Forrest Forrest's Sword

Joined
Jun 24, 2011
Location
Middle Tennessee
Forrest carried a model 1840 officer's cavalry sword from Horstmann and Sons of Philadelphia. It is reported that he had killed seven persons with this sword during the war. The Model 1840 was known as the wristbreaker. Picture with his sword is Jack Waugh, Ed Bearss, and Pax Glenn.
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I believe the Dallas Civil War Roundtable still has it. That's the one Shelby Foote remembered Forrest's granddaughter let him swing around his head when he was a kid! Forrest acquired it as a bit of booty after the raid on the Union supply depot at Trenton, TN. He was a blacksmith and saw it was a darn good sword. He gave it to an aide and told him to sharpen it on both sides - only the point was sharp. The aide gently told him that's how cavalry sabers were sharpened - they were for signalling and clubbing if need be, not for slicing and dicing. "**** that nonsense," said Forrest. "War means fighting. Fighting means killing. Turn the grindstone."
 
I believe the Dallas Civil War Roundtable still has it. That's the one Shelby Foote remembered Forrest's granddaughter let him swing around his head when he was a kid! Forrest acquired it as a bit of booty after the raid on the Union supply depot at Trenton, TN. He was a blacksmith and saw it was a darn good sword. He gave it to an aide and told him to sharpen it on both sides - only the point was sharp. The aide gently told him that's how cavalry sabers were sharpened - they were for signalling and clubbing if need be, not for slicing and dicing. "**** that nonsense," said Forrest. "War means fighting. Fighting means killing. Turn the grindstone."
I believe you are right as to the Dallas CWRT still having it.:thumbsup:
 
I bought this sword from the family in Pulaski, Tennessee whose GG Grandfather carried it when he rode for Forrest. Notice that the scabbard is painted white. This was done after the war when he joined the KKK and he carried it when wearing his white robe and hood. I have the history of the sword, but the family made me to agree not to mention names as they were not proud of the after war activities of their ancestor. It is an important part of history and I thought that it is interesting to post. It is a model 1840 wristbreaker.
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I bought this sword from the family in Pulaski, Tennessee whose GG Grandfather carried it when he rode for Forrest. Notice that the scabbard is painted white. This was done after the war when he joined the KKK and he carried it when wearing his white robe and hood. I have the history of the sword, but the family made me to agree not to mention names as they were not proud of the after war activities of their ancestor. It is an important part of history and I thought that it is interesting to post. It is a model 1840 wristbreaker.View attachment 13310View attachment 13311

What a history for your sword, and what kind of hide is it laying on?
 
I'm curious to know why the Dallas CWRT has Forrest's sword? I remember now many years ago seeing a Colt Navy .36 in Nashville's Tennessee State Museum said to have been his - no holster or belt, though. It was the only artifact of his on display, and at the time I wondered why.
 
I'm curious to know why the Dallas CWRT has Forrest's sword? I remember now many years ago seeing a Colt Navy .36 in Nashville's Tennessee State Museum said to have been his - no holster or belt, though. It was the only artifact of his on display, and at the time I wondered why.

I suspect it all came down to who had the $$$ when it came up for sale/auction.
 
Apparently it mostly was sold because Forrest's line is dead, both male and female. His grandson and great-grandson were killed without leaving anybody (the only son of an only son of an only son!) and of the three great-granddaughters - two didn't marry and the one who did had no children. Seems the same happened to the Luxton half-siblings - some jewelry and other items from Forrest's mother has wafted around the auction houses a time or two. I think, though, the Montgomery family still has some important items that they won't open to the public. However, they didn't have the sword - mostly Mary Ann's things. She lived with Willie after her husband's death - he had the saber, then after his death in 1905 his widow kept it and then it went to the granddaughter, as all the other males were dead - both her brothers preceded her in death.
 
I think it was General Forrest's Grandson (a West Point graduate) has the dubious and unfortunate distinction of being the first Army Air Force General killed in action in the ETO during World War II.

He was flying a B-17 on a Combat Mission when shot down by the Luftwaffe.

As for Forrest's sword-is that the one he used to behead the Yankee Colonel that was trying to chase him???

Regarding the "white painted sword scabbard." Tell the anonymous family to change their story to this: that the sword scabbard wasn't painted white because their ancestor wore it as part of his KKK outfit, but because it was "snow camouflage" as their ancestor was sent to the FAR NORTH of Yankeedom on a "Secret Mission."
 
This is a photo of the grip and guard of my 1840 officer's saber. My sword is an identical version of Forrest's sword and I show it here to illustrate what the officer's version looks like. The grip wrapping is ray skin where as on the enlisted version is leather. The brass guard and fittings have a fancy floral relief added.
 

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Forrest didn't exactly chop anybody's head clear off, just mostly! That happened at Okolona and he was really in a mood to kill anything wearing blue at that battle, having lost his baby brother. He got three others when he attacked the Union line with his escort right after that, two with his sword. However, one of his officers was in a predicament on the field - a Yankee officer (don't remember the rank) on horseback had him cornered on the ground and was aiming to shoot him when Forrest came galloping by. The general swerved, and gave a full swing of his saber on the Federal's neck and then rode away without looking back. The Confederate on the ground said the guy's head fell over onto his shoulder with a surprised look and then he slithered off the horse. :cold: In his report of the battle of Sacramento, Forrest reported two Union soldiers were sabered (not to death) but didn't say by whom. Presumably it was him as he had a very dire personal combat with four or five of them piling onto him after he was thrown off his horse. (Pretty good fighting on his part - his right shoulder had been dislocated by the fall.) Then there was the hulking big corporal who approached him while he was afoot and signaled he wanted a mano y mano - he got it in more ways than one... Sacramento again - when his troops attacked the Union troops there they headed off for a better spot to fight but their major turned around for a one-on-one with the rebel commander. Forrest wasn't in the mood to deal with this kind of thing - he just lowered his saber and ran the guy straight through without missing a beat and thundered on down the road, never looking back. There was Selma. Forrest was again in a pickle, with half a dozen trying to off him and his escort couldn't get to him to help. Fortunately King Philip was able to leap a wagon and take to the road beyond but a young captain named Taylor intercepted Forrest. He began whacking him with his saber - Forrest had a pistol in his hand but the saber mashed the hammer and the other one hung up on his belt. His right arm, head and shoulder got chopped up considerably but, as Forrest said, "He wasn't hurting me much but he was sure making me mad!" Then Forrest managed to swing his saber up and that was it. Taylor never saw it coming, being as it was left-handed. And, at Fallen Timbers, he mostly shot his way out of that situation but at least one soldier was sliced and diced.
 
Got a question. Thinking about the major Forrest ran through. In the front and out the back! How did he keep his saber? Were they attached somehow? Seems it would be, well, stuck pretty good and he was on a galloping horse. :O o:
 
Got a question. Thinking about the major Forrest ran through. In the front and out the back! How did he keep his saber? Were they attached somehow? Seems it would be, well, stuck pretty good and he was on a galloping horse. :O o:
As the body fell off his horse, the downward motion should allow the sword to withdraw. He would allow his arm to trail as he rode by which would reverse the angle of the blade and withdraw. I think!:wink:
 
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