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Battle of Lexington Battle of Parkers Cross Roads From the Book - "Some Encounters with General Forest" by H.K. Smith (1959?)
Horses hoofs sounded along the dusty roads as Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll of the 11th IL Cavalry, (Federal Army) left Jackson (Madison County) TN. It was the evening of 16 December 1862. Along with Colonel Ingersoll rode a section of Captain Kidd's 14th IN Battery, led by Lt. McGuire; 200 of the 11th IL Cav, who were led by Lt. Col. Meek. This group having traveled 28 miles arrived next at Lexington an there were joined by Col. Isaac R. Hawkins of the 2nd W. TN, with 272 men. At noon, these combined forces marched to Beech Creek, about 5 miles east of Lexington. Halting at this place Ingersoll sent Capt. Burbridge forward with one company to obatin information and locate, if possible, the person of Capt. O'Harn who had been sent from Jackson into this area about four days before. The sun was beginning to lose its radiance when sometime after five in the evening the Federal troops forged and spotted upon investigation, Confederate pickets. Capt. Burbridge was ordered back, slowly to Beech Creek. By then it was dark, and Col. Ingersoll ordered LT. Fox of the 2nd W. TN to destroy the bridge that spanned the creek, and to picket the road. This was one mile from Lexington. Luckily for the Fedreals 200 soldiers of the 5th OH under an Adjutant arrived on the scene. Lucky in the sense of increased numbers, unlucky in that these young men were raw recruits, many having never undergone the rigors of battle or even a thorough military drill. There were two roads leading into Lexington, the stage road and one simply called the "lower" road. Lt. Fox destroyed the stage road bridge but left the one on the lower route. Along the pickets men sang, slept, and waited for the morning of the 18th which came after so long a time. About daylight Maj. Funke of the 11th IL advanced along the stage road. Major Funke met the enemy after about 4 miles and fought hard, the Federals placing two cannon at the crossing of the creek and Lt. McGuire commanding them opened fire on the Confederates. Both sides suffered dearly. Col. Ingersoll left Major Kerr and Captain Woods of the 5th OH to protect the stage crossing. The Confederates were pressing their enemies in stubborn fashion at the lower road bridge. The position was eventually taken by Col. Ingersoll who sent Captain Hays of the 2nd W. TN into the Hardest fighting; the forlorn Captain and his men came back to Col. Ingersol in route. Capt. Burbridge advanced, drove the Confederates back and then the Federals had to surrender some of their conquered territory. The "Rebs" were closing in on the left and righ flanks and in desperation Col. Ingersoll tried to send forth the 2nd W. TN but they to were repelled. The Federals rallied three times, the brave Lt. McGuire shouting orders, rusing into the thick of the skirmish, displaying himself in a soldierly manner. At the third assault the Confederates broke the Federals. There were about 5000 of the Confederate troops, the soldiers of General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Col. Ingersoll was captured, released later; the command fell to Col. Meek of the 11th IL. The Confederates took 124 prisoners. The IL Cavalry group lost LT. Slater and LT. Wagner with seven men killed, nine wounded, fifty-one taken prisoners. The 5th OH surrendered 51 men, and the 2nd W. TN 15, while their compatriots of the 14th IN battery lost two men killed, two wounded and 29 prisoners with their leaders, Major Kerr, Capt. Sheppard and Lt. Cornell. Two days latter followed the Battle of Lexington.
 The date was 18 December 1862. This day had begun like most for the weary soldiers, one of marching. Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, cavalry leader under General Jeremiah C. Sullivan was given orders to prevent General Nathan Bedford Forrest from crossing with his troops at the Tennessee River near Clifton TN. Forrest had already forded the river and spent the night at Lexington. Colonel Ingersoll entered Lexington by the Clifton-Decaturville roads and there, near Shady Hill, Forrest charged the Federals; a fierce battle ensued.
Colonel Ingersoll and two Federal soldiers rode into Lexington on First Street, crossing Dr. J.H. Howards office on Purdy Street, and thence to Muse Street. On one side of the latter was a deep gully, in it a goodly number of women and children were crouched, having fled there when the fighting began anticipating a worse battle than actually occurred. A gallant Federal soldier ran into the gully, placed a white handkerchief on the nozzle of his gun, waving it vigorously in the air, thereby preventing bombing on the innocents.
The Federals were being defeated in good order. Colonel Ingersoll ran along the Muse Street gully and went on a long way and took refuge behind a house where he was captured. Then he was marched to the courthouse and later exchanged.
Some of the Negro slaves during this battle fled with the Federals. The old Pafford place served as a hospital for the wounded. One man recalled a dead Federal lying on the floor in that place with a bullet would in his forehead, and a generous amount of blood flowing from the same. One Confederate lieutenant fell during the heat of the battle; he had attempted to take a cannon planted at the Clifton road where it joins with the Decaturville road. This was where the battle had first started.
General Forrest had won the day. After General Sullivan learned what had happened at Lexington he wired headquarters:
Jackson, December 18, 1862 7:10 p.m.
Jer. C. Sullivan
December 18, 1862
In the morning, Forrest advanced along Lower Road. Ingersoll's scouts had failed to eliminate the bridge the day before, leaving the Confederates a clear path towards the smaller part of Ingersoll's command. The Yankees swung around to stop the attack, but it was too late. Forrest's troops overwhelmed the panicked Federals and captured 147 men, including Ingersoll. The rest of the Union force scattered into the countryside. Forrest also captured two artillery pieces, 70 horses, many rifles, and supplies. Forrest continued to Jackson, but found the city well defended. He continued his raid into Kentucky, destroying bridges and hampering supplies to the Union armies in Mississippi.
Perhaps one of the most controversial military engagements held in West Tennessee was on the rolling farm lands at Parkers Cross Road in Henderson County, located about eight miles north of Lexington TN. The 122nd IL Infantry arrived at Huntingdon, Carroll County, TN in the evening of 29 Dec. 1862. This group rode into Clarksburg bout noon of the next day. The Federals under Dunnovan advanced on to Parkers Cross Roads. General Nathan Bedford Forrest had traveled around north of Huntingdon, into McLemoresville during the night of the 29th and for two days rested and then marched on to Parkers Cross Roads. Early in the morning of 1 January 1863, Gen. Forest and his forces were enjoying breakfast on the wooded lots of the Hiram Britt farm. Everyone seemed to be enjoying those precious morsels of food when about 8:30 the sentinel fired a shot from a hill situated near the Britt dwelling. Up the soldiers went, grabbed their guns, and hastened to the line of battle, north of Hicks field. The Federals under Dunnovan lined up south of Britts dwelling and toward the Trenton road. In a short time the cannon were thundering on both sides, balls ripping through ranks of men leaving them mangled and dead. The smaller arms were being constantly used and at times all that could be seen were the colored streaks made by bullets. About eleven the 39th IA Inf. halted at the battle, being among the reinforcements, situated themselves behind a fence. Twelve pieces of Confederate artillery and a battery of about 6 guns oon their right dashed them with fire. They misunderstood their orders and retreated but Col. H.J.B. Cummings ordered them to a halt. They stood their ground, then, and fought with their fellows, to the ultimate defeat of the Confederates. Forrest fought bitterly, causing the Federals to give at strategic positions. Some of the Federals were corned at Doctor Parker's house and had just begun to stack arms when Sullivans reinforcements were seen in the distance, coming at full charge. Forrest could not cope with fresh Federal troops, the days was almost spent (for prolonged battle purposes), about the hour of three, so he ordered retreat. Although in later years General Sullivan did not talk much about this battle he wired his commander, General Grant, in a burst of enthusiasm soon after the engagement; "We have achieved a glorious victory." Considering the entire battle it was hardly a "glorious victory," but the Federals did take about 400 prisoners, over 500 horses, six heavy guns, plus small arms, weapons and teams. The Confederates suffered a genuine loss, the death of Colonel Napier, one of Forrest's aides-de-camp. Captain John Rinaker, C.S.A. was slightly wounded. Federal Losses at Parkers Cross Roads
Why this battle, so hard fought and bloody has been so lightly treated in annals dealing with military engagements in the Western Department is simple in explanation. One reason being that General Forrest and his men did not like to concede defeat, Federal officer, Dunnovan, wa beaten by his foes all day and did not like to admit this, and Colonel Sullivan, despite his exuburant declaration to Gen. Grant, was not "on the spot" when he should have been. There has remained a human interest story concerning this battle and it is worth relating. The plantation of Peter Pearson, a prominent Henderson Countian, was located only a short distance from the scene of the battle. People in the neighborhood ran for cover when the battle began, but there were three adventurous boys out to look upon a battle, tow of them were little Negro slaves, one of them was peter Pearson's son, John called "X". These boys perched themselves in a position where they could view the conflict. Very soon they had a tast of the battle. In the distance an officer saw the boys through a pair of binoculars and perhaps thinking them spies, ordered that they be fired upon. Chubby "X" and his two Negro companions ran as fast as they could away from the scene, with bullets peppering all about them. Fortunately they arrived safely home. And, to add insult to injury, at dusk as the Federals were marching past the Pearson house, thirteen year old "X" Pearson had to draw water for the thirsty "Yankees." It was a day he never forgot.  
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