Bedfords Battles

Very early on this day Forrest ran into three union solders about three miles east of Murfreesboro, killed two, the other got away and was last seen running toward the court house. Forrest said he had lost the element of suprise and with this he turned north to Liberty Pike, then down Greenland Drive across what is now Evergreen Cemetery which was part of Oakland Plantation where he ran into Col. Duffield from Michigan. This was his first encounter with the North. Forrest told a little white lie, that is, he told Col Duffield that he had already captured downtown Murfreesboro. With this Col. Duffield gave up. This battle lasted only a few minutes. Col Duffield was shot in his genitals and carried to a house where Dr. Maney and his wife took care him. Col.Duffield's wife later came and stayed with the Maney's till the Col. was able to return home to Michigan. Both the Maney's and Duffields were Whigs and became friends. Oaklands Plantation is NNE of Murfreesboro [about one mile] so Gen Forrest and his men went down Maple St. that runs North and South. When he came to the court house half of his men went down West Main street to the jail the other half to the court house. Both the jail and court house had Southern solders, some were to be hung the next day. Forrest did not attack Murfreesboro from the East but from the North.

Submitted by Sam Woods from a Rutherford Co Historical Society publication.

• Fort Donelson
• Shiloh
• First Murfreesboro
• Chickamauga
• Fort Pillow
• Brice's Crossroads
• Tupelo
• Second Memphis
• Third Murfreesboro
• Nashville
• Wilson's Raid