Saturday July 31st marked the 22nd annual celebration of the birthday of General Nathan Bedford Forrest which have taken place since 1999 at Fort Dixie, the home of Butch and Pat Godwin near Sardis, Alabama. Three Dragoons—Lt Cdr Harold Grooms, Tyrone Crowley, and Dave Thompson--were in attendance and enjoyed a fine day at Fort Dixie along with about 300-400 other admirers of General Forrest, perhaps the most successful and feared Cavalry officer of the War for Southern Independence. Union General Sherman said of Forrest during the War, "That devil Forrest...must be hunted down and killed if it costs ten thousand lives and bankrupts the Federal treasury". And yet Forrest survived the War while being wounded four times and having twenty-nine horses shot from beneath him. After the War, Sherman was quoted as saying, "After all, I think Forrest was the most remarkable man our Civil War (sic) produced on either side".
This birthday celebration was also special because General Forrest would have been 200 years old this year. Past National SCV Chuck McMichael gave a stimulating and thought-provoking talk on just what Confederate soldiers endured when they “saw the elephant”, that is, engaged in actual combat. He ended with a statement that Forrest will always be revered by liberty-loving people (as well as respected by military historians).
In addition to the speaker, there was fine music provided by the Dixie Jubilee family band, a silent auction, a live auction, a delicious fried catfish supper with sides prepared by the ladies, and finally, even a fireworks show to end the day. A grand time was had by all present, and the feeling and spirit of community were everywhere.
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