Nathan Bedford Forrest Essay -- Nathan Bedford Forrest Hero Bio Essays

Nathan Bedford Forrest The United States Army, in its doctrine, lists nine basic principles. As stated in Field manual(a) 100-5 these include objective, offensive, mass, economy of force, maneuver, unity of command, security, surprise, and simplicity. 1 Napoleon had 115maxims, sunshine Tzu had 13 principles, but Nathan Bedford Forrests advice was the utmost of simplicity, Git thar firstest with the mostest manpower.2 As we look at the challenge facing our nations soldiery today, our leaders would do well to look at Forrests campaigns and strategies as a guide.. Forrest won respect for risking his life while trying to hold on his aging uncle. Subsequently, Forrest won the affection of Mary Montgomery who, in 1845, became his wife.In 1851 Bedford moved to Memphis. He won several elections as an elderman and prospered as a businessman. When he closed out his business in late1859 war was eminent. He was involved in his own cotton business and was busy pose his family affairs in orde r. His net worth was 11/2 gazillion dollars and he was netting $30 thousand a year for his cotton. epoch he was a slave trader during this period, Colonel Adair described his actions as Forrest was kind, humane, and passing considerate of his slaves. He seemed to exercise the same influence over them that in a greater degree he exercised over the soldiers who served him as devotedly as if there was between them a strong personal attachment.5 On 14 June 1861, he enlisted in Memphis as a soldier in Captain Whites Tennessee Mounted Rifles Company.6 This unit would become a subordinate unit of the Seventh Tennessee Calvary Regiment. Forrest was the units commander when the war ended. Friends of Forrests approached Governor Harris and commonplace Polk, whichsubsequently resulted in an potency allowing Forrest to raise a battalion of mounted rangers. By October of 1861 he had octette companies of men comprising a total of 650. Most arrived with pistols and shotguns, as well as horse s, which resulted in Forrest still attempting to obtain rifles for them when the unit was ordered to Dover as reinforcement for what was to be Fort Donelson. As Colonel Tate described then toGeneral Johnston, Colonel Forrests regiment of cavalry, as fine a body of men as ever went... ... York Simon & Schuster), Volume 2, 607.9. Wyeth, 27.10. Robert E Corlew, Tennessee, A Short History. (Knoxville University of Tennessee Press,1989), 30711. Wyeth. 61.12. Ibid., 100-101.13. Ibid., 184.14. Edwin C. Bearss, Forrest at Brices Cross Roads. Dayton, Ohio Morningside Bookshop, 1979), 2815. Thomas Jordan & J.P.Pryor, The Campaigns of Lieutenant General N.B.Forrest. (New Orleans, 1868), 16. Wyeth, 241. BibliographyBearss, Erwin C. Forrest at Brices Cross Roads. Dayton, Ohio Morningside Bookshop, 1979Brasher, Justin Forrests Headquarters and NBFHQ 2001 (a website)Corlew, Robert E. Tennessee A Short History. Knoxville University of Tennessee Press, 1989Current, Richard N. cyclopedia of the Conf ederacy. New York Simon & Schuster, 1985.Jordan, Thomas and Pryor, J.P. The Campaigns of Lieutenant General N.B. Forrest .New Orleans, 1868.Matloff, Maurice, General Editor, American forces History. Washington D.C. Office of the Chief ofMilitary History. United States Army, 1969.Wyeth, John A. MD, behavior of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Dayton, Ohio Morningside Bookshop, 1975 reprintof 1898 ed.