The Campaigns Of General Nathan Bedford Forrest And Of Forrest S Cavalry

In June 1861, practically unschooled, without military training or experience, Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821–1877) enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private. Yet by the Civil War's end he was a lieutenant general whose dazzling exploits and bloody victories caused him to be regarded by his Northern opponents as a "devil," by Southerners as a living legend, and by historians as the greatest cavalry commander and one of the few authentic military geniuses produced by the war. His spectacular, unparalleled career has intrigued generations of Civil War scholars and enthusiasts. Subsequent biographies or studies of him have never totally superseded The Campaigns of General Nathan Bedford Forrest (1868) by General Thomas Jordan (West Pointer and chief of staff to Generals Beauregard, Albert Sidney Johnston, and Braxton Bragg) and the professional journalist J. P. Pryor. Forrest himself gave them complete access to his military papers, spent many hours in interviews with them, and closely supervised their writing. Hence, this work is not just a flat campaign study of Forrest—in effect, it is his military memoir and as such remains the most valuable source on Forrest and his cavalry.

In the work, now in course of preparation by the Messrs. Blelock & Co., will be found an authentic account of the campaigns and operations in which I took part during the war for the independence of the Confederate States. Believing it to be proper that there should be a timely and lasting record of the deeds and services of those whom I have been so fortunate as to command, I placed all the facts and papers in my possession or available to me, in the hands of accomplished, writers, who have done their part with close and conscientious research, and have endeavored to make up a chronicle neither over-wrought nor over-colored, as I can testify. For the greater part of the statements of the narrative I am responsible, and all facts and incidents derived from other sources are properly credited in the footnotes. It is hoped that justice will be found done in some degree to the courage, zeal, fortitude, and other soldierly qualities of the men of “Forrest’s Cavalry,” for that has been the main purpose of the work. N. B. Forrest. Memphis, Tenn., October 3, 1867.

"I think Forrest was the most remarkable man our Civil War produced on either side ... he had a genius of strategy which was original, and to me incomprehensible." General William T. Sherman Nathan Bedford Forrest was an unorthodox soldier. He was not trained in military tactics, had not read the great texts on strategy and according to some could not even drill a company. Yet, what he lacked in training he made up for in his aggressive actions and energy to win battles, always taking the shortest lines towards his objectives, grasping opportunities and countless times seizing victory from the brink of defeat. A physically imposing man, he led his men from example as a hard rider and fierce swordsman in the heat of conflict. It was said that had killed up to thirty enemy soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. Forrest's actions and unpredictability terrified Union troops and their commanders who termed him "that Devil Forrest", while for the south he quickly became a hero. Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee both agreed in their postwar memoirs that the outcome of the war might have been different if they had better used Forrest's talents. General Thomas Jordan and J. P. Pryor's brilliant account of the campaigns of Nathan Bedford Forrest and his cavalry uncover the actions of this innovative leader. General Forrest gave the authors complete access to his military papers, conducted numerous interviews and worked closely with them to create this fascinating book. Through the course of the work they cover Forrest's many campaigns and battles including Sacramento, Fort Donaldson, Shiloh, Murfreesboro, the West Tennessee raids, Dover, Brentwood, Chattanooga, Day's Gap, Chickamauga, Paducah, Brice's Crossroads, Tupelo, the Tennessee Raids, Nashville, and Selma, as well as the infamous Battle of Fort Pillow. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the life of this fascinating man and the campaigns that he led through the course of the American Civil War. "Forrest ... used his horsemen as a modern general would use motorized infantry. He liked horses because he liked fast movement, and his mounted men could get from here to there much faster than any infantry could" Bruce Catton, The Civil War General Thomas Jordan was a Confederate general and major operative in the network of Confederate spies during the American Civil War. After the war he became newspaper editor and author, writing articles about the American Civil War. He co-wrote this book with J. P. Pryor who was a professional journalist. Their book The Campaigns Of General Nathan Bedford Forrest And Of Forrest's Cavalry was first published in 1868.