Traditional Southerners and educated American patriots have long been
aware of the greatness of the Confederate general fondly known here in
Dixie as the "immortal Forrest." What is far less well known are the
identities and personal stories of the men who fought with and under
him.
Years in the making, award-winning Southern historian and Forrest
scholar and cousin Colonel Lochlainn Seabrook, who holds the world
record for writing the most books on Forrest, has compiled an
informative yet riveting work that solves this dilemma. Entitled, I
Rode With Forrest! Confederate Soldiers Who Served With the World's
Greatest Cavalry Leader, this well-researched, heavily illustrated
reference provides entries on nearly 500 (of the 50,000) military
personnel who at one time or another fell under the auspices of the
"Wizard of the Saddle." This distinct body of boys and men, who varied
widely in age, background, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and
education, referred to themselves as "soldiers on the horse," a title
they were proud to own, as those who were granted the privilege to ride
with Forrest (even for one day) were envied above nearly all others.
Though diverse, all shared two common interests: an undying affection
for the U.S. Constitution and an unshakeable faith in their
larger-than-life commander Nathan Bedford Forrest, "the thunderbolt of
war"!
As Col. Seabrook's A to Z book demonstrates, Forrest's army was not made
up merely of white Southerners, as our Left-wing biased history books
disingenuously claim. Among his soldiers there were also blacks (a
number who served as the General's personal armed guards), Yankees (from
as far North as Massachusetts and New Jersey), foreigners (representing
much of Europe), and Indians (including one Native-American who became a
Confederate officer and lived to be 107). This, however, is not just a
dry roster of names and dates. Both historians and genealogists, for
example, will find this book invaluable as many entries include not only
little known military facts, but birth and death dates, names of
ancestors, wives, children, and various relations and descendants (some
quite famous). The book serves another vital function as well: with
their impeccable reputations, sterling characters, high morals, and
strong work ethics, Forrest's men are ideal role models for adults and
youth alike.
In describing his subjects, the author-editor utilizes biographical
sketches, obituaries, stories, and reminiscences as told primarily by
fellow Confederate veterans, but also by close friends and family
members (all who wrote during the late Victorian Era and early 20th
Century). Other biographies Col. Seabrook has created from a host of
disparate sources, weaving them into his own unique narratives. We are
treated thus to a cornucopia of rare historical data that is seldom
found between the covers of a single volume. I Rode With Forrest! is,
in fact, the chronicle of an important but lost chapter in American
history: the legacy of the rough and ready Conservatives who served
under the veritable "God of War," the same Southern officer U.S.
President Theodore Roosevelt called "the most remarkable man produced in
either the Union or Confederate armies."
Along with their individual histories (some recorded in great detail),
the reader is treated to various adventures of Forrest's men as well as
the many highs and lows that came with being a Confederate soldier. In
essence Col. Seabrook's encyclopedia tells the story of, as one
Confederate veteran put it, "the patriotic and chivalrous spirits who
made the name of Forrest so famous in American history." Includes
copious endnotes, a bibliography, an index, and a bonus appendices
section. This American classic in the making is Col. Seabrook's eleventh
book (of 12) on the beloved general! Available in paperback and
hardcover.
