The cavalry force of the enemy under Forrest, in Northern Mississippi, was evidently waiting for Sherman to advance far enough into the mountains of Georgia, to make a retreat disastrous, to get upon this line and destroy it beyond the possibility of further use.

To guard against this danger, Sherman left what he supposed to be a sufficient force to operate against Forrest in West Tennessee.

He directed General Washburn, who commanded there, to send Brigadier-General S.D.Sturgis in command of this force to attack him.
On the morning of the 10th of June, General Sturgis met the enemy near Guntown, Mississippi, was badly beaten, and driven back in utter rout and confusion to Memphis, a distance of about one hundred miles, hotly pursued by the enemy.

By this, however, the enemy was defeated in his designs upon Sherman's line of communications.

The persistency with which he followed up this success exhausted him, and made a season for rest and repairs necessary.