The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-06-25
GENERAL N. B. FORREST.
Biographical Sketch of the Great Cay
airy Officer.

GENERAL N. 3. FORREST.
Biographical Sketch of the Great Cav
airy Officer.
The following biographical sketch of
the life of General N. B. Forrest has been
prepared by General g. W. Gordon, Of
Memphis, for publication in the forth
coming edition Of the American supple
ment of R. S. Peale & Co.'s reprint edi-
tion of the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Forrest, Nathan Bedford, soldier, born
July 13, 1921, in Bedford County, Ten
nessee, and died October 20, 1877, in
Memphis, Tenn.
His father removed from Tennessee to
Mississippi with his family during the
early boyhood of Nathan, and soon after,
having died, left widow and several
younger children dependent for support
on the future military chieftain, then
only fifteen years Of sge. By energy,
industry and perseverance he continued
to maintain the family, andfwas enabled
to give to the younger children a measure
of education that stress Of circumstances
had denied to himself. Indeed, his own
education was;greatly neglected. and he
arrived at manhood practically unletter-
ed, and 80 remained through life. But
his native endowments, both mental and
physical, were extraordinary. he pos.
sesaedea q natural dignity Of character and
bearing ofperson that always command.
ed attention and respect, He pursued
the occupation Of planter, neer Herman
do, Miss, until 1852, when be removed
to Memphis and engaged in the business
of real estate broker and dealer in slaves.
He gradually achieved financial indie.
pendence, and was able to assist his
brothers to start!in life.
In 1861, under the call of Isham G.
Harris, governor of Tennessee, he enlist
ed in the military service OF. the State as
a private in the Tennessee mounted rifles.
he was soon after commissioned by Gov.
ernor Harris to raise and equip regi-
ment of cavalry, which he did and was
made colonel of the same. he WAS sub.
sequently transferred with all other State
troops from the military service Of Ten
nessee to that of the Confederate States,
in which he continued with eminent and
increasing distinction till the close OF the
civil war in 1865, having been successfully
promoted to the grades Of brigadier, ma.
jor and Lieutenant General. He distin-
guished himself at the battle of Fort
Donaldson in February, 1862, and when
he ascertained that the Confederate com.
manders contemplated a surrender Of
their troops a! that place to General Grant
he strenuously demonstrated against the
surrender, and urgently advised with
drawal of all the troops during the night
from the position. Being answered that
they were too closely invested by the
enemy to make withdrawal practicable,
he maintained, upon the report of his
own scouts, that such was not the case,
and proved the correctness of his infor.
nation by actually Withdrawing his
entire regiment, without any molestation
whatever by the enemy, before negotia-
tions fora surrender were begun. He
determined not to surrender in any event,
but if necessary to fight his way out.
From this time till the close of the war
his feats as q cavalry commander were
brilliant, not to say phenomenal, display
ing great energy of character, splendid
courage and precipitate dash, at the
same time being guided by mastery
Common sense" that, perhaps, has not
been surpassed in American history,
unless it be that. of General Andrew
Jackson. in many respects similar type
of man. He was an uneducated but
powerful force, with wonderful faculty
of communicating bis own faith and fire
to his soldiers, whose confidence in his
judgment and generalship was unbound.
ed. Impetuous as Alexander, he was as
self.possessed as Cesar. Early in the
war he observed that tie topography Of
the country in which the war was being
waged, with its dense forests and other
material obstructions, rendered cavalry
fighting, strictly as such, practically
futile. He therefore changed the exist
ing tactics, and used his horses chiefly as
a means Of rapid transportation, and
when he encountered the enemy dis
mounted his soldiers and fought them on
foot as infantry. And this fact often
struck terror to his adversaries, who
believed they we're fighting well-discip-
lined infantry, and we're bewildered as to
how infantry could 30 suddenly and un-
expectedly appear in their midst. Under
favorable conditions and in certain emer.
gencies, and especially in pursuit of a
mounted enemy, he fought his soldiers
on horseback with great effect. His
battles were often won by the swiftness Of
his movements, the unexpectedness and
impetuosity with which he struck his
adversary. Being asked after the war
to what he ascribed his success in so
many actions, he replied: "Well, got
there first with the most men," His
policy in battle was to rush suddenly
upon his adversary with his whole collec.
tive force, and crush him by swift and
heavy blows. One of his original COM
mands in a charge was: forward, men,
and mix with 'em." Emergencies were
intuitively met with wise and judicious
audacity, and in no exigency did he ever
lose his presence of mind or fail in the
afiuence Of ready resource. The follow
ing are some Of his most brilliant and
important military achievements: The