Nathan Bedford Forrest (Nathan Bedford Forrest)

(July 13, 1821 - October 29, 1877)
. Senator Daniel said of him: "What a genius was in this wonderful man! He felt the battlefield like a blind pianist, dealing with the fingertips of his instrument."
. Lieutenant-General of the southern cavalry Nathan Bedford Forrest started the war by a simple ordinary
. Later, Senator Daniel said of him: "What a genius was in this wonderful man! He felt the battlefield like a blind pianist, . concerning the fingertips of his instrument. "Forrest has never studied at West Point, . but after the war, he happened to read the lectures on cavalry tactics,
. His career was brilliant - and on the battlefield and in peace, Ms.
Before the war for independence, which fought all the members of the family, Nathan's father moved from Virginia to North Carolina, and then - in Bedford County, Tennessee. July 13, 1821 was born a boy, who was named Nathan Bedford. Shortly before his death in 1834 his father moved with his family in Mississippi, eventually leaving a widow and children almost penniless, except for a small farm. Forrest was forced to give up the advantages of their own education, trying to ensure his numerous brothers and sisters. He went into business in Memphis, has been successful in the lucrative slave trade and was able to purchase a large plantation, becoming, thus, on the eve of the war one of the richest landowners in Tennessee. Since the beginning of the conflict, 14 June 1861, Forrest voluntarily enters private in the regiment of mounted riflemen White and receives the credentials from the command on the formation of a cavalry regiment. Form, weapons and ammo for a new military unit was purchased Forrest from its own resources to Louisville in the territory of the Union. On the way back to Memphis, Forrest cleverly deceived the federal government and with the assistance of seventy-five Kentucky Confederate inflicted a painful defeat who tried to detain the northern parts of.
Forrest's regiment joined the Confederate forces at Fort Donelson, but when the fort's surrender became inevitable, he is in a desperate raid led his people out of the besieged fortress. Have been introduced to Albert Sidney Johnston, Forrest was in the thick of the battle of Shiloh, where the seriously wounded, he refused to leave the battlefield until he was sure that his soldiers were not in danger. When federal troops occupied the central part of Tennessee, Colonel Forrest made a number of bold cavalry operations on the territory of this state that made his name legendary across America. 21 July 1862, he paid a surprise attack on the northern flank of the army of General Buell, covering the retreat of General Bragg. When the Confederate troops were at the winter quarters, Forrest's cavalry alone held the front against the Feds in Nashville, not giving them no rest on the front or the rear. In 1863, . trying to cut the communication of the Northern General Rozenkransa, . Forrest with less than a thousand cavalrymen entered the territory of Tennessee, and took an unexpected assault on the city of Murfreesboro, . defeating his bimillenary garrison and taking many prisoners, . including General Crittenden,
. Attacking traveled in a raid south of the northern brigade, General Straight, . Forrest has captivated so many federal soldiers, . he was forced to seek assistance from local residents to organize a convoy of prisoners in the rear, . as its own it is not enough,
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In the great battle at Chickamauga Forrest commanded the cavalry of the South on the right flank and, as usual, distinguished himself in battle. Southerners won a deserved victory, however, disappointed by the incompetence of General Bragg, Forrest decided to resign. Instead, he was promoted to the rank of Major General and was under his komanovanie all the Confederate cavalry units in northern Mississippi and western Tennessee, acquiring the status of honorary protector "granaries" of the South. With a small force, Forrest went to Tennessee and won a few thousand volunteers, who along with veteran units formed the core of the famous "Forrest's Cavalry". In February 1864 a call Forrest left General Smith, commander of the cavalry Sherman, but he was defeated in Okolone and Prairie Mound. Not only that - the victorious Forrest like a knife cut through the entire Tennessee to the Ohio River and captured Fort Pillow, Union City and a few settlements with all their garrisons. In June, 1864 to hunt for the Forest came Sterdzhis general who invaded the Mississippi from 8300 federal cavalry. In Forrest was only 3200 riders, but Braysiz Cross Roads, he struck in the forehead of the Federal column, knocked her and took to flight. Sterdzhis suffered a crushing defeat, losing all the baggage and a third of his cavalry. The latest attempt to defeat Forrest undertook and General Smith, this time with 14 thousand horsemen, but he was defeated in the heat of battle at Harrisburg. After this fiasco Smith received fresh reinforcements and began to reorganize his army beaten, when Forrest and a half of their forces carried out 60 hours a raid in Memphis, has threatened the city and forced Smith to quickly retreat from their positions. Then at some time Forrest primary purpose of electing federal garrisons, . warehouses and hubs in Tennessee, . crowning their efforts capture several gunboats and steamers, and the destruction and requisition of goods in the Union Dzhonsonville valued at more than $ 6 million,
. After the fall of Atlanta Forrest's cavalry joined forces Huda in Florence and fought in their ranks at Franklin and Nashville. Heroic command Forrest aregardom retreating Confederate taken to compare with the famous Napoleon's Marshal Ney's operation to cover the retreat of their Emperor from Moscow.
In February 1865 Forrest became a lieutenant general and to organize the defense in the border areas of Alabama and Mississippi. Having been left with several hundred riders, Forrest takes his last fight at Selma, and on May 9, folds arms. After the war, until his death on Oct. 29, 1877, Nathan Bedford Forrest served as president of the railway Selma, Marion and Memphis. Until now, it is widely recognized as the finest cavalry in the history of America.