The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-16

even III un open ne1d, ana so much more
so when made, as Forrest often did. under
cover of woods, which concealed the weak
ness OF the attacking party. Fourth, his
fierce and untiring pursuit, which so often
changes retreat into route and makes victory
complete. II our Confederate leaders had
pursued their victory at Manassas, Shiloh,
and Chckamallga as Forrest pursued this
his first victory; rs he pursued Streight in
the mountains OF Alabama; as he pursued
Soov Smith from West Point; as he pursued
Sturgis from Tishenlingo creek; as he pur-
sued every advantage obtained over an
| encnv-the cause that we lost might per-
haps have been won. Fifth. following,
without knowing it, Napicr's prccept OF
the art Of war. he was always in front,
making personal observations and sending
back orders for moving his troops, "Whlle
his keen eyes watched the whole fight and
guided him to the weak spot" AS Scott
said OF Wellington
"G1cc:ing the mandate which sent out
| Their brarest aud their best to dare
4 fate their leader shunueu to share
| lie his country's sword and shicla
sin In she battle front revealed,
| And where dangers fercest swept the field,
| 1here came like q beam of light"
| This practice brought him into many per-
sonal conflicts, and General Dick Taylor
! has we'll said '' I doubt il any commander
since the days Of Lion-Hearted Richard has
! killed rs many enemies with his own hand
rs Forrest" This exposed him also to con-
! slant danger, and he had twenty.seven
| horses killed and wounded under him in
battle. and was twice severely wounded
himself. This practice led to imitation By
his general officers, and mt Hurts Cross
Roads. the day before the battle of Frank
lin, / witnessed what / will venture to say
was never seen on any other bait le-tield du-
ring the war-ForreSt With two division
and THREE brigade commanders all on the
skirmish.line in the fight.
CAPTURES sTRElGHT-A BRAVE GIRL.
- The story Of that celebrated pur-
suit latter Srei-lit], which lasted four days
| and nights, almost without cessation; the
constant skirmishing. amounting often to
heavy battles: the tlanking OF the bridge
over Black creek, through the aid Of Miss
Emma Samson, who, mounting behind him
on his horse. pilotcd him to an old ford
the courage and simplicity OF that same
country girl, spreading out her skirts and
telling him TO get behind her when they
dismouutcd at the ford under fire OF the
enemy; the fierce fighting at Sand Noun
tain at dusk, where men fought by the
flash OF their guns. and where Forrest
| had one horse killed and two wounded
under him; the weird midnight attack,
when he rolled his guns silently by band to
within one hundred and fifty yards of his
unconscious foe, and awoke the SlumberIng
echoes OF the mountain with the thunder of
his artillery; the sharp crack OF the rifle and
rebel yell, before which the enemy fed: and
the final Stratagem, by which seventeen
hundred FedcralS were captured by six
hundred CONFERENCE.-The been so often
Il ,.,,;,l fnlh fhnt u
ton until some southern Huuerly shall per-
pctuate it in romance, or some southern
Homer shall embalm it in undying verse.
When Bragg was retreatng from
Tennessee, Forrest was among the last OF
the rear guard, and an old lady ran out OF
her house to the gate, as he was passing,
and urged him to turn back and fight. As
he rode on without stopping, she shook her
fist at him in great rage, and said: s'Oh!
YOU great, big, cowardly rascal, only wish
Old Forrest was here. He'd make you
fight"
CoNsCRIPT TlIRASHED BY FORREST.
During the fight at West Point, Miss,
Forrest came up 10 where | was standing
on the causcway leading to the bridge, and
as it was the first time had been with him
IN fight I watched him closely. HIS man.
ner was nervous, impatient. and lmperlous.
He asked me what the enemy were doing,
and when I gave him the report just re-
ceiyed from Colonel Duff, in command Of
the pickets, he said sharply, - will 20 and
see myself" and started across the bridge,
which was about thirty yards long, and then
being raked by the enemy's fire. This
struck me at the time as a needless and
somewhat braggadocio exposure of himself,
and I followed him to see what he would
do. When we reached the other bank the
tire OF the enemy was very heavy, and our
men were falling back-ope running with
out hat or gun. In an instant Forrest
seized and threw him on the ground, and
while the bullets were whistling thick
around him administered q severe thrash
ing with Il brush OF wood. y short time
afterward I saw this scene illustrated in
Ha1per's Weekly as Forrest breaking in a
conscript.
JOE JoINsToN's OPINION OF FORREST.
| would not dispnrage military
education. / would not, il could, disturb
4 single leaf in the laurel crowns which
decorate so Justly the heads OF those whom
nature and education have combined TO
make great generals. do not concur iii the
sentiment so often expressed, that "the
Confederacv died OF West Point"; but L
! do believe that many brilliant citizen SOL
| dier was neglected, and his usefulness para
| lived, il not destroyed, by the West Point
| influence which barred the doors to promo
ton. General Joseph Z. Johnston, consld-
cred bv many the first Of Confederate gene
| rails, has said, "if Forrest had been an edu-
Gated soldier no other Confederate general
would have been heard of" and yet the
treatment Of Forrest furnishes striking
example OF what l have said.
FORREST WOULD NOT CONFESS FAILURE.
- Lee, Forrest. Buford, and were
riding TO the front when the battle [of Tu-
pelo, Miss..l was about to begin. Bu1ord
Said to Lee and Forrest, who had spent the
nis bit and morning toeethcrin consultation
81 Gentlemen, you have not asked my opin-
ion about this fight; but tell you we are
going to be badly whipped" Forrest re-
piled, sharply: "You don't know what you
are talking about; We'll whip 'em IN I'VE
minutes" Buford replied 81 hope you
may be right, but don't believe it."
Forrest was great general, but he never
rose to that greatness aud dignity OF soul
which enabled Robert E. Lee ut Gettysburg
to assume the responsibility OF failure. =
THE FLAG GOING DOWN..
On the 10th Of March, 1865, General DICK
Taylor held a council OF war TN west
Point, Miss, at which were present For.
rest, Chalmers, Buiord, and jackson, ana
it was then determined that the object OF
W;Ison,s movements was the destruction