William Hezekiah Forrest
Born: 1831
Birthplace: Bedford County Tennessee
Father: William B. Forrest 1801 – 1837
Mother: Miriam Beck 1802 – 1867
Died: March 20, 1875
Place of Death: Hickman County, Tennessee
Age at time of Death: 43 or 44 years old
Burial Place: Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee
William had a home in Memphis. He joined the Confederate Army on Jun 14, 1861 as a private along with brothers Nathan and Jeffrey. All were to receive considerably more rank as the war progressed.
July 10, 1862
Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest's brigade passed here enroute to its junction with additional units, to be followed by a further advance on the Federal garrison and stores at Murfreesboro. Leaving Chattanooga on July 9, the brigade here consisted of the 8th Texas Cavalry (Wharton), 2nd Georgia Cavalry (Lawton), and Woodward's Kentucky Cavalry Battalion, with a headquarters unit of 20 men, commanded by Captain William H. Forrest. Further accessions to strength were to join at McMinnville.
William served as a cavalry officer and led the charge against Col. Abel D. Streight's column at the Battle of Sand Mountain in Days Gap, Alabama where he was wounded April 30, 1863. William skirmished for two miles before he received a ball through his thigh, breaking the bone. Several of his men were lost in this battle. Col. Streight's men rode mules from their departure from steamships at Eastport, Mississippi. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest captured Streight's entire command on May 3, 1864 at Cedar Bluff, Alabama near the Georgia state line.It was said that the only man that N.B. Forrest was scared of was his brother William Hezikiah Forrest.
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