Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-11-10
FORREST.
A Few AnecdOtes About the Dead
Chieftatn.

Chieftain.
Memphis Cor. Cincinnati Commercial.I
do not think it can be said of
Forrest that he beanie less fierce as
he grew older. His temper during
the last few years of his life was
just as ungovernable as ever. On
one occasion, for example, he had
ordered a suit of clothes from q
well known firm in Memphis. After
the clothes were made Forrest al
lowed them to lie SO long in the
store that the moths got into them.
When he did call for them at last
and take them home, he discovered
the work of the destructive moths,
and became fearfully enraged. He
went back to the store and cursed
the proprietor in q terrible and
wonderful manner, and swore more
awfully than any trooper of the
famously profane army in Flanders.
Of course the proprietor of the store
had to endure it under pain of
death or a most terrible whipping.
He ventured to demonstrate at last.
General" said he, 81 am sorry
this thing happened; we did not
know the clothes were moth-eaten,
and are willing to make all repara-
ton possible"
But the mans humble apology
only exasperated Forrest the more.
He would have greatly preferred an
angry quarrel. He pulled out his
pistol and thrust it at the tailor's
head.
"Why, General" exclaimed the
trembling man, "you would not
shoot me for such a trife as that!"
"G-d d-n you, yes" roared
Forrest; ed shoot you like a rat. /"
But he didn't shoot.
He went home and thought over
the matter and saw it in the proper
light; for he had his generous i'm
pulses. Next day he apologized to
that man as humbly and sincerely
as any human being could apollo
gize. 1t became actually painful to
hear his apology. But then he was
often doing just such things, and
apologizing for them; and all whom
he abused were not SO forgiving as
the good natured tailor. Some
times he would get SO ashamed of
his conduct that he would first send
friend to the person abused as a
herald of apologies.
"Good gracious! general" ex-
claimed one of these heralds one
day, "can you do nothing with
that temper of yours?"
"No; I'll be id if can," re-
turned Forrest, on the point of get
ting mad again.
Perhaps his strange luck in all
personal encounters was priuci-
pally due to the fact that he never
suffered quarrel to grow old or
cold, and always took the initiative
in fight whenever that was pos
sible. Still, his luck was remark
able. He was blown up in q
steamboat explosion, and shot at
from ambuscades, and shot in bat
tie, and shot in private fights, and
always escaped comparatively un-
hurt. think the grimmest story
| have been told about him is that
of Gould's unsuccessful attempt
upon his life at Columbia, Tenn,
during the war. | heard it from
the lips Of one Of the generals staff
officers, who witnessed the latter
portion of the tragedy.
Gould was a lieutenant Of artil-
lery, | believe, under Forrest, and
had several times refused to obey
orders. 1t is said he showed cow
ardice, and Forrest abominated
cowardice. The general sent word
to the young officer that he had
better resign to save himself from
disgrace, as his cowardice rendered
it necessary to fill his place. Short
ly afterward Forrest was sitting at
the window of his hotel, unarmed,
twirling white handled penknile
in his fingers, when Gould entered
in a desperate frame of mind. He
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