I believe that Bedford Forrest threatened to kill Bragg, didn't he? I remember the phrase, "if we meet again it will be at the peril of your life."
Yes, at Chattanooga on Mission Ridge, at Bragg's HQ and in front of witnesses. Bragg had arbitrarily re-assigned to another command some of Forrest's troopers without first consulting or even telling Forrest.
I can only imagine Bragg's facial expression. Even at rest, Forrest had the fiercest visage, IMO of any officer, North or South.
It would have been interesting had Jeff Davis appointed Pat Cleburne or Forrest as Supreme Commander of the West in early 1864.
As talented and successful as they both were, I wonder how Cleburne would have done at commanding a corps and Forrest at commanding dismounted troops. Different skill sets from commanding a division and cavalry, respectively, those.
Of course, neither one of them was from West Point, so they had no chance of getting that appointment from him.
Did Davis have a West Point bias? I had not heard that. |
