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The investing force was composed of Bell's brigade of Buford's division, and McCulloch's brigade of Chalmers' division, both commanded by Brig.-Gen. James R. Chalmers.
Under date of the 28th of June, General Forrest said in an address to his command, ‘In the face of a murderous fire from two gunboats and six pieces of artillery on the fort, you stormed the works and either killed or captured the entire garrison.’
On the 12th of April, after Chalmers had driven the Federals inside the fort and had established his sharpshooters in the buildings in front, with a close investment of the fort by a superior force, Forrest arrived on the field and immediately demanded the surrender of the garrison, assuring the commanding officer that the Federal forces would be treated as prisoners of war. This demand was refused.
The assault was ordered, and in a few minutes the fort was carried.
When it became apparent that they could not maintain a successful defense, the garrison, with arms in their hands, sought safety on a Federal gunboat lying in the Mississippi river.
In their effort to reach it, as they ran the gauntlet of McCulloch's and Bell's brigades, many were killed and wounded.
The commander of the gunboat, anxious for his own safety, pushed off and left the men of the garrison to their fate.
The flag over the fort was not lowered, and the resistance continued in a desultory way until nearly half of the garrison were killed or wounded.
Forrest captured 7 officers and 219 enlisted men, with the garrison equipage, arms and ammunition, and returned to his headquarters at Jackson, where he found orders to proceed to Mississippi to meet a movement of the enemy.
At Tishomingo creek, or Brice's cross-roads, Forrest won a notable victory over the Federal forces commanded by General Sturgis. Maj.-Gen. C. C. Washburn of the United States army, commanding the district of West Tennessee, fitted out an expedition under orders
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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