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With a force of about 500 men,
General Nathan Bedford Forrest began his pursuit and general annoyance of the
far greater Yankee army from Columbia, TN on April 23, 1863. At about the same
time a brigade of mounted infantry, made up of 1750 Union troops under the
command of Colonel Abel D Streight of the 51st Indiana Volunteers, left
Nashville, TN under orders from Union General Rosecrans to destroy all Southern
depots and factories.
Reaching Centre, AL without interruption, Streight
moved east and passed Cedar Bluff just after daylight on May 2nd. After he sent
ahead Captain Russell to take charge of the bridge in Rome, he halted to feed the animals.
But he found that the men, unaccustomed to riding, had become so exhausted that Streight noted it was almost impossible to keep them awake long enough to
feed the animals. After a short bivouac, he received word that the enemy -
Forrest - was now nearer to Rome than his own forces for, unbelievably, under
the guidance of 16 year old Emma Sansom, Forrest's small contingent had flanked
Streight by passing near Gadsden, AL and fording Black Creek, thus gaining
valuable time in his pursuit. Consequently Streight's pickets were driven in and the men were ordered into line of battle. But
Streight found his 'Mule Brigade' had reached their limits; "... every effort made to rally the men for action, but nature was exhausted, and a large portion of my best troops actually went to sleep while lying in line of battle under a severe skirmish fire." After
pushing Streight's men east to a spot just before the Georgia state line,
Forrest achieved one of the most amazing captures against a far superior foe: Forrest sent in a flag of truce, demanding the surrender of Streight's forces.
Streight called for a council of war, noting that most of his commanders had already expressed the opinion they may be compelled to surrender, depending on the news from Captain Russell. That news was shortly forthcoming -- Russell had been unable to take the bridge at Rome. Forrest had sent warning ahead, and Russell's men were met by armed citizens behind barricades, forcing them to turn back. Though Streight
were to later say he personally opposed the surrender, he yielded to his regimental commanders and entered negotiations with Forrest. Despite the condition of his command, Streight still refused to surrender unless Forrest proved he had superior numbers.
Forrest, with fewer than 500 men - with one report putting
the number closer to 420 - on hand, utilized the tactics of bluff and intimidation that he was becoming well known for. By ordering his men and guns to continually move in and out of sight along a ridge, he convinced Streight that he was outnumbered. Streight accepted the surrender at about noon on May
3rd, becoming a prisoner of war.
Streight reported the Union losses at 15 officers and 130 men killed or wounded. He was taken to Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, where four of his officers and himself managed to escape on February 9, 1864.
For securing Bragg's communications and keeping Georgia's railroads and factories secure, Forrest received the thanks of the Confederate Congress. Streight's surrender netted Forrest 1,600 Federal prisoners, outnumbering his forces three to one.
Of Note: Forrest later recalled Streight's conversation regarding the surrender: "...When Streight saw they were barely four hundred, he did rear! demanded to have his arms back and that we should fight it out. I just laughed at him and patted him on the shoulder, and said: "ah, Colonel, all is fair in love and war you know." (Longacre, Edward G., Civil War Times Illustr. June 1969, "All Is Fair In Love and War.")
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