Forrest's 3:00 p.m. Cavalry Attack

Forrest's 3:00 p.m. Cavalry Attack. . , As Forrest's cavalry fought their way to the outskirts of Spring Hill by 2:30 p.m., they observed Brigadier General George Wagner's division marching into the town. Forrest, aggressive as ever, determined to attack quickly to seize the town and pike. Brigadier General James Chalmers, whose division Forrest selected to make the attack, protested that Federal infantry and artillery were present in force. Forrest ordered Chalmers to "drive those fellows off....I think you are mistaken; that is only a small cavalry force." One Confederate cavalry officer described the ensuing charge: "We had almost reached the edge of the woods when the shock came. Twenty pieces of artillery opened upon us, followed by the fire of a long line of infantry. Horses tumbled over each other and fell, men were shot, and horses galloped away riderless, and limbs and bark covered the ground. It was a dreadful few minutes." With the charge a failure, Chalmers went back to Forrest, who remarked, "They was in there sure enough, wasn't they, Chalmers?"