Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-10
AN IDEAL FIGHTER.
Lord Wolseley Sets Up Forrest as a
Model for,the Soldier.
COULDN'T DRILL A COMPANY
And Couldn't Write an Order, but He Knew
How to Lead His Men.
LEAVES FROM HIS WAR RECORD
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH. ]

with the duty of quickly raising levles Tor
immediate war service is often too prone to
think that his one great endeavor should be
to 'tset them up" and 50 instruct them in
drill as to make them look as much like
regulars as possible. As matter of fact,
he almost invariably fails to accomplish
this aim. and in his well-meant efforts too
often robs them OF their only good quality
in military point of view, I mean-the
fearless dash and go so often possessed by
undiciplined fighting men. Like the we'll
meaning missionary, who, in persuading
the heather to believe no longer in their
idols, robs them of their only spiritual faith
without being able to induce them to accept
Christianity in its place, the result is
usually disastrous in both cases. The
troops, especially the horse, raised by Mon
mouth during his rebellion, are a very
good illustration of what mean.
General N. B. Forrest, of whom wrote
few days ago, never fell into any such
error He had no knowledge of military
science nor of military history to teach him
how he should act, what objective he should
aim at, and what plans he should make to
what other Generals in previous wars had
done under very similar circumstances
This was certainly - great misfortune for
him, and a serious drawback to his public
usefulness.
He Never Got in a Panic.
But what he lacked in book lore, was, to
large extent, compensated for by the
scundness of his judgment upon all occa-
sions, and by his power of thinking and
reasoning with great rapidity under fire,
and under all circumstances of surrounding
peril or of great mental or bodily fatigue.
Panic found no resting place in that calm
brain of his, and no dangers, no risks ap-
palled that dauntless spirit. Inspired with
true military instincts, he was, most verify.
natures soldier.
His force was largely composed of wild
and reckless men, who all looked to him as
their master, their leader, and over whom
he bad obtained the most complete control.
He possessed that rare tact-unlearnable
from books-which enabled him not only
effectively to control these fiery, turbulent
spirits, but to attach them to him person.
ally "with hooks of steel" In him they
recognized not only the daring, able and
successful leader, but also the commanding
officer who would not hesitate to punish
with severity when he deemed punishment
necessary.
He thoroughly understood the nature and
disposition of those he had to deal with,
their strong and their weak points, what
they could and could not accomplish. He
never ventured to hamper their freedom of
action by any sort of stiff barrack-yard
drill or to embarrass it by anv precon-
ceived notions of what a soldier should look
like. They were essentially irregulars bv
nature, and he never attempted to rob them
of that character.
They Knew He Meant Business.
But the most volcanic spirit among them
felt he must bow before the superior iron
will of the determined man who led them.
There was something about the dark-gray
eve of Forrest which warned his subor-
dinates he was not to be trifled with, and
would stand no nonsense from either friend
or Toe. He was essentially practical man
of action, with dauntless, fiery soul and a
heart that knew no fear.
To take my readers through his military
career would be to rewrite the history of
most of the war in the Southern States of
the Confederacy. He was present at the
sionist victory one day, defeat the day af-
ter. When General Beauregard's line of
battle halted on the evening of Sunday, the
9th of April, in the midst of the Federal
camps which had been taken, his troops
we're thoroughly exhausted, and thought
only of obtaining food from the captured
supply wagons. Forrest on his own initia-
tive pushed forward his scouts to watch the
enemy's doings, and soon discovered that
large Federal reinforcements were being
ferried over the Tennessee River.
He at once perceived the gravity of the
position, and did ali he could to commun1-
one knew where they were In his search
to find them he fell in with the officer COM
manding an infantry brigade, to whom he
said, in his own rough colloquial vernacu-
lar: 'If the enemy come on US in the morn-
ing, we shall be whipped like (-)." His
prophecy was not far wrong, and by Mon
day night General Beauregard's army was in
full retreat.
One Of His Characteristic Charges.
General Sherman pressed the retiring
Confederates very hard all Tuesday, the 9th
of April; upon one occasion during the day
Forrest with about $50 men keenly watched
his opportunity from an offensive return
from behind a ridge which afforded his sol
diers good protection. The Federal ad-
vanced guard of two battalions Of cavalry
and regiment of foot, upon reaching the
ridge, at once proceeded to attack it
with great spirit, but in crossing little in
tervening ravine and stream, fell into some
confusion. Forrest, with his usual quick
military perception of such an opening, at
once told his bugler to sound the "Chargep'
and, pistol in hand, dashed in among the
Federals The effect was instan-
taneous. The enemy's horsemen fled back
panic-stricken through the woods, scattering
their own infantry, who quickly doubled
after them. A scene of the greatest confu-
sion ensued, and Forrest, pursuing for some
killed many and took some 20
prisoners.
With his usual hardihood, pushing on
we'll ahead of his men, he soon found him.
self face to face with the enemy's main
body, and under CALLING fire from all sides
A ball struck him above the hips and hurt
ing his spine, at once benumbed his right leg.
His horse, though mortally wounded, still
enabled him to bolt for his life through a
him!" "Shoot himr" etc. An unerring shot
with his.revolver, he soon cleared path for
himself, and found once more at least tenn
porary safety among his own men.
1t was many weeks before he was again
able to take an active part in the war.
Celebrated His Birthday in Carnage.
A couple of months after the battle of
Shiloh Forrest was sent to command a
cavalry brigade at Chatta1 ooga, and bidding
goodby to his old regiment, set out in June,
1862, for this new sphere of action. With
in month of entering upon this new COM
mand he had taken Murfreesboro in Ten
nessee. 1t was one of the most remarkable