Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 36.djvu/206

190 of numbers, his men firing-into the column, killing several, and before the federals had time to "carry" their guns, the horses were trampling them down. Captain Forrest continued to shout, "Put down your guns!" The head of the federal column wheeled about, and coming in contact with those following, caused the greatest confusion. Forrest, taking advantage of the mixup, galloped out Union to De Soto and joined Logwood, who, in turn, joined Colonel Jessie Forrest, and returned through Mississippi avenue to the State Female College, where General Forrest awaited them. Colonel Jesse Forrest captured the members of General Washburne's staff, but the wily old general escaped in the woods. Neely met with strong resistance, but drove the federal infantry from the camps, and captured the horses of a cavalry regiment. Forrest, finding that the enemy had recovered somewhat from the shock, had the telegraph wires cut east of the city, so that no further news could reach General Smith. He knew that the fact of his presence in Memphis would be flashed to him, and he determined to leave Smith under the impression that he had possession of the city, and, as he afterwards learned, the operator promptly notified General Smith that the rebel Forrest, with 10,000 men and 20 pieces of artillery, was in possession of Memphis. General Smith got no further news, and began a hurried retreat. Leaving the city, numbers of men loitered behind, to bid relatives and friends good-by, and also to obtain such articles as the stores afforded. Finally a long column of federal cavalry was seen galloping after some twenty stragglers who had lingered in the city, Forrest determined at once to check them. He was riding his favorite charger King Philip, a magnificent white horse with black mane and tail, presented to him by the ladies of Columbus, Miss. He called on Colonel Chalmers, of the Eighteenth Mississippi, and Colonel McCulloch, of the Second Missouri, to get in motion, and as the federal column came in reach, the two regiments dashed forward, Forrest leading the Second Missouri. The enemy halted and began to give way, when a federal colonel named Starr rushed at Forrest with saber "en carte." Forrest met him with his long blade and unhorsed