CHAP, xxvni.] AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, 1831-1865. 



463 



and pressed them for six miles, where another stand was 

 made, another night action fought, another victory won 

 by the Southern cavahy. 



Forrest then halted two hours to feed and rest his 

 men and horses, who had been without food and rest for 

 nearly twenty-four hours. It was necessary also to let 

 his stragglers come up, to overhaul his ammunition, and 

 to re-form his command.^ 



At daybreak Forrest led the way again, and his men 

 cheerfully renewed the pursuit. At Blountsville at 11 

 A.M. they again overtook the enemy, and soon drove 

 them out of the place, capturing some ammunition and 

 supplies. A running fight then took place with the 

 rear-guard for ten miles to the Black Warrior Creek, 

 where more fighting took place, and, night coming on, 

 another halt was ordered by Forrest for three or four 

 hours to feed and rest his weary men and horses. 



At midnight the pursuit was again resumed, and after 

 marching fifteen miles they reached Wills Creek, where 

 the enemy were again struck, and driven easily with the 

 loss of some prisoners, forage, and horses. Another halt 

 of a few hours took place to feed the horses. This 

 desperate rate of marching was beginning to tell severely 

 upon Forrest's command. So many horses had given 

 out, so many stragglers had fallen behind, that Forrest 

 set out from this point with only 600 men for the final 

 struggle, and these men, worn out by three days and 

 nights of {ilmost continuous riding and fighting, showed 

 signs of exhaustion, and many had fallen asleep on their 

 horses. Forrest revived and encouraged them by a 

 vigorous speech, and the small column moved on again. 

 They soon overtook the flying enemy, and a running 

 fight for ten miles took place to the Black Creek, which 

 the Federals crossed by a bridge which they burned under 

 cover of their artillery. 



A young Southern lady, a resident of the locality, 



seeing the necessity of a ford for the Confederates, came 



up to General Forrest and offered to show him an old 



unused one not far off. She got up on his horse behind 



^ Campaigns of Forrest, 264. 



n 



