Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-29
GENERAL FORREST.

Philadelphla Iimes.l
ONE OF FORESTS FAvoR1TEs.
One Of Forests most efficient and
f~avorite associates was General Frank
Armstrong-himself a man of extraor-
binary ability, and with Ike peculiar
qualifications Of a great cavalry general.
Recently be related to me an illustration
of Forests imperturbability under the
most alarming circumstances. They
we're operating against General Stanley
in Tennessee. Armstrong in advance
had struck the enemy's pickets and was
pushing them rapidly before them. For.
rest was riding with him. A battery
and q rear guard Of a regiment had
stopped to water. So rapidly had Arm
strong been pressing the force before
him that a gap OF one or two miles was
presented to Stanley, who swooped down
upon this rearmost party and occupied
the road behind Armstrong; division.
A courier or staff officer at full speed
bore the news Of this disastrous condi-
ton of affairs to Forrest, and the ex.
cited messenger on arriving within hail,
bawled out his tidiDgs thus; General
Forrest. Stanley has cut into the road
behind you; has captured the battery and
all Of the rear guard, and is now moving
along the pike behind you to attack you
in the rear"
This was very startling. Armstrong
says that be felt all was up with his
whole division, aud 50 did Forrest; but
to his surprise and Amusement, without
showing the slightest discom6 future, he
heard Forrest shout out so. that it was
heard by most Of the command: IA he2
Damn himl That's Just where I've been
trying to get him all day. Face about,
Armstrong, and 90 for him, and we'll
give him helll' Sure enough, the line
was faced about, passed through the line
o! horses, met the enemy, drove him
from the road, recaptured the battery
and rear guard, aud secured about one
hundred cavalry prisoners. And to this
day the whole Of the men present with
him believe thar Forrest had laid a trap
for the enemy into which be had fallen.
In the winter of 1865 and 1866 | was
in the employment of an express com
pany in New Orleans, and was sent over
to Mobile on duty, which occupied me
there several days. On the evening Of
my return to New Orleans Admiral
Semmes, under a guard Of marines, pre-
coded me over the gang plank Of the
steamer, bound to New Orleans aud
thence to New York, to be tried for
piracy. The officer in command Of the
guard was quite q gentleman, expressed
his regret for his unpleasant duty, and
bis hope that that the admiral would feel
that no unnecessary duress or s%urveil.
lance would be exercised over him.
Accordingly, the prisoner and myself
held a full and uninterrupted conference
over the prospect before us and we we're
both agreed that his arrest was but the
commencement Of wholesale disregard
OF Our paroles.
Having recestly seen in the papers
allusion to the massacre of Fort Pill
low" | expected Forrest would be the
next man arrested; and having TO visit
Memphis on business for my company.
| tried to find Forrest and tell him what
wal on foot, and advise him to take care
Of himself He was, however. down on
bis plantation, forty miles off, and hard
at work. So | wrote him a full account
Of Semmes' arrest and his view and my
own opinion Of what we might all OK.
pect, and told him IL | we're in his place
Il would not remain one night longer
10 this country" A warm friend and
comrade of the general found a trusty
messenger, a young captain who had
served under him. to bear my letter and
also letters Of credit to enable him to
procure funds abroad.
SOLDIER TUREED PLANTER.
Having to leave Memphis next day,
some weeks elapsed before | heard about
Forests manner Of receiving our well
intended mission. He simply remarked:
This is my country, aud I'll be damned
II any one shall run me out OF IL; and |
will stay here on my plantation and at
tend to my business peaceably as long
as they will let me alone On the first
convenient occasion which took him to
Memphis, be made a personal call on the
general commanding, 10 order, as be ex.
pressed II, TO know at once what your
government means to do about my case.
The general replied: Il do not know,
General Forrest, what you refer 10, and
have received no orders especially relst-
ing to you" well" be said, II hear
they are about to make arrest Of paroled
officers because OF their acts dgriDg the
wsr-tbat Admiral Semmes is row 10 or.
rest and TO be tried on charges Of piracy,
and that there is talk Of arrestibg me,
so ] thought ! would call and let yoa
know | aH now quietly engaged at work
on my plantation. an trying 10 support
my family, as every peaceable citizen
should. aud am strictly observing the
obligation Of my parole. But | desire 10
know whethar your government is going
10 regard that parole or not, and have
come 10 learn about II from you, and |
will say that IL ! am not to be protected
by il, ! have only 10 sound the call Il
have Thousands Of my old men about mr
aud va ean guerrilla il all around here
for ten years, and all your foroes can
prevent II. And, general, there 10 an
other ihiEg I'll meniion-yoBr govern
ment might hang me forty times and 4
you'd not be even with nc" Ne wal
assured that there was no known purpos,
10 interfere With him. and the general
good. uRturedly ADVISED him to make
himself easy, and 70 on attending 10 biz
business % heretofore, and be would mol
be mGleg0d 10 any way. Forrest Wal
probably the only nan living who would
not have PIT himsell beyond danger o.
arrest uhder those circpmatances and al
that time.
The Thsafors Of garope.
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