The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-15

l saw it mentioned that General
Lord Wolsely, the distinguished Eng
lish soldier and author, had given II
as his opinion that our splendld
Southern soldier Lieutenant Generai
Bedford Forrest was the greatest cav
airy officer that ever lived in the
world. l once copied this as fac
But l know now that it was mlseak-
en- report l have aScertalned JUST
what he did say-that me was the
most brilliant cavalry leader OF the
Civil War" | make the needed col
rection. In the United Service Maya
zine (British) for May 1892, you viii
find a highly appreciative and brilliant
sketch of General Forrest by Lord
WoIseley. A previous number had
the first part of his very entertaining
paper upon the wonderful genius or
our beloved Southland. In Generai
Bradley T. Johnson's important WORK
on General Joseph E. Johnston he re-
ports that the great Southern veteran
and commander said to him that he
held General Forrest to be the great
est military genius ever born on this
continent Ny copy is not Just now
accessible or / would give the exact
language.
If YOU would understand and duly
appreciate General Forrest, read Dr.
Wyeth's large and most important life
IL.
Than a dozen years ago, in referring
10 Wolseley's description of the mag
nificent Confederate hero, refers TO
Forrest in these words:
This uneducated slaVe-dealer
fought like knight-errant for the
Confederate cause. He never had SUI
hcient knowledge of soldiery to be able
10 Gill Il company. but he showed
himself a heaven-born leader of men,
nd or n eft ro ia
of Napoleon's maxim, In the war men
are nothing, a man is everything.
Among his other exploits. General
Forrest pursued q cavalry column OF
1000 strong four days and"foHf nights,
and ultimately captured the command
er and LOO of his men, although he
had only 600 troopers under his COM
nand Again and again he defeated
armies twice as strong as the troops
under his command, and from first
10 last never drew a single ration from
the Confederate treasury. He knew
everything, went everywhere, and sup
piled himself with all he wanted from
the enemy.
Some of the English put in For
rests mouth is not really as he talk
ed / knew him personally in 1868,
and he used fairly good English. Gen
eral Wolseley tells of how he gather
ed his own arms, munitions and equip
ment. He says when he crossed the
Tennessee River on one occasion his
command then consisted of about
10000 mounted men, we'll provided
with blankets. shoes. and other equip
ment, everything being legibly stamp
ed with u. S., showing from whence
he had obtained them. His artillery
consisted of sixteen field pieces--alsU
taken from the Northern army--each
drawn by eight horses. The train
numbered $50 wagons with six mules,
all captured from the enemy.
When recruits Joined his colors they
never had any arms, and Forrest
would say to them: You must fol-
low along here. We will have a fight
presently, and then you can get plen-
~ of guns and ammunition from the
Yankees" He was never diSconcert
ed by any catastrophe but always con-
trived to snatch ~ victory ffems-the
jaws of defeat.
General Wolseley give an interesting
example of his readiness, spirit, intel
lectual, resource and courage. You
will find many such in Weyth's very
entertaining work Two messengers
came from the rear in hot haste
bawling. General Stanley has. cut in
behind you, has captured the rear
guard battery and many prisoners,
and has now got into General Arm
strong's rear Now watch Forrest.