Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-09
FORREST WAS A FIERCE FIGHTER
A Dangerous Man In Battle to Friend
Or Foe.

Or Foe.
The following story was printed by
the Hartford Connecticut Times in its
Memorial Day edition, Friday, May 81:
Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, OF the
Confederate army, killed thirty FEEDER
ais in personal combat, and had tWen-
Itv nine horses shot from under him,
lbut his life has been read by Few
northern people, DR.. John Allan Wyeth
gives the best account Of the great
raider and the following facts form
Ia part of his book:
When a boy Of fifteen, Forrest show
ed his bravery by chasing a panther
lin the woods at night, standing by un-
til morning, and then shooting the
beast.
At eighteen he found carriage
stuck in the mud, with two men stand
ing by, offering no assistance to the
women in the vehicle. Forrest rebuk-
ed the men, waded to the team, and
carried both occupants to dry land.
He afterward married one Of them.
When lieutenant colonel his passion
lin battle became furious, and he was
at such times dangerous to friend or
foe. His face and neck seemed on
fire, and the veins stood out as II
ready to burst.
Before Fort Donelson surrendered he
took his whole command out Of the
fort with safety, even after Buckner
Ihad decided to give up. At Shiloh he
charged too far into the Union ranks,
and a soldier pushed his musket al
lmost against Forests side and pulled
the trigger. The ball traversed the
large muscles from the hip up through
the back and lodged in the spinal
column, but he kept his seat on the
horse and rode away from harm. Be-
fore recovery he hurried back to his
command and was disabled several
months therefor
Whenever demanding the surrender
of men he always inserted the words
mo quarter" and that they would be
put to the sword If captured, but he
seldom carried out his threat.
Brag and Bluff.
The general always used "brag and
bluff" to give our side the impression
that his force was much larger than 1t
really was, as it seldom exceeded A.
900 men. He would catch a prisoner,
march all his men past him, they con-
tinuing for some distance, mount their
horses and make long tour, only TO
pass the prisoner again, when he would
be set free to tell the story Of an army
twice its real size.
Forrest opposed the attack on Fort
Donelson in February, 1853, and when
Gen. Wheeler was making his report
Of the defeat he wrote: "As we all fell
back l noticed the garrison from our
side of the fort rushed across to the
other side of the garrison to take part
against Gen. Forests attack, and as
his command caught the fire Of the
lentire garrison he must have suffered
4 Iseverely." Forrest interrupted him,
saying in an angry and excited tone:
II have no fault to find with my men.
In both charges they did their duty,
las they have always done. l mean no
disrespect to you; you know my feel
ling Of personal friendship for you;
Won can have my sword If you demand
lit; but there is one thing l do want
you to put in that report to Gen. Bragg,
tell him that will be in my coffin be-
fore I will fight again under your COM
mand." Wheeler quietly said: Il can
not take your sabre, and 1 regret ex-
lceedingly your determination. AS
commanding officer, I take all the
blame and responsibility for this fall
ure"
. ApoIogized For Ignorance.
, Forrest was unfamiliar with the ar
!, tillery manual Lieut.. Douglas was
ordered to take position on the Ten
nessee river, and get ready for action
He galloped up, unlimbered and NOV
} ed the horses to the rear Of the guns
, The general did not understand the
J rapid movement Of the horses to the
/ rear. Mistaking it for a cowardly run
! away on the part of the drivers, he
rode up to the man on the lead-horse'
: and as he struck him over the shoul-
ders with the fiat Of his sabre, yelled:
Turn those horses around, and get
, back where you belong, or by God, I'll
kill you!" The man answered.: Cen
, eral, l am moving in accordance with
tactics" Forrest cried: mo, you are
not: 1 know how to fight; you can't
: run away with the ammunition chest!
A few days thereafter Douglas took
5 the tactics books to Forrest, who soon
, mastered the rules and apologized for
the rebuke he had inflicted.
Then before Brentwood Forrest said
5 to Major Anderson: Take in flag OF
truce and tell them I've them COM
: pletely surrounded, and if they do not
/ surrender I'll blow HI out Of them
/ in five minutes, and won't take any OF
/ them alive If | have to sacrifice my
men in storming their stockade." A
shirt was used as a flag of truce, and
the Federals gave up.
He was accused Of writing an article
for the press, and denied it in these
words: Il shall hold him responsible
/ and make him eat his words, or run
my sabre through him." The officer
: begged his pardon.
Near Blountsville a scout rode to
i, Forrest at full speed and the COM
: mander asked him: Did you see the
Yankees?" The man replied: mo.
. did not see them myself, but while
| was at the blacksmith shop a citizen
5 came galloping up and told me he had
: seen them" Forrest seized the as
l tonished soldier by the throat, dragged
5 him from his horse, and, showing him
. against a tree. proceeded to bump his
: head vigorously against the rough
5 bark, and said: Nov, damn you; II
5 you ever come to me again with a
5 pack of lies, you won't get off so cas-
: ily."
Wept Like Child.
:, tnt,, ~ OF c