Could not Find his Way in the Dark...

[5fish]

I can across the following about Col. Nathan Forrest action or lack of at Shiloh:

:That night Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest was telling a different story. Forrest, who had been a Memphis, Tennessee, slave trader, would become perhaps the most famous cavalryman of the war. At this juncture of the conflict, he was still relatively unknown in the Southern army, although he and his regiment had dramatically escaped from Fort Donelson back in February. After the fighting ended on the evening of April 6, the bulk of the Confederate forces withdrew to the southern portion of the battlefield. Forrest, however, accompanied by a squadron of his 3rd Tennessee Cavalry, remained forward of the Confederate lines. As the hours passed, Forrest grew suspicious of the heavy amount of boat traffic he could see and hear on the river. Taking advantage of the darkness, he sent several men in captured Yankee overcoats across Dill Branch ravine to scout behind the enemy lines. The scouts soon reported information confirming Forrest's fears that the Federals were being heavily reinforced. Forrest related the intelligence to Hardee, whom he found spending the night in Prentiss's captured camp. Stating that the Northerners "are receiving reinforcements by the thousands," Forrest warned Hardee, "If this army does not move and attack them between this and daylight, it will be whipped like hell before 10 O'clock tomorrow." Hardee told the colonel to relate this information to Beauregard, but, unfamiliar with the terrain, Forrest could not locate the Confederate commander. Returning to Hardee, Forrest was instructed to keep a close watch and have his troopers ready for action in the morning. Hardee returned to bed. Thus Forrest's important and critical information was lost in the Confederate chain of command.:


The battle of Shiloh was lost because a cavalry commander could not find his way in the dark. Where was Col Forrest resolve? He gave up looking for a tent knowing doom was coming at first light for the confederate army if action was not taken. We can say Col. Forrest lack of resolve cost the confederates a victory at Shiloh... He gave up even after predicting what would happen if action was not taken. I see a lack of character in this moment by him...


I want to point out this critical information was not lost in the chain of command. Col. Forrest choose not to forward the critical information up the chain of command after being told to do so.


link... http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/civil_war_series/22/sec13.htm

 

[diane]

Can't find your page, 5fish!

Forrest did fine in the dark. He was, in fact, looking for his son (kid had gone missing) when his scouts told him about Buell's arrival. Forrest went with them to be sure of the matter and climbed an Indian mound over-looking the river, where he could lay down and watch. He was close enough he could not only see the troops disembarking the boats but could hear them calling out their unit names. No doubts about it.

The finding of the officers was exceedingly difficult because they were strewn all over the place and did not have good communications. Beauregard had allowed a serious amount of scattering after Johnston's death. Forrest did well to find the officers he did find - he found Pat Cleburne smoking a pipe and told him but Cleburne didn't have authority to do anything. He then found Hardee, who had to be rousted out of bed and told Forrest to go back to bed as his commanding officer would tend to it in the morning. Whereupon, Forrest uttered those legendary words about hell's anchors be dragging!

Forrest and his scouts were familiar with just about every square inch of western and central Tennessee - it was the superiors who screwed up. They should have let their subordinates know where they were - you can know every square inch of your bedroom but go patting around in the dark for the lamp switch if somebody moves it without saying where!

 

[5fish]

Here it is... https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/civil_war_series/22/sec13.htm

That night Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest was telling a different story. Forrest, who had been a Memphis, Tennessee, slave trader, would become perhaps the most famous cavalryman of the war. At this juncture of the conflict, he was still relatively unknown in the Southern army, although he and his regiment had dramatically escaped from Fort Donelson back in February. After the fighting ended on the evening of April 6, the bulk of the Confederate forces withdrew to the southern portion of the battlefield. Forrest, however, accompanied by a squadron of his 3rd Tennessee Cavalry, remained forward of the Confederate lines. As the hours passed, Forrest grew suspicious of the heavy amount of boat traffic he could see and hear on the river. Taking advantage of the darkness, he sent several men in captured Yankee overcoats across Dill Branch ravine to scout behind the enemy lines. The scouts soon reported information confirming Forrest's fears that the Federals were being heavily reinforced. Forrest related the intelligence to Hardee, whom he found spending the night in Prentiss's captured camp. Stating that the Northerners "are receiving reinforcements by the thousands," Forrest warned Hardee, "If this army does not move and attack them between this and daylight, it will be whipped like hell before 10 O'clock tomorrow." Hardee told the colonel to relate this information to Beauregard, but, unfamiliar with the terrain, Forrest could not locate the Confederate commander. Returning to Hardee, Forrest was instructed to keep a close watch and have his troopers ready for action in the morning. Hardee returned to bed. Thus Forrest's important and critical information was lost in the Confederate chain of command.

Beyond the efforts of Forrest, a certain lethargy characterized the Confederate command that night. During the night, practically the entire Confederate army withdrew south into Prentiss's and Sherman's camps. In fact, General Polk's corps retired all the way to the April 5 Confederate bivouac located at the junction of the Bark and Corinth roads, four miles southwest of Pittsburg Landing. No line of battle was formed, and few if any commands were resupplied with ammunition. All of the Southerners, from privates on up the chain of command, seemed consumed by the need to locate food, water, and shelter for a much needed night's rest.

 

[diane]

There you go! That's much more accurate than the OP. I think Forrest was dismissed by Hardee because he was a civilian volunteer, not a trained soldier...and Hardee was half-asleep! He met Forrest in carpet slippers and a blanket. (Forrest didn't find his son, either, until morning. Not a good night at all!)

 

[5fish]

There you go! T

At this juncture of the conflict, he was still relatively unknown in the Southern army, although he and his regiment had dramatically escaped from Fort Donelson back in February.

He still was in charge of a cavalry unit and still had rank. He should have tried harder to find Beauregard but he did not.

He showed a lack of perseverance... I will always try to slant anything I can find to put Forrest in a bad light... He looks bad in this light... He did nothing outside trying to find Beauregard to save the Confederate army. Why did he ran through the camps like Paul Revere... Yelling the ynakee are coming... He sat back and let doom come....

 

[diane]

No, Forrest did try his durnedest to find Beauregard - it was close to 3 or 4 am before he gave up, and he had observed Buell's troops around 9 pm. Beauregard, thinking Grant was knocked on his keister, had decided to attack him first thing in the morning. By then, Buell had gotten himself organized and together and put into place for the coming battle.

Well...I don't think Paul Revere would have had much luck riding through the countryside yelling. "The Regulars are out!" if everybody leaned out their windows and hollered, "Shaddap we're tryin to sleep!" (By the way, he and his fellow riders didn't just yell - they dang near knocked the house down beating on the main post along with it!)

Then again, playing devil's advocate, how come Pat Cleburne didn't put out his pipe and help Forrest? Between them, maybe they'd have found Beauregard!