Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

However, Granger and the Federal cavalry, having remained on the watch up to the 26th in the evening, had received orders to resume the offensive. In front of them, at Guy's Gap, Wheeler was covering the evacuation of Shelbyville with Martin's division and a part of Wharton's. These divisions having a very small effective force, he had summoned Forrest, who was at Bigbyville, to the south of Columbia; but the Federals did not give him time to wait for this reinforcement. On the 27th, in the morning, after a sharp skirmish in front of Guy's Gap, Minty charges the Confederate cavalry, who have dismounted, and captures the passage-way. Wheeler is hotly pressed, and retreats across an open country: isolated, without infantry to support him, his position is critical. Finally, he rallies his men behind the abatis which forms the first line of defence a few miles in advance of Shelbyville. But notwithstanding the support received from a battery of artillery, his resistance is not of long duration. The Confederates, attacked in front and in flank at the same time, are dislodged, and they lose many prisoners. Near the approaches to Shelbyville, Wheeler strives once more to stand before Minty: his artillery, being well posted, checks for a moment the Unionists. But this respite is fatal to Wheeler, for Mitchell, coming up with a part of his troops, invests the town on the south and reaches the bridge over Duck River, and thus cuts off retreat in that direction. Wheeler at the first sound of cannon, seeing himself flanked, endeavors to gain with his cavalry a bridge a few miles up the river, toward which the Federals are already moving. The greater part of his troops had crossed the river without mishap when the Federals arrived at a gallop, driving before them a multitude of fugitives who rush to the bridge and crowd it. Wheeler and Martin make their way through with difficulty: the First regiment of Confederate cavalry is captured almost entire, and about a hundred men are drowned. This fight has cost only twenty men to the Federals; they have captured six hundred and twenty-nine prisoners and three pieces of artillery. Meantime, Forrest, after having passed Duck River, was moving toward Guy's Gap. But all of a sudden he hears, more to the south, the sound of the second engagement. Despite his zeal, he arrives only in time to encounter Mitchell's column. Then he sought in