Sturgis was very proud when he set out to pester Forrest - he boasted to Sherman he would bring back Forrest's scalp. Sherman didn't doubt him - he'd done well so far. As it turned out, Forrest brought back Sturgis' backbone! While he was hoofing it madly across the bridge one of his aides told him the Confederates were pursuing and he shouted, "For God's sake, if Mr Forrest will leave me alone, I will leave him alone!" That Union general never got over the trauma of the battle, his nerves were shot - Sherman sent him west to get him out from under foot as it was clear he was not much good any more. Hearing A J Smith was the next one to go for Forrest, Sturgis paced up and down the floor, wrang his hands and finally wailed, "They can't beat Old Forrest!"
One of the reasons this battle occurred was because Sherman, preparing to get to Atlanta, was worried about his supply lines being cut. He decided to set a trap for Forrest, who was his biggest worry, by sending Sturgis out to provoke a fight with the cavalryman. Forrest, for his part, knew what his real objective should be - he was headed for the Nashville-Chattanooga railroad. However, his commander, Stephen D Lee, recalled him from that destination to return to Mississippi and deal with Sturgis. This was another of those irritatingly curious things with Forrest's military career - very often he had the right idea, but his commanders made him do another! It did give him his crowning victory and cemented his position as a great general but in the end it worked to Sherman's satisfaction. Forrest was occupied and could not get on his lines of communication and supply as he went toward Atlanta. Sturgis had to be dealt with but Forrest would have been quite willing to let someone else do it - he knew he could put a hitch in Sherman's git-along he wouldn't get over quickly!
When Forrest sent Morton right down the road to within 150 yards of the Union line, Morton thought his commander had gone 'round the bend. The captain and his lieutenant looked at each other and the lieutenant said, "Captain, did the general mean we are to go down that road unsupported?" Captain Rice, commanding the other battery, stepped over and exclaimed, "By God, who ever heard of artillery charging?" After a moment's confusion, the young captain snapped, "You heard him!" It worked very well indeed but after the battle, Morton told Forrest, "General, you scared me! You scared me bad!" Forrest smiled and said, "I just wanted to see if the Yankees could take your guns."