General Bragg wound up taking Forrest's cavalry and giving them to General Joe Wheeler so Forrest returned to the Columbia/Nashville TN area to raise another brigade of cavalry.
Union Generals Grant and Sherman were threatening Vicksburg and Bragg directed Forrest to confront this large Union army although the Confederates were undersupplied and not yet trained sufficiently. The plan was again to slow the Federals advance by disrupting supply and communication lines.
Between December 15, 1862 and January 2, 1863, ten separate engagements occurred including destroying a rail line along the Tennessee River culminating at Parker's Crossroads where Forrest narrowly avoided capture. Forrest lost 400 men with 300 prisoners but the Union forces lost 1300 including 1000 prisoners. http://www.parkerscrossroads.com/Battle_Information/history.htm
Forrest delayed Vicksburg's fall by six months thru his raids and destroying the railroad line used to supply the sieging Union army.
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| Artwork - "Forrest at Parker's Crossroads" by John Paul Strain |
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