The actual capture of the forces was achieved by a clever ruse, when Forrest paraded his much smaller force back and forth in front of Streight, convincing Streight that he was opposed by a superior force.
Forrest successfully captured the opposing forces by using a clever ruse, where he pretended to have a larger force in front of Streight, thereby convincing Streight that he was facing a superior enemy and ultimately leading to his capture.