April 21, 1863---Streight's Raid

APRIL 21, 1863:          

Streight’s Raid begins: 

Union Colonel Abel Streight begins a raid into northern Alabama and Georgia with the goal of cutting the Western and Atlantic Railroad between Chattanooga, Tennessee and Atlanta. The raid ended ignominiously on May 3^rd when Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest captured Streight's entire command near Rome, Georgia. Forrest, who had less than half of Streight’s 1200 man force simply misled Streight into surrendering by allowing Streight to capture “couriers” with nonexistent orders showing a large Confederate force in the area. Rather than be crushed by overwhelming numbers, Streight surrendered to Forrest.