- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
- Location
- Nashville
While attempting to track the AOT through the latter part of the war, I discovered a most interesting family. While most folks studying the Forrests tend to concentrate on old Bedford, there was much more to this family, a rather remarkeable lot. I'd very much appreciate your allowing me to post some scant data on some other Forrests in the hope that I can gain some more knowledge and weed out the screw-ups if any? Someone wrote on this board recently that the only man that N.B. Forrest was scared of was his brother William Hezikiah Forrest (not to be confused with son William Montgomery Forrest). This is all I have on William Hezekiah. I could use some references for further research if you've stumled across same in your travels. Thanks!
Capt. William Hezekiah Forrest (third son of William and Miriam Beck Forrest): William ran slave businesses in St. Louis, Missouri and Vicksburg, Mississippi, buying slaves from Aaron. Jack Hurst, in his Nathan Bedford Forrest, A Biography wrote: “The day of the last Forrest and Maples sales recorded in the Register’s office, two younger Forrest brothers, William and Aaron, sold an eighteen-year-old slave named Bob for $1050 to Mary C. Temple.” 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 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. William died in Hickman County, Tennessee b. 1825 - d. 1871
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