Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-23

by birth. and when In hts teens served
as q private In the Fourth Alabama
Cavalry, attached to Forests COM
mand. During his recent visit to Ten
nessee the Doctor was enthusiastic In
his admiration Of Forrest. He had pre-
pared skeleton sheets OF his proposed
work. and sent them out to a number OF
officers and men who were close to TINS
born leader from the beginning to the
close of his remarkable career, with
requests to append such observations
and facts of their service IS would be
OF material use In the compilation OF
such a work.
The first skeleton sheet contains the
following description Of Forrest;
'In the light Of history there stands
out In clear relief the figure OF Lieu
tenant-General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
the most remarkable man our civil war
developed, and the greatest fighter OF
which the world has an authentic record.
Endowed with a physical frame which
resisted fatigue and exposure a muscu-
lar organization developed into athletic
proportions by reason OF the hard manual
labor necessity compelled him to per-
form from the earliest years OF boyhood
until he was a man, he possessed that
quality OF mind which never entertained
the fear of personal disaster. nor In the
furry OF hand-to-hand combat, nor in
the excitement or confusion OF battle, lost
for an instant the calm appreciation OF
what was transpiring. Quick to perceive
In the rapidly-shifting scenes Of bat
tie the opportunity for fatal blow, he
struck az the lightning flashes, blind
ing and whitening Before his sudden
onslaught the waver was rout; and In
HIS tireless and unrelenting pursuit rout
became panic. without education. and
absolutely without any knowledge OF war
Cleaned from the study OF what others
had accomplished. he evolved and put
into execution the tactics and the
strategy OF the most famous generals In
history"
In his terse phraseology: 1.-THE way to
whip 'em Is 10 get there first with the
most men, c'Destruction and Recon-
structIon." General Richard Taylor, page
sOO). and although his greatest victories
were won with forces numerically infe-
rior, he so fought his men that where he
struck he was equal to or stronger than
his adversary. He realized the value OF
boldness, even when akin TO rashness, and
when possible he attacked. notwithstan nd
ing the disparity OF numbers. Once when
discussing with an officer, a graduate OF
West Point. the question OF how TO hght
cavalry TO greatest advantage. he re-
minutes OF bulge than for three days OF
tactics (''Life OF Thomas Piatt and Boyn-
ton," page 500. When the enemy was
about to charge, or was charging, his rule
was TO 20 at them at once. He knew that
the excitement OF a forward movement
inspired even the timid with courage,
while TO stand in the open to receive the
laundering onslaught OF cavalry charge
was a severe test OF the courage OF the
4 Lot. a. hn frrafd
The offensive was to him an intuition: he
waited not for opportunities but created
them. Moreover. he fought his artillery
as II they were shotguns, charging right
up TO the opposing lines, their double
shotted contents at short range dealing
Generalization, death, and destruction.
Although his soldiers were called mount
ed infantry" and FORESTS cavalry"
they were neither infantry nor cavalry.
There was not a bayonet in his command.
and early in the war the sabre was dis
carded for the repeating pistol and car
bine. They fought on horse or foot to
suit the conditions.
1t is probable that not a regiment he
commanded could have a correct tactical
manoeuvre on foot IL action, and beyond
the formation by fours and the evolution
into line for the charge the cavalry man
ual was practically obsolete. With the
men ne SlIltl ulSCipllHt WIS lliilO5Si-
BILE, and yet they fought with the steadi-
ness of trained veterans under the won
derful influence of one who inspired the
timid with courage and the brave with
the spirit OF emulation.
He said: "War means fighting, and
fighting means killing" c'Southern His
tory Papers" Volume VII, page 454), and
when the enemy were not hunting him
he was hunting them. Ever In the thick
est OF the tray. II is a marvel that he
lived to see the war ended. If ever man
had a charmed life, such was his. The
missile of the assassin. the gun and sabre
OF the open and honorable foe. turned
from their mortal purpose. He was under
fire on more than hundred different 'oc-
casions, and these include the bloody and
hotly-contested battles OF Fort Donslson,
Shiloh, and Chickamauga, Brice's Cross
Roads. Franklin, and Nashville. Twenty
seven horses were shot under him." states
General James Il. Chalmers, his able Sc
cond in command c'Southern Historical
Papers," Volume III, page go. and
famous writer. himself soldier Qieuten-
ant-General Richard Taylor, says: i
doubt If any commander since the days
Of Llon-Hearted Richard has killed so
many OF his enemy as Forrest" c'De-
struction and Reconstruction His word
VI tOllliliub dS nc Nhc NdS.
Forward. men, and mix with them"
C'Destruction and ReconstruCtion.")
Though torn with bullets and hacked I'm
countless places with the sabre. or hurled
from his horse In the death-struggle Of
the melee. his life was spared TO serve to
the end OF the cause, which no man better
served than he. He cut his way from the
ranks TO a enant-generalship, from
obscurity to fame.
The youngest among Forrest men"
are gray-haiTed veterans now. and many
who survived those trying days have
answered the last roli-call, and their
spirits are lowering with those who have
gone before. II viii not be many years
before Forrest cavalryman" Will be
looked upon as a curiosity.