The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-11-08
Dnnth OF ssonaral N. r. Forrest.


This distinguished Confederate cavalry
officer died al the residence of mis- broth
er, Colonel jesse Forrest, in Memphis,
Tennessee, on the night Of the 29th ult.
Little iS known of his early history, ex-
cept that he wac born in Tennessee, and
received only meagre education. He
came into notice on April and 7, 1862,
as o Colonel Of cavalry ut Shiloh. Again
on September 4 Of the same year ne par.
ticipated in nm engagement near Sparta,
Tenn, in the advance Of General Bragg.
He passed the grade of Brigadier Gener-
al and was promoted 10 be Major Gen
eyal December i, 1858. He captured
Paducah, KY, on April 26, 1854, having
been placed in command OF the Northern
cavalry department under General Polk
in February. His raid through Kentucky
was q magnificent dash. On February
20 he fought the battle of Pontotoc and
followed It up in March by the capture
OF Union City and Hickman, after which,
as above stated, he started toward Padu-
cab, and having been severely repulsed,
finally captured the city. Then followed
the Fort Pillow business, about which so
much has been written. Perhaps as fair
a way Of treating this event in General
Forests history would be to give his ex
parte statement 10 correspondent of a
New Orleans journal, made on June 3,
1865. General Forrest was described by
the correspondent as man Of fine ap.
pearAnce, about six feet in height dark,
piercing hazel eyes; carefully trimmed
mustache and chin whiskcrs, dark as
night; finely cut features and iron gray
hair. His form was 1.-THE, plainly indi-
eating great physical power and activity.
The writer asked, after some preliminary
questions:
"Now that you have time, General, do
you think you will ever put upon paper
the true account Of the Fort Pillow af-
fairW
"Well," said lie, ".he Yankees ought
to know; they sent down their best men
to Investigate the affair.""
But arc VIC TO believe their report,
Generai?"
Eyes, iG we arc to believe anything a
niggcr says. When went into the war
ing. have lost twenty. nine horses in
tho war, and have killed man each
time. The other day / WAS horse
ahead, but Mt Selma they surrounded me
and killed two-jumped my horse over
one.horse wagon and got away"
began to think / had some idca Of
tho man ut last. He continued
"Ny Provost Marshal's book will show
thar have taken 81 600 prisoners during
the war. At Fort Pillow / sent in n flag
of truce, and demanded an unconditional
surrender, or would not answer fos my
men. This they refused. l sent them
another note, giving them one hour to
determine. This they refused. ] could
see on the river boats loaded with troops.
They solt back asking for an hour more.
gave them twenty minutes. sat Oh
::::J :::J !.::So:tsS,; during tho whoie time. The
Fort was filled with niggers and dcscrters
from our army; men who lived side by
aide with my men. waited five minutes
after the time, and then blew my bugle
for the charge. In twenty minutes my
men were over the works, and the firing
had ceHsed. Tho citizens and Yankees
had broken in the heads Of whiskey aud
lager beer barres and were all drunk.
They kept up firing all the time as they
went down the hill. Hundreds Of them
rushed to the river and tried to swim to
the gun-boats, and my men shot them
down. The Mississippi River was red
with their blood for 900 yards. During
oil this their flag was still flying, and [
rushed over the works and cut the hal.
yards and let it down and stopped the
fight. Many OF the Yankees were In
tents in front, and they were in their
way, as they concealed my men, aud
some of them sct them ON fire. If any
we're burned &c death it was IN these
tents. They have o living witness In
Captain Young, their quartermaster, who
10 still alive, and will leave it to any
prisoner have ever taken if I have not
treated them WE'LL"
During the remainder of 1864 he was
engaged In about fifteen battles and skir-
| mishes. He was reported to the Rich
mond government for promotion in June,
1864, and his appointment WINS confirmed
| March 4, 1865. At the end of the war
he accepted the situation and became a
violent politician. He was delegate
FROM Tennessee to the Democratic Nh.
tional Convention in New York July 4,
1867. During the campaign ne made o
number of speeches in Tennessee on
politics He challenged General Kilpat-
rick, denonncipg him as liar, scoundrel,
| &C., for words used in speech. lie
| finally became grocer in Memphis.