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Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the military geniuses of American history, was born July 13, 1821, in Bedford County, the son of William and Marian Beck Forrest. His father's death when Nathan was 16 threw on him, as the eldest son, the task of supporting a large family. Beginning as a farm laborer he became a horse and cattle trader, and later dealt in slaves and real estate, acquiring much money and land.
He enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 as a private, raised and equipped a mounted battalion at his own expense, and was appointed lieutenant colonel. He served with distinction at Fort Donelson, opposed the decision to surrender it, and proved the error of the decision by cutting his way out with his men. He was a colonel in the Battle of Shiloh, was severely wounded in the retreat, and became brigadier general in July 1862. From then until the end of the war Forrest served mostly as an independent cavalry raider, operating on Union lines of communication and delivering surprise attacks on isolated Union garrisons. His Battle of Brice's Cross Roads has been called the "perfect" battle, and his campaigns were studied closely, before World War II, by the German field marshal, Erwin Rommel.
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