Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest led his cavalry brigade on a raid through West Tennessee from Dec. 15, 1862 - Jan. 3, 1863, destroying railroads and severing Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's supply line between Columbus, Kentucky and Vicksburg, Mississippi. Forrest crossed the Tennessee River at Clifton, defeated Union Col. Robert G. Ingersoll's cavalry at Lexington, captured Trenton and Union City, and ranged briefly into Kentucky. He raided back through Tennessee, evaded defeat at Parker's Crossroads, and crossed the river again at Clifton. Forrest's success forced Grant to switch his supply base to Memphis. Grant's army had occupied this part of Tennessee in the spring of 1862, and Forrest launched his raid late in the year to disrupt Federal communications and supply routes. After reaching Kentucky, Forrest turned back with Union Cols. Cyrus Dunham's and John Waller's brigades in pursuit. On the morning of December 31, Dunham almost trapped Forrest at Parker's Crossroads, but Forrest's artillery was posted on a wooded ridge northwest of the Federals, and the gunners' fire forced Dunham's brigade to withdraw half a mile. Forrest counterattacked and demanded Dunham's surrender. Dunham refused, and before Forrest could attack again, Fuller's brigade arrived from the north. With the Federals at his front and back, Forrest ordered his men to "Charge 'em both ways." The Confederates broke through Dunham's line and continued their withdrawal, riding through present-day Natchez Trace State Park. After the battle, Forrest and his men passed this way en route southeast to the Tennessee River and safety.