206

THE MARCH TO THE SEA.

He also learned that Chalmers’s division was at Marion, aboutas far to the southwest, and was marching toward Selma, in-tending to cross the Cahawba near his present position.Croxton also sent word that he should follow Jackson andbring him to an engagement. Wilson had evidently “ gotthere first,” and with the most men. He at once sent Mc-Cook with the rest of his division to co-operate with Crox-ton by attacking Jackson in front, crossing the Cahawba atCentreville, fifteen miles west of Eandolph, for this purpose.McCook drove off a militia guard from the Centreville bridgeand advanced toward Trion, but finding that Croxton was nolonger fighting Jackson, and that the latter greatly outnum-bered him, he retired to the bridge and burned it, after cross-ing to the east bank. The river was unfordable, and asJackson must go nearly to Marion to get over, Wilson wasrelieved of any fear of his joining Forrest north of Selma.He accordingly advanced with increased vigor against For-rest, who had selected an excellent defensive position sixmiles north of Plantersville. Fortune here favored Wilsonagain, as she usually does the bold, for by a mistake in tele-graphing Forrest had supposed that Chalmers was on theSelma road behind him, and had ordered him to move onEandolph. This dispatch being forwarded to Chalmers fromSelma, that officer, who was upon the west side of the Ca­ hawba , took the direct road up the river, separating himselffrom his commander instead of going to his assistance.This accident kept Forrest’s force down to the two brigadesof cavalry and the militia under General Adams, besides thebattalion of his escort; but he was a host in himself . 1 Wil-

1 Wilson's report says that Armstrong’s brigade from Chalmers had joinedForrest; but the authors of Forrest’s Campaigns (pp. 666 and 671) are so explicitin stating the contrary that, without access to Chalmers’s official report, I feelobliged to yield to their authority.