Forrest Forrest and Gould

K Hale,

That site reminded me of something I read a while ago - another Forrest story! When he was laid up with his shot foot from Tupelo, he was staying at a widow's house. (Gosh, it's been awhile - let me see if I get this right!) The lady had a little girl, around 6 or so, and she sent the girl upstairs with a bowl of hot soup for the general. Just as the girl made it to the bedside she caught her toe on a rug and spilled the whole red-hot thing over Forrest's chest. He came up roaring, as one might expect, scared the bejabbers out of the kid and said a few things she probably ought not to have heard - but he immediately apologized, picked her up and pretty soon they were having a good old time playing together. He decided it would be beneficial to get himself downstairs for dinners - once with the boiling soup on the chest was enough! - so he spent his free time whittling him a crutch. Once he got it made he gave it a test run across the room to a window, the first time he'd been there. That's when he saw King Philip grazing in the back lot and it was love at first sight! Don't know if this story is true, lots of Forrest legends, but it's a good one anyway!

Morton was Gould's captain - he'd put in lots of good words for Gould and even told Forrest he believed he'd wronged Gould. He got his ears pinned back for it but decided he would say it again when Forrest's temper eased off. It seems to me that Forrest did realize maybe Gould couldn't have gotten the guns after all and had done the best he could, but now that he had ordered the lieutenant's transfer it wouldn't be good appearances to back off of it. If Gould had cooled his heels a little, chances are Morton might have been able to fix it with Forrest. Morton said somewhere in his account of the affair that he regretted losing a fine officer, so Gould did have merit.

For the little it's worth, I somehow remember the widow was the sister of the governor of Mississippi. Forrest was well connected. During that stay, there is a story that Gen. James Harrison Wilson was having communication problems. He sent a message to Forrest and asked to be allowed to dine with him. At dinner, Wilson calmly asked, "Have you seen Croxton?" (a Union regimental commander) Forrest calmly replied, "he's up that road about 12 miles". Very little passed by Forrest without notice being made. Wilson had proposed a prisoner swap which Forrest rejected, mostly due to the fact he had no prisoners and wasn't authorized for the swap if he had.
 
larry_cockerham,

Yes, I think you're right. I think the reason she sent the little girl was because the girl wanted to help some way and Forrest wasn't eating well - at least not up to his hostess' standards. He'd been sick with fever and boils before the battle - which was why he rode around the battlefield standing in his stirrups! - and still had some of that in addition to his foot wound. So, since she'd noted Forrest was good with kids and liked them, she thought maybe he would eat better if the little girl brought it to him and chatted with him. I think I might send a kid that age with a sandwich, but not with anything hot!

I hadn't heard that story about Wilson - that's a brass-ones thing to do, dining with your opponent! They did become friends after the war, too. Weren't a couple of the ex-Union soldiers Forrest partnered with after the war - on his plantation - recommended to him by Wilson? I can't quite remember.
 
Nathanb1,

No, they're kind of like giant pimples. They get big - sometimes the size of golf balls - and full of pus. When they break they turn into nasty sores. If you have them on your rump, it makes your moving saddle a tad uncomfortable!
 
Nathanb1,

No, they're kind of like giant pimples. They get big - sometimes the size of golf balls - and full of pus. When they break they turn into nasty sores. If you have them on your rump, it makes your moving saddle a tad uncomfortable!

Okay...that's what I was hoping they were. Wonder if diet and stress make you more susceptible?
 
Yes, and bad water and hygiene. Forrest was personally fastidious; in fact, he was kind of a clean freak. One fellow remembered talking to him and Forrest noticed some ashes had spilled onto the fireplace. Still talking he got up and swept them off and came back to sit down again! My son was fire fighting and camping for a couple weeks on the fire - he came down with a couple. Even though there were only two small ones, he ran a pretty good fever. Forrest had a case all over everywhere. I think that's why he had his men take a swim in any river they found when they had the chance - he said he was trying to drown a few bugs!
 
Wow... I just learned all about boils on MedicineNet.com. I feel like taking a shower now.
 
Very sorry to repeat your excellent find. I did read your post, believe it or not. In an unmercifully long academic career, I actually read many books, but seemed to have missed the details in most of them. Glad to know I'm consistent. I've met Mr. Duncan (now that I remember his name) a couple of times and he has presented his story to our camp. He's one of those guys who spends years digging details out of the woodwork. Since he's there in Columbia, I suspect he should be believed. He flys with eagles, unlike the crew with which you'll find me. (Present company excepted.)
I am just glad to know that what I found was reliable. You know what comes up on internet searches. That came up first, and the first thing one reads tends to stick in one's mind. The account that comes first is trusted.

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This incident just keeps getting bigger and better! A little bit more on Forrest-Gould - I located some information about the provost marshal. I take back the Andy Devine crack!

I found this site:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.../RoseHillCemetery/RoseHillCemCivilWarVets.htm

It's about Rose Hill Cemetery in Columbia and tells a good deal more about the Provost Marshal, who was Col J. Lee Bullock. I've copied this information from the Rose Hill Cemetery website:

quote

BULLOCK, Jason Lee, 1836 - 1911. Military marker: "1st Lt Lieut Co. G. 1 Tenn Inf. Confederate States Army." (Washington attorney; mar. dau. of Wm. M. Voorhies. (M.D. 11 May 1911. MCTC);
pg. 139, "The personal encounter between Gen. Forrest and Lieut. Gould by Frank H. Smith, Secretary of Maury County Historical Society; PROVOST MARSHAL'S RECOLLECTIONS, Col. J. Lee Bullock was the Provost Marshal, his office being where Turner's grocery is now, and which building had not then been lengthened; in the rear was a little frame or log building occupied by an old negro named "Gum" Kennedy". Col. Bullock writes me from Washington that he had previously heard that Forrest had accused Gould of cowardice, and that the Lieutenant had demanded an investigation which the General was not inclined to grant. When Col. Bullock saw the excitement on the street he ran out, meeting Gould, running and weakening from the loss of blood. Later seeing Forrest across the street he met the General just as the latter got off the pavement there, and tried to dissuade Forrest, saying; "I think you need not pursue Gould for I believe that he is fatally wounded; he is bleeding profusely and losing strength with every step." Forrest replied angrily: "Get out of my way, I am mortally wounded and will kill the man who has shot me." Mr. A. Nick Akin, now Clerk and Master of our Chancery Court, says that just then Forrest seized two pistols from an officer and crossed the street. Col. Bullock says that Forrest went down the alley to "Gun" Kennedy's house, but learning that Gould was in the tailor shop, he came back through the alley and went around to the front of the shop. The late William J. Andrews told me that he had that day loaned a revolver to Capt. John G. Anderson, and that as Forrest was starting up the street to follow Gould, the General took this pistol; but just before reaching the south pavement heard that Gould was mortally wounded, and with some of his officers, went back across the street to Dr. Sam Frierson's, who was post surgeon."

unquote

Well! That sure adds dimension to the matter. Now we know how that soldier Forrest zinged came to be hanging out behind the tailor's shop - he was sent there.
 
This incident just keeps getting bigger and better! A little bit more on Forrest-Gould - I located some information about the provost marshal. I take back the Andy Devine crack!

I found this site:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.../RoseHillCemetery/RoseHillCemCivilWarVets.htm

It's about Rose Hill Cemetery in Columbia and tells a good deal more about the Provost Marshal, who was Col J. Lee Bullock. I've copied this information from the Rose Hill Cemetery website:

quote

BULLOCK, Jason Lee, 1836 - 1911. Military marker: "1st Lt Lieut Co. G. 1 Tenn Inf. Confederate States Army." (Washington attorney; mar. dau. of Wm. M. Voorhies. (M.D. 11 May 1911. MCTC);
pg. 139, "The personal encounter between Gen. Forrest and Lieut. Gould by Frank H. Smith, Secretary of Maury County Historical Society; PROVOST MARSHAL'S RECOLLECTIONS, Col. J. Lee Bullock was the Provost Marshal, his office being where Turner's grocery is now, and which building had not then been lengthened; in the rear was a little frame or log building occupied by an old negro named "Gum" Kennedy". Col. Bullock writes me from Washington that he had previously heard that Forrest had accused Gould of cowardice, and that the Lieutenant had demanded an investigation which the General was not inclined to grant. When Col. Bullock saw the excitement on the street he ran out, meeting Gould, running and weakening from the loss of blood. Later seeing Forrest across the street he met the General just as the latter got off the pavement there, and tried to dissuade Forrest, saying; "I think you need not pursue Gould for I believe that he is fatally wounded; he is bleeding profusely and losing strength with every step." Forrest replied angrily: "Get out of my way, I am mortally wounded and will kill the man who has shot me." Mr. A. Nick Akin, now Clerk and Master of our Chancery Court, says that just then Forrest seized two pistols from an officer and crossed the street. Col. Bullock says that Forrest went down the alley to "Gun" Kennedy's house, but learning that Gould was in the tailor shop, he came back through the alley and went around to the front of the shop. The late William J. Andrews told me that he had that day loaned a revolver to Capt. John G. Anderson, and that as Forrest was starting up the street to follow Gould, the General took this pistol; but just before reaching the south pavement heard that Gould was mortally wounded, and with some of his officers, went back across the street to Dr. Sam Frierson's, who was post surgeon."

unquote

Well! That sure adds dimension to the matter. Now we know how that soldier Forrest zinged came to be hanging out behind the tailor's shop - he was sent there.

Thanks very much for posting these details. This is stuff I haven't read before. The excerpt mentions Frank H. Smith who was very prominent in the town. He wrote a detailed account of the retreat of the Army of Tennessee from Nashville and their subsequent stops at Columbia, Lynnville, Pulaski, Anthony's Hill and Sugar Creek. Good stuff, much of which is referenced in my series of posts on the AOT.
 
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