battle was about to begin. Buford said to Lee and Forrest, who had spent the night and morning together in consultation: "Gentlemen, you have not asked my opinion about this fight; but I tell you, we are going to be badly whipped." Forrest replied, sharply: "You don't know what you are talking about; we'll whip 'em in five minutes." Buford replied: "I hope you may be right, but I don't believe it."
Forrest was a great general; but he never rose to that greatness and dignity of soul which enabled Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg to assume the responsibility of a failure.
THE SECOND INVASION OF A. J. SMITH.
On the 19th of July, 1864, General Grant telegraphed from City Point, Virginia, to General Sherman: "I see by Richmond papers of yesterday that Smith has left Tupelo. Although they call it a retreat, I judge from S. D. Lee's dispatch that Forrest has been badly whipped. Smith, however, ought to be instructed to keep a close watch on Forrest and not permit him to gather strength and move into Middle Tennessee."
General Sherman gave the order, but he no longer talks so flippantly about whipping Forrest as he had done. He telegraphs General Washburn, July 25th: "It was by General Grant's special order General Smith was required after his fight to pursue and continue to follow Forrest. General Smith must keep well after Forrest, and rather watch him closely, than attempt to pursue him; but when he does fight, he should keep the advantage." General Washburn replies, Memphis, August 4th, 1864: "Forrest is below Okalona; I am moving in that direction, while Smith is after him with five thousand cavalry and ten thousand infantry." On the 11th Washburn further telegraphed: "In addition to his own proper force, ten thousand strong, he has three thousand colored troops from Memphis, three Minnesota regiments sent me from Saint Louis, and four thousand cavalry."
On the 4th of August General Sherman telegraphed General Grant: "General Washburn is moving from Holly Springs on Columbus, Mississippi. He thinks that Forrest is dead, from the wound he received in his battle with General Smith."
If this movement of General Washburn was not a myth, as he was never heard of in the field, he must have suddenly returned, when he learned that Forrest was not dead. The only time he was ever known to be in the neighborhood of Forrest, was when he ran out of his bedroom in Memphis, in light marching order, leaving his uniform behind, which Forrest captured and afterward restored to him. Washburn, in return, sent to Forrest some gray cloth, gold lace and trimmings to make him a Confederate uniform.
General Smith moved slowly, repairing the railroad from Grand Junction to Abbeville as he came.
On the 8th of August Forrest again took the field in a buggy, though still suffering severely from his wound.
