Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 3.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[233] Confederates. If the latter had intended to renew the attack on the following day, the arrival of these new enemies would suffice to dissuade them from the attempt. They have sustained severe losses, amounting to two hundred and sixty men, which cannot be sufficiently compensated by the capture of a gun taken from the enemy. They are short of provisions. Consequently, they think of nothing but to beat a retreat, so as to avoid the Federal forces that are rushing in every direction in pursuit of them.¹ The transports which the Lexington was convoying were bringing from Louisville to Nashville the whole of General Granger's division, from eight to nine thousand men strong; Colonel Lowe arrives from Fort Henry with reinforcements; finally, General Davis follows in Wheeler's track. The latter quickly retraced his steps, but on learning at Charlotte that Davis was on the march to meet him, he suddenly turned to the right and reached the village of Centreville, by way of Piney Factory, along the lower course of Duck River. This march was slow and difficult; the roads were covered with frost and the streams half frozen: Wheeler's soldiers suffered intensely, but their adversaries, who had been delayed by the same causes, were unable to overtake them. Finally, having succeeded in fording Duck River, the Southern cavalry arrived at Columbia on the 18th of February, worn out with fatigue and mounted upon horses which for the most part were unfit to renew the campaign. Its repulse was complete, and Forrest, who had condemned the plan of the expedition, grew thereby in the estimation of his comrades. Fortunately for Bragg, Van Dorn, with his new division, reached Columbia at a time when Wheeler was no longer in a condition to defend the line of Duck River. He brought with him nearly five thousand mounted men. The Federals were not long in being made aware of his presence.

Whilst Wheeler was thus drawing a portion of the Union forces in pursuit of him, the neighborhood of Murfreesborough was the theatre of small encounters, the mention of which in a few words will be sufficient.

From the end of January, the Federals, anxious, no doubt, to