of truce came to Colonel Dunham demanding unconditional surrender. The gallant Colonel sent back word: "You will get away with that flag very quickly, and bring me no more such messages. Give my compliments to the General and tell him I never surrender. If he thinks he can take me, come and try." This was at least gaining time. It was noon, and the 1st brigade could not be far away. Forrest had received his answer and was about to resume hostilities, when upon a knoll just in sight appeared Generals Sullivan and Haynie, and behind them the 1st brigade, cavalry, artillery and infantry thundering along on the double quick, which had been kept up for three miles. The scene was an impressive one. The 2d brigade stood in compact form ready to receive anew the attack of the rebel host hemming them in, each man sternly resolved never to surrender. The rebels are Suddenly General Sullivan His eye at once catches the sit

preparing to assault the devoted band. appears in advance of his brigade. uation. He turns on his horse and shouts: "Here they are! Hurry up that artillery." And the artillery did hurry. They rushed to the knoll, unlimbered in an instant, and got the range of a lane in front crowded with rebels. The infantry deployed on the flanks, fixed bayonets, but before artillery could fire or infantry charge, the rebels broke ranks and fled in a panic, stricken with amazement at the almost supernatural appearance of this new force. So suddenly did they make their appearance that even the 1st brigade stood still with wonder. The 2d brigade rapidly dispersed the enemy, and the 1st joined with them. Gun after gun was captured. Every man of the enemy was trying to save himself. The newly arrived artillery did not have an opportunity of firing a single gun. The rebel artillerymen fled with the rest, and could not be driven to their position by the most frantic exertions of their officers. The battle

was won and the brigade united in wild cheer upon cheer, and then came the congratulations on one side and the gratitude on the other at relief from peril.

The loss in killed, wounded and prisoners upon the Union side did not exceed one hundred, while upon the rebel side it reached over one thousand. Among the wounded was Colonel Rinaker, who was struck in the leg with a bullet. The principal loss fell upon the members of the 122d Illinois. Lieut. Scott, of the 11th Illinois cavalry, acting as an aid to Colonel Dunham, was taken prisoner. Colonel Dunham, in his official report, paid the following handsome compliment to an Illinois regiment: "The 122d Illinois deserves especial notice. It is comparatively a new regiment, and part of it was at one time more exposed to the enemy's fire than any other; at any rate, it suffered more in killed and wounded. Its gallant Colonel fell severely wounded, yet its courage never flagged, and it met every duty and every danger with unwavering resolution. The detachment of the 18th Illinois acted for the most part with it and deserves the same commendation."

These repeated raids upon Grant's communications, however, so cut off his means of supplies that he was finally compelled to fall back upon Holly Springs until the road from Columbus should be rendered secure. And thus the first co-operative movement against Vicksburg was a comparative failure. We shall see many more failures in the campaign, but shall find a man undaunted by failures, able to wring success almost out of impossibilities.