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Harper’s Weekly, September 10, 1864
FORREST’S RAID.
ON Monday, August 22, the rebel General FORREST made a daring raid into Memphis, Tennessee, which is illustrated in the accompanying sketches. The expedition was commanded by FORREST in person, and consisted of portions of eight or nine cavalry regiments, mostly from Tennessee, and numbering from 1500 to 2000 strong. Arriving at Beal Street, the rebels divided off in several squads and struck for the Gayoso House, Hospitals, Irving Block, and General WASHBURNE’s head-quarters on Union Street. The latter was first visited by a force of about two hundred, under Lieutenant- Colonel JESSE FORREST, who entered and found it deserted, the General and his staff having but a moment before escaped. JESSE captured the General’s over-coat, and started for the Gayoso House with his valiant horsemen, who rode right into the office of the hotel in search of General HURLBURT, who had also escaped. A portion of the rebel force then proceeded to break open Irving Prison, in order to release the prisoners there confined.—But the guard resisted them, and was assisted by the fortunate arrival at the right moment of the Eighth Iowa regiment. about 6 A.M. the rebels left the town, finding it growing too hot for them, having accomplished the capture of 200 citizens and about 100 horses, and having butchered all the negroes they could find in the streets. There was little plundering; indeed the rebels had orders not to dismount under penalty of being shot. The rebels suffered heavily. Their object appears to have been the capture of Generals WASHBURNE and HURLBURT
FORREST’S RAID INTO MEMPHIS—THE REBELS AT THE GAYOSO HOUSE.—[SKETCHED BY GEORGE H. ELLSBURY.]
FORREST’S RAID INTO MEMPHIS—ESCAPE OF GENERAL WASHBURNE.—[SKETCHED BY GEORGE H. ELLSBURY.]
FORREST’S RAID INTO MEMPHIS—REBEL ATTACK ON THE IRVING PRISON.—[SKETCHED BY GEORGE H. ELLSBURY
