The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-20
fener.l Forrest. A Biography. By.'aptain
- $500, E.at3,es D. Appleton ard

kenGYDl kA04fC&I, - SlO6A< tpAsSs - -
i. Harvey Mathes. D. Appleton ara
Company, New York. Sloo net
General Nathan B. Forrest was one Oh
.I,e mos, remarkable soldiers In the his
ory of the world. The Appletons made
40 mistake when they included ms
& biography in their Great Commands
Series. General Forests lack Of null
.ary training or experience before the
S MAR renders his career most interesting.
He had received no training such as IS
given at West Point or the Virginia MIL
tary Institute nor had he read any mill
1ary publications Tor the simple reason
that reading was difficult for him On.
like General Sam Houston, he was not
even familiar With Caesars Commen !.
4 tariee" nor the ..Maxitns Of Napoleon
1sat he ..9ot there fust with the most
men, and he won victories and achieV-
"a results.
This military biography Of the brilliant
Confederate cavalry leader was written
nader peculiarly advantageous conditions
! BY CAPTAIN J. Harvey Mathes. OF Mem
ufia. Tennessee His study OF his SUD
feet appeaxs to hRve been searching and
comprehensive. Ia his preface he makes
Acknowledgements to the so-called Ike
bellion Records." printed by the Federal
Government with approximate accuracy
ana J64fneSSs 10 LIS 1hcluOhS VI SCA1SA-
AlS Thomas and Grant and numerous
other Onion officers of lesser rank; to
..rhe Campaign Of General Forrest, by
General Thomas Jordan and John p. Pry-
or; THE Life OF General Forrest" by
Dr. yohn A. Wyeth: THE Seventeenth
Cavalry which was Forests old reg1-
nent." by John T. Young. Of Memphis;
and TO many other references too numer-
GUS to mention. In his book he has
gathered and put together in consecutive
order the facts in regard to General For
rests evantfu life from early youth to
his death at fhe comparatively early age
of IS.
As Q ru1s the sutlor OF the biographies
sta4 i1ava appeared in the Great Com
nsndsrs 9eries'' have been men that saw
arrive service with the subjects of their
writsnEs. Captain Mathes was an Officer
in the Confederate States army, but it
Wos not Bis fortune to ride with General
Forrest during the war. Yet he knew
this remarkable character somewhat
intimately and was well acquainted with
some Of his staff, and with many OF his
men who are still living and engaged in
she pursuits of private life From his
numerous associations in war and husi-
ness Captain AIathes has gathered some
vivid Impressions as to the personality and
the nature OF Forrest and the soldiers
who made him famous. And these i'm
T,ressions he mas wen reproduced in this
book
The book contains chapters on the Gen.
erals ancestry and early life running
easily into the beginning of the war and
Forests frst campaign in kentucky.
The author gives q spirited and careful
description OF the battle of Fort Donel-
son. FORESTS escape, his brilliant raids.
including the capture Of Murfreesboro. his
or erations on Braggs flank. the battle OF
Psrker's CROSSROADS, the pursuit and
capture Of Colonel Streight and his expe-
dition. and the part Forrest took at
Chattanooga and Chickamauga.
The questions raised by the name OF
Fort Pillow are discussed with a candor
and feeling that would have been difficult
Immediately after the event. There is no
question now in impartial minds at the
North. as there never was at the South,
as to the incredibility OF the outrageous
and slanderous reports circulated for
n-sny years after the war concerning the
conduct of Forrest and his men at Fort
pillow. The life of General Forrest by
Or. wyeth and the present biography
Wxectually prove that the few Federals
and the renegade Southerners and tho
regro troops who held Fort Pillow
brought upon themselves. through their
drunken. terrified and-while it lasted
desperate resistance, the severe treat
.nent that was accorded them. and which
va. entirely justified by the rules of war.
Forests operations in Tennessee, cs-
nectafly the story of how he covered
Hoods disastrous retreat from Nashville,
1. one Of great, Il melancholy, interest
H,s reluctant surrender at GAINESVILLE, Ala
hama closes the record Of his military
operations. After his retirement from
thn arnr ne went back to the plantation
n,s 20 the time OF his death lived the
lie OF a quiet. dignihed citizen. intent
o,av anon setting worthy example for
his men to follow.
IN. uos,nd NJ baskerville. another advcn-