a few days. I refer you in the meantime to my staff officer, Captain Vanderford.
I hope that the War Department will comply with my wishes and suggestions, in regard to the management of my department in the several communications recently forwarded, as they are indispensable to its efficient and successful management.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
REPORT OF GENERAL FORREST.
General—I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 20th inst., and am under many obligations for the ordnance stores and train sent to Gainsville.
I am also gratified at being able to say that your wishes in regard to the enemy's forces under Generals Smith and Grierson are realized—at least to the extent of defeat and utter rout.
We met them on Sunday morning last at Ellis's Bridge, or Succartouchee creek, three miles south of West Point, in front of which Colonel Forrest's brigade was posted to prevent the enemy from crossing. After a brisk engagement of an hour and a half the enemy retired towards West Point. It was not my intention to attack them, or bring on a general engagement, but to develop their strength, position and movements.
I moved forward with my escort and a portion of Faulkner's Kentucky regiment and found the enemy had begun a systematic retreat, and being unwilling they should leave the country without a fight, ordered the advance of my column.
Will forward a detailed official report as soon as reports from brigade commanders are received. It is sufficient for me to say here that with twenty-five hundred men, the enemy, numbering from six to seven thousand strong, were driven from West Point to within ten miles of Pontotoc in two days; all his efforts to check our advance failed, and his forces at last flying utterly defeated and demoralized, leaving six pieces of artillery, one hundred killed, and one hundred prisoners, and wounded estimated at three hundred or over. The seriously wounded, about fifty in number, fell into our hands. They took in their retreat every carriage, buggy, cart, and wagon along the road to move their killed and wounded officers, and all their slightly wounded—according to report of citizens were moved in front with their pack train.
