Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/467

440 Lewis and Roddey, led by Captain Roddey, has made another brilliant dash upon a superior force of the enemy, resulting in their utter discomfiture and the capture of 123 prisoners. The judgment and prudence of the previous dispositions exhibit high military skill." In December, 1862, he fought a severe engagement at Little Bear creek, in consequence of which the Federal expedition from Corinth, under General Sweeny, withdrew. At the close of 1862 he was colonel, in command at Tuscumbia, with his regiment, the Fourth cavalry, and other forces. He was then ordered to join Van Dorn's cavalry corps in Mississippi, and his force at that time was given as 1,400 strong. With this corps he was in battle at Tuscumbia, February 22, 1863, and at Columbia, Tenn., early in March. In April he assailed the strong expedition under General Dodge, intended to cover Streight's raid, and fought it stubbornly during its advance up the valley to Courtland. Soon afterward, having been promoted to brigadier-general, he was in command in this district, of a force including Patterson's Fifth cavalry, Hannon's Fifty-third, his own regiment, under Colonel Johnson, Capt. W. R. Julian's troop, and Ferrell's battery. In October he cooperated with General Wheeler in the raid into Tennessee against Rosecrans' communications. Early in 1864 he was in battle at Athens, near Florence, and at Lebanon, and in the latter part of February Gen. J. E. Johnston called him with his command to Dalton, and put him in command of a cavalry division, but he was ordered back to northern Alabama in April by the war department. He remained on duty in north Alabama commanding a cavalry division, two brigades, under Colonels Johnson and Patterson, and in June sent Johnson's brigade to the assistance of Forrest at Tishomingo creek. It took an important part in the battle of Harrisburg, under Forrest, and in the pursuit of the enemy. Part of his troops were with Forrest in the September-October raid in Alabama and Tennessee, under Colonel Johnson,