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 100-5 these allow in objective, offensive, mass, economy of force, maneuver, social unit of measurementy of command, security, surprise, and simplicity. 1 Napoleon had 115maxims, 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 compliance 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(prenominal) elections as an elderman and prospered as a worryman. 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 class 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 superior general Polk, whichsubsequently resulted in an authorization allowing Forrest to raise a mob of mounted rangers. By October of 1861 he had eight companies of men comprising a total of 650. Most arrived with pistols and sho tguns, 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 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. Encyclopedia of the Confederacy. 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 military History. Washington D.C. Office of the Chief ofMilitary History. United States Army, 1969.Wyeth, John A. MD, Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Dayton, Ohio Morningside Bookshop, 1975 reprintof 1898 ed.