Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort and Staff Hardcover - 2006

From the rear cover

A BOOK ABOUT THE MEN WHO BECAME LEGENDARY BECAUSE THEY SERVED A LEGEND

"Michael R. Bradley breaks new ground. . . . Until now these men had gone almost nameless, with all the attention given their legendary commander. Bradley has mended this oversight, helping explain Forrest's almost invariable successes by putting faces on his staff and escort."
-Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes, Jr., author of
Brigadier General Tyree H. Bell: Forrest's Fighting Lieutenant

Most staff officers and escort members of famous Civil War generals have faded into obscurity. However, the escort company and staff officers of Nathan Bedford Forrest were held in awe by men on both sides of the conflict during the war and long after, and they continue to be held in esteem as figures as legendary as Forrest himself. Not merely guards or couriers, these men were an elite force who rode harder and fought more fiercely than any others.

Dr. Michael R. Bradley explores the legend of both Forrest and his men, describing how Forrest's stature influenced his men, and how they influenced the general:

In him they recognized not only the daring, able, and successful leader but also the commanding officer who would not hesitate to punish with severity when he deemed punishment necessary. . . . They possessed as an inheritance all the best and most valuable fighting qualities of the irregulars, accustomed as they were from boyhood to horses and the use of arms, and brought up with all the devil-may-care lawless notions of the frontiersman. But the most volcanic spirit among them felt he must bow before the superior iron will of the determined man who led them. There was something about the dark gray eye of Forrest that warned his subordinates he was not to be trifled with and would stand no nonsense from either friend or foe.

Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort and Staff offers new perspectives on the fact and fiction surrounding Forrest and his men and includes the previously unpublished minutes of the association formed in 1877 to keep alive memories of when they "rode with Forrest."

From the jacket flap

"Bradley's Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort and Staff adds greatly to the literature on the 'Wizard of the Saddle.' It is a
well-written and documented account of a subject that has not previously been dealt with by historians . . . highly recommended to all who have an interest in the Civil War and Forrest in particular."
--Lonnie E. Maness, Ph.D., professor emeritus of history, The University of Tennessee at Martin

Nathan Bedford Forrest was one of the greatest Civil War strategists and one of its fiercest commanders. Although much fact and fiction have been devoted to him, little has been written about his escorts, men who were as devoted and indefatigable as he. Here, Michael R. Bradley describes these men, from their battles to their conversations, forming a fascinating portrait of this legendary force.

As with any extraordinary group led by an extraordinary leader, who most influences whom is difficult to ascertain. Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort and Staff reveals the symbiotic relationship between Forrest and his men and how certain key decisions were made. Their unusual abilities as fighters, thinkers, and leaders made for a team of men who formed a unique brotherhood that lasted long after the war. A testament to their loyalty is the fact that the escort is the only Confederate unit whose numbers were greater when they surrendered than when the unit was organized.

Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort and Staff includes a full list of Forrest's men as well as the recorded minutes from the reunion meetings held in and around Shelbyville, Tennessee.

Dr. Bradley taught U.S. history at Motlow State Community College in Tullahoma, Tennessee, for thirty-six years. He earned undergraduate degrees at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a master's degree and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University. He has written extensively on the Civil War, including five books and numerous articles, book reviews, and papers relating to church and civil society. In 1994, he was awarded the Jefferson Davis Medal in Southern History.

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Citations

• Reference and Research Bk News, 05/01/2008, Page 85