The
city, being without military protection, then surrendered, and was
occupied by troops under Sherman. Nor, with the exception of one period
of a few hours' duration, did it ever again come under Confederate
control. That was when Forrest made his famous raid in 1864, an event
which exhibited not only the dash and hardihood of that intrepid leader,
but also his strategy and his sardonic humor.
General A.J. Smith, with 13,000 Union soldiers was marching on the great
grain district of central Mississippi, and was forcing Forrest, who had
but 3,500 men, to the southward. Unable to meet Smith's force on
anything like equal terms, Forrest conceived the idea of making a "run
around the end" and striking at Memphis, which was Smith's base. Taking
1,500 picked men and horses, he executed a flanking movement over night,
and before Smith knew he was gone, came careering into Memphis at dawn
at the head of 500 galloping, yelling men--many of them Memphis boys.
There were some 7,000 Union troops in and about Memphis at this time,
but they were surprised out of their slumbers, and made no effective
resistance. The only part of Forrest's plan which miscarried was his
scheme to capture three leading Union officers, who were then stationed
in Memphis: Generals C.C. Washburn, S.A. Hurlbut and R.
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