Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-06-24

manded successfully a great ar
my. He rose to the govcrmen
Of a Department, but he never
had the management of a very
large force independently. HI
always proved himself equal te
every situation. If he accom-.
Eplished snch dazzling results
with meager forces, what could
he have done on a large scale
With the same censummate pow
ers, which invariably wrought
out victory romantic i'll its
splendor?
If Forrest had won but a sin
gle exceptional triumph it might
have been deemed a lucky
scratch. But nearly every a.
chievemento of hiscareer was sig
nalized by the very romance of
intrepidity and strategic inven-
tion. Perhaps the most remark
able quality of his military char
acter was his disposition to push
his victories to their fullest fru-
ition. He never let up on a de-
feated foe while his men had
strength to pursue or there was
a man to fight. He kept hit
ting a retreating enemy as long
as he had strength or there was
a foeman to strike. hra
AN HISTORICAL MULE.
1t was this spirit that caused
a misconception Of his conduct
at Fort Pillow. The flag was
not lowered when the fort was
really captured, and the firing
was kept up under the mistaken
idea that1he garrison was re-
sisting. And it is a curious in
stance of the blending of the
ridiculous with the tragic, show
ing how grand historic fact runs
into farce, that the flag a. Fort
Pillow was finally lowered by a
mule getting tangled in the rope
and breaking it. Forrest is
known to have credited this
strange story. In the demor-
of defeat, the leaders
being killed, no one had the
presence OF mind 30 draw down
the symbol of defiance. For
rest kept firing away because
the flag was still floating. COL
oneI George w. Adair, of At
Ianta, Ga, who was with For
rest a long time serving ON his
staff, states that Forrest naria-
ted this novel incident as pos
sessing historic verify,
The writer had many inter-
asting experiences Of Forrest,
and all gave impression of a
true man and a great soldier.
His men idolized him. He was
lear to them and they were
proud of him. Their confidence
was unbourded in him, his cour-
lge and generalship. One of
,he strongest elements of his
success and most effective de-
nonstrations of his genius
was his power to inspire his
spirit of resolution and zeal.
himself full of hope, nerve and
disregard OF fatigue and peril,
ne made his followers exhibit
hese soldierly qualities in the
highest degree. He was a man
If great physical strength, and
he had as many personal en-
with the enemy as any
soldier or officer in our army.
His personal prowcss was some-
hing remarkable. Hc went
nto the thickcst of the fight
With absolute contempt for dam
ser, and took his chances in the
melee with his men. He had
lumberless horses killed under
lin.
Take Forrest, all in all, bis
vas the most romantic military
ecord of the Southern side of
he war. It fairly corruscated
With shining surprises of yalor
nd strategy. His achievements
demonstrated that he was a born
master of the arr of war. He
blended in a striking degree
lash and sagacity, the most
hivalric daring with consum-
nate generalship. /
A UNION PAcIFIcAToR.
After the war he devoted his
,reat capacities and energies TO
he rehabilitation of the South
Ie so loved. And it is an i'm
Mortal testimonial to his patri-4
tic nobility that the grand mis-
ion of National reconciliationl
lad no more ardent champion
han this hard-riding, hard-hit-
ing chief of the Southern cav
liers of the late civil war.
Whatever he did he did with
lis might, and the brave spirit
hat pushed war to desperation
fterward practiced peace with
N equal zeal, directing every I
Of his powerful viii and4
very effort of his strong sense
o pacification and progress.
lis Observation-Disclosures atoncej
the great truth that thel
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