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(October 2008)
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Welcome to Sacramento |
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(October 2008)
Tour Stop-4
Part of Major Eli Murrays scouting party was watering their horses at
Garsts Pond when they were spotted by Forrest and his advance party.
The two groups made visual contact and initially the Union troops were
unsure whether Forrests men were Confederates or another Union scouting
party. Any doubt was resolved when Forrest grabbed a rifle and fired at
the Union troops. The Union soldiers returned fire, mounted and rode
quickly to rejoin their military force |
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(October 2008)
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from Tour Stop-4 |
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(October 2008)
Tour Stop-5: Sacramento Battlefield
The Union rear guard returned immediately to its main force. Forrest
began his attack without his full force, part of whom were still
catching up after the pressed advance. Federal forces fired at 200 yards
and Confederate troops returned fire at 80 yards. Realizing his
disorganization, Forrest pulled his forces back, waiting until all his
men caught up with the main force. At the same time, he dismounted some
of his men to act as sharp-shooters. Next, he sent detachments under
Major D.C. Kelly to the Union right and James W. Starnes to the Union
left. Mistaking Forrests withdrawal as a retreat, Murray began to
advance his outnumbered force. With the reorganization of his entire
force complete, Forrest began 2nd attack on the Union center at the same
time, Kelly and Starnes attacked the Union flanks. During the charge on
the Union center, Captain Ned Merriweather fell as he was struck by two
bullets in the head. Murrays troops held off the Confederate attack for
ten minutes. Optimistic about their ability to withstand further
attacks, the Union commander later reported that the Union force was
doing well until a young private screamed Retreat to Sacramento. The
Union troops turned and ran toward Sacramento despite their officers
attempts to stop them. The original battlefield is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places |
