The Coolidge examiner., 1931-07-31

battle, especially If the lives those of 'hs
boys" He was the ideal cavalryman in his
judgment Of horsehesh and of how to take care
of the mounts in his command.
Nathan Bedford Forrest was born in Bedford
county, Tennessee, in 1921. Little Is known Of
his life as boy but what is known is mainly
a record of conflict of fights with wild animals,
with bullies of the neighborhood and other evil
dences to prove that Nathan Bedford was a
born fighter. In his early manhood he started
to Texas to help fight for Texan independence
but arrived there only to find that there was no
need for his services Penniless young Forrest
split enough rails at fifty cents a hundred to
pay his way back to Tennessee. Then he be-
came a horse trader and later, moving to Mem
phis, became broker in real estate and finally
slave trader, in all of which occupations he
prOspered.
He next became an alderman In Memphis
after he had distinguished himself by daring as
a private citizen, to save the lives Of two muir
derers when a mob threatened to storm the Jail
and when no one else dared to face the would
be lynchers. Forrest planted himself in front
of the Jail holding a six-shooter and calling out
to the mob in a clear firm voice, "If you come
by ones, or by tens, or by hundreds, I'll kill any
man who tries to get in this jail" The result Of
this firm statement was that the mob of three
thousand quickly melted away. They knew that
Forrest meant exactly what he said
After serving one year as an alderman For
rest resigned in 1859 and became cotton plant
er. He was thus engaged when the Civil war
broke out and in June. 1861, instead of using his
influence to get a commission he enlisted as
private in Whites Tennessee Mounted Rifles
But his friends did what he would not do for
himself. They decided that the ranks were no
place for Forrest. So they prevailed upon the
Confederate authorities TO give him a commits
sion as lieutenant colonel and the authority to
raise a battalion of mounted rangers Going
up into Kentucky (both because he could secure
excellent horses there and because every man
which he brought out of that state which was
neutral but was recruiting ground for both
governments, would weaken the enemy's armies
just that much) he returned to Memphis some
eight weeks later, having raised eight COM
panies, $50 strong. Then began his amazing
career as a cavalryman par excellence, as a
natural military genius whose exploits far out
shown those of many trained soldiers and as
thorn in the side of one Union general after
another.
Forrest knew nothing about military tactics
and cared less. In that regard he was an ideal
leader for the independent-spirited men under
his command. Drills and guard mounts were
obnoxious to them but their officers managed to
get results from them even without the fOrmality
Of giving commands in the prescribed manner
Such expression as 'Men, tangle into fours
By turn around! Git" would shock an army
trained drillmaster speechless, but when such
commands were given to Forests men they
knew what was wanted and they obeyed.
Forrest had fine contempt for West Point
trained officers who fought according to rule
of the thumb On occasion, after battle
which had been disastrous to the Southern
forces and which had been fought according to a
plan to which Forrest had been opposed, Gen.
Stephen D. Lee called a council of war Lee
asked Forrest if he had any ideas "Yes SIR
said the cavalry leader. I've always got ideas,
and I'll tell you one thing, General Lee. If l
knew as much about West Point tactics as you,
the Yankees would whip hell out of me every
day."
AS for the thesis that Forrest might have
saved the Confederacy from defeat, it is based
upon the fact that, as Lytle says, "the govern
ment which first realized that the war would be
decided ultimately on western battlefelds would
have a decided advantage" and the premise that
if Forests genius had been recognized soon
enough by the Confederate government If he
had been given a sufficient force and had not
been thwarted by jealous superior he might
have held the West Indefinitely and turned the