Essay About Nathan Bedford Forrest And Nathan Bedford Forrests Advice

Nathan Bedford Forrest
Essay title: Nathan Bedford Forrest
The United States Army, in its doctrine, lists nine basic principles. As stated in
Field Manual 100-5 these include objective, offensive, mass, economy of force,
maneuver, unity of command, security, surprise, and simplicity. 1 Napoleon had 115
maxims, Sun Tzu had 13 principles, but Nathan Bedford Forrests advice was the utmost
of simplicity, “Git thar firstest with the mostest men.”2 As we look at the challenge
facing our nations military 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 save 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 putting his family
affairs in order. His net worth was 11/2 million dollars and he was netting $30 thousand
a year for his cotton. While he was a slave trader during this period, Colonel Adair
described his actions as “Forrest was kind, humane, and extremely 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 General Polk, which
subsequently resulted in an authorization allowing Forrest to raise a battalion of
mounted rangers. By October of 1861 he had eight companies of men comprising a
total of 650. Most arrived with pistols and shotguns, as well as horses, 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 to
General Johnston, “Colonel Forrests regiment of cavalry, as fine a body of men as ever
went to the field, has gone to Fort Donelson. Give Forrest a chance and he will
distinguish himself.”7
For the next forty months, Forrest proved just how good Colonel Tates
evaluation was. As we examine his exploits as a cavalryman/raider, it is important to see
how these same skills would be valuable to todays military leaders. When describing
Forrest, it was said “His ferocity as a warrior was almost legendary. His claim to have
slain one more enemy soldier in personal combat than the twenty-nine horses killed
beneath him only added to the legend.”8 Forrest knew what war was about. In his own
words “War means fighting and fighting means killing.” President Bush today talks about
this nations actions regarding terrorism as we “bring the terrorists to justice or bring
justice