The West Tennessee Raids

Forrest's Expedition into West Tennessee was a raid during the American Civil War conducted from December 11, 1862 until January 1, 1863 in West Tennessee. In December 1862, Confederate Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest led an expedition of 1,800 to 2,500 men into West Tennessee. The objective was to tear up the Mobile and Ohio Railroad between Jackson, Tennessee and Columbus, Kentucky thereby disrupting Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's supply line.

This article is a summation of the The West Tennessee Raid conducted by Gen Nathan Bedford Forrest from December 10, 1862 to January 1, 1863. The information is extracted from Chapter Seven from an 1868 published book written by General Thomas Jordan and JP Pryor titled Campaigns of General Nathan Bedford Forrest and of Forrest's Cavalry.

Start of Expedition

Forrest and his command, 1,800 men and four cannon left Columbia, Tennessee on December 10 or 11 1862. They were headed into West Tennessee, facing an area of well-entrenched enemy with ten times the strength in armaments. Forrest let it be known in writing to his superiors the ineffective condition of his arms as well as to the fact that his men were supplied with only 10 rounds of caps for their shotguns while many of their flintlock muskets lacked flints. The reply was a curtly couched order to march without delay. Forrest was irritated at being ordered to go into this area of an entrenched enemy without "ferriage."

On 13 December the group reached the Tennessee River at Clifton below Double Island. It isn't known the specific route he might have taken but during this era there was a Columbia–Clifton Thoroughfare which route was approximately 69 miles.

Forrest reached Clifton, Tennessee, on the evening of 13 December 1862. His men spent hours looking to cross the rain swollen Tennessee River. On December 14 Forrest found hidden in the brush a leaky flatboat. He made this into a pontoon to begin an effective passage across the river, by the 15th he had fully forded the river. The artillery and wagon trains used this bridge but the horses, mules and men swam across the river in a cold pelting rain without tents or other shelter.

On the 15th the troop went eight miles toward Lexington in Henderson County, Tennessee.

On the 16th, moving some eighteen miles toward Lexington, Forrest broke for camp to allow rest and to dry clothing and to prepare for the upcoming campaign. Upon inspection it was found that the greater part of the small supply of caps had become wet and unserviceable, However, the General had sent agents in behind the enemy lines which paid off when a citizen reached the encampment with 50,000 shotgun and pistol caps.

Initial contact and Battle of Jackson, and Trenton Tennessee

Encountering a Federal force on December 17 eight miles from Lexington, Forrest sent Colonel Starnes to engage and remove this obstacle. Forrest immediately led the reminder of his command by a road to the right at a gallop to cut off the enemy retreat. He gave the lead to four Alabama companies from his old regiment under the command of Captain Frank Gurley. As soon as the artillery crossed a bridge about 6 miles from Lexington, General Forrest pushed on to where the enemy was found forming a strong position on an elevated ridge. Positioning Dibrell & Biffle's regiments as well as Gurley’s Battalion and his own escort, Gen. Forrest attacked the left of the Federal line and broke it, then turned and struck it on the flank again, scattering Col. Hawkins Tennessee Federals, leaving the 11th Regiment Illinois Volunteers and artillery to the brunt of the attack.

Capt Gurley with at most 200 men captured 150 officers and men including Col. Ingersoll and Maj. Kerr along with 300 small arms, mostly Sharps carbines, a full supply of ammunition, 200 horses and wagons, also captured was the artillery consisting of two 3-inch wrought iron Ordnance rifles, fully equipped. These were used by General Forrest to the close of the war.

Col Starnes captured an additional Fifty federals as well as numerous weapons as the fleeing federals left them upon the road. Without further resistance the Confederates moved on in toward Jackson arriving on the afternoon of the 18th.

Union Gen. Robert Ingersoll surrendered his command of about 150 (and two pieces of artillery) here after trying to stop Forrest near Lexington Dec. 18, 1862. The Federals did slow the Confederates down a little, but Union positions near Beech Creek were quickly overrun. Forrest’s troopers then continued toward Jackson. Ingersoll himself seemed to enjoy his captivity until paroled three days later.

The citizens of Jackson reported heavy reinforcements were on the way, Therefore, Gen. Forrest at 8 p.m. detached Col. Dibrell and Maj. JE Forrest each with 100 men to move out toward the railroad toward Humboldt to seize the nearest station to capture any approaching trains and to destroy any tracks of the Mobile and Ohio RR. At the same Time Gen Forrest sent Col Biffle south to Bolivar to carry out the same mission. Dibrell captured the garrison of 100 men and their supplies by 2 am about 8 miles north of Jackson. Maj. Forrest captured his garrison of 75 men and supplies. Biffle captured 50 men and supplies, all three leaders destroyed enough tracks to wreak havoc upon the railroad for the foreseeable future and all returned to their camp by daybreak. The spoils of war to this point were distributed to the CSA troops, that was in lieu of the inferior supplies they entered the field with 8 days earlier.

Officially the Federal troops in Jackson were no less than 10,000 and perhaps as much as 13,000. Local citizens stated it to be over 15,000

400-500 p.m. Dec 19th Forrest left Col. Russell as a rear guard with 2000 men.

Here is first documented time that Forrest used the ruse to spread his forces thinly in a wide area to appear he had more men he also caused the number of drums to be beaten in a manner to produce the belief of heavy infantry force.

Dec. 19th 800pm Forrest reassembled his unit, now holding 500 prisoners, 25 “excellent” wagons, his artillery by a section and now a well armed men and fully munitioned

Dec. 20th 500am Col Dibrell regiment sent to destroy rail bridge at Spring creek. Here he captured 100 more Yankees their arms and supplies. During same time Col Starnes' regiment and a squadron from Biffles as well as Capt WH Forrest independent company of approx 750 men were all dispatched to capture Humboldt which was completed at 100pm. They 200 captured four caissons with their horses about 500 stands of arms 300,000 rounds of small arm ammunition and a multitude of supplies.

During this time Gen Forrest was moving toward Trenton with his escort and the captured guns noted from above. He also had added 160 new volunteers from Hickman and Perry Counties Tennessee. Forrest had left Col Russell as the rear guard who again captured federals with their supplies. He meet up with Forrest in Trenton later that night.

Dec 20th At 100pm Forrest Reached Trenton began the attack forthwith with Maj Cox on his right. Forrest charged through town with his escort he lost 2 with 3 wounded, withdrew approx 200 yards. to what is now the Trenton Cemetery. Forrest fired his big guns toward the depot; after a brief skirmish, Capt Strange the Confederate AG posted up the artillery and began firing again. The white flags of surrender began fluttering. Capt Strange was directed to receive the surrender to wit he met with Federal Col Jacob Fry an elderly officer asking of the terms of surrender, Forrest replied, "unconditional".

Realizing he had no other alternative, Col. Fry unswung his sword and handed it to General Forrest, remarking sadly that it had been in his family for forty years.

General Forrest receiving the sword and handling it for an instant, the general then turned back to the colonel abd said, “Take back your sword Colonel as it is a family relic; but I hope sir when next worn it will be in a better cause than that of attempting the subjugation of your countrymen.” This type of charity by General Forrest to his enemies has been documented many times.

In the duration of the surrender ceremony a fire broke out that was obvious set by the federals to prevent Gen Forrest from gaining the spoils of war, he along with Maj Strange pistols in hand made the federal prisoners fight the fire or face death. The general then turned to Col Fry to inform him that the culprits would be punished in the “most summary manner".

Forrest with his escort with the new green volunteers managed to captured Trenton as the rest of his unit were scattered out in the region on other missions. Forrest had no more than 275 men. He captured 400 Federals. This included Col Fry, Col Hawkins, several field officers, 300 negroes, 1000 horses and mules, 13 wagons and ambulances, 7 caissons, 20,000 artillery rounds, 400,000 small arm ammo, 100,000 rations of subsistence, large amount of Cavalry equipment, quartermaster stores, supplies soldier baggage, etc., valued at least 500,000 dollars. The captured booty would be worth over 15 million in 2014 US Dollars.

Forrest paroled some 1300 officers and men to return home as the captured POW's was overtaxing their ability to manage that many prisoners. However some 800-900 were marched under the command of Lt Col N.D. Collins to be turned over to the federals in Columbus KY.

On the morning of the 21st with his escort resumed his advance toward Union City, Col Dibrell stayed as rear guard. Seven miles north near Dyer TN Forrest captured a garrison, its 30 men and supplies. Forrest burned more bridges and rails. Forrest traveled another seven miles where he overtook his Commissary Maj GV Rambaut. Whereas there was considerable federal resistance, a firefight broke out against 250 federals who retreated to their fortification at Kenton Station( now Kenton TN). Forrest surrounded the stockade to prevent escape into the Obion Bottoms, after a few canon shots the stockade surrendered with white flags fluttering from all directions. The Forrest team began to tear all of the rails and burn all trestles in the vicinity. That night Col Starnes was ordered to destroy all rails on the 15 mile stretch of the Obion Bottoms.

The next morning scouts reported that a federal force of some 10000 men was moving from Jackson at a rapid pace. However Forrest continued his mission to Union City some 20 miles further up the road. In the meantime Lt. Col. Collins was in route to Columbus and happened upon a beleaguered federal force who surrendered by the demand of the Lt Col. (250 men and supplies).

22 December Forrest encamped and made haste to parole his new prisoners since leaving Trenton.

23rd Some 300 men who were turned over to Col. Collins ( approx 1400 men now sent to Columbus. On the 23rd the federal soldiers at an outpost near Moscow some 12 miles distant fled upon seeing the confederates and they fled toward Columbus.

The General reaching the northern utmost of his mission turned south to return some 12 miles south of Union City a courier from Col Starnes, stated they had destroyed the trestle works to the south of the Obion River.

The entire command spent Dec 24th and 25th demolishing the solid heavy trestles on the North and South Forks of the Obion river, then they rested for a few hours. Reports stated that Trenton was now occupied with 12000 Union troops with the mission to destroy Gen. Forrest.

26th—destroyed the railroad bridge over the North fork of the Obion the Paducah Branch. Forrest then put his whole force in motion toward Dresden some 26 miles and encamped near there for the night and to receive scouting reports.

Federals were rapid advancing toward Union City by road from Trenton and a movement made in force up the Obion in the direction of McLemoresville and Huntington to cut off the confederates.

27th Forrest moved his command toward Huntington encamping at McKenzie's Station on the Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad. Col. Russell was sent as an advance team to seize and hold a crossing over the Obion.

However, the federals had already destroyed all bridges south of the high road leading from Jackson to Paris, Tennessee, Col. Russell had major fighting but forded the Obion and kept his position.

Maj. Cox was sent at double-time to seize the road from Paris to Huntington. In the ensuing time Forrest made passage across the Obion near McLemoresville using an impassable bridge that the federals had abandoned. The locals in McLemoresville called this a “double Bridge”. Forrest reached it at 1100 p.m. and began cutting timbers to reinforce the bridge. It took one hour to double the bridge. To convince his men that the unpassable bridge was safe, Forrest led the way across the bridge.

The earth was frozen, so the Confederates had to fill the potholes with coffee and flour to allow passage. The men had to wade waist deep in mud, water and sleet but finally effected full passage by around 6am. The men then were given four hours to rest.

29th Dec. – by 10 am scouts reported that 10,000 federals were 12 miles distant in Huntington. The Confederates were on the move for Lexington over nearly impassable terrain and encamped 9 miles from that location. Another battle from the Generals command occurred during this time in Clarksburg, Tennessee led by his younger brother Capt. Forrest.

Battle of Parker's Cross Roads

The troops were quite fatigued, so Forrest decided to camp, risking a battle the next day versus moving on. Forrest decided to rest until 4:00 a.m. the next morning before moving out on the final leg of his campaign.

30th Speedily toward Red Mound or Parkers Crossroad. About one and half miles from the crossroads Forrest placed his men in line for battle. The federals appeared from the N-NE and formed an opposing battle line. An ensuing battle and the federals retreated toward the crossroad. The federal reformed their battle lines with 1800 men to the 1200 men of the CSA. Mortons battery in the center Freeman Battery on the flanks with General Forrest driving the entire line.

Col C.T. Dunham stated in his official report that the CSA had 8000 men to his smaller force consisting of the 39th Iowa Infantry, 50th Indiana Volunteer Inf., the 100th and 22nd Illinois Vol Infantry Companies A and E of the 18th Illinois Infantry… a total of 1554 men. However an embedded reporter with the Chicago Tribune reported a total of 1824 strong.

By 1100 am after hours of fighting the CSA continued to push back the federals with their heavy guns. The federals stated in their reports that the CSA was positioned as to every advance by the Feds they were getting slaughtered. Here Col. Napier charged a fence line of federals to fall mortally wounded. Col Napier in his Martial ardor ( Rebel Yell) compelled him forward without proper reflection costing him his life.

Forrest then threw Col Russell around the left flank and rear with the artillery set to Enfilade the enemy. The federal line gave way with white flags flying. In the meantime a fresh federal force of two brigades came up from the CSA rear in a sense trapping them. A federal officer called for Forrest to Halt and Surrender. Forrest promptly replied that he had already done so some time since but would move up what remained of his command and “surrender” in form; with this turning his horse to gallop away in the direction of his troops notifying the inmates of his hospital that they could make their escape. Rejoining his command he double timed from left flank as Forrest was escaping the federals came upon their injured comrades and began resumption of battle. Maj. Cox with Napiers men was captured with about 250 men.

In the ensuing battles Forrest and the confederates were caught in the open and the Federals were now firing from the ridge that the CSA had occupied hours before. Forrest made one of his mad dash charges toward the federal lines dispersing their gunners creating confusion this allowed his command to regain their mounts. Col Starnes came back into the fray with 250 men which allowed Forrest to regroup with another 200 men came up 800 yards eat of Parkers house and threw himself upon the rear of Dunham’s Brigade recapturing his wagon train.

In the battles of the day from 0600 am to 300pm Confederate losses was 25 officers including Col Napier 75 wounded, 250 captured three pieces, four caissons, five wagons, two ambulances, and 75000 rounds of ammo, the federal loss was three guns, hors de combat, two caissons, 15 wagons, two ambulances, and 100 captured and 50 killed, and a multitude of supplies.

An explanation follows on how that a wary and alert Gen. Forrest could be caught “unaware” of General Sullivan’s fresh force. General Forrest had made a proper provision to guard against such by ordering the detachment of a Battalion of the Fourth TN to proceed to Clarksburg on the Huntington Road with the object of holding that approach in close observation. Capt McLemore with three companies and 100 men was given vaguely worded instructions other than reconnaissance near Clarksburg. When he heard the fighting he traversed through the woods to join in the fray and therefore wasn't on the main road when US Gen Sullivan appeared from the rear.

Upon the safe escape from Parker's Crossing, Forrest pulled up in Lexington 12 miles from the battlefield, allowed his animals to be fed, treated the wounded, and went in motion back toward Clifton. Ten miles further into the journey back he paroled his prisoners they rested here until daybreak. Forrest's intentions was to cross the Tennessee River at Perryville, now the very end of KY lake near Mousetail State Park.

Early in the AM the scouts came back with information that 10,000 federals were moving from Purdy to Jacks Creek-Clifton with intention of cutting off the Confederate movement back to middle TN. Forrest galloped for 15 miles to catch his main command eleven miles from Clifton.

Approx 8 miles from the river crossing the advance party led by Col Dibrell encountered 1200 federals. He received the order to charge. The charge cut the federals in asunder. Col Starnes then cut left and Col Biffle cut right promptly scattering the federals with 20 killed and 50 captured. It was noon(meridian) when the river crossing was reached. It took eight hours to ply the river some 1000 animals came back with Forrest Command, 60 wagons, four Ambulances, and a multitude of supplies.

The journey started with Orders received on December 10, 1862 They passed the river into West TN on December 15. In the short interval seldom in the annals of war had more hard swift riding as many sharp recounters, affluent in results, been crowded in the same short space. That command averaged over 20 miles per day fought three well contested engagements with diurnal skirmishes, had destroyed 50 large and small bridges on the Mobile and Ohio RR had broken up so much trestle work of the road as to render the RR useless until after the war. They had captured and burned 18 or 20 stockades, captured or killed 2500 of the enemy, taken or disabled 10 pieces of field artillery, captured 50 wagons and ambulances with their teams, had captured 10,000 stands of small arms, one million rounds of ammo, having returned thoroughly armed equipped including blankets, never resting a full night. Forrest left on the 10th/11th with woeful preparation of weapons and supplies, returned with each man fully armed a surplus of 500 Enfield rifles, 1800 blankets, knapsacks, and a seasoned fighting force.

Forrest made camp on Jan 3rd in Mt Pleasant home of the Bigby Greys then went to report to General Bragg, who was now encamped in Shelbyville. Bragg gave further orders to General Forrest.

Forrest's Staff

The Staff of Nathan Bedford Forrest:

• Maj JP Strange Adj General
• Capt C W Anderson Ad De Camp
• William M Forrest 2nd Lt Ad De Camp
• M C Calloway Asst Adj General (AAG)
• Maj. C V Rambaut Chief of Subsistence
• Maj CS Severson Chief Quartermaster
• Capt JW Morton Chief of Artillery
• JW Cowan MD Chief Surgeon

References

• Kennedy, Frances H., The Civil War Battlefield Guide. 2nd Ed. Houghton-Mifflin, 1998
• Gen. Thomas Jordan and J.P. Pryor, The Campaigns of Lieut.-Gen. N.B. Forrest, and of Forrest's Cavalry with Portraits, Maps & Illustrations. Blelock & Company, 1868
• National Park Service battle description for Battle of Jackson, Tennessee
• National Park Service battle description for Parker's Cross Roads