GUNTOWN, Battle of. After General Forrest's capture of Fort Pillow, 12 April 1864, General Sturgis was ordered to march from Memphis to intercept him, but before the expe dition got fairly under way it was ascertained that Forrest had fallen back to northern Mis sissippi. On 1 June Sturgis started from White's Station, near Memphis, with about 5.500 infantry and artillery, under Colonel Mc Millan, and 3,400 cavalry, under General Grier son, to defeat Forrest and prevent his inter ference with Sherman's advance on Atlanta.
Mov:ng southward, Sturgis reached Ripley, 80 miles from Memphis, on the 8th and on the 10th struck the Mobile and Ohio Railroad near Gun town, Miss., where Grierson, in advance with the cavalry, met Forrest's cavalry near Brice's Crossroads and became immediately engaged. Sturgis, who was six miles in rear with the infantry, moved on the double-quick, followed by a train of 25Q wagons and, coming to where Grierson was engaged, without giving his ex hausted men a moment's rest and badly hand ling them threw them into the fight. In three
hours' time Forrest routed him, drove him from the field in confusion, captured prisoners, guns and wagons, and closely pursued him to near Ripley. There, early on the morning of the 11th, his rear guard, taking advantage of a small stream, after a sharp fight checked For rest, and Sturgis continued his retreat to Mem phis, having lost 23 officers and 594 men killed and wounded, 1,623 prisoners, 14 guns and his entire train of 250 wagons, with 10 days' rations and a large supply of ammunition. Forrest's engaging force did not exceed 4,000 men; his loss was 492 killed and wounded. Consult 'Official Records) (Vol. XXXIX).