Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 1

On the 20th, however, the enemy's cavalry, under Van Dorn, made a dash into Holly Springs, twenty-eight miles in Grant's rear, and captured the garrison, with all its stores. Forrest, another rebel raider, at the same time pushed his cavalry into West Tennessee, and cut the railroad to Columbus, at several points between that place and Jackson. This completely severed Grant's only line of communication with the North, and even with most parts of his own command. It was a catastrophe which he had foreseen as possible, and had striven hard to avert. He had received timely notice of the advance of Forrest, and taken every precaution to meet it. General Sullivan, who commanded at Jackson, was reinforced rapidly, and directed to move out towards the enemy. All of the available cavalry of the Army of the Tennessee was also sent after the raiders, and all commanders between Oxford and Bolivar were notified of the rebel movements, and directed to hold their respective posts ‘at all hazards.’ Men and commanders everywhere did their duty, except at Holly Springs; and the enemy was repulsed at Coldwater, Davis Mills, Bolivar, and Middleburg; but Holly Springs was captured while the troops were in their beds. The commanding officer of the post, Colonel Murphy, of the Eighth Wisconsin volunteers, had taken no steps to protect the place, not notifying a single officer of the command, of the approaching danger, although he himself had received early warning from Grant. The troops were blameless, for the first intimation they had of an attack, was when they found themselves surrounded; and notwithstanding the surprise, many