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First with the Most: Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest did not invent mobilized guerilla warfare, but he did modernize and polish it to an extent that has left few theoretical areas for improvement. Tanks and jeeps, it could be said, do not possess the mobility relative to the main force which they attack that Forrest's dedicated band of horsemen enjoyed. Following in the footsteps of Francis Marion and Light-horse Henry Lee, American practitioners of the devastating hit-and-run cavalry attack of the Revolutionary War, Forrest raised their effective but geographically limited campaigns to an art-form spread over the widest possible tactical theatre. He accomplished this with superior knowledge of terrain and of horses coupled with an iron will, a complete disregard for physical exhaustion (his own and that of his men) and, this book will demonstrate, by the most admirable sort of sheer country orneriness.
Forrest, a man of simple upbringing, is the perfect symbol of the odd melange that was the Confederate Army; patrician West Pointers like Lee side by side by unregenerate racists like Forrest. These well-bred students of battles from the classical era were not prevented by an almost unimaginable not prevented by and almost unimaginable difference in class from being able to recognize the tactical genius of a farmer from the low country. Nor were they sufficiently threatened by Forrest's innate comprehension of the sort of war required to prevent Forrest required to prevent Forrest from becoming the only enlisted man in the entire Civil War to achieve the rank of a General.
That any scholar of this history of warfare would have to judge Forrest rather more harshly for his conduct after the war than this conduct during it is just another tragic aspect of the larger tragedy that generated The War Between the States. Heroes rose from unlikely places and returned, when the time for heroism had past, to their more unheroic pursuits. Whether that return negates the valor shown during the conflict is only for you to determine, after you have learned of Forrest's life in all its aspects, heroic, and less so.
From the Hardcover edition
Forrest, a man of simple upbringing, is the perfect symbol of the odd melange that was the Confederate Army; patrician West Pointers like Lee side by side by unregenerate racists like Forrest. These well-bred students of battles from the classical era were not prevented by an almost unimaginable not prevented by and almost unimaginable difference in class from being able to recognize the tactical genius of a farmer from the low country. Nor were they sufficiently threatened by Forrest's innate comprehension of the sort of war required to prevent Forrest required to prevent Forrest from becoming the only enlisted man in the entire Civil War to achieve the rank of a General.
That any scholar of this history of warfare would have to judge Forrest rather more harshly for his conduct after the war than this conduct during it is just another tragic aspect of the larger tragedy that generated The War Between the States. Heroes rose from unlikely places and returned, when the time for heroism had past, to their more unheroic pursuits. Whether that return negates the valor shown during the conflict is only for you to determine, after you have learned of Forrest's life in all its aspects, heroic, and less so.
From the Hardcover edition
558 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1944
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About the author
Robert Selph Henry
26 books3 followersColonel Robert Selph Henry (October 20, 1889 – August 19, 1970) was an American lawyer, railroad executive and historian. He was an executive of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway from 1921 to 1934, and the Vice President of the Association of American Railroads from 1934 to 1958. He was the author of several books about the history of the Southern United States, including the American Civil War and the Mexican–American War, as well as railroads. He was the 1957 president of the Southern Historical Association. A veteran of World War I, he was a reservist until his 1952 retirement as a colonel.
He died on August 19, 1970 in Alexandria, Virginia, and he was buried in Nashville.
He died on August 19, 1970 in Alexandria, Virginia, and he was buried in Nashville.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 17, 2011
This is a book about Nathan Bedford Forrest, the famous Confederate cavalry leader, during the Civil War. There are 28 chapters, and 24 are about his actions during the Civil War. There are two chapters about his life before the Civil War, and two chapters about after the Civil War, and the rest of it is military history. I'm not widely read on the Civil War and so come at the book as something of a neophyte.
It is quite complete and the author is quite knowledgeable. I doubt that there there's anything significant about Forrest's actions in the Civil War which has been left out. To a certain extent it is more a reference book about Forrest than the kind of book you would read as history. There is a lot of narrative like this: " They marched from Huntingdon, according to their report, at 5:00 a. m. At Clarksburg, ten miles south, where Dunham had bivouacked the night before, they heard firing from the direction of Parker's Cross Roads." (p. 117) O. K., fine. Where is Huntingdon? Where is Clarksburg? Where is Parker's Cross Roads? There are maps, but not enough for me to really follow the action without flipping back on forth to see what is happening. Sometimes, I forget whether a particular general is Union or Confederate and I had to flip back to see.
On the other hand, there are enough interesting anecdotes to keep me going here, and if you let the geography just sort of flow around you, you can pick up the gist and highlights of Forrest's career. My favorite: Forrest sees a flag which he takes to be a flag of truce and gallops forward to see what the communication is. The Union commander waves him back, saying something like "General Forrest, sir! Go back! This is a signal flag, not a flag of truce." Forrest tips his hat and goes back to his own lines.
The author exonerates Forrest personally on the Fort Pillow incident (though he says that atrocities did occur), and conveys well the factors that led to his greatest victory at Brice's Cross Roads. He suggests that if Forrest had been utilized better by his commanders, he could have altered the outcome of the campaign to capture Atlanta.
So, bottom line, this is a good book if you are interested in the Civil War or in Forrest himself, but it should not be the very first book you read on the subject.
It is quite complete and the author is quite knowledgeable. I doubt that there there's anything significant about Forrest's actions in the Civil War which has been left out. To a certain extent it is more a reference book about Forrest than the kind of book you would read as history. There is a lot of narrative like this: " They marched from Huntingdon, according to their report, at 5:00 a. m. At Clarksburg, ten miles south, where Dunham had bivouacked the night before, they heard firing from the direction of Parker's Cross Roads." (p. 117) O. K., fine. Where is Huntingdon? Where is Clarksburg? Where is Parker's Cross Roads? There are maps, but not enough for me to really follow the action without flipping back on forth to see what is happening. Sometimes, I forget whether a particular general is Union or Confederate and I had to flip back to see.
On the other hand, there are enough interesting anecdotes to keep me going here, and if you let the geography just sort of flow around you, you can pick up the gist and highlights of Forrest's career. My favorite: Forrest sees a flag which he takes to be a flag of truce and gallops forward to see what the communication is. The Union commander waves him back, saying something like "General Forrest, sir! Go back! This is a signal flag, not a flag of truce." Forrest tips his hat and goes back to his own lines.
The author exonerates Forrest personally on the Fort Pillow incident (though he says that atrocities did occur), and conveys well the factors that led to his greatest victory at Brice's Cross Roads. He suggests that if Forrest had been utilized better by his commanders, he could have altered the outcome of the campaign to capture Atlanta.
So, bottom line, this is a good book if you are interested in the Civil War or in Forrest himself, but it should not be the very first book you read on the subject.
October 15, 2022
An enjoyable read for anyone who is interested in American History especially during the Civil War. The life of a man who history remembers for being on the wrong side of a horrific war, followed by his affiliation with the KKK.
Hopefully the reader can look past these faults and see the rise of a truly great military leader who always lead from the front!
Hopefully the reader can look past these faults and see the rise of a truly great military leader who always lead from the front!
March 5, 2014
A truly amazing biography of not only a great civil war general, but as said by the hero of the battle of Ypres "one of if not the greatest English speaking leaders of mounted troops." This highly misrepresented General was truly a legend and I greatly enjoyed this book. It was highly detailed without being boorish. A concept that can easily be lost when discussing history. My only possible criticism would be a lack go maps annotated to his different battles and movements throughout the war
August 6, 2014
Excellent book about extraordinary and complex men.
It is well written and based on extensive research. Author demonstrate very good grasp of strategy and tactic and is not afraid to be critical of Forrest decisions (although "Failure In The Saddle" shows, that NBF's conduct during Chickamagua's champaign needs to be partially reassessed).
All in all I think it is must read book for person interested in American Civil War.
It is well written and based on extensive research. Author demonstrate very good grasp of strategy and tactic and is not afraid to be critical of Forrest decisions (although "Failure In The Saddle" shows, that NBF's conduct during Chickamagua's champaign needs to be partially reassessed).
All in all I think it is must read book for person interested in American Civil War.
June 14, 2016
I was reading this book along with 3 others so it took me a while longer than normal to finish. I would echo most of the other reviews do I will keep mine short. This book is highly favorable of Forest and his role as a cavalry commander. He uses the official records for most of his information. It is very readable but some of it will sound a little dated to the modern reader. I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you wanted to read more about Forest.
October 22, 2012
Admittedly I did not finish this. Definitely a product of its time. Shameless hero worship, glossing over events like the KKK. Writing is dry and apologetic. Good for historiography research but there must be a better biography out there.
May 5, 2016
read some time in 1993
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews