Under the old flag; recollections of military operations in the War for the Union, the Spanish War, the Boxer Rebellion, etc., by James Harrison Wilson. [Vol. 2, no. 1]

ORGANIZATION OF CAVALRY

sive. But, knowing that Forrest was a determined
and resourceful commander, I did my best through
spies, scouts, flags of truce and other available
means, not only to confirm this information, but to
ascertain at what place he had ordered his troops to
reassemble. While he had evidently begun to despair of the Confederacy from the time he took command of Hood's rear guard, he betrayed no weakness, but put forth ceaseless energy and activity in
the reorganization of his own corps and for the defense of the great stretch of country committed to
his care. To this end he gathered all absentees from
the ranks he could find, mercilessly shot deserters,
and conscripted every able-bodied man fit for military service. While doing his best to fill up his
ranks, he also sent his picked and trusty scouts,
most of whom were Tennesseeans, to locate our
camps, estimate our numbers, and gather such information as might throw light on our plans and
future movements.
But this, as already seen, was a game at which
two could play. My spies and scouts were as good
and resourceful as Forrest's and it was not long
before they located his command, estimated his
strength, and got a fair idea of his plans and expectations. My conclusion was that Forrest's main
body under Chalmers, Buford, and Jackson, with
Wirt Adams's and Roddy's outlying brigades, would
have a force of not less than ten thousand men and
possibly twelve thousand, and that with the cooperation of those veteran leaders it would be easy
for him to thwart any demonstration made by a few
thousand Union cavalry.
In order, however, that no precaution should be
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