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That Devil Forrest: Life of General Nathan Bedford Forrest
Grant called him “that devil Forrest.” Sherman, it is reported, considered him “the most remarkable man our civil war produced on either side.” He was unquestionably one of the war's most brilliant tacticians. Without military education or training, he became the scourge of Grant, Sherman, and almost every other Union general who fought in Tennessee, Alabama, or Kentucky. He was Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Forrest fought by simple he maintained that “war means fighting and fighting means killing” and that the way to win was “to get there first with the most men.” His cavalry, which Sherman reported in disgust “could travel one hundred miles in less time than it takes ours to travel ten,” secured more Union guns, horses, and supplies than any other single Confederate unit. He played pivotal roles at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, the capture of Murfreesboro, the Nashville Campaign, Brice's Cross Roads, and in the pursuit and capture of Streight's Raiders.
Forrest comes alive on the pages of John Wyeth’s biography. First published in 1899, That Devil Forrest is based almost entirely on accounts of those who knew Forrest personally and on contemporary military papers and records. It is the single greatest source of primary material on Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Forrest fought by simple he maintained that “war means fighting and fighting means killing” and that the way to win was “to get there first with the most men.” His cavalry, which Sherman reported in disgust “could travel one hundred miles in less time than it takes ours to travel ten,” secured more Union guns, horses, and supplies than any other single Confederate unit. He played pivotal roles at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, the capture of Murfreesboro, the Nashville Campaign, Brice's Cross Roads, and in the pursuit and capture of Streight's Raiders.
Forrest comes alive on the pages of John Wyeth’s biography. First published in 1899, That Devil Forrest is based almost entirely on accounts of those who knew Forrest personally and on contemporary military papers and records. It is the single greatest source of primary material on Nathan Bedford Forrest.
614 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1899
363 people are currently reading
462 people want to read
About the author
John Allan Wyeth
32 books3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John Allan Wyeth served as a private in the Confederate cavalry until his capture two weeks after Chickamauga. After the war he After the war he studied at the University of Louisville School of Medicine (graduating in 1869) and at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College from 1872 to 1873. He later completed his medical studies in Europe, where he was trained as a surgeon.
He was the father of the poet John Allan Wyeth.
John Allan Wyeth served as a private in the Confederate cavalry until his capture two weeks after Chickamauga. After the war he After the war he studied at the University of Louisville School of Medicine (graduating in 1869) and at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College from 1872 to 1873. He later completed his medical studies in Europe, where he was trained as a surgeon.
He was the father of the poet John Allan Wyeth.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 30, 2011
Halfway through this book I mentioned to my wife that Forrest's career scanned like an Errol Flynn movie--always improbably outnumbered, cartoonishly successful, with his opponents looking like complete fools by the time he is done with them. I would not be surprised (I said) if in the next chapter I were to find him swinging through the trees on a vine, shouting "Ha ha!"
In the next chapter, there is Forrest throwing his entire army across the swollen Tennessee River in three hours, by means of cables twisted from grape vines.
The entire book goes from one astounding (and gleeful) triumph to another. Forrest is storming the impregnable Fort Pillow with a handful of men. Forrest is chasing down Streight's Raiders in an astounding feat of endurance, bringing the enemy to bay so tired they are falling asleep on the battlefield. Forrest is defeating 9,000 crack Federals at Brice's Crossroads with his 3300 ragged and starving cavalrymen, parading in a circle through the brush to convince the enemy they are 12,000 strong. Or again, confronted by A. J. Smith and his 18,000 men, Forrest divides his own 5000 in half, stalls Smith with one part and raids Memphis (120 miles away) with the other--at the same time. Or Forrest is going deep behind enemy lines in conquered Tennessee, and in a few months has raised an army from the countryside. Or Forrest is planting artillery on the riverbank, capturing three Federal gunboats and using them to raid and burn the Federal docks at Johnsonville.
At one point he had the enemy so mystified that the following telegrams were sent amongst themselves in rapid succession:
"Forrest was in Grenada (TN) last night."
"Forrest is threatening Memphis and Paducah."
"There is to be a rebel raid into western Kentucky, sent from Corinth, Mississippi, on the 4th day of November."
"Forrest seems to be scattered from Eastport to Jackson, Paris, and the lower Tennessee."
"Forrest has been in disguise alternately in Chicago, Michigan City, and Canada for two months; has 14,000 men, mostly from draft. On the 7th of November, at midnight, he will seize telegraph and rail at Chicago, release prisoners there, arm them, sack the city, shoot down all Federal soldiers, and urge concert of action with Southern sympathizers."
He didn't quite do that, but there are 600 pages of carefully-documented escapades that, however soberly related by the historian, still almost defy belief. Forrest, born on the Tennessee frontier, joined the war as a private and ended as a lieutenant-general, supplying his army largely from his own fortune. By the end of the war he had killed 30 of the enemy with his own hand in combat, had 29 horses shot from under him, received at least four serious wounds, and finished up with his health completely shattered. After the war he was converted to Christ through the prayers of his wife and his Scots Calvinist mother.
__
"Forrest had fought like a knight-errant for the cause he believed to be that of justice and right. No man who drew the sword for his country during that fratricidal struggle deserves better of her; and as long as the chivalrous deeds of her sons find poets to describe them and fair women to sing of them, the name of this gallant general will be remembered with affection and sincere admiration." - Lord Wolseley
"There was no theory or art of war by which I could calculate with any degree of certainty what Forrest was up to. He always seemed to know what I was doing or intended to do, while I am free to confess I could never tell or form any satisfactory idea of what he was trying to accomplish." - Sherman
In the next chapter, there is Forrest throwing his entire army across the swollen Tennessee River in three hours, by means of cables twisted from grape vines.
The entire book goes from one astounding (and gleeful) triumph to another. Forrest is storming the impregnable Fort Pillow with a handful of men. Forrest is chasing down Streight's Raiders in an astounding feat of endurance, bringing the enemy to bay so tired they are falling asleep on the battlefield. Forrest is defeating 9,000 crack Federals at Brice's Crossroads with his 3300 ragged and starving cavalrymen, parading in a circle through the brush to convince the enemy they are 12,000 strong. Or again, confronted by A. J. Smith and his 18,000 men, Forrest divides his own 5000 in half, stalls Smith with one part and raids Memphis (120 miles away) with the other--at the same time. Or Forrest is going deep behind enemy lines in conquered Tennessee, and in a few months has raised an army from the countryside. Or Forrest is planting artillery on the riverbank, capturing three Federal gunboats and using them to raid and burn the Federal docks at Johnsonville.
At one point he had the enemy so mystified that the following telegrams were sent amongst themselves in rapid succession:
"Forrest was in Grenada (TN) last night."
"Forrest is threatening Memphis and Paducah."
"There is to be a rebel raid into western Kentucky, sent from Corinth, Mississippi, on the 4th day of November."
"Forrest seems to be scattered from Eastport to Jackson, Paris, and the lower Tennessee."
"Forrest has been in disguise alternately in Chicago, Michigan City, and Canada for two months; has 14,000 men, mostly from draft. On the 7th of November, at midnight, he will seize telegraph and rail at Chicago, release prisoners there, arm them, sack the city, shoot down all Federal soldiers, and urge concert of action with Southern sympathizers."
He didn't quite do that, but there are 600 pages of carefully-documented escapades that, however soberly related by the historian, still almost defy belief. Forrest, born on the Tennessee frontier, joined the war as a private and ended as a lieutenant-general, supplying his army largely from his own fortune. By the end of the war he had killed 30 of the enemy with his own hand in combat, had 29 horses shot from under him, received at least four serious wounds, and finished up with his health completely shattered. After the war he was converted to Christ through the prayers of his wife and his Scots Calvinist mother.
__
"Forrest had fought like a knight-errant for the cause he believed to be that of justice and right. No man who drew the sword for his country during that fratricidal struggle deserves better of her; and as long as the chivalrous deeds of her sons find poets to describe them and fair women to sing of them, the name of this gallant general will be remembered with affection and sincere admiration." - Lord Wolseley
"There was no theory or art of war by which I could calculate with any degree of certainty what Forrest was up to. He always seemed to know what I was doing or intended to do, while I am free to confess I could never tell or form any satisfactory idea of what he was trying to accomplish." - Sherman
April 11, 2013
This work proved to be a valuable source in a research project I was working on for Brice's Crossroads. The details in the pages were comparable in accuracy to other secondary sources as well as primary research material I referenced. I used the book as a reference but any Civil War enthusiast or anyone who would like to know how a confederate private became an effective Lt Gen in the Calvary would appreciate this book.
January 26, 2017
Wyeth's book has been surpassed elsewhere in detail, analysis, and perspective, but hardly ever in narrative. Although clearly a work of the Lost Cause, Wyeth is more fair to the Union than others of his ilk and his grasp of military matters is mature.
March 6, 2017
What a great read. I knew nothing of this man, his conquests or the actions that took place from 1861-65 in Middle-Western, Tennessee or Northern Mississippi and Northwest, Alabama.
Bedford was the modern day long range desert rat. His uncanny ability to baffle, befuddle and outwit the Union generals should be required reading for those in the military. Constantly outnumbered and under supplied, he bore havoc in the Union supply lines. How Sherman was able to operate is amazing since Bedford was capturing enough supplies to operate a Southern Corps!
He was a master at reconnoitering and grasping not only the enemy’s true strength and deployment but also how they would react to his advances and with drawls. Retreat was never on his mind for every move he made was in the mind of an offensive thrust.
What is even more amazing is how he drove his men on no matter what obstacles they encountered or the harsh weather they endured. The Federals faced with the same problems plundered around aimlessly and wound up losing every encounter with Bedford. Hell, even Patton and Rommel had failures-not Bedford. And that is where I have a problem.
The author’s bias is well noted throughout the read. Even when Nathan shoots some of his men in an attempt to rally the forces, it’s not condemned. Why? And why did the author not cover Nathan’s involvement with the KKK?
That aside, it’s obvious Nathan was an excellent tactician with a sixth sense when it came to the enemies moves and counter moves.
Why did it take Jefferson Davis and his staff so long to understand what a gem they had in their ranks? Could the war have turned out different if he would have been in charge of all the Calvary in Tennessee, Mississippi and Northern Alabama?
Four and-a-half stars.
Bedford was the modern day long range desert rat. His uncanny ability to baffle, befuddle and outwit the Union generals should be required reading for those in the military. Constantly outnumbered and under supplied, he bore havoc in the Union supply lines. How Sherman was able to operate is amazing since Bedford was capturing enough supplies to operate a Southern Corps!
He was a master at reconnoitering and grasping not only the enemy’s true strength and deployment but also how they would react to his advances and with drawls. Retreat was never on his mind for every move he made was in the mind of an offensive thrust.
What is even more amazing is how he drove his men on no matter what obstacles they encountered or the harsh weather they endured. The Federals faced with the same problems plundered around aimlessly and wound up losing every encounter with Bedford. Hell, even Patton and Rommel had failures-not Bedford. And that is where I have a problem.
The author’s bias is well noted throughout the read. Even when Nathan shoots some of his men in an attempt to rally the forces, it’s not condemned. Why? And why did the author not cover Nathan’s involvement with the KKK?
That aside, it’s obvious Nathan was an excellent tactician with a sixth sense when it came to the enemies moves and counter moves.
Why did it take Jefferson Davis and his staff so long to understand what a gem they had in their ranks? Could the war have turned out different if he would have been in charge of all the Calvary in Tennessee, Mississippi and Northern Alabama?
Four and-a-half stars.
October 6, 2020
Excellent old-school bio, untouched by political correctness. Forrest was the war's supreme cavalry commander.
January 26, 2021
I think this would be a 5 star resource for those researching Nathan Bedford Forrest's Civil War experiences, but not a very engaging tale for the casual reader looking for a bio on this particular Civil War general. This book was originally published in 1899 and was written by an author who served in the Confederate cavalry, so it brings some old fashioned tones to its presentation.
The bulk of the book reports on Forrest's exploits throughout the middle Mississippi Valley in and around the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. Much of the narrative exudes a Lost Cause ideology: such as where the book repeats Forrest's assertion that had he been more efficiently employed at Fort Donelson in early 1862 different results could have changed much of the war that followed (Chapter 3), or where the book softens the edges of Forrest's complicity in the massacre that occurred at the end of the Battle of Fort Pillow in May of 1864 (Chapter 14).
But the book is filled with detail that will interest researchers, and that is its strength and attraction. Unit names, numbers of soldiers, scores of generals and colonels, specific dates, and on and on. While a bit more hagiography than biography, this is a wonderful resource.
The bulk of the book reports on Forrest's exploits throughout the middle Mississippi Valley in and around the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. Much of the narrative exudes a Lost Cause ideology: such as where the book repeats Forrest's assertion that had he been more efficiently employed at Fort Donelson in early 1862 different results could have changed much of the war that followed (Chapter 3), or where the book softens the edges of Forrest's complicity in the massacre that occurred at the end of the Battle of Fort Pillow in May of 1864 (Chapter 14).
But the book is filled with detail that will interest researchers, and that is its strength and attraction. Unit names, numbers of soldiers, scores of generals and colonels, specific dates, and on and on. While a bit more hagiography than biography, this is a wonderful resource.
January 30, 2025
lol took me 1 year and 4 months to finish this book . 3 new apts , 3 different night stands.
It was a good and thorough read on NBF. Extremely detailed. This book sheds light on the “truth “ of NBF.
How he treated his slaves well , supported widows and vets , didn’t start the kKK, loved his men, fought on the lines , wounded 4 times , and was one of the most feared generals .
He started from nothing unlike his Westpoint , VMI counter parts and comrades. He finished out the war one of the best in the world at tactics .
Book was good just took me awhile bc I was reading so many at once
It was a good and thorough read on NBF. Extremely detailed. This book sheds light on the “truth “ of NBF.
How he treated his slaves well , supported widows and vets , didn’t start the kKK, loved his men, fought on the lines , wounded 4 times , and was one of the most feared generals .
He started from nothing unlike his Westpoint , VMI counter parts and comrades. He finished out the war one of the best in the world at tactics .
Book was good just took me awhile bc I was reading so many at once
July 6, 2019
While I do believe Nathan Bedford Forrest was the most dynamic of all the generals in the American Civil War, I felt the book read more like a release from his publicist (if he had one) than an impartial narration of his deeds and exploits. The book is replete with sentences such as, "never before in the history of warfare was a battle fought with such desperation" or something to that effect. It became tedious after a while.
Nonetheless, the book offers extensive coverage on Forrest before and after the war, it stresses he had a rudimentary education and was not schooled in military doctrine or thought but exhibited a natural or instinctive ability to, much more often than not, arrive at the best solution to whatever crisis he was currently confronted with.
Another problem I have with the book (Kindle version) is that there are no maps whatsoever. It was very difficult following the history as I many times didn't know where any of the locations were relative to one another.
Having read this, I am left wondering what might have happened if the Confederate leaders had more sooner recognized his rare abilities and given him a more prominent role earlier in the war.
Nonetheless, the book offers extensive coverage on Forrest before and after the war, it stresses he had a rudimentary education and was not schooled in military doctrine or thought but exhibited a natural or instinctive ability to, much more often than not, arrive at the best solution to whatever crisis he was currently confronted with.
Another problem I have with the book (Kindle version) is that there are no maps whatsoever. It was very difficult following the history as I many times didn't know where any of the locations were relative to one another.
Having read this, I am left wondering what might have happened if the Confederate leaders had more sooner recognized his rare abilities and given him a more prominent role earlier in the war.
June 14, 2024
A Leader By Example
General Nathan B. Forrest was undoubtedly the best of the Confederate Generals and deserves to be recognized. Like all of us, he had a sinful fallen nature and made several bad choices in life but it was also cultural decisions. It’s sad that he’s been attacked and those who usually are doing the attacking forget that they’re sinners and stand guilty before our CREATOR. However, it appears before his life ended he made peace through JESUS CHRIST his CREATOR and received the forgiveness for his sins that we all should seek before we have to stand and be judged by a HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, and JUST GOD!!
General Nathan B. Forrest was undoubtedly the best of the Confederate Generals and deserves to be recognized. Like all of us, he had a sinful fallen nature and made several bad choices in life but it was also cultural decisions. It’s sad that he’s been attacked and those who usually are doing the attacking forget that they’re sinners and stand guilty before our CREATOR. However, it appears before his life ended he made peace through JESUS CHRIST his CREATOR and received the forgiveness for his sins that we all should seek before we have to stand and be judged by a HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, and JUST GOD!!
April 13, 2014
A wonderful insight into a very highly misunderstood man. General Forrest was a military genius who had no formal military training but he sure kept the Union Army on its toes.
May 1, 2015
Fantastically researched and written. His aggressiveness in battle is legendary.
September 21, 2024
Great read. It would have been helpful to those who are not familiar with the topography of the south to have had some battle maps.
The author being a former Confederate soldier and friend of the General was obviously biased, and he makes no apologies for that.
His love for Forrest hinges on hero worship. And he is forthright about that in his writings.
It is well written for the time period published.
The battles are engrossingly described. N B Forrest was a born leader and a man’s man! His courage in battle is legendary.
Had he been given more authority by Richmond, and not have been micromanaged by Jeff Davis, Lee & Bragg in particular, his contribution to the lost cause might have made a huge difference in the outcome of the war.
Gallant in battle, feared and respected by his antagonists from the North. Beloved by the officers and men who served under him. His quick wit, decisive action, and fearless execution are a sight to behold. His ability to stay cool under fire, even when entrapped, or given a heavy loss of beloved comrades in arms during a pitched battle against better armed, and vastly outnumbered by the enemy is amazing!
The bane of the North and, hero of the South!
I believe the author to the best of his ability tried to paint the man in a fair light. Highlighting his attributes and flaws equally.
Other authors have tried to paint Forrest as a butcher in their narratives for the defeat at Fort Pillow of an overwhelming Union force that intended to fight to the death rather than surrender. I guess that sells books. In any case only those who knew him best know the truth of that. I don’t believe he was. And more importantly General Sherman didn’t believe so either. In every instance where there were atrocities committed, those responsible under his command were arrested and punished.
In the end the General came to Jesus in the later days of his life, and found an inner peace and gentle nature. It is truly a miracle he survived the war in my opinion.
The author being a former Confederate soldier and friend of the General was obviously biased, and he makes no apologies for that.
His love for Forrest hinges on hero worship. And he is forthright about that in his writings.
It is well written for the time period published.
The battles are engrossingly described. N B Forrest was a born leader and a man’s man! His courage in battle is legendary.
Had he been given more authority by Richmond, and not have been micromanaged by Jeff Davis, Lee & Bragg in particular, his contribution to the lost cause might have made a huge difference in the outcome of the war.
Gallant in battle, feared and respected by his antagonists from the North. Beloved by the officers and men who served under him. His quick wit, decisive action, and fearless execution are a sight to behold. His ability to stay cool under fire, even when entrapped, or given a heavy loss of beloved comrades in arms during a pitched battle against better armed, and vastly outnumbered by the enemy is amazing!
The bane of the North and, hero of the South!
I believe the author to the best of his ability tried to paint the man in a fair light. Highlighting his attributes and flaws equally.
Other authors have tried to paint Forrest as a butcher in their narratives for the defeat at Fort Pillow of an overwhelming Union force that intended to fight to the death rather than surrender. I guess that sells books. In any case only those who knew him best know the truth of that. I don’t believe he was. And more importantly General Sherman didn’t believe so either. In every instance where there were atrocities committed, those responsible under his command were arrested and punished.
In the end the General came to Jesus in the later days of his life, and found an inner peace and gentle nature. It is truly a miracle he survived the war in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2021
A very interesting read...
I have been interested in the history of the Civil War for many years-60+ , in fact. I’ve found it true that “history” is in large part written by the victors, and as such quite biased. I thought this book also biased, in favor of NBF. That said, I think is offers balance, and a plausible account of NBF’s purported involvement in the Fort Pillow incident , as well as the post war Klan. The recent years have been more balanced, and imo, more accurate, as to the reputation of this complex character. I highly recommend reading this book to anyone interested in the Civil War, possessed of an mind open to differing opinions.
I have been interested in the history of the Civil War for many years-60+ , in fact. I’ve found it true that “history” is in large part written by the victors, and as such quite biased. I thought this book also biased, in favor of NBF. That said, I think is offers balance, and a plausible account of NBF’s purported involvement in the Fort Pillow incident , as well as the post war Klan. The recent years have been more balanced, and imo, more accurate, as to the reputation of this complex character. I highly recommend reading this book to anyone interested in the Civil War, possessed of an mind open to differing opinions.
October 14, 2023
Evocotive
A great memoir of combat by a soldier that served with and obviously loved General Forrest.
Great strength in a soldier can earn devotion, even up to the point of hagiography, and Forrest seems to have earned that from many.
The authentic 19th century language and sensibilities of the author provide great insight into how a General of the
confederacy could be viewed by his loyal contemporaries, the view of 21st century observers might be quite different, although any observer could learn much from this account.
A great memoir of combat by a soldier that served with and obviously loved General Forrest.
Great strength in a soldier can earn devotion, even up to the point of hagiography, and Forrest seems to have earned that from many.
The authentic 19th century language and sensibilities of the author provide great insight into how a General of the
confederacy could be viewed by his loyal contemporaries, the view of 21st century observers might be quite different, although any observer could learn much from this account.
August 27, 2018
T Too many Civil War details
.DRY. rather enjoyed the Civil War novel about the glorious Devil Gen N.B.Forrest. Numerous statistics following the numerous Rebel victories i.e.Federal loses. 1500 casualties and Gen Forrest lost. 25 men was a little hard believe. Out of the thousands of Federal prisoners - how did Gen.Forrest transport men to Andersonville ,Ga? Truly. DRH
.DRY. rather enjoyed the Civil War novel about the glorious Devil Gen N.B.Forrest. Numerous statistics following the numerous Rebel victories i.e.Federal loses. 1500 casualties and Gen Forrest lost. 25 men was a little hard believe. Out of the thousands of Federal prisoners - how did Gen.Forrest transport men to Andersonville ,Ga? Truly. DRH
June 20, 2018
Outstanding historical novel
A great history novel of in-depth reporting of Forrest military career detailing his actions during various battles. My question is the author unbiased reporting of the personality of the general?
A great history novel of in-depth reporting of Forrest military career detailing his actions during various battles. My question is the author unbiased reporting of the personality of the general?
March 5, 2021
Great book - well balanced in terms of showing strengths and weaknesses of Forrest and his antagonists, as well as dispelling some common myths. I wish there had been some more material on his life following the war, but otherwise extremely interesting reading.
March 2, 2017
The book is about the Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest who waged a very successful war against Union troops throughout Tennessee and other areas. The book goes into detail about his various battles, his maneuvers, the number of captured and killed and numerous other minute details.
He won almost every battle he was involved in. He even spent money of his own to buy supplies. He was often in the thick of things, had 29 horses shot out from under him and killed thirty men himself. He was very religious, had no formal education, could read and write (with various spelling errors) and could get incredibly angry. He was not a drinker and also avoided cigars.
His tactics were very successful and it's surprising to me that the Union generals didn't study his tactics so they could be prepared to counter them. It seems no one did, though. He also had a knack of getting Union forces to believe he had a lot more men then he actually did.
He conscripted fighters in areas where he was.
The original version was published in 1899 although there was another version but I can't find the date for that. The author is extremely pro-South as far as the Civil War goes and makes some statements that today would be found majorly unacceptable.
He refers to blacks when he says that it was 'unlawful and unjust sweeping away of private property.'
As to Forrest's involvement with the Ku Klux (Klan), he writes:
'It was generally believed that he was the chief of 'The Invisible Empire, that mysterious and dreaded association of the Ku-Klux (Klan) created to counteract and hold in some sort of check the insolence of the Loyal League and other similar negro organizations and the unscrupulous greed of the carpet baggers. Secret associations of this character do not exist without some real and strong reason. They
are always to be deplored but they never trouble communities in which law is impartially administered and the rights of all citizens respected.
No candid man who is familiar with the social and political conditions then obtaining in the Southern States will deny that the organization of the Ku-Klux was perfectly justified or that the evils such abnormal conditions were producing could be met or remedied in any other way.
...Thoroughly understanding the character of the negro, they controlled him by exciting a vague apprehension of violence rather than by its actual commission, and especially by playing upon his superstitions. '
He won almost every battle he was involved in. He even spent money of his own to buy supplies. He was often in the thick of things, had 29 horses shot out from under him and killed thirty men himself. He was very religious, had no formal education, could read and write (with various spelling errors) and could get incredibly angry. He was not a drinker and also avoided cigars.
His tactics were very successful and it's surprising to me that the Union generals didn't study his tactics so they could be prepared to counter them. It seems no one did, though. He also had a knack of getting Union forces to believe he had a lot more men then he actually did.
He conscripted fighters in areas where he was.
The original version was published in 1899 although there was another version but I can't find the date for that. The author is extremely pro-South as far as the Civil War goes and makes some statements that today would be found majorly unacceptable.
He refers to blacks when he says that it was 'unlawful and unjust sweeping away of private property.'
As to Forrest's involvement with the Ku Klux (Klan), he writes:
'It was generally believed that he was the chief of 'The Invisible Empire, that mysterious and dreaded association of the Ku-Klux (Klan) created to counteract and hold in some sort of check the insolence of the Loyal League and other similar negro organizations and the unscrupulous greed of the carpet baggers. Secret associations of this character do not exist without some real and strong reason. They
are always to be deplored but they never trouble communities in which law is impartially administered and the rights of all citizens respected.
No candid man who is familiar with the social and political conditions then obtaining in the Southern States will deny that the organization of the Ku-Klux was perfectly justified or that the evils such abnormal conditions were producing could be met or remedied in any other way.
...Thoroughly understanding the character of the negro, they controlled him by exciting a vague apprehension of violence rather than by its actual commission, and especially by playing upon his superstitions. '
April 20, 2018
Great read
What a remarkable man and leader, he was truly an inspiration. As a war vet myself Forrest was a shining example of the American spirit we exemplify when needed.
What a remarkable man and leader, he was truly an inspiration. As a war vet myself Forrest was a shining example of the American spirit we exemplify when needed.
January 7, 2019
This is the most thorough biography of NBF that I have read.
March 7, 2022
A must read!
A must read. I enjoyed very much reading this book. I found it not only motivational but also very inspiring.
A must read. I enjoyed very much reading this book. I found it not only motivational but also very inspiring.
Read
August 18, 2023Writer looked at him with rose colored glasses.and did not put some facts in it. Good book though.
July 19, 2024
Very interesting biography.
Excelent book, very well written,organizaded, easy to read. I enjoyed a lot . I learned so mucho about this crear heroe.
Excelent book, very well written,organizaded, easy to read. I enjoyed a lot . I learned so mucho about this crear heroe.
November 30, 2024
He was a "cavalry wizard" that could summon quick, violent death upon an enemy.
June 2, 2013
Nathan Bedford Forrest , the Wizard of the Saddle, was the Murat of the American Civil War. Born in 1821, the year that Napoleon died on Saint Helena, he was an even better cavalry general in many respects than the famous Gascon of the Napoleonic Wars. Murat neglected his horses and men, especially during the infamous retreat from Russia in 1812. Forrest, on the other hand, appeared like a saviour as he led the rearguard action after Nashville in 1864.
In his monumental The Civil War, Shelby Foote claimed that the two greatest men of that conflict were Lincoln for the North and Forrest for the South. Jefferson Davis never realized the leadership qualities possessed by Forrest until it was too late. Foote quotes one of the barefoot men in the headlong retreat after Nashville, saying of Forrest: "Not a man was brought in contact with him who did not feel strengthened and invigorated". His qualities of leadership were renowned throughout the forces he commanded. No raid upon Northern territory was so daring that Forrest wasn't inclined to take it.
Wyeth's much shorter book than Foote's tome, covers all the major events in Forrest's life and often reads like a novel or an Edwardian Boys Own epic. The images it conjures up in the reader's mind are cinemagraphic and what a film would the life of Nathan Bedford Forrest make! Yet his military career had inauspicious beginnings. As Wyeth relates; "The struggle at Fort Donelson was the first decisive battle of the Civil War. It was a blow that staggered the Confederacy and from which it is safe to say it never wholly recovered. A disaster which led into captivity thousands of its best and bravest men..." However, despite the order from his superior officer to surrender, Forrest made a daring breakout that saved hundreds more from the clutches of the North. Wyeth proclaims that had Forrest himself been in charge there would have been no surrender and furthermore that, without this terrible reverse, the South might have been spared Shiloh and Vicksburg.
As for the Fort Pillow controversy, Wyeth shows how Forrest had to deal not just with the Northern forces in the fort itself, but also potential reinforcements steaming along the Mississippi to reinforce them. Forrest having given the defenders chance to surrender, which they declined, the Confederates were obliged to storm the impressive works before them. "It was a bold and daring feat, without a parallel in the history of cavalry," Wyeth remarks. He adds: "It was another stoke of that rare combination of caution and audacity which Forrest practiced at all times, and almost always with success." Most importantly, he continues: "... every man knew it was a fight to the death. The garrison had resolved to die - not to surrender. The Confederates were there to take the fort or die in the attempt. No marvel the loss of life was terrible."
Wyeth recounts how the white and black Union forces were forced down towards the river where they expected the promised aid from a gunboat; "They had no thought of surrender then, and in defiance of Forrest they left their flag floating from the staff." Trapped between the Confederates and the river, with a line of tents impeding their retreat, the Union forces were then slaughtered: "It was a frightful holocaust; fully 250 of the 557 soldiers who were defending Fort Pillow lay dead or wounded..." As for the black soldiers: "the terror-stricken Negroes, some few of whom, either insanely intoxicated or convinced from the slaughter that had transpired that no quarter would be shown them, and determined to sell their lives as dearly as possible, still offered resistance and continued to fire at the Confederates."
What did Forrest do? Wyeth states that: "as soon as he saw his men gain the parapet and leap in among the garrison, rode at once to the scene and ordered all firing to cease." The Union flag was taken down and "Among the mass of sworn testimony examined by the author, it is shown that with but on exception... not a gun was fired or a prisoner injured after the flag of the garrison fell."
The rest of the book is filled with such immense detail and reveals that Forrest tried to spare the lives of the enemy as well as that of his own troops. His favourite trick after surrounding the enemy was to claim that he had hundreds more troops than were actually under his command, forcing his opponent to surrender to a 'superior force'. He played this same card many times and his bluff often bought success without necessitating the shedding of a further single drop of blood.
Wyeth's book is a very exciting and dramatic read and I would recommend it both as an introduction to the American Civil War and especially as a volume revealing the real man behind the legend of the Wizard of the Saddle.
John Tarttelin
A SOULADREAM PRODUCTION
In his monumental The Civil War, Shelby Foote claimed that the two greatest men of that conflict were Lincoln for the North and Forrest for the South. Jefferson Davis never realized the leadership qualities possessed by Forrest until it was too late. Foote quotes one of the barefoot men in the headlong retreat after Nashville, saying of Forrest: "Not a man was brought in contact with him who did not feel strengthened and invigorated". His qualities of leadership were renowned throughout the forces he commanded. No raid upon Northern territory was so daring that Forrest wasn't inclined to take it.
Wyeth's much shorter book than Foote's tome, covers all the major events in Forrest's life and often reads like a novel or an Edwardian Boys Own epic. The images it conjures up in the reader's mind are cinemagraphic and what a film would the life of Nathan Bedford Forrest make! Yet his military career had inauspicious beginnings. As Wyeth relates; "The struggle at Fort Donelson was the first decisive battle of the Civil War. It was a blow that staggered the Confederacy and from which it is safe to say it never wholly recovered. A disaster which led into captivity thousands of its best and bravest men..." However, despite the order from his superior officer to surrender, Forrest made a daring breakout that saved hundreds more from the clutches of the North. Wyeth proclaims that had Forrest himself been in charge there would have been no surrender and furthermore that, without this terrible reverse, the South might have been spared Shiloh and Vicksburg.
As for the Fort Pillow controversy, Wyeth shows how Forrest had to deal not just with the Northern forces in the fort itself, but also potential reinforcements steaming along the Mississippi to reinforce them. Forrest having given the defenders chance to surrender, which they declined, the Confederates were obliged to storm the impressive works before them. "It was a bold and daring feat, without a parallel in the history of cavalry," Wyeth remarks. He adds: "It was another stoke of that rare combination of caution and audacity which Forrest practiced at all times, and almost always with success." Most importantly, he continues: "... every man knew it was a fight to the death. The garrison had resolved to die - not to surrender. The Confederates were there to take the fort or die in the attempt. No marvel the loss of life was terrible."
Wyeth recounts how the white and black Union forces were forced down towards the river where they expected the promised aid from a gunboat; "They had no thought of surrender then, and in defiance of Forrest they left their flag floating from the staff." Trapped between the Confederates and the river, with a line of tents impeding their retreat, the Union forces were then slaughtered: "It was a frightful holocaust; fully 250 of the 557 soldiers who were defending Fort Pillow lay dead or wounded..." As for the black soldiers: "the terror-stricken Negroes, some few of whom, either insanely intoxicated or convinced from the slaughter that had transpired that no quarter would be shown them, and determined to sell their lives as dearly as possible, still offered resistance and continued to fire at the Confederates."
What did Forrest do? Wyeth states that: "as soon as he saw his men gain the parapet and leap in among the garrison, rode at once to the scene and ordered all firing to cease." The Union flag was taken down and "Among the mass of sworn testimony examined by the author, it is shown that with but on exception... not a gun was fired or a prisoner injured after the flag of the garrison fell."
The rest of the book is filled with such immense detail and reveals that Forrest tried to spare the lives of the enemy as well as that of his own troops. His favourite trick after surrounding the enemy was to claim that he had hundreds more troops than were actually under his command, forcing his opponent to surrender to a 'superior force'. He played this same card many times and his bluff often bought success without necessitating the shedding of a further single drop of blood.
Wyeth's book is a very exciting and dramatic read and I would recommend it both as an introduction to the American Civil War and especially as a volume revealing the real man behind the legend of the Wizard of the Saddle.
John Tarttelin
A SOULADREAM PRODUCTION
June 20, 2015
That Devil Forrest is an exhaustive account of General Nathan Bedford Forrest who was one of the most successful generals of the Civil War for the confederacy. A tenacious fighter who could be downright vicious and unrelenting he was a largely uneducated man that rose to great prominence. This book written by a former confederate soldier seeks to exonerate the claims of Forrest killing surrendered troops and highlight his military capability. While there is little arguing the capability of Forrest in military affairs Wyeth is not successful in convincing the reader that the alleged atrocities did not occur. Wyeth also does not spend any time on the extracurricular activities of Forrest after the war involving the KKK. Overall despite the age of the book this is an impeccable account of a military genius who won hard fought battles and practiced the art of deception to its pinnacle. For those interested in military history this is a must read and for those looking to learn more about the battles in the west this will go a long way to understanding why the confederates did as well as they did in the west.
July 21, 2021
An excellent book on one of the South's greatest defenders. A man of impeccable heroism, strategic genius, and honorable motives. One of the few people I can read about over and over again.
November 23, 2017
A bit dull for the non-tactical minded reader (like me) . He was a fascinating man though with an amazing life story.
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