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Forrest's Expedition into West Tennessee was a raid during the American Civil War conducted from December 11, 1862 until January 1, 1863 in West Tennessee. In December 1862, Confederate Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest led an expedition of 1,800〔Jordan, p. 194〕 to 2,500〔''Civil War Battlefield Guide, 2nd Ed., p. 149''〕 men into West Tennessee. The objective was to tear up the Mobile and Ohio Railroad between Jackson, Tennessee and Columbus, Kentucky thereby disrupting Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's supply line.〔''Civil War Battlefield Guide, 2nd Ed., p. 149''〕 This article is a summation of the The West Tennessee Raid conducted by Gen Nathan Bedford Forrest from December 10, 1862 to January 1, 1863. The information is extracted from Chapter Seven from an 1868 published book written by General Thomas Jordan and JP Pryor titled Campaigns of General Nathan Bedford Forrest and of Forrest's Cavalry.〔Gen. Thomas Jordan and J.P. Pryor, ''The Campaigns of Lieut.-Gen. N.B. Forrest, and of Forrest's Cavalry with Portraits, Maps & Illustrations''. Blelock & Company, 1868.〕 ==Start of Expedition== Forrest and his command, 1800 men and four cannon〔Jordan, p. 194〕 left Columbia, Tennessee on December 10 or 11th 1862. They were headed into West Tennessee, facing an area of well-entrenched enemy with ten times the strength in armaments. Forrest let it be known in writing to his superiors the ineffective condition of his arms as well as to the fact that his men were supplied with only 10 rounds of caps for their shotguns while many of their flintlock muskets lacked flints. The reply was a curtly couched order to march without delay. Forrest was irritated at being ordered to go into this area of an entrenched enemy without "ferriage." 13 December – Reached the Tennessee River at Clifton below Double Island. It isn't known the specific route he might have taken but during this era there was a Columbia–Clifton Thoroughfare, this route is approx 69 miles. Forrest reached Clifton TN on the evening of 13 December 1862. His men spent hours looking to cross the rain swollen Tennessee River. on December 14 Forrest found hidden in the brush an old leaky flatboat. He made this into a pontoon to begin an effective passage across the river, by the 15th He had fully forded the river. The artillery and wagon trains used this bridge but the horses, mules and men swam across the river in a cold pelting rain without tents or other shelter. 15th – Went eight miles toward Lexington in Henderson County, Tennessee. 16th moving some eighteen miles toward Lexington, Forrest broke for camp to allow rest and to dry clothing and to prepare for the upcoming campaign. Upon inspection it was found that the greater part of the small supply of caps had become wet and unserviceable, However, the General had sent agents in behind the enemy lines which paid off when a citizen reached the encampment with 50,000 shotgun and pistol caps. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The West Tennessee Raids」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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