CHAP. XXVIII.] AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, 18G1-1865. 455 



General Forrest is six feet one-and-a-half inches in 

 height, broad-shouldered, full-chested, and well built, 

 with erect carriage. He was personally a man to attract 

 attention long before he had acquired any fame, and at 

 the commencement of the war was empowered to 

 organise a regiment of volunteer cavalry. The first 

 action in which he was engaged was an extraordinary 

 fight between his regiment and a gunboat carrying nine 

 heavy guns, and protected by iron plates. The gun- 

 boat had been sent to Canton, on the Cumberland river, 

 to destroy a quantity of Confederate stores which were 

 lying there. Forrest heard of the intended attack, and 

 by a night march of thirty- two miles reached the point 

 before the arrival of the gunboat. He at once dis- 

 mounted his men and placed them under cover of trees 

 and logs, along the bank of the river. The gunboat 

 moved up, anchored, and opened a heavy fire of grape- 

 shot and canister. Forrest's men, skilful marksmen 

 and well sheltered, fired through the open ports, at close 

 range, with such perfect accuracy and such deadly effect 

 as to compel the vessel to close her jDorts and get away 

 as fast as possible. 



At Fort Donelson, in February 1862, in the operations 

 that ended so disastrously to the Confederate cause, 

 Forrest, who commanded the cavalry there, gave proof 

 of his striking capacity as a commander of horse, and 

 attracted public attention by his conduct, which shone 

 out lirilliantly in comparison with that of the other 

 leading officers. After a desperate sortie in which 

 Forrest, on the extreme right of the Federal lines, 

 turned their flank and drove them back a considerable 

 distance, the Confederate commanders determined to 

 surrender.* 



Forrest heard of the intention with marked dissatis- 

 faction, and spoke so vehemently in expressing his 

 feeling that General Pillow suggested that he should be 

 allowed to attempt to escape with his command.^ This 

 was sanctioned on condition that he started at once 

 before the flag of truce was sent out. He set out with 

 ' Campaigns of Forrest, 75, 80, 81. ^ jbid. 91, 92, 93. 



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