Forrest Forrest's Birthday Present

[diane]

July 13, 1862 was a particularly happy birthday for Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest. He made a lightening raid on Murfreesboro, capturing Crittenden's garrison and destroying Union supplies. Co-ordinating with John Hunt Morgan, the two cavalrymen raided middle Tennessee and Kentucky, broke up the Nashville/Chattanooga railroad and freed a number of prisoners. It was probably Forrest's most dramatic raid and one of the most effective operations of western theater Confederate cavalry. This raid successfully diverted Union forces from a proposed drive on Chattanooga, allowed Bragg to concentrate his forces there for what became his early invasion of Kentucky and set the stage for the pivotal battle of Stones River.

The jail had three Confederate prisoners. One related that he thought he heard thunder rolling in the distance but, looking out, saw no indication of a storm. It was Forrest, pounding down the Murfreesboro turnpike with 1400 cavalrymen! Later, when discussing this raid with Morgan and Basil Duke, Morgan asked Forrest how he had managed to get past the Union troops to strike Murfreesboro as they had it surrounded. "Oh," said Forrest, "I just took the short cut and got there first with the most men!"

 

[donna]

diane great post.

 

[ExNavyPilot]

A e-pal from Murfreesboro sent me an email regarding a talk Ed Bearss will be giving on Forrest's July 13th, 1862 raid. Here's a link with more info:
http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201207110927/NEWS/307110017

 

[PartywithArty]

Wonderful!!! Happy birthday General!!!

 

[Nathanb1]

 

[jessgettysburg1863]

Great read & post diane .

 

[PartywithArty]

What a truly inspirational man

 

[diane]

Ah, but Forrest had a very unhappy birthday in 1864 - Tupelo! And he was covered with boils to boot...talk about adding injury to insult! It did, however, result in something legendary. Forrest's troops were bolting, just routing. The color bearer was leading the retreat with the flag. Forrest bellowed at him to stop - the man plunged wildly ahead, leading others. So, Forrest shot him dead and picked up the colors himself. "Rally, men! Rally!" he yelled. "For God's sake, rally!" They didn't and kept running. He swung his sabre at them and they dived and bobbed like a bunch of ducks - they didn't know if they were getting the flat or the edge! One soldier wryly remarked afterward, "It would have been comical if it hadn't been so serious." Forrest was shot in the foot at Tupelo, the bullet entering the big toe and sliding along the sole. Of all the wounds Forrest got, including the one at Fallen Timbers where he bought a .57 caliber minie ball, this was the most painful. Dr. Cowan commented that Forrest was one stoic guy but this brought on some uncharacteristic howling! Willie, his son, was riding behind his father, just to the right - his customary position - and was shot in the upper right arm. However, every cloud has a silver lining - Forrest recuperated at a safe house in Mississippi. He whiled away his time whittling himself a crutch and when it was finally done he hopped over to the window across the room - and fell in love. There was King Philip, grazing away in the pasture!

 

[DixieRifles]

I'm reading "The Battle of Brice's Crossroads" by Stewart L. Bennett. Here is one item he described.

After the Union retreated to the crossroad, Forrest's dismounted cavalry could not break their Union lines, so he tried one of his rouges. Forrest gave the command "Attention Battalion! Cease Firing!" The battlefield became very quiet. Then he bellowed out "Fix Bayonets!" Well the cavalrymen knew they didn't have bayonets, however, they knew "he was talking for the benefit of the Yankees, who could hear him as plainly as we." At the command "Charge!" the line advanced.

Later, they rallied at the Agnew house a few miles back with some fresh troops of the 55 and 59 USCTs. Here he told Captain Morton that he would lead a flanking charge to get their attention and Captain Morton was to charge the Union lines with his artillery. This seem to have worked as some eyewitnesses said more men were killed at this location than at any place during the battle. However, soon, the Union counter-attacked and made contact with the artillerymen, only to retreat once again.

 

[Jojotater]

He was definately bigger than life--then and now.