Forrest, Nathan Bedford

Forrest "ate babies'

Here's a brief story you might enjoy:

One morning, according to a story apparently handed down through the Forrest family, he was in his hotel room, still in his nightshirt when a knock came at the door. He told Willie to answer it, and the opened door revealed an austerely dressed woman carrying a Bible and an umbrella. She moved past Willie into the room where the just-rising Forrest, hair still sleep disheveled, was seated on his bed. "Are you the Rebel General Forrest?", she is reported to have abruptly inquired. "And is it true you murdered those dear colored people at Fort Pillow? Tell me, Sir, I want no evasive answer." The answer she reportedly received was so direct that it was remembered to have sent her screaming down the hallway into the street. Rising from his bed to his full six feet one and a half, the Butcher replied:

"Yes, madam. I killed the men and women for my soldiers' dinner and ate the babies myself for breakfast."

from Lytle page p. 381 as transcribed by Jack Hurst in his Nathan Bedford Forrest, A Biography
 
8 or 9 in hand to hand, 20 or so with pistols?

Just making sure I understand here.

I suspect the closest thing to knowledgeable stats is in the huge Jordan and Pryor volume written with Forrest's assistance in 1866. I don't have a copy handy.
 
This appears to be the concensus. Remember please that Confederate army records were nothing to write home about if they can be found. Forrest, as you may suspect. didn't carry a secretary around with him aside from his adjutant Major Anderson who was reasonalby competent. He put a lot of those big smooth words in the General's mouth.

"In the four years of the war, Forrest reputedly had a total of 30 horses shot out from under him. He was said to have personally killed 31 people. "I was a horse ahead at the end," he said. [32]" I think maybe less than half a dozen of these weren't in combat, such as Lt. Gould and the private at the Battle of the Cedars.
 
Here's a brief story you might enjoy:

One morning, according to a story apparently handed down through the Forrest family, he was in his hotel room, still in his nightshirt when a knock came at the door. He told Willie to answer it, and the opened door revealed an austerely dressed woman carrying a Bible and an umbrella. She moved past Willie into the room where the just-rising Forrest, hair still sleep disheveled, was seated on his bed. "Are you the Rebel General Forrest?", she is reported to have abruptly inquired. "And is it true you murdered those dear colored people at Fort Pillow? Tell me, Sir, I want no evasive answer." The answer she reportedly received was so direct that it was remembered to have sent her screaming down the hallway into the street. Rising from his bed to his full six feet one and a half, the Butcher replied:

"Yes, madam. I killed the men and women for my soldiers' dinner and ate the babies myself for breakfast."

from Lytle page p. 381 as transcribed by Jack Hurst in his Nathan Bedford Forrest, A Biography

I hope he said that in some kind of dust dry tone, but its hard to do that when first waking up.

Still funny.

Good for him.
 
She walked into the hotel room of a strange man in his nightclothes? I bet she was a Yankee.
 
I've heard of them deflecting a bullet, but never heard of one deflecting........ well, you know.
 
BEACH1_animado.gifExactly. Wonder if she dropped it running down the stairs?
 
Here's a brief story you might enjoy:

One morning, according to a story apparently handed down through the Forrest family, he was in his hotel room, still in his nightshirt when a knock came at the door. He told Willie to answer it, and the opened door revealed an austerely dressed woman carrying a Bible and an umbrella. She moved past Willie into the room where the just-rising Forrest, hair still sleep disheveled, was seated on his bed. "Are you the Rebel General Forrest?", she is reported to have abruptly inquired. "And is it true you murdered those dear colored people at Fort Pillow? Tell me, Sir, I want no evasive answer." The answer she reportedly received was so direct that it was remembered to have sent her screaming down the hallway into the street. Rising from his bed to his full six feet one and a half, the Butcher replied:

"Yes, madam. I killed the men and women for my soldiers' dinner and ate the babies myself for breakfast."

Hahaaa, I love it. Kind of answer I'd have given her myself if she came storming in my room attacking me like that.
 
"forward men and mix with'em" "Hit em from the end""keep up the skeer"Of course his senior officers Bragg "the ****ed scoundrel and coward" that he would be in "perilof his life and if he was half a man i would slap your jaws and force you to resent it" this is abbreviated of course. Forrest at Donaldson "Boys these people are talking about surrendering, and I am going out of this place before they do or bust hell wide open" Forrest told wheeler he would be in his coffin before serving under him again, to Col streight "Ah colonel all is fair in love and war you know" his argument over crossing the Duck river whith Gen Cheatham who showed no fear was another. too many to recount. Ben
 
Can you tell us more about the encounter with Ben Cheatham?

Larry, During the retreat after the Hood debocle Forrest reatreated some but not all of his command accross the Duck River before it became to hazerdous to do so toward Columbia now in a position to defend Hoods shattered Army."I was ordered by General Hood to withdraw my command at 3 o'clock, which I did and went into camp at Columbia" (Wills pg 290) cont....During the crossing frustrations and bitterness of defeat caused this confrontation between 2 southern officers.As Forrest approached, hoping to cross after not being able to do so completely earlier, Cheatham,s battered infantry corps also arrived with the same intention. Both men expected to cross first. And when forrest insisted upon his right to do so, Cheatham a warrior himself said angrilly"I think not, sir .You are mistaken, I intend to cross now, and will thank you to move out of the way of my troops." Forrest's lost control and his passion took him. Forrest drew his pistol and said"If you area better man than I am , Gen Cheatham, your troops can crossahead of mine" soldiers within hearing raised their weapons to defend each. Fortunately S.D. LEE arrived on the scene, mediated they soon apologized and crossed. They say Forrest went but this differs from different reports of each ironicly (From Wills Pg 290) abreviated Ben
 
Bigger than life huh? thanks coming from you NB1 Just found out a lockwood ( my mothers side) rode in 3rd Tenn cav with the man.still researching it. Ben
 
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