Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-11-14
FORREST.
Last Hours of The Great Guerrilla-..Ihe
Story Of Fort Pillow. and Forrest
Explanations.

Gen. \. 3. Forrest breathed his last
about O'Clock last evening, ut the resi-
dence of his brother Col. Jesse y. For
rest, on Union street in this city. 10
those who have for several weeks
watched with sympathetic apprehen-
sion the condition of Gen. Forrest, the
announcement Of his death will not be
a surprise. They saw the pulse of life
beating weak and low in bis feyered
veins, and knew that the cbbng tide
would soon cease to flow But to the
many, who have for years been accus-
toned to see his erect figure, his tower
ing form, perfect in his majestic man
hood and symmetrical beauty the IN
telligence of his death will bring Il shock
of surprise and sorrow. For the past
three years Gen. Forrest has made
Presidents Island, two miles below the
city, his home, where he was extensive
lyJGngaged in planting, and operating
mostly with convict labor He en-
barked in the enterprise with all the
energy of his enthusiastic nature, and
close attention to business and long cX-
posurc impregnatcd his system with Il
malarial poison which ,uperlnduccd
chronic Inflammation Of the bowels,
and which, for six months. has baillcd
the combined skill of our best physi-
clans SO robust in mind, so vital IN
nature, and so strong and fresh in his
manhood was Gen. Forrest, that he
never dcspaircd Of his recovery until
Sunday morning last. He seemed to
think that the indomitabe will which
had so often conquered on the field Of
battle could hold in check even an enc
my rs remorselcss as death, and he was
hopeful until Sunday morning when he
consented to be removed to the city,
where he could die among his friends.
He was greatly fatigued by the trip. and
gradually grew worse until he expired.
over twelve months ago Gen. Forrest
joined the Cumberland Presbyterian
church, and since that time he has been
an exemplary Christian, His pastor,
Rev DR.. Stainback, visited him Thurs
day last and found him happy in the
blissful knowledge that he was prepared
for eternity"
The story of the massacre of Fort
Pillow which is the principal event with
which Gen Forests name is associated,
is told as follows The massacre oc-
CURED on the 18th Of April, 1861 Fort
Pillow is siXty-tiyc miles above Nom
phis, and its capture was effected during
FORESTS celebrated raid through Ten
nessce Il state which was at the time
practically in possession of the Union
forces. Gen. sherman had started on
an expedition for Nicksburg, in Fcbru-
AIRY, through Mississippi he was to be
supported by Gen, Smith with cavalry
column, which, marching from Mem
pins. was to JOIN him at Meridian. Shcr-
mans march from west to east across
the state was SO rapidly and skiIfully
done that it was a mere promenade.
The confederate commander, Gen Polk,
could make no effective resistance to
him. but he bent all his energies to pre-
venting the junction of Smiths cavalry
column with sherman, For this pur-
pose he ordered all his cavalry to ION
Forrest, and intrustcd that commander
with the task of heading off Smith.
This was done most cilcctuallv, for the
OF Gen. William ;. Smith
seems to have been marked from the
start with utter lneIlic4encN. Ills start
from Memphis was made late enough
to give Forrest time to collect all
his forces for resistance the march
of the Union cavalry was an utterly dis
organized one. SO that when, on the 22d
of February, it reached Oklahoma, one
hundred miles north of Meridian, diSci-
plino seems to have been utterly re-
laXed Here FORESTS cavalry met
them, and nj the first charge the Union
forces were practically routed. Every
thing fell into utter confusion, and
Smith had to retreat, pursued by the
.,nnn,,. f,r fam ,la,r. ,,,r,,. Tho IL