General Joseph E. Johnston, Narrative of Military Operations During the Civil War

[167] who had just been transferred from General Bragg's to General Pemberton's command, met it with his brigade, on the 18th, near Bear Creek, on the Alabama side, and, in skirmishes, which continued most of the day, captured above a hundred prisoners, and a field-piece and caisson, with their horses.

The enemy waited until the next day for reenforcements, which increased their force to three full brigades, under General Dodge, and resumed their movement towards Tuscumbia, opposed at every step by Roddy, who skirmished so effectively with the head of the column as to make the rate of marching not more than five miles a day; until the 25th, when Tuscumbia was reached.

In the mean time a body of Federal troops landed at Eastport, on the south bank of the Tennessee, and burned the little town and several plantation-houses in the neighborhood.

General Dodge's division moved on slowly, pressing back Roddy to Town Creek, where, on the 28th, Forrest, with his brigade, joined Roddy. Near that place the Federal forces divided; the cavalry, under Colonel Streight, turning off to the south, towards Moulton, and the main body, under General Dodge, halting, and then marching back. Leaving Roddy to observe Dodge, Forrest pursued Streight's party with three regiments, and captured it within twenty miles of Rome, after a chase of five days, and repeated fights, in which he killed and wounded three hundred of the enemy. Fourteen hundred and sixty or seventy officers and privates surrendered to him, a number much exceeding that of the victors.

In writing to the President on the 10th of the