Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election

Ole Bedford Forrest

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2014-07-13

Synopsis: John Weaver uses the life of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest to illustrate biblical principles of manhood, courage, and relentless fighting. He argues that Forrest, though lacking formal education and not converted until after the war, embodied scriptural ideals of boldness and perseverance. The sermon draws parallels between Forrest's military tactics and David's psalms, urging believers to fight spiritual battles with the same tenacity, never giving up until enemies are consumed.

[John Weaver] I want to bring a message today which I've just entitled Old Bedford and show you some biblical principles from Old Bedford's life. So I want you to open your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9. And you may be wondering why I'm going to be reading this verse, but I think you will discover the answer just shortly. 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9. The title of the message is just Old Bedford. And if you remember a couple of years ago, I did bring another message on General Nathan Bedford Forrest. This one is totally different, but I want you to note 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants unto the Hebrews as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight. General Nathan Bedford Forrest was better known as Old Bedford. He was probably one of the most colorful, courageous, talented, and unique men that ever lived. In reality, Old Bedford was everything that Hollywood actors wanted to be.

[John Weaver] The difference was simply this. Old Bedford was real and genuine, and they were fakes. He was a fighter. They were pretenders. Forrest had down-to-earth common sense, and they just merely had lines memorized. Forrest drew from his bountiful experiences, from which he had learned greatly, and great principles and great lessons they only drew from scripts. Old Bedford was a genuine article. He was a man's man, yet he was tender and gracious and kind, and especially toward women. Now listen carefully. His great temper, which he only got control of after he was converted. But his great temper and indignation was usually unleashed in battle or against those who were incompetent, lazy or cowards.

[John Weaver] And he had no use for any of those individuals. Before I finish this message today, I want to just pose something to you. Can you imagine What Washington, D.C. would be like if we had four or five old Bedford's up there today? Can you imagine what Atlanta, Georgia would be like or any state capital? Because you're going to find Forrest was one of those individuals who was a fighter and he never gave in and he never gave up. Forrest has often been betrayed as a backwoods bumpkin, so to speak.

[John Weaver] And it's true that he did not have any formal education. He even had tested a pencil. He said a pencil reminded him of a snake. His spelling was atrocious and he usually spelled words by their sounds, that is phonetically, and yet his reports were readable although the spelling was horrible. He had no formal education and yet he was educated. Because he was educated in the school of hard knocks, the school of experience, and the school of common sense. Such an education is usually far superior to one that is just merely from scholastic endeavors, especially even on the college level. Just stop and ask yourself this question. What good is a diploma if one does not know how to work, or how to apply the knowledge that he has, or how to respond to others?

[John Weaver] Truthfully, I can tell you this. I have known a number of men that had earned PhDs behind their names, and they couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper bag. Just because someone has a diploma that has been signed by a university, that piece of paper does not mean that one is able to function in society or to hold a job. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., years ago, gave some sage advice.

[John Weaver] He said, never go possum hunting with a man who wishes to pursue opossums. Now, he surmised correctly that if a man didn't know about possum hunting, he knew nothing about possums at all, and you're just simply wasting your time pursuing opossums with such an individual. Forrest was a man who knew the difference between a possum and an opossum. He may have never gone to West Point, listen carefully, but he out thought those who did go to West Point. Forrest quipped to Captain Louis Hosea, who was a Union captain, in 1865, he said, I ain't no graduate of West Point and never rubbed my backside up against any college. Well, it's impossible to learn the lessons that Bedford learned in college.

[John Weaver] Young Bedford was self-educated, using the wilderness and his life in the frontier as his classroom and as his teacher. He lived by his instincts and he lived by his wits. Violence was very common on the frontier. And Forrest had his share of it at a very early age. He had to learn to act and think and defend for himself. In fact, in those days, hunting and marksmanship, as well as horsemanship, were not sports. They were absolutely necessary, not only to support your family, but also to defend your life. So just simply because Old Bedford did not have a formal education does not mean that he was a country buckton.

[John Weaver] or that he was ignorant or dull-witted. On the contrary, he learned to think things through, make decisions based upon facts, and then apply those decisions. Militarily, he was unsurpassed. And that's why he was given the nickname, the Wizard of the Saddle. His ability to see the battle assess the strengths and the weaknesses of the enemy, and then quickly make use of those assessments was unparalleled. Forrest had a very unusual mind.

[John Weaver] He was capable of reasoning calmly and rapidly, no matter how perilous or dangerous a situation. Even in moments of extreme peril, he recognized and analyzed problems with the greatest of speed, which always aided him in the military arena. Nathan Bedford Forrest was a product of his time, and yet he was ahead of his times. I want you to understand that his tactics today are still being taught in military academies. Here are three men who studied Forrest.

[John Weaver] There was the German General Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, also George Patton, as well as Norman Schwarzkopf. All of these men studied the tactics of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

[John Weaver] Now Forrest was not converted to Christianity until after the war was over. However, his mother was a Christian. His wife was a Christian. And he imbibed a lot of scriptural principles from his mother and his wife. They may not have been derived immediately from scripture, but yet they were scriptural principles. Boris spoke the truth, even though his language and his speech was not necessarily in full agreement with Colossians 4 and verse 6. In that passage, God says, let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to give an answer to every man. Now, I will tell you, and I'm absolutely honest, Forrest's speech was always seasoned, but it was not necessarily with grace or with salt. Forrest was a cusser. His speech was sound in the sense that he could not possibly be misunderstood. But those around Old Bedford, even pastors, said this, that even though his language may have been rough before his conversion, it was never vulgar or obscene. And the truth of the matter is Forrest would not put up with vulgarity from anyone.

[John Weaver] I don't know if you've ever read anything about Nathan Bedford Forrest, but I've read a number of books. And the interesting thing is, I've often wondered what goes through the mind of a man like Nathan Bedford Forrest. What were his thoughts on certain subjects? What were his thoughts, for instance, on the subject of fighting? Well, while it's impossible to answer those questions in every particular Yet the truth of the matter is, Scripture does give us certain principles that we may go by. You remember that passage in Proverbs 23 and verse 7, where the Bible says, as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. In other words, simply stated, your conduct and your actions reveal the state of your heart. They reveal what you're thinking. That's why in Proverbs 4 and verse 23, the Scripture says, keep thy heart with all diligence, proud of the issues of life. Do you remember that passage in Acts chapter 8 where Peter read the heart of Simon the sorcerer? You remember Simon the sorcerer went up to Peter and the other apostles and offered to give them money that he might buy the power of the Holy Ghost.

[John Weaver] And Peter looked at Simon and said this, Thy money perish with thee, literally, your money go to hell with you, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter. Listen, for thine heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive, said Peter, that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." How did Peter know that Simon's heart was not right with God?

[John Weaver] The answer is, by what he said and what he did. So obviously, it is the conversation or the conduct and the actions that reveal the state of our hearts.

[John Weaver] Now, Old Bedford was a unique individual in that he thought for himself. He was an independent thinker. He did not necessarily follow the ideas and the opinions of others. Neither did Forrest hold his tongue. He did not give into political correctness. He said what he thought, and he said what he believed, and he did not care who liked it or who did not like it. It was just simple. Let me give you a couple examples. Forrest once said that he believed, and he explained this, that a Tennessean in blue was an outrage, and he hoped that that blue world would burn good in hell. So what Forrest was saying was this, any man from Tennessee that will fight for old Lincoln's army ought to go to hell. He believed he was a turncoat and a traitor.

[John Weaver] And the very fact that he was fighting for Abe Lincoln showed his lack of character and his untrustworthiness as well. One of my favorite stories is about Forrest after the war was over. He was attending a dinner in which he was the guest of honor. And his conversation was constantly being interrupted by a very talkative widow. And finally, she looked at General Forrest and asked him why his beard was still black while his hair was turning gray. With great politeness and yet straightforwardness, he explained to the talkative widow that he could not give a statutory explanation for that With this exception, that he might have used his brain a little more than he used his jaw. The widow, whose hair did not show a shred of gray, was evidently satisfied and became very quiet and silent for the rest of the meal. At the outbreak of the war, Forrest, of course, volunteered as a private until he decided to raise and to equip a unit at his own expense.

[John Weaver] He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel and issued his call to arms in June of 1861. Here was his initial call to arms. It said, I wish none but those who desire to be actively engaged. Come on boys, if you want a heap of fun and to kill some Yankees. I want you to note the absolute honesty of Old Bedford in his call to arms. First, he wanted only those who were going to be active.

[John Weaver] He planned on engaging the enemy. If they did not want to fight, he did not want them.

[John Weaver] Secondly, he promised them excitement and a heap of fun. I can assure you, those who followed Forrest did not lack for a lack of excitement.

[John Weaver] Third, his goal was to kill some Yankees. Simply stated, he was going to protect his state and the South. If the Yankees came, if they invaded and they came to fight, he was going to make sure that they got that which they came for.

[John Weaver] Now, Major John Pelham said it a little more politely, a little more nicely. He said it like this. Ours is a just war, a holy cause. The invader must be met or must meet the fate he deserves, and we must meet him as becomes us and becomes men. Now, Callum said it a little more nicely, but he said the same thing. You invaded us, and we're going to kill you. We're going to fight. It's just that simple. Napoleon said this. In war, men are nothing, but a man is everything. One cannot study the life of old Bedford without realizing that he was a man.

[John Weaver] His character, his courage, his consistency, and after his conversion, his Christianity were evident in many ways. I've got a message that I've preached in times past from John one in verse six, where God said of John the Baptist, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. And I've often stopped and thought about that. When God looked at John the Baptist, he said there was a man. There was a man. You know, you can't help but ask, did God choose John because John was a man or did God choose to make him a man or maybe part of both? But you have to remember, John was a man.

[John Weaver] When those Pharisees came to his baptism, what did he say? Oh, generation of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. And what did John do? He reproved and rebuked King Herod to his face. He was a man in every sense of the word. And Forrest was just like him. And you can criticize old Forrest all you want. But the truth of the matter is this. You have to admit that he was a man. He fought like a man. He acted like a man.

[John Weaver] He refused to give in. He refused to give up.

[John Weaver] Now, I read our text in 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9, and I believe that text is very revealing. It's impressive to understand that even the heathen appreciate manhood, freedom and fighting abilities. Look at it. Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants to the Hebrews as they've been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight. So here's the enemy. Here are the pagans. Here are the heathen.

[John Weaver] And what do they say? We're not going to be a servant. We're not going to be a slave to the Hebrews like they have been to us. So what's the remedy? Quit yourselves like men and fight. And certainly that's exactly what Old Bedford did. He always fought. And we know what his thoughts were on fighting because of his actions. In early 1862, during the fighting of Fort Donaldson, Bedford outfought and whipped the regular army soldiers of Ulysses S. Grant. However, the inept generalship on the part of Confederate forces allowed Bedford's heroic actions to be wasted. The fort was eventually surrounded and the Confederates decided to surrender. When Forrest discovered, and he was a lieutenant colonel, when Forrest discovered that Generals Pilla and Floyd were planning on surrendering, O'Bedford reported to those generals, to hell with that! I didn't come here to surrender! And he did not. He told them that they did not have to surrender.

[John Weaver] That he would find a way out. And he did find a way out. And four thousand of his men followed him. And the rest of them could have escaped as well without surrendering. So here all these men followed Forrest. Forrest, a few days later, got to Nashville, Tennessee, when the fall of Nashville was imminent. Forrest took command of the city. He evacuated a number of governmental officials and then took millions of dollars in heavy machinery used to make weapons and saved that machinery because the Confederacy could ill afford to lose those machines.

[John Weaver] It was this type of action that made Bedford the great general that he was. He did not rely upon others. He did not even rely upon the Confederate government. You remember, initially, he equipped his men out of his own pocket. After that, he equipped his men from the weapons of defeated Yankees. The Forest Men were always some of the best equipped and best armed men in the Confederate Army.

[John Weaver] Obviously, he was a man who knew exactly what to do. Some of you have heard this saying, but you don't know the background, you don't know the context of it. Forrest captured a Union soldier, an officer, and took his sword. A little bit later, when Forrest was examining that sword, and he saw that it was only sharp for the first couple of inches. He demanded a grindstone. When one of Forrest's militarily educated staff officers told General Forrest the reason that sword was only sharp for a couple of inches was it was for show. It was for decoration.

[John Weaver] It was not for fighting. Forrest said, Damn such nonsense. War means fighting and fighting means killing. Turn the grindstone. He was not going to have a weapon that was useless. He was not going to have a weapon that was worthless, one that would not function. You know, that's like today, I've been in some of these Bass Pro shops and they have these fancy shotguns in the store and you go in and look at those shotguns and some of them are thirty, forty and fifty thousand dollars. And I often thought. If I had the money to have something like that, I wouldn't buy it. If I spent fifty thousand dollars for a shotgun, you think I would shoot it? No. I'd have it in a vault somewhere, I mean, you know. It'd be worthless. And Forrest said, I'm not going to have any weapon that's worthless. John Wythe, John Allen Wythe, who was Forrest's principal biographer, said this, Forrest knew that the excitement of a forward movement inspired even the timid with courage, while to stand in the open and receive a charge was a severe test even for the bravest of men.

[John Weaver] Forrest understood the role of boldness and audacity in combat leadership. Here's what one confederate private wrote concerning Forrest. He said, mounted on his big sorrel horse, saber in hand, sleeves rolled up, his coat lying across the pommel of his saddle, looking the very god of war, Forrest exhorted his tired troopers, get up men, when you hear the bugle sounds, every man must charge and we'll give them hell. And that's exactly what Forrest would do.

[John Weaver] Stonewall Jackson said it like this. He said, Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy if possible. When you strike and overcome him, never give up the pursuit as long as your men have the strength to follow. For an army routed, if haughtily pursued, becomes panic-stricken and can then be destroyed by half its number. Stonewall said that. And Forrest may have never heard Stonewall say that, but Forrest took that maxim and became the master of that maxim. He would never give up. He would run his enemy into the ground.

[John Weaver] He believed in courage and boldness and being aggressive. He believed that you should never miss an opportunity to strike the enemy. Here's what he said to his soldiers. Listen carefully. Whenever you meet the enemy, no matter how few there are of you or how many there are of them, show fight. If you run away, they will pursue you and probably catch you. If you show fight, they will think there are more of you and will not push you half as hard.

[John Weaver] Now, Forrest practiced what he preached. The Lord was clearly with Forrest in all of his battles. You have to remember that Forrest was not saved at that particular time. But God was going to save him. Do you realize, as you study the Bible, you will find out that God oftentimes not only preserves the lives of those whom he has ordained to eternal life, but he will also preserve the life of individuals whom he's going to use for future service. I want you to listen to what God said to King Cyrus, who was a Persian. In Isaiah 45 verses 4 through 6, listen to what God says, For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by name, though thou hast not known me. I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord, there is none else, there is no God beside me. I have girded thee, though thou hast not known me, that they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none beside me.

[John Weaver] I am the Lord, there is none else. It was Cyrus who let the children of Israel go. Isn't that amazing? He wrote the decree. God said, I've called you. I surnamed you, though you have not known me. Certainly, God was with Forrest, and the Lord protected him and preserved him. David said it like this in Psalm 41, verse 11. By this I know that thou favourest me, because my enemy doth not triumph over me. May I remind you that General Forrest had 29 horses shot out from under him, one with a cannonball.

[John Weaver] He personally killed a minimum of 30 men in battle himself. His enemies did not triumph over him. I want you to listen to Leviticus 26, verses 7 and 8. Listen to this promise that God gave. He says, and you shall chase your enemies. And they shall fall before you by the sword, and five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword." Forrest could certainly put his enemies to flight, and he often did so with a handful of men.

[John Weaver] He literally ran them into the ground. Forrest was one of the first men to understand mobile warfare. which later became very prominent in the 20th century. His strategy was fast movement, even if it meant pushing his horses at a killing pace, which he did far more than once. I want to just give you two illustrations of his philosophy, and I want you to understand where we're lacking today. I want you to consider not only where we are as individuals, but look at our military. Look at our politicians. I want you to think about this.

[John Weaver] Forest capture of Colonel Abel Strait is a good illustration of this point. Colonel Strait was a Hoosier from Indiana and Colonel Strait took 2,000 hand-picked men and he intended to destroy the railroads that ran from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia and to Knoxville, Tennessee. Colonel Strait was joined by General G.M. Dodge who brought 7,500 men. General Dodge had one mission and that was to hold Forrest and contain him while Colonel Strait tore up all the railroads. Well Forrest knew what was happening. So what Forrest did was this. He left most of his men to deal with General Dodge and he told them that they were to make Dodge believe that there's going to be a major assault and make him dig in.

[John Weaver] And that's what they did. And then Forrest took a thousand men and went after Colonel Strait. He called up the Colonel Strait on April the 30th, 1863. His order was shoot at everything in blue and keep up the scare. shoot at everything in blue and keep up the scare. Since Strait was already on top of Sand Mountain when the Confederates attacked, initially they were repulsed. But, Strait was scared and he took his men and turned to run. And he ran, and he ran, and Forrest and his men were right behind. Strait laid ambush after ambush, but none were really successful. None stopped Forrest. He finally attempted another battle with Forrest on Hog Mountain, but that battle was equally unsuccessful as well. Whenever Strait would burn a bridge, Forrest would find a way to cross the river, cross the creek. This is where He wrote the note and got the lock of Emma Samson's hair when old Strayed burned one bridge and Forrest couldn't get across the river and finally this little girl came up and said, well, I saw some old cows four down the road down here and said, you might can get

[John Weaver] across there. Forrest said, where? She said, let me saddle my pony and I'll show you. He said, there's not time for that. And he pulled her up behind him and she rode and showed him where they crossed. And so he let her go. And he wrote her a note, by the way, got a lock of her hair as well. And he and his men crossed and still kept up the chase after straight. Now, listen to this. In order to show you the stamina, the courage and the fortitude of Forrest and his men, it needs to be understood that they had ridden 44 out of 48 hours in order to catch and confront Straight and had fought the last 18 of those hours in and out of the saddle with almost cessation. Straight also had the advantage of fresh mounts, plenty of horses and mules, And whenever he was in advance, he always stole all the horses and mules that he could and the food just to deprive Forrest of fresh mounts and food as well.

[John Weaver] But Forrest just simply pressed on. If a horse died or if a soldier faltered, Forrest did not slow down. He was just out a soldier and short a horse. That was all there was to it. He pressed Colonel Straits so heavily that straight wrote this. He said he needed to march all night, but the command was in no condition to do so. I only halted at Gadsden sufficiently long to destroy a quantity of arms and stores found there and proceeded.

[John Weaver] Many of our animals and men were entirely worn out and unable to keep up and were captured. It now became evident to me that her only hope was in crossing the river at Rome and destroying the bridge, which would delay Forrest a day or two and allow my command a little time to sleep, without which it would be impossible to proceed. Well, Forrest was already ahead of straight because he knew that. And so he had already sent some men to arouse other men and control the bridge and keep straight from crossing that bridge. He had him, and he knew he had him. Now, before I tell you really what happened, I want you to listen to what Forrest and his men accomplished. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] Starting from Cortland, Alabama, at 1 a.m. on the morning of April the 29th, he and his command marched 16 miles to Moulton, Alabama. From there, they marched 17 miles to Days Gap. They rode and fought all day of April the 30th, and through a great portion of the night, reaching Blountstown, 76 miles from their starting point, at 10 a.m. on the morning of May the 1st.

[John Weaver] The time consumed was 57 hours, and for 52 of those 57 hours, his troops were in the saddle. From Bluntstown to Gadsden to Lawrence were straight finally surrendered. They covered 31 more miles, making a total of 150 miles covered. You must also remember that the terrain was rough, mountainous, and in mud and in rain. General Braxton Bragg reported to the War Department May the 3rd, from Gadsden in Rome, after five days and nights of fighting and marching, General Forrest captured Colonel Strait in his whole command with 1,600 men with rifles, horses, etc., etc.

[John Weaver] Now here's the exciting part. When Colonel Strait stopped at L'Arche to feed and rest most of his troops, fell asleep instantly by the time they hit the ground. When Forrest finally caught up with Colonel Strait, he advanced at once, making the most of his numerical weakness. Strait tried in vain to awaken his men. Some of them sat up half days not knowing where they were or what they were doing. Finally, Strait was able to arouse about half of his command.

[John Weaver] and he placed them in a prone position for better protection and for more accurate shooting. However, instead of shutting one eye and taking deadly aim at the Confederates, the Federal soldiers closed both eyes and went fast asleep. Colonel Strait and his report actually said this, nature was exhausted A large portion of my best troops actually went to sleep while lying in a line of battle under a severe skirmish fire." So all the time the Confederates were shooting, the Yankees were sleeping. Well, General Forrest called upon Colonel Strait to surrender.

[John Weaver] and straight asked him what the conditions were first replied immediate surrender your men to be treated as prisoners of war the officers are to retain their side arms and personal property. Colonel straight asked for time to consult with his officers in force replied all right. But you will not require much time. I have a column of fresh troops at hand, now nearer Rome than you are. You cannot cross the river in your front, and I have men enough right here to run right over you."

[John Weaver] Well, all of that was a bluff. None of it was true. While Strait was talking to Forrest, Forrest had turned around and signaled Captain Pointer, who was responsible For Forrest, two pieces of artillery. He only had two pieces of artillery. Poynter knew what to do. He began to circle those pieces of artillery behind the hill. Forrest's back was to the artillery and Colonel Strait was facing it. Finally, Colonel Strait said, name of God.

[John Weaver] How many guns do you have? That's fifteen, I've counted already. Forrest just turned his head slightly and said, well, I reckon that was all that was able to keep up with us. Forrest also shouted orders to Captain Poynter for the disposition of imaginary commands. Two of his officers caught the drift and moved their troops over and over to make it appear that Forrest had thousands at his disposal.

[John Weaver] Straight and his men agreed unanimously to surrender. Thus, Forrest, with around 500 men, captured Straight and his 1,600 men. Because some of Forrest's men had fallen by the wayside as well. They could not even keep up. And he had sent some ahead in case Straight did not surrender. You see, Forrest was a fighter. He refused to give up. He refused to give in. I suppose that many have stated that Forrest's greatest battle was known as the Battle of Bryce's Crossroads.

[John Weaver] It was there that it happened, June the 10th through the 13th of 1864. Forrest, with 3,500 men, met and defeated General S.D. Sturgis with 8,000 men.

[John Weaver] Forrest had predicted that June the 10th in Mississippi was going to be a scorcher. And he said he needed to be at the crossroads first. He knew they were coming that way. And he wanted to be there at least three hours in advance. Forrest knew that the federal cavalry would move out ahead of the infantry. And he said this, we can whip their cavalry in that time. And as soon as the fight opens, they will send back to have the infantry hurried up. It's going to be hot as hell, and coming on a run for five or six miles, their infantry will be so tired out that we will ride right over them. I want everything to move up as soon as possible. I will go ahead with the line and the escort and open the fight. Forrest hid many of his men among the scrub oaks and the dense foliage.

[John Weaver] He said this, the country is densely wooded and the undergrowth is so heavy that when we strike them, They will not know how few men we have. Now, let me hasten to point something out. Although Forrest had a total of 3,500 men, not all of them were with him. Others were behind and still coming, and yet Forrest says, I'm going to be there and I'm going to take these few men and I'm going to go ahead and open the fight. You see, fewness in number never hindered Forrest from striking his enemy. And sure enough, Forrest whipped the cavalry and those three out. The infantry then was hurried up just as Forrest predicted. In fact, he whipped the cavalry so quickly that there was momentarily a lull in the fighting, and his men got a few minutes rest. Finally, here comes the federal infantry, and Forrest begins shouting, Get up, men! Get up!

[John Weaver] I've ordered Bell to charge on the left. When you hear the guns and the bugle sounds, every man must charge, and we'll give them hell. And Forrest gave them exactly what he described. They began to retreat, and their retreat turned into a rout. Order gave way to confusion and panic. Forrest pushed them so hard and so quickly that they could not form any kind of defensive line.

[John Weaver] Men, Yankees, threw away their gear, their arms, and anything that would slow them down from escaping from the charging Confederates. Wagons were abandoned and a number of those wagons were purposely set on fire by the Yankees to deprive the Confederates of their contents. Forrest rode up and saw a number of his men sitting on their horses watching the wagons burn. Forrest shouted, don't you see the damn Yanks are burning my wagons? Get off your horses and put those wagons out. And what they did, they snatched the burning beds off that they had set on fire and most of the wagons were saved.

[John Weaver] One of General Sturgis' officers asked General Sturgis for the ammunition that was being discarded so that he and some of his men might try to save the day from complete disaster. General Sturgis replied, listen, he said, for God's sake, if Mr. Forrest will leave me alone, I will let him alone. You've done all that you could and more than was expected of you. Now all you can do is save yourselves." But Forrest had no intention of letting Sturgis and his men alone.

[John Weaver] He pushed them with all speed and power. One of Forrest's troopers came upon a discouraged and dejected Union soldier. And when the Union soldier saw the Confederate He looked at the Confederate soldier and said, Old Forrest gave us hell today. Yes, he said, and we were fooled about Old Forrest's strength. He certainly had 50,000 men in that fight. The woods were full of them. They were everywhere. The Confederate soldier then informed the Union trooper that he was now a prisoner of one of Old Bedford's men. What did they, 50,000?

[John Weaver] And he didn't have more than 3,500 total. And what did Forrest say? They'll never know how few we are if we strike them hard. General Sturgis himself described the route as a hell of a stampede in which every man would have to take care of himself. The commander of the rear guard of the Federal Army wrote this. He said, the day was very hot. The soldiers had eaten nothing since the morning of the 10th. They were without rations, many had thrown away or destroyed their arms, and all the infantry near the rear had reduced their clothing as much as possible, hoping to keep in advance of the rear guard. But the general in command, that's Sturgis, but the general in command was leading the retreat so rapidly that I was obliged to leave hundreds every mile. Who could keep up with ordinary marching? But we're unable to keep up with marching as fast as we were.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you. How fast were the Yankees retreating? Well, let me offer this for your consideration. It had taken a week for the Yankees to march from Colliersville to Bryce's Crossroads. But the return march of 90 miles was made without rest and without food after a day in battle and two nights in a day. So what had taken them a week to get there, they got back in two nights and a day, moreover, When the Yanks did get back and made it to White Station on the morning of the 13th, many of them did so with deadbeat horses.

[John Weaver] Now listen, and men so stiffened as to require assistance to enable them to walk, and some of them to foot store, to stand upon their feet, crawled upon their hands and knees to the railroad cars. Wow. General Sturgis reported the loss of 2,240 men, of whom 223 were killed, 394 wounded, and 1,623 missing. All of his artillery was lost, and more than 200 fine six-horse wagons. General Sturgis is the man who boasted that he would bring back Forrest's head or his hair, and he did not even get a single strand of that hair, much less his head. Old Bedford reported In this battle, 96 killed, 396 wounded. However, Forrest lost nothing in the fight, but he did capture 60 Yankee officers, 1,558 enlisted men, 16 pieces of artillery, 1,500 stands of small arms, 1,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, and 300,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, 176 wagons, mostly six horse, with a vast supply of harness, quartermaster, medical, and other equipment and supplies.

[John Weaver] Now I hope you're beginning to understand why General Sherman wrote the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and said this. I know that I would have been willing to attempt the same task with that force of 8,000 men, but Forrest is the very devil. And I think he has some of our troops under power. I have two officers at Memphis that will fight all the time, A.J. Smith and Maurer. I will order them to make up a force to go out and follow Forrest to the death. If it costs 10,000 lives and breaks the treasury, there will never be peace in Tennessee until Forrest is dead.

[John Weaver] Old Bedford was a fighter. Now, let me make some applications and I want to first emphasize a biblical principle that we should learn. It's found in Ecclesiastes 9, verse 11. Let me just read it. Solomon said, I returned and so into the sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong forest with fewer men consistently whipped and destroyed much stronger and more numerous and better equipped truths. See, we have to remember, like David in first Samuel 17, verse 47, where David said the battle is the Lord's. And Deuteronomy 20 in verse one, God says this, when thou goest out to battle against thine enemies and seeest horses and chariots and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them, for the Lord thy God is with thee who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. God said, don't be afraid of a large host. Doesn't matter. David said it like this in Psalm 3 and verse 6, I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have beset themselves against me round about.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you something. There is no doubt that old Bedford could have accomplished that which he did without the grace and the power and mercy of God. However. What we are lacking today. Is Forrest's philosophy of fighting? You see, Forrest did not intend simply to win a battle. He intended to defeat his enemies. There's a big difference. Forrest was like David. He intended to conquer.

[John Weaver] I want you to listen to Psalm 18, verses 37 through 42. Listen carefully. Here is David's philosophy of war. This was Forrest's philosophy of war. David said in Psalm 18, verse 37, I pursued my enemies and overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed. I've wounded them that they were not able to rise. They're falling under my feet. That was girded me with strength into the battle that was subdued under me, those that rose up against me. That was also given me the necks of my enemies that I might destroy them that hate me.

[John Weaver] They cried, but there was none to save them, even to the Lord. But he answered them not. Listen to what he said. Then did I beat them small as a dust before the wind. I did cast them out as dirt in the streets. What did David say? I pursued my enemies. I've overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed. It's not just a battle that we need to win. We need to understand that God's enemies need to be destroyed. We can't stop just because we win a battle. Surely we can be thankful, but the war is not over just because the battle has been won. Now, listen to this. We will never be what we were in this nation until we produce a generation of men.

[John Weaver] Even the Philistines, as wicked as they were, they said, We're not going to be servants to the Hebrews as they were to us. Quit being like men and fight! Do you understand, folks? We need men today that will quit themselves like men. We need men of character and courage and Christian principles. We need men that are unafraid of prison, that are unafraid of death, that are unafraid of defeat. We need men that will face tyranny and never back down. We need men that will fight like forest in the face of overwhelming odds and never, ever consider quitting. We need men who will never give up. We need men who will learn to chase their enemies like old Bedford until those enemies cannot run any further. That's what David said. David said, neither did I turn again until they were consumed. What can we learn? We can learn all kind of biblical principles. And you have to remember Psalm 44, Psalm 144, verse one, where David said, Blessed be the Lord, my God. That teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.

[John Weaver] We need to learn to fight, not just physically, but spiritually, mentally, emotionally. in every area of our lives and never give in and never give up. If God would be pleased to give us some men like John the Baptist of old and old Bedford of more recent times, you'd see some changes. You'd see some changes because these men would never quit. May God Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.

[John Weaver] We thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your grace. Lord, we thank You for the principles. We thank You for men like Forrest. And we pray, Father, that You would indeed help us to learn and mold our lives from those things that are biblical and not mold them from those things that are unbiblical. Give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee and worship Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

Ole Bedford Forrest

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	92914951108
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election
Genre	Sermon
Date	2014-07-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 081: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	69

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message on 'Old Bedford' and reads 1 Samuel 4:9, calling for strength and fighting like men.

I want to bring a message today which I've just entitled Old Bedford and show you some biblical principles from Old Bedford's life. So I want you to open your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9. And you may be wondering why I'm going to be reading this verse, but I think you will discover the answer just shortly. 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9. The title of the message is just Old Bedford. And if you remember a couple of years ago, I did bring another message on General Nathan Bedford Forrest. This one is totally different, but I want you to note 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9.

Forrest's Character and Lack of Formal Education

Forrest is described as a genuine, courageous man who learned from experience rather than formal schooling, yet outthought West Point graduates.

The Bible says, Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants unto the Hebrews as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight. General Nathan Bedford Forrest was better known as Old Bedford. He was probably one of the most colorful, courageous, talented, and unique men that ever lived. In reality, Old Bedford was everything that Hollywood actors wanted to be. The difference was simply this. Old Bedford was real and genuine, and they were fakes. He was a fighter. They were pretenders. Forrest had down-to-earth common sense, and they just merely had lines memorized. Forrest drew from his bountiful experiences, from which he had learned greatly, and great principles and great lessons they only drew from scripts. Old Bedford was a genuine article. He was a man's man, yet he was tender and gracious and kind, and especially toward women. Now listen carefully. His great temper, which he only got control of after he was converted. But his great temper and indignation was usually unleashed in battle or against those who were incompetent, lazy or cowards.

And he had no use for any of those individuals. Before I finish this message today, I want to just pose something to you. Can you imagine what Washington, D.C. would be like if we had four or five old Bedfords up there today? Can you imagine what Atlanta, Georgia would be like or any state capital? Because you're going to find Forrest was one of those individuals who was a fighter and he never gave in and he never gave up. Forrest has often been betrayed as a backwoods bumpkin, so to speak. And it's true that he did not have any formal education. He even had tested a pencil. He said a pencil reminded him of a snake. His spelling was atrocious and he usually spelled words by their sounds, that is phonetically, and yet his reports were readable although the spelling was horrible. He had no formal education and yet he was educated. Because he was educated in the school of hard knocks, the school of experience, and the school of common sense. Such an education is usually far superior to one that is just merely from scholastic endeavors, especially even on the college level. Just stop and ask yourself this question. What good is a diploma if one does not know how to work, or how to apply the knowledge that he has, or how to respond to others?

Truthfully, I can tell you this. I have known a number of men that had earned PhDs behind their names, and they couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper bag. Just because someone has a diploma that has been signed by a university, that piece of paper does not mean that one is able to function in society or to hold a job. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., years ago, gave some sage advice. He said, never go possum hunting with a man who wishes to pursue opossums. Now, he surmised correctly that if a man didn't know about possum hunting, he knew nothing about possums at all, and you're just simply wasting your time pursuing opossums with such an individual. Forrest was a man who knew the difference between a possum and an opossum. He may have never gone to West Point, listen carefully, but he out thought those who did go to West Point. Forrest quipped to Captain Louis Hosea, who was a Union captain, in 1865, he said, I ain't no graduate of West Point and never rubbed my backside up against any college. Well, it's impossible to learn the lessons that Bedford learned in college.

Forrest's Military Genius and Tactics

Forrest's ability to assess battles and act swiftly earned him the nickname 'Wizard of the Saddle'; his tactics are still studied today.

Young Bedford was self-educated, using the wilderness and his life in the frontier as his classroom and as his teacher. He lived by his instincts and he lived by his wits. Violence was very common on the frontier. And Forrest had his share of it at a very early age. He had to learn to act and think and defend for himself. In fact, in those days, hunting and marksmanship, as well as horsemanship, were not sports. They were absolutely necessary, not only to support your family, but also to defend your life. So just simply because Old Bedford did not have a formal education does not mean that he was a country buckton.

or that he was ignorant or dull-witted. On the contrary, he learned to think things through, make decisions based upon facts, and then apply those decisions. Militarily, he was unsurpassed. And that's why he was given the nickname, the Wizard of the Saddle. His ability to see the battle, assess the strengths and the weaknesses of the enemy, and then quickly make use of those assessments was unparalleled. Forrest had a very unusual mind. He was capable of reasoning calmly and rapidly, no matter how perilous or dangerous a situation. Even in moments of extreme peril, he recognized and analyzed problems with the greatest of speed, which always aided him in the military arena. Nathan Bedford Forrest was a product of his time, and yet he was ahead of his times. I want you to understand that his tactics today are still being taught in military academies. Here are three men who studied Forrest.

There was the German General Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, also George Patton, as well as Norman Schwarzkopf. All of these men studied the tactics of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Now Forrest was not converted to Christianity until after the war was over. However, his mother was a Christian. His wife was a Christian. And he imbibed a lot of scriptural principles from his mother and his wife. They may not have been derived immediately from scripture, but yet they were scriptural principles. Boris spoke the truth, even though his language and his speech was not necessarily in full agreement with Colossians 4 and verse 6. In that passage, God says, let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to give an answer to every man. Now, I will tell you, and I'm absolutely honest, Forrest's speech was always seasoned, but it was not necessarily with grace or with salt. Forrest was a cusser. His speech was sound in the sense that he could not possibly be misunderstood. But those around Old Bedford, even pastors, said this, that even though his language may have been rough before his conversion, it was never vulgar or obscene. And the truth of the matter is Forrest would not put up with vulgarity from anyone.

Forrest's Thoughts on Fighting and Independence

Forrest was an independent thinker who spoke his mind without political correctness, and his actions revealed his heart's commitment to fighting.

I don't know if you've ever read anything about Nathan Bedford Forrest, but I've read a number of books. And the interesting thing is, I've often wondered what goes through the mind of a man like Nathan Bedford Forrest. What were his thoughts on certain subjects? What were his thoughts, for instance, on the subject of fighting? Well, while it's impossible to answer those questions in every particular, yet the truth of the matter is, Scripture does give us certain principles that we may go by. You remember that passage in Proverbs 23 and verse 7, where the Bible says, as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. In other words, simply stated, your conduct and your actions reveal the state of your heart. They reveal what you're thinking. That's why in Proverbs 4 and verse 23, the Scripture says, keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Do you remember that passage in Acts chapter 8 where Peter read the heart of Simon the sorcerer? You remember Simon the sorcerer went up to Peter and the other apostles and offered to give them money that he might buy the power of the Holy Ghost.

And Peter looked at Simon and said this, Thy money perish with thee, literally, your money go to hell with you, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter. Listen, for thine heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive, said Peter, that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. How did Peter know that Simon's heart was not right with God? The answer is, by what he said and what he did. So obviously, it is the conversation or the conduct and the actions that reveal the state of our hearts.

Now, Old Bedford was a unique individual in that he thought for himself. He was an independent thinker. He did not necessarily follow the ideas and the opinions of others. Neither did Forrest hold his tongue. He did not give into political correctness. He said what he thought, and he said what he believed, and he did not care who liked it or who did not like it. It was just simple. Let me give you a couple examples. Forrest once said that he believed, and he explained this, that a Tennessean in blue was an outrage, and he hoped that that blue world would burn good in hell. So what Forrest was saying was this, any man from Tennessee that will fight for old Lincoln's army ought to go to hell. He believed he was a turncoat and a traitor.

And the very fact that he was fighting for Abe Lincoln showed his lack of character and his untrustworthiness as well. One of my favorite stories is about Forrest after the war was over. He was attending a dinner in which he was the guest of honor. And his conversation was constantly being interrupted by a very talkative widow. And finally, she looked at General Forrest and asked him why his beard was still black while his hair was turning gray. With great politeness and yet straightforwardness, he explained to the talkative widow that he could not give a statutory explanation for that with this exception, that he might have used his brain a little more than he used his jaw. The widow, whose hair did not show a shred of gray, was evidently satisfied and became very quiet and silent for the rest of the meal. At the outbreak of the war, Forrest, of course, volunteered as a private until he decided to raise and to equip a unit at his own expense.

Forrest's Call to Arms and Early War Actions

Forrest's honest call for active fighters and his refusal to surrender at Fort Donelson demonstrate his determination and leadership.

He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel and issued his call to arms in June of 1861. Here was his initial call to arms. It said, I wish none but those who desire to be actively engaged. Come on boys, if you want a heap of fun and to kill some Yankees. I want you to note the absolute honesty of Old Bedford in his call to arms. First, he wanted only those who were going to be active. He planned on engaging the enemy. If they did not want to fight, he did not want them.

Secondly, he promised them excitement and a heap of fun. I can assure you, those who followed Forrest did not lack for a lack of excitement. Third, his goal was to kill some Yankees. Simply stated, he was going to protect his state and the South. If the Yankees came, if they invaded and they came to fight, he was going to make sure that they got that which they came for.

Now, Major John Pelham said it a little more politely, a little more nicely. He said it like this. Ours is a just war, a holy cause. The invader must be met or must meet the fate he deserves, and we must meet him as becomes us and becomes men. Now, Pelham said it a little more nicely, but he said the same thing. You invaded us, and we're going to kill you. We're going to fight. It's just that simple. Napoleon said this. In war, men are nothing, but a man is everything. One cannot study the life of old Bedford without realizing that he was a man.

His character, his courage, his consistency, and after his conversion, his Christianity were evident in many ways. I've got a message that I've preached in times past from John 1 and verse 6, where God said of John the Baptist, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. And I've often stopped and thought about that. When God looked at John the Baptist, he said there was a man. There was a man. You know, you can't help but ask, did God choose John because John was a man or did God choose to make him a man or maybe part of both? But you have to remember, John was a man.

When those Pharisees came to his baptism, what did he say? O generation of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. And what did John do? He reproved and rebuked King Herod to his face. He was a man in every sense of the word. And Forrest was just like him. And you can criticize old Forrest all you want. But the truth of the matter is this. You have to admit that he was a man. He fought like a man. He acted like a man.

He refused to give in. He refused to give up. Now, I read our text in 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9, and I believe that text is very revealing. It's impressive to understand that even the heathen appreciate manhood, freedom and fighting abilities. Look at it. Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants to the Hebrews as they've been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight. So here's the enemy. Here are the pagans. Here are the heathen.

And what do they say? We're not going to be a servant. We're not going to be a slave to the Hebrews like they have been to us. So what's the remedy? Quit yourselves like men and fight. And certainly that's exactly what Old Bedford did. He always fought. And we know what his thoughts were on fighting because of his actions. In early 1862, during the fighting of Fort Donaldson, Bedford outfought and whipped the regular army soldiers of Ulysses S. Grant. However, the inept generalship on the part of Confederate forces allowed Bedford's heroic actions to be wasted. The fort was eventually surrounded and the Confederates decided to surrender. When Forrest discovered, and he was a lieutenant colonel, when Forrest discovered that Generals Pillow and Floyd were planning on surrendering, Old Bedford reported to those generals, to hell with that! I didn't come here to surrender! And he did not. He told them that they did not have to surrender.

That he would find a way out. And he did find a way out. And four thousand of his men followed him. And the rest of them could have escaped as well without surrendering. So here all these men followed Forrest. Forrest, a few days later, got to Nashville, Tennessee, when the fall of Nashville was imminent. Forrest took command of the city. He evacuated a number of governmental officials and then took millions of dollars in heavy machinery used to make weapons and saved that machinery because the Confederacy could ill afford to lose those machines.

It was this type of action that made Bedford the great general that he was. He did not rely upon others. He did not even rely upon the Confederate government. You remember, initially, he equipped his men out of his own pocket. After that, he equipped his men from the weapons of defeated Yankees. The Forrest men were always some of the best equipped and best armed men in the Confederate Army.

Forrest's Philosophy of War and Relentless Pursuit

Forrest believed in boldness, never missing an opportunity to strike, and pursued enemies until they were destroyed, as seen in the capture of Colonel Strait.

Obviously, he was a man who knew exactly what to do. Some of you have heard this saying, but you don't know the background, you don't know the context of it. Forrest captured a Union soldier, an officer, and took his sword. A little bit later, when Forrest was examining that sword, and he saw that it was only sharp for the first couple of inches. He demanded a grindstone. When one of Forrest's militarily educated staff officers told General Forrest the reason that sword was only sharp for a couple of inches was it was for show. It was for decoration.

It was not for fighting. Forrest said, Damn such nonsense. War means fighting and fighting means killing. Turn the grindstone. He was not going to have a weapon that was useless. He was not going to have a weapon that was worthless, one that would not function. You know, that's like today, I've been in some of these Bass Pro shops and they have these fancy shotguns in the store and you go in and look at those shotguns and some of them are thirty, forty and fifty thousand dollars. And I often thought. If I had the money to have something like that, I wouldn't buy it. If I spent fifty thousand dollars for a shotgun, you think I would shoot it? No. I'd have it in a vault somewhere, I mean, you know. It'd be worthless. And Forrest said, I'm not going to have any weapon that's worthless. John Wythe, John Allen Wythe, who was Forrest's principal biographer, said this, Forrest knew that the excitement of a forward movement inspired even the timid with courage, while to stand in the open and receive a charge was a severe test even for the bravest of men.

Forrest understood the role of boldness and audacity in combat leadership. Here's what one confederate private wrote concerning Forrest. He said, mounted on his big sorrel horse, saber in hand, sleeves rolled up, his coat lying across the pommel of his saddle, looking the very god of war, Forrest exhorted his tired troopers, get up men, when you hear the bugle sounds, every man must charge and we'll give them hell. And that's exactly what Forrest would do. Stonewall Jackson said it like this. He said, Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy if possible. When you strike and overcome him, never give up the pursuit as long as your men have the strength to follow. For an army routed, if haughtily pursued, becomes panic-stricken and can then be destroyed by half its number. Stonewall said that. And Forrest may have never heard Stonewall say that, but Forrest took that maxim and became the master of that maxim. He would never give up. He would run his enemy into the ground.

He believed in courage and boldness and being aggressive. He believed that you should never miss an opportunity to strike the enemy. Here's what he said to his soldiers. Listen carefully. Whenever you meet the enemy, no matter how few there are of you or how many there are of them, show fight. If you run away, they will pursue you and probably catch you. If you show fight, they will think there are more of you and will not push you half as hard.

Now, Forrest practiced what he preached. The Lord was clearly with Forrest in all of his battles. You have to remember that Forrest was not saved at that particular time. But God was going to save him. Do you realize, as you study the Bible, you will find out that God oftentimes not only preserves the lives of those whom he has ordained to eternal life, but he will also preserve the life of individuals whom he's going to use for future service. I want you to listen to what God said to King Cyrus, who was a Persian. In Isaiah 45 verses 4 through 6, listen to what God says, For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by name, though thou hast not known me. I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord, there is none else, there is no God beside me. I have girded thee, though thou hast not known me, that they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none beside me.

I am the Lord, there is none else. It was Cyrus who let the children of Israel go. Isn't that amazing? He wrote the decree. God said, I've called you. I surnamed you, though you have not known me. Certainly, God was with Forrest, and the Lord protected him and preserved him. David said it like this in Psalm 41, verse 11. By this I know that thou favourest me, because my enemy doth not triumph over me. May I remind you that General Forrest had 29 horses shot out from under him, one with a cannonball.

He personally killed a minimum of 30 men in battle himself. His enemies did not triumph over him. I want you to listen to Leviticus 26, verses 7 and 8. Listen to this promise that God gave. He says, and you shall chase your enemies. And they shall fall before you by the sword, and five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. Forrest could certainly put his enemies to flight, and he often did so with a handful of men.

He literally ran them into the ground. Forrest was one of the first men to understand mobile warfare, which later became very prominent in the 20th century. His strategy was fast movement, even if it meant pushing his horses at a killing pace, which he did far more than once. I want to just give you two illustrations of his philosophy, and I want you to understand where we're lacking today. I want you to consider not only where we are as individuals, but look at our military. Look at our politicians. I want you to think about this.

Forrest's capture of Colonel Abel Strait is a good illustration of this point. Colonel Strait was a Hoosier from Indiana and Colonel Strait took 2,000 hand-picked men and he intended to destroy the railroads that ran from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia and to Knoxville, Tennessee. Colonel Strait was joined by General G.M. Dodge who brought 7,500 men. General Dodge had one mission and that was to hold Forrest and contain him while Colonel Strait tore up all the railroads. Well Forrest knew what was happening. So what Forrest did was this. He left most of his men to deal with General Dodge and he told them that they were to make Dodge believe that there's going to be a major assault and make him dig in.

And that's what they did. And then Forrest took a thousand men and went after Colonel Strait. He called up the Colonel Strait on April the 30th, 1863. His order was shoot at everything in blue and keep up the scare. Shoot at everything in blue and keep up the scare. Since Strait was already on top of Sand Mountain when the Confederates attacked, initially they were repulsed. But, Strait was scared and he took his men and turned to run. And he ran, and he ran, and Forrest and his men were right behind. Strait laid ambush after ambush, but none were really successful. None stopped Forrest. He finally attempted another battle with Forrest on Hog Mountain, but that battle was equally unsuccessful as well. Whenever Strait would burn a bridge, Forrest would find a way to cross the river, cross the creek. This is where he wrote the note and got the lock of Emma Samson's hair when old Strait burned one bridge and Forrest couldn't get across the river and finally this little girl came up and said, well, I saw some old cows ford down the road down here and said, you might can get

across there. Forrest said, where? She said, let me saddle my pony and I'll show you. He said, there's not time for that. And he pulled her up behind him and she rode and showed him where they crossed. And so he let her go. And he wrote her a note, by the way, got a lock of her hair as well. And he and his men crossed and still kept up the chase after Strait. Now, listen to this. In order to show you the stamina, the courage and the fortitude of Forrest and his men, it needs to be understood that they had ridden 44 out of 48 hours in order to catch and confront Strait and had fought the last 18 of those hours in and out of the saddle with almost cessation. Strait also had the advantage of fresh mounts, plenty of horses and mules, and whenever he was in advance, he always stole all the horses and mules that he could and the food just to deprive Forrest of fresh mounts and food as well.

But Forrest just simply pressed on. If a horse died or if a soldier faltered, Forrest did not slow down. He was just out a soldier and short a horse. That was all there was to it. He pressed Colonel Strait so heavily that Strait wrote this. He said he needed to march all night, but the command was in no condition to do so. I only halted at Gadsden sufficiently long to destroy a quantity of arms and stores found there and proceeded.

Many of our animals and men were entirely worn out and unable to keep up and were captured. It now became evident to me that our only hope was in crossing the river at Rome and destroying the bridge, which would delay Forrest a day or two and allow my command a little time to sleep, without which it would be impossible to proceed. Well, Forrest was already ahead of Strait because he knew that. And so he had already sent some men to arouse other men and control the bridge and keep Strait from crossing that bridge. He had him, and he knew he had him. Now, before I tell you really what happened, I want you to listen to what Forrest and his men accomplished. Listen carefully.

Starting from Cortland, Alabama, at 1 a.m. on the morning of April the 29th, he and his command marched 16 miles to Moulton, Alabama. From there, they marched 17 miles to Days Gap. They rode and fought all day of April the 30th, and through a great portion of the night, reaching Blountstown, 76 miles from their starting point, at 10 a.m. on the morning of May the 1st. The time consumed was 57 hours, and for 52 of those 57 hours, his troops were in the saddle. From Blountstown to Gadsden to Lawrence where Strait finally surrendered, they covered 31 more miles, making a total of 150 miles covered. You must also remember that the terrain was rough, mountainous, and in mud and in rain. General Braxton Bragg reported to the War Department May the 3rd, from Gadsden in Rome, after five days and nights of fighting and marching, General Forrest captured Colonel Strait in his whole command with 1,600 men with rifles, horses, etc., etc.

Now here's the exciting part. When Colonel Strait stopped at L'Arche to feed and rest most of his troops, fell asleep instantly by the time they hit the ground. When Forrest finally caught up with Colonel Strait, he advanced at once, making the most of his numerical weakness. Strait tried in vain to awaken his men. Some of them sat up half dazed not knowing where they were or what they were doing. Finally, Strait was able to arouse about half of his command. and he placed them in a prone position for better protection and for more accurate shooting. However, instead of shutting one eye and taking deadly aim at the Confederates, the Federal soldiers closed both eyes and went fast asleep. Colonel Strait in his report actually said this, nature was exhausted. A large portion of my best troops actually went to sleep while lying in a line of battle under a severe skirmish fire. So all the time the Confederates were shooting, the Yankees were sleeping. Well, General Forrest called upon Colonel Strait to surrender.

and Strait asked him what the conditions were. Forrest replied immediate surrender, your men to be treated as prisoners of war, the officers are to retain their side arms and personal property. Colonel Strait asked for time to consult with his officers and Forrest replied all right. But you will not require much time. I have a column of fresh troops at hand, now nearer Rome than you are. You cannot cross the river in your front, and I have men enough right here to run right over you. Well, all of that was a bluff. None of it was true. While Strait was talking to Forrest, Forrest had turned around and signaled Captain Pointer, who was responsible for Forrest's two pieces of artillery. He only had two pieces of artillery. Pointer knew what to do. He began to circle those pieces of artillery behind the hill. Forrest's back was to the artillery and Colonel Strait was facing it. Finally, Colonel Strait said, name of God.

How many guns do you have? That's fifteen, I've counted already. Forrest just turned his head slightly and said, well, I reckon that was all that was able to keep up with us. Forrest also shouted orders to Captain Pointer for the disposition of imaginary commands. Two of his officers caught the drift and moved their troops over and over to make it appear that Forrest had thousands at his disposal. Strait and his men agreed unanimously to surrender. Thus, Forrest, with around 500 men, captured Strait and his 1,600 men. Because some of Forrest's men had fallen by the wayside as well. They could not even keep up. And he had sent some ahead in case Strait did not surrender. You see, Forrest was a fighter. He refused to give up. He refused to give in. I suppose that many have stated that Forrest's greatest battle was known as the Battle of Bryce's Crossroads.

The Battle of Bryce's Crossroads

Forrest's greatest victory, where with 3,500 men he routed 8,000 Union troops, exemplifies his tactics of surprise, speed, and relentless pressure.

It was there that it happened, June the 10th through the 13th of 1864. Forrest, with 3,500 men, met and defeated General S.D. Sturgis with 8,000 men.

Forrest had predicted that June the 10th in Mississippi was going to be a scorcher. And he said he needed to be at the crossroads first. He knew they were coming that way. And he wanted to be there at least three hours in advance. Forrest knew that the federal cavalry would move out ahead of the infantry. And he said this, we can whip their cavalry in that time. And as soon as the fight opens, they will send back to have the infantry hurried up. It's going to be hot as hell, and coming on a run for five or six miles, their infantry will be so tired out that we will ride right over them. I want everything to move up as soon as possible. I will go ahead with the line and the escort and open the fight. Forrest hid many of his men among the scrub oaks and the dense foliage.

He said this, the country is densely wooded and the undergrowth is so heavy that when we strike them, they will not know how few men we have. Now, let me hasten to point something out. Although Forrest had a total of 3,500 men, not all of them were with him. Others were behind and still coming, and yet Forrest says, I'm going to be there and I'm going to take these few men and I'm going to go ahead and open the fight. You see, fewness in number never hindered Forrest from striking his enemy. And sure enough, Forrest whipped the cavalry and those three out. The infantry then was hurried up just as Forrest predicted. In fact, he whipped the cavalry so quickly that there was momentarily a lull in the fighting, and his men got a few minutes rest. Finally, here comes the federal infantry, and Forrest begins shouting, Get up, men! Get up!

I've ordered Bell to charge on the left. When you hear the guns and the bugle sounds, every man must charge, and we'll give them hell. And Forrest gave them exactly what he described. They began to retreat, and their retreat turned into a rout. Order gave way to confusion and panic. Forrest pushed them so hard and so quickly that they could not form any kind of defensive line. Men, Yankees, threw away their gear, their arms, and anything that would slow them down from escaping from the charging Confederates. Wagons were abandoned and a number of those wagons were purposely set on fire by the Yankees to deprive the Confederates of their contents. Forrest rode up and saw a number of his men sitting on their horses watching the wagons burn. Forrest shouted, don't you see the damn Yanks are burning my wagons? Get off your horses and put those wagons out. And what they did, they snatched the burning beds off that they had set on fire and most of the wagons were saved.

One of General Sturgis' officers asked General Sturgis for the ammunition that was being discarded so that he and some of his men might try to save the day from complete disaster. General Sturgis replied, listen, he said, for God's sake, if Mr. Forrest will leave me alone, I will let him alone. You've done all that you could and more than was expected of you. Now all you can do is save yourselves. But Forrest had no intention of letting Sturgis and his men alone. He pushed them with all speed and power. One of Forrest's troopers came upon a discouraged and dejected Union soldier. And when the Union soldier saw the Confederate, he looked at the Confederate soldier and said, Old Forrest gave us hell today. Yes, he said, and we were fooled about Old Forrest's strength. He certainly had 50,000 men in that fight. The woods were full of them. They were everywhere. The Confederate soldier then informed the Union trooper that he was now a prisoner of one of Old Bedford's men. What did they, 50,000?

And he didn't have more than 3,500 total. And what did Forrest say? They'll never know how few we are if we strike them hard. General Sturgis himself described the rout as a hell of a stampede in which every man would have to take care of himself. The commander of the rear guard of the Federal Army wrote this. He said, the day was very hot. The soldiers had eaten nothing since the morning of the 10th. They were without rations, many had thrown away or destroyed their arms, and all the infantry near the rear had reduced their clothing as much as possible, hoping to keep in advance of the rear guard. But the general in command, that's Sturgis, but the general in command was leading the retreat so rapidly that I was obliged to leave hundreds every mile. Who could keep up with ordinary marching? But we're unable to keep up with marching as fast as we were.

Now, let me ask you. How fast were the Yankees retreating? Well, let me offer this for your consideration. It had taken a week for the Yankees to march from Colliersville to Bryce's Crossroads. But the return march of 90 miles was made without rest and without food after a day in battle and two nights in a day. So what had taken them a week to get there, they got back in two nights and a day, moreover, when the Yanks did get back and made it to White Station on the morning of the 13th, many of them did so with deadbeat horses.

Now listen, and men so stiffened as to require assistance to enable them to walk, and some of them to foot sore, to stand upon their feet, crawled upon their hands and knees to the railroad cars. Wow. General Sturgis reported the loss of 2,240 men, of whom 223 were killed, 394 wounded, and 1,623 missing. All of his artillery was lost, and more than 200 fine six-horse wagons. General Sturgis is the man who boasted that he would bring back Forrest's head or his hair, and he did not even get a single strand of that hair, much less his head. Old Bedford reported in this battle, 96 killed, 396 wounded. However, Forrest lost nothing in the fight, but he did capture 60 Yankee officers, 1,558 enlisted men, 16 pieces of artillery, 1,500 stands of small arms, 1,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, and 300,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, 176 wagons, mostly six horse, with a vast supply of harness, quartermaster, medical, and other equipment and supplies.

Biblical Principles and Application

Weaver applies Forrest's fighting spirit to spiritual warfare, urging believers to pursue enemies without quitting, citing David's psalms and the need for courageous men.

Now I hope you're beginning to understand why General Sherman wrote the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and said this. I know that I would have been willing to attempt the same task with that force of 8,000 men, but Forrest is the very devil. And I think he has some of our troops under power. I have two officers at Memphis that will fight all the time, A.J. Smith and Maurer. I will order them to make up a force to go out and follow Forrest to the death. If it costs 10,000 lives and breaks the treasury, there will never be peace in Tennessee until Forrest is dead.

Old Bedford was a fighter. Now, let me make some applications and I want to first emphasize a biblical principle that we should learn. It's found in Ecclesiastes 9, verse 11. Let me just read it. Solomon said, I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. Forrest with fewer men consistently whipped and destroyed much stronger and more numerous and better equipped troops. See, we have to remember, like David in 1 Samuel 17, verse 47, where David said the battle is the Lord's. And Deuteronomy 20 in verse 1, God says this, when thou goest out to battle against thine enemies and seest horses and chariots and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them, for the Lord thy God is with thee who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. God said, don't be afraid of a large host. Doesn't matter. David said it like this in Psalm 3 and verse 6, I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have beset themselves against me round about.

Now, let me tell you something. There is no doubt that old Bedford could have accomplished that which he did without the grace and the power and mercy of God. However. What we are lacking today. Is Forrest's philosophy of fighting? You see, Forrest did not intend simply to win a battle. He intended to defeat his enemies. There's a big difference. Forrest was like David. He intended to conquer.

I want you to listen to Psalm 18, verses 37 through 42. Listen carefully. Here is David's philosophy of war. This was Forrest's philosophy of war. David said in Psalm 18, verse 37, I pursued my

Scripture Reading — Psalm 18:37-42

enemies and overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed. I've wounded them that they were not able to rise. They're falling under my feet. Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle. Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of my enemies that I might destroy them that hate me.

They cried, but there was none to save them, even to the Lord. But he answered them not. Listen to what he said. Then did I beat them small as a dust before the wind. I did cast them out as dirt in the streets. What did David say? I pursued my enemies. I've overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed. It's not just a battle that we need to win. We need to understand that God's enemies need to be destroyed. We can't stop just because we win a battle. Surely we can be thankful, but the war is not over just because the battle has been won. Now, listen to this. We will never be what we were in this nation until we produce a generation of men.

Even the Philistines, as wicked as they were, they said, We're not going to be servants to the Hebrews as they were to us. Quit yourselves like men and fight! Do you understand, folks? We need men today that will quit themselves like men. We need men of character and courage and Christian principles. We need men that are unafraid of prison, that are unafraid of death, that are unafraid of defeat. We need men that will face tyranny and never back down. We need men that will fight like Forrest in the face of overwhelming odds and never, ever consider quitting. We need men who will never give up. We need men who will learn to chase their enemies like old Bedford until those enemies cannot run any further. That's what David said. David said, neither did I turn again until they were consumed. What can we learn? We can learn all kind of biblical principles. And you have to remember Psalm 144, verse 1, where David said, Blessed be the Lord, my God, that teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.

We need to learn to fight, not just physically, but spiritually, mentally, emotionally, in every area of our lives and never give in and never give up. If God would be pleased to give us some men like John the Baptist of old and old Bedford of more recent times, you'd see some changes. You'd see some changes because these men would never quit. May God Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your grace. Lord, we thank You for the principles. We thank You for men like Forrest. And we pray, Father, that You would indeed help us to learn and mold our lives from those things that are biblical and not mold them from those things that are unbiblical. Give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee and worship Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Biblical Manhood and Courage

Summary: The sermon emphasizes the need for men who act with courage, character, and Christian principles, refusing to back down from any fight.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'We need men today that will quit themselves like men. We need men of character and courage and Christian principles.'

Relentless Pursuit of Enemies

Summary: Forrest's military strategy of never giving up and pursuing enemies until they are destroyed is presented as a biblical model for spiritual warfare.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Psalm 18:37-42 and says, 'It's not just a battle that we need to win. We need to understand that God's enemies need to be destroyed.'

God's Sovereignty in Battle

Summary: Despite Forrest not being saved during the war, God preserved and used him, illustrating that the battle belongs to the Lord regardless of numbers.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Samuel 17:47 and Deuteronomy 20:1, saying, 'the battle is the Lord's' and 'God said, don't be afraid of a large host.'

Value of Practical Wisdom over Formal Education

Summary: Forrest's lack of formal education is contrasted with his superior military mind, showing that experience and common sense can surpass academic credentials.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'He had no formal education and yet he was educated... in the school of hard knocks, the school of experience, and the school of common sense.'

Authenticity and Straightforwardness

Summary: Forrest is praised for being genuine, speaking his mind without political correctness, and not tolerating vulgarity, reflecting a life of integrity.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'He said what he thought, and he said what he believed, and he did not care who liked it or who did not like it.'

Key Arguments

Forrest's military success stemmed from his aggressive, relentless philosophy of war.

Summary: Forrest believed in striking first, never giving the enemy rest, and pursuing until complete destruction, which led to victories against larger forces.

Evidence: Weaver recounts Forrest's capture of Colonel Strait and the Battle of Bryce's Crossroads, where Forrest's tactics of speed and pressure caused Union routs.

Forrest's life exemplifies biblical principles of fighting and manhood.

Summary: Though not a Christian during the war, Forrest's actions aligned with scriptural commands to be strong, fight, and not fear overwhelming odds.

Evidence: Weaver connects Forrest's conduct to 1 Samuel 4:9, Psalm 18, and David's example, arguing that Forrest embodied these principles.

Modern society lacks men of Forrest's caliber, and this deficiency is a spiritual problem.

Summary: Weaver laments the absence of courageous, principled men in leadership and calls for a generation that will fight tyranny without quitting.

Evidence: He asks, 'Can you imagine what Washington, D.C. would be like if we had four or five old Bedfords up there today?' and urges men to 'quit yourselves like men.'

God's preservation of Forrest before his conversion shows divine purpose.

Summary: Weaver argues that God protected Forrest in battle because He intended to save him later, paralleling God's use of King Cyrus.

Evidence: He cites Isaiah 45:4-6 about Cyrus and says, 'God was with Forrest, and the Lord protected him and preserved him.'

Scripture References

1 Samuel 4:9

Context: Weaver reads this verse as the text for the sermon, emphasizing the call to be strong and fight like men, which he applies to Forrest's life.

Colossians 4:6

Context: Weaver notes that Forrest's speech was not always gracious or seasoned with salt, but it was never vulgar, contrasting with this verse.

Proverbs 23:7

Context: Weaver uses this verse to explain that Forrest's actions revealed his heart and thoughts, as a man thinks, so is he.

Proverbs 4:23

Context: Weaver cites this verse to stress that the heart determines the issues of life, connecting to Forrest's conduct.

Acts 8 (Simon the sorcerer)

Context: Weaver references Peter discerning Simon's heart by his words and actions, illustrating how conduct reveals the heart.

Isaiah 45:4-6

Context: Weaver quotes God's words to Cyrus, showing that God can use and preserve even those who do not know Him, as He did with Forrest.

Psalm 41:11

Context: Weaver cites David's words that God's favor is shown when enemies do not triumph, applying it to Forrest's survival in battle.

Leviticus 26:7-8

Context: Weaver quotes this promise of chasing enemies and putting them to flight, paralleling Forrest's military successes.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

Context: Weaver reads this verse to emphasize that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, as Forrest often won against superior forces.

1 Samuel 17:47

Context: Weaver quotes David's declaration that the battle is the Lord's, applying it to Forrest's victories.

Deuteronomy 20:1

Context: Weaver cites God's command not to fear a larger enemy, for the Lord is with His people, as seen in Forrest's battles.

Psalm 3:6

Context: Weaver quotes David's refusal to fear ten thousands of enemies, linking it to Forrest's courage.

Psalm 18:37-42

Context: Weaver reads David's description of pursuing and destroying enemies, stating this was Forrest's philosophy of war.

Psalm 144:1

Context: Weaver quotes David's blessing of God who teaches hands to war and fingers to fight, applying it to spiritual warfare.

John 1:6

Context: Weaver references God's description of John the Baptist as 'a man sent from God,' comparing John's manhood to Forrest's.

Historical References

General Nathan Bedford Forrest

Context: The central figure of the sermon, a Confederate general known for his cavalry tactics, courage, and post-war conversion to Christianity.

Fort Donelson (1862)

Context: Forrest refused to surrender when Confederate generals planned to, escaping with 4,000 men and later saving machinery in Nashville.

Colonel Abel Strait's capture (1863)

Context: Forrest pursued Strait's 2,000 men with 1,000 of his own, covering 150 miles in harsh conditions, and bluffed Strait into surrendering.

Battle of Bryce's Crossroads (1864)

Context: Forrest's greatest victory, where 3,500 Confederates routed 8,000 Union troops under General Sturgis, capturing vast supplies.

General William T. Sherman

Context: Sherman wrote to Secretary of War Stanton that Forrest was 'the very devil' and must be pursued to the death for peace in Tennessee.

General Erwin Rommel, George Patton, Norman Schwarzkopf

Context: Weaver notes that these 20th-century military leaders studied Forrest's tactics, showing his lasting influence.

Dr. Bob Jones Sr.

Context: Weaver quotes Jones' advice about not going possum hunting with someone who doesn't know the difference, illustrating practical wisdom.

Major John Pelham

Context: Pelham's more polite call to arms is contrasted with Forrest's bluntness, both conveying the same resolve to fight invaders.

Stonewall Jackson

Context: Jackson's maxim about mystifying, misleading, and pursuing the enemy is cited as a principle Forrest mastered.

King Cyrus of Persia

Context: Weaver uses Cyrus as a biblical example of God preserving and using an unbeliever for His purposes, paralleling Forrest.

Important Quotes

Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants unto the Hebrews as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight.

Significance: This is the key verse Weaver uses to frame the entire sermon, calling for manly courage and fighting spirit, which he sees exemplified in Forrest.

I ain't no graduate of West Point and never rubbed my backside up against any college.

Significance: Forrest's own words highlighting his lack of formal education, which Weaver uses to argue that practical wisdom can surpass academic training.

War means fighting and fighting means killing. Turn the grindstone.

Significance: Forrest's blunt philosophy of war, emphasizing that weapons must be functional and that war is about decisive action, not show.

Whenever you meet the enemy, no matter how few there are of you or how many there are of them, show fight.

Significance: Forrest's tactical advice to his soldiers, reflecting his belief in boldness and aggression regardless of odds, which Weaver applies to spiritual battles.

I pursued my enemies and overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed.

Significance: Weaver quotes David's words from Psalm 18 as the biblical parallel to Forrest's relentless pursuit, making it the central application for believers.

Get up men, when you hear the bugle sounds, every man must charge and we'll give them hell.

Significance: A Confederate private's recollection of Forrest's exhortation, illustrating his aggressive leadership style.

I wish none but those who desire to be actively engaged. Come on boys, if you want a heap of fun and to kill some Yankees.

Significance: Forrest's initial call to arms, showing his honesty and directness about the nature of war, which Weaver admires.

Discussion Questions

How does Forrest's philosophy of 'showing fight' regardless of odds apply to spiritual warfare in the life of a believer?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that Forrest never hesitated to engage the enemy even when outnumbered, and he urges Christians to adopt the same mindset.

In what ways can the church today cultivate men of character and courage like Forrest, without endorsing his pre-conversion flaws?

Context: Weaver calls for a generation of men who will 'quit themselves like men' and face tyranny without backing down.

What does it mean to pursue our spiritual enemies until they are 'consumed,' and how do we balance this with New Testament teachings on love and forgiveness?

Context: Weaver uses Psalm 18 to argue that believers should not stop at winning a battle but should seek the complete defeat of evil.

How can we discern when boldness and straightforward speech, like Forrest's, crosses the line from being principled to being ungracious?

Context: Weaver notes that Forrest's speech was not always seasoned with grace, yet he was never vulgar, raising questions about Christian communication.

What lessons can we learn from Forrest's ability to think independently and resist political correctness in our current cultural context?

Context: Weaver praises Forrest for saying what he believed without caring who liked it, and he critiques modern political correctness.

Applications

Fight spiritual battles with relentless persistence

Summary: Believers should adopt Forrest's mindset of never giving up in spiritual warfare, pursuing sin and evil until they are completely defeated.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We need to learn to fight, not just physically, but spiritually, mentally, emotionally, in every area of our lives and never give in and never give up.'

Cultivate courageous manhood rooted in Christian principles

Summary: Men are called to be strong, courageous, and principled, facing tyranny and overwhelming odds without fear of prison, death, or defeat.

Evidence: Weaver exhorts, 'We need men that are unafraid of prison, that are unafraid of death, that are unafraid of defeat.'

Trust God's sovereignty in overwhelming circumstances

Summary: Like Forrest, believers should not fear larger or better-equipped enemies, remembering that the battle belongs to the Lord.

Evidence: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 20:1 and says, 'God said, don't be afraid of a large host. Doesn't matter.'

Value practical wisdom and experience alongside formal education

Summary: Forrest's life shows that common sense and hard-won experience can be more valuable than academic credentials alone.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Such an education is usually far superior to one that is just merely from scholastic endeavors.'

Speak truth boldly without fear of man

Summary: Forrest's example of saying what he believed without political correctness challenges believers to be straightforward and honest in their speech.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'He said what he thought, and he said what he believed, and he did not care who liked it or who did not like it.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:16:18Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T23:54:37Z

Clean Transcript

Ole Bedford Forrest

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want to bring a message today which I've just entitled Old Bedford and show you some biblical principles from Old Bedford's life. So I want you to open your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9. And you may be wondering why I'm going to be reading this verse, but I think you will discover the answer just shortly. 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9. The title of the message is just Old Bedford. And if you remember a couple of years ago, I did bring another message on General Nathan Bedford Forrest. This one is totally different, but I want you to note 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9.
#1 | 0:00 to 0:44 | cleaned
The Bible says, Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants unto the Hebrews as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight. General Nathan Bedford Forrest was better known as Old Bedford. He was probably one of the most colorful, courageous, talented, and unique men that ever lived. In reality, Old Bedford was everything that Hollywood actors wanted to be.
#2 | 0:44 to 1:18 | cleaned
The difference was simply this. Old Bedford was real and genuine, and they were fakes. He was a fighter. They were pretenders. Forrest had down-to-earth common sense, and they just merely had lines memorized. Forrest drew from his bountiful experiences, from which he had learned greatly, and great principles and great lessons they only drew from scripts. Old Bedford was a genuine article. He was a man's man, yet he was tender and gracious and kind, and especially toward women. Now listen carefully. His great temper, which he only got control of after he was converted. But his great temper and indignation was usually unleashed in battle or against those who were incompetent, lazy or cowards.
#3 | 1:18 to 2:12 | cleaned
And he had no use for any of those individuals. Before I finish this message today, I want to just pose something to you. Can you imagine what Washington, D.C. would be like if we had four or five old Bedfords up there today? Can you imagine what Atlanta, Georgia would be like or any state capital? Because you're going to find Forrest was one of those individuals who was a fighter and he never gave in and he never gave up. Forrest has often been betrayed as a backwoods bumpkin, so to speak.
#4 | 2:12 to 2:51 | cleaned
And it's true that he did not have any formal education. He even had tested a pencil. He said a pencil reminded him of a snake. His spelling was atrocious and he usually spelled words by their sounds, that is phonetically, and yet his reports were readable although the spelling was horrible. He had no formal education and yet he was educated. Because he was educated in the school of hard knocks, the school of experience, and the school of common sense. Such an education is usually far superior to one that is just merely from scholastic endeavors, especially even on the college level. Just stop and ask yourself this question. What good is a diploma if one does not know how to work, or how to apply the knowledge that he has, or how to respond to others?
#5 | 2:51 to 3:46 | cleaned
Truthfully, I can tell you this. I have known a number of men that had earned PhDs behind their names, and they couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper bag. Just because someone has a diploma that has been signed by a university, that piece of paper does not mean that one is able to function in society or to hold a job. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., years ago, gave some sage advice.
#6 | 3:47 to 4:17 | cleaned
He said, never go possum hunting with a man who wishes to pursue opossums. Now, he surmised correctly that if a man didn't know about possum hunting, he knew nothing about possums at all, and you're just simply wasting your time pursuing opossums with such an individual. Forrest was a man who knew the difference between a possum and an opossum. He may have never gone to West Point, listen carefully, but he out thought those who did go to West Point. Forrest quipped to Captain Louis Hosea, who was a Union captain, in 1865, he said, I ain't no graduate of West Point and never rubbed my backside up against any college. Well, it's impossible to learn the lessons that Bedford learned in college.
#7 | 4:17 to 5:13 | cleaned
Young Bedford was self-educated, using the wilderness and his life in the frontier as his classroom and as his teacher. He lived by his instincts and he lived by his wits. Violence was very common on the frontier. And Forrest had his share of it at a very early age. He had to learn to act and think and defend for himself. In fact, in those days, hunting and marksmanship, as well as horsemanship, were not sports. They were absolutely necessary, not only to support your family, but also to defend your life. So just simply because Old Bedford did not have a formal education does not mean that he was a country buckton.
#8 | 5:15 to 5:59 | cleaned
or that he was ignorant or dull-witted. On the contrary, he learned to think things through, make decisions based upon facts, and then apply those decisions. Militarily, he was unsurpassed. And that's why he was given the nickname, the Wizard of the Saddle. His ability to see the battle, assess the strengths and the weaknesses of the enemy, and then quickly make use of those assessments was unparalleled. Forrest had a very unusual mind.
#9 | 5:59 to 6:34 | cleaned
He was capable of reasoning calmly and rapidly, no matter how perilous or dangerous a situation. Even in moments of extreme peril, he recognized and analyzed problems with the greatest of speed, which always aided him in the military arena. Nathan Bedford Forrest was a product of his time, and yet he was ahead of his times. I want you to understand that his tactics today are still being taught in military academies. Here are three men who studied Forrest.
#10 | 6:35 to 7:12 | cleaned
There was the German General Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, also George Patton, as well as Norman Schwarzkopf. All of these men studied the tactics of Nathan Bedford Forrest.
#11 | 7:14 to 7:27 | cleaned
Now Forrest was not converted to Christianity until after the war was over. However, his mother was a Christian. His wife was a Christian. And he imbibed a lot of scriptural principles from his mother and his wife. They may not have been derived immediately from scripture, but yet they were scriptural principles. Boris spoke the truth, even though his language and his speech was not necessarily in full agreement with Colossians 4 and verse 6. In that passage, God says, let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to give an answer to every man. Now, I will tell you, and I'm absolutely honest, Forrest's speech was always seasoned, but it was not necessarily with grace or with salt. Forrest was a cusser. His speech was sound in the sense that he could not possibly be misunderstood. But those around Old Bedford, even pastors, said this, that even though his language may have been rough before his conversion, it was never vulgar or obscene. And the truth of the matter is Forrest would not put up with vulgarity from anyone.
#12 | 7:28 to 8:55 | cleaned
I don't know if you've ever read anything about Nathan Bedford Forrest, but I've read a number of books. And the interesting thing is, I've often wondered what goes through the mind of a man like Nathan Bedford Forrest. What were his thoughts on certain subjects? What were his thoughts, for instance, on the subject of fighting? Well, while it's impossible to answer those questions in every particular, yet the truth of the matter is, Scripture does give us certain principles that we may go by. You remember that passage in Proverbs 23 and verse 7, where the Bible says, as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. In other words, simply stated, your conduct and your actions reveal the state of your heart. They reveal what you're thinking. That's why in Proverbs 4 and verse 23, the Scripture says, keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Do you remember that passage in Acts chapter 8 where Peter read the heart of Simon the sorcerer? You remember Simon the sorcerer went up to Peter and the other apostles and offered to give them money that he might buy the power of the Holy Ghost.
#13 | 8:57 to 10:06 | cleaned
And Peter looked at Simon and said this, Thy money perish with thee, literally, your money go to hell with you, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter. Listen, for thine heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive, said Peter, that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. How did Peter know that Simon's heart was not right with God?
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The answer is, by what he said and what he did. So obviously, it is the conversation or the conduct and the actions that reveal the state of our hearts.
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Now, Old Bedford was a unique individual in that he thought for himself. He was an independent thinker. He did not necessarily follow the ideas and the opinions of others. Neither did Forrest hold his tongue. He did not give into political correctness. He said what he thought, and he said what he believed, and he did not care who liked it or who did not like it. It was just simple. Let me give you a couple examples. Forrest once said that he believed, and he explained this, that a Tennessean in blue was an outrage, and he hoped that that blue world would burn good in hell. So what Forrest was saying was this, any man from Tennessee that will fight for old Lincoln's army ought to go to hell. He believed he was a turncoat and a traitor.
#16 | 10:54 to 11:54 | cleaned
And the very fact that he was fighting for Abe Lincoln showed his lack of character and his untrustworthiness as well. One of my favorite stories is about Forrest after the war was over. He was attending a dinner in which he was the guest of honor. And his conversation was constantly being interrupted by a very talkative widow. And finally, she looked at General Forrest and asked him why his beard was still black while his hair was turning gray. With great politeness and yet straightforwardness, he explained to the talkative widow that he could not give a statutory explanation for that with this exception, that he might have used his brain a little more than he used his jaw. The widow, whose hair did not show a shred of gray, was evidently satisfied and became very quiet and silent for the rest of the meal. At the outbreak of the war, Forrest, of course, volunteered as a private until he decided to raise and to equip a unit at his own expense.
#17 | 11:55 to 13:15 | cleaned
He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel and issued his call to arms in June of 1861. Here was his initial call to arms. It said, I wish none but those who desire to be actively engaged. Come on boys, if you want a heap of fun and to kill some Yankees. I want you to note the absolute honesty of Old Bedford in his call to arms. First, he wanted only those who were going to be active.
#18 | 13:16 to 13:48 | cleaned
He planned on engaging the enemy. If they did not want to fight, he did not want them.
#19 | 13:49 to 13:54 | cleaned
Secondly, he promised them excitement and a heap of fun. I can assure you, those who followed Forrest did not lack for a lack of excitement.
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Third, his goal was to kill some Yankees. Simply stated, he was going to protect his state and the South. If the Yankees came, if they invaded and they came to fight, he was going to make sure that they got that which they came for.
#21 | 14:08 to 14:23 | cleaned
Now, Major John Pelham said it a little more politely, a little more nicely. He said it like this. Ours is a just war, a holy cause. The invader must be met or must meet the fate he deserves, and we must meet him as becomes us and becomes men. Now, Pelham said it a little more nicely, but he said the same thing. You invaded us, and we're going to kill you. We're going to fight. It's just that simple. Napoleon said this. In war, men are nothing, but a man is everything. One cannot study the life of old Bedford without realizing that he was a man.
#22 | 14:24 to 15:10 | cleaned
His character, his courage, his consistency, and after his conversion, his Christianity were evident in many ways. I've got a message that I've preached in times past from John 1 and verse 6, where God said of John the Baptist, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. And I've often stopped and thought about that. When God looked at John the Baptist, he said there was a man. There was a man. You know, you can't help but ask, did God choose John because John was a man or did God choose to make him a man or maybe part of both? But you have to remember, John was a man.
#23 | 15:11 to 15:51 | cleaned
When those Pharisees came to his baptism, what did he say? O generation of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. And what did John do? He reproved and rebuked King Herod to his face. He was a man in every sense of the word. And Forrest was just like him. And you can criticize old Forrest all you want. But the truth of the matter is this. You have to admit that he was a man. He fought like a man. He acted like a man.
#24 | 15:52 to 16:20 | cleaned
He refused to give in. He refused to give up.
#25 | 16:20 to 16:22 | cleaned
Now, I read our text in 1 Samuel chapter 4 and verse 9, and I believe that text is very revealing. It's impressive to understand that even the heathen appreciate manhood, freedom and fighting abilities. Look at it. Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants to the Hebrews as they've been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight. So here's the enemy. Here are the pagans. Here are the heathen.
#26 | 16:23 to 16:57 | cleaned
And what do they say? We're not going to be a servant. We're not going to be a slave to the Hebrews like they have been to us. So what's the remedy? Quit yourselves like men and fight. And certainly that's exactly what Old Bedford did. He always fought. And we know what his thoughts were on fighting because of his actions. In early 1862, during the fighting of Fort Donaldson, Bedford outfought and whipped the regular army soldiers of Ulysses S. Grant. However, the inept generalship on the part of Confederate forces allowed Bedford's heroic actions to be wasted. The fort was eventually surrounded and the Confederates decided to surrender. When Forrest discovered, and he was a lieutenant colonel, when Forrest discovered that Generals Pillow and Floyd were planning on surrendering, Old Bedford reported to those generals, to hell with that! I didn't come here to surrender! And he did not. He told them that they did not have to surrender.
#27 | 16:58 to 18:18 | cleaned
That he would find a way out. And he did find a way out. And four thousand of his men followed him. And the rest of them could have escaped as well without surrendering. So here all these men followed Forrest. Forrest, a few days later, got to Nashville, Tennessee, when the fall of Nashville was imminent. Forrest took command of the city. He evacuated a number of governmental officials and then took millions of dollars in heavy machinery used to make weapons and saved that machinery because the Confederacy could ill afford to lose those machines.
#28 | 18:18 to 18:58 | cleaned
It was this type of action that made Bedford the great general that he was. He did not rely upon others. He did not even rely upon the Confederate government. You remember, initially, he equipped his men out of his own pocket. After that, he equipped his men from the weapons of defeated Yankees. The Forrest men were always some of the best equipped and best armed men in the Confederate Army.
#29 | 18:59 to 19:32 | cleaned
Obviously, he was a man who knew exactly what to do. Some of you have heard this saying, but you don't know the background, you don't know the context of it. Forrest captured a Union soldier, an officer, and took his sword. A little bit later, when Forrest was examining that sword, and he saw that it was only sharp for the first couple of inches. He demanded a grindstone. When one of Forrest's militarily educated staff officers told General Forrest the reason that sword was only sharp for a couple of inches was it was for show. It was for decoration.
#30 | 19:33 to 20:31 | cleaned
It was not for fighting. Forrest said, Damn such nonsense. War means fighting and fighting means killing. Turn the grindstone. He was not going to have a weapon that was useless. He was not going to have a weapon that was worthless, one that would not function. You know, that's like today, I've been in some of these Bass Pro shops and they have these fancy shotguns in the store and you go in and look at those shotguns and some of them are thirty, forty and fifty thousand dollars. And I often thought. If I had the money to have something like that, I wouldn't buy it. If I spent fifty thousand dollars for a shotgun, you think I would shoot it? No. I'd have it in a vault somewhere, I mean, you know. It'd be worthless. And Forrest said, I'm not going to have any weapon that's worthless. John Wythe, John Allen Wythe, who was Forrest's principal biographer, said this, Forrest knew that the excitement of a forward movement inspired even the timid with courage, while to stand in the open and receive a charge was a severe test even for the bravest of men.
#31 | 20:32 to 21:57 | cleaned
Forrest understood the role of boldness and audacity in combat leadership. Here's what one confederate private wrote concerning Forrest. He said, mounted on his big sorrel horse, saber in hand, sleeves rolled up, his coat lying across the pommel of his saddle, looking the very god of war, Forrest exhorted his tired troopers, get up men, when you hear the bugle sounds, every man must charge and we'll give them hell. And that's exactly what Forrest would do.
#32 | 21:58 to 22:28 | cleaned
Stonewall Jackson said it like this. He said, Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy if possible. When you strike and overcome him, never give up the pursuit as long as your men have the strength to follow. For an army routed, if haughtily pursued, becomes panic-stricken and can then be destroyed by half its number. Stonewall said that. And Forrest may have never heard Stonewall say that, but Forrest took that maxim and became the master of that maxim. He would never give up. He would run his enemy into the ground.
#33 | 22:29 to 23:15 | cleaned
He believed in courage and boldness and being aggressive. He believed that you should never miss an opportunity to strike the enemy. Here's what he said to his soldiers. Listen carefully. Whenever you meet the enemy, no matter how few there are of you or how many there are of them, show fight. If you run away, they will pursue you and probably catch you. If you show fight, they will think there are more of you and will not push you half as hard.
#34 | 23:15 to 23:43 | cleaned
Now, Forrest practiced what he preached. The Lord was clearly with Forrest in all of his battles. You have to remember that Forrest was not saved at that particular time. But God was going to save him. Do you realize, as you study the Bible, you will find out that God oftentimes not only preserves the lives of those whom he has ordained to eternal life, but he will also preserve the life of individuals whom he's going to use for future service. I want you to listen to what God said to King Cyrus, who was a Persian. In Isaiah 45 verses 4 through 6, listen to what God says, For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by name, though thou hast not known me. I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord, there is none else, there is no God beside me. I have girded thee, though thou hast not known me, that they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none beside me.
#35 | 23:44 to 24:45 | cleaned
I am the Lord, there is none else. It was Cyrus who let the children of Israel go. Isn't that amazing? He wrote the decree. God said, I've called you. I surnamed you, though you have not known me. Certainly, God was with Forrest, and the Lord protected him and preserved him. David said it like this in Psalm 41, verse 11. By this I know that thou favourest me, because my enemy doth not triumph over me. May I remind you that General Forrest had 29 horses shot out from under him, one with a cannonball.
#36 | 24:45 to 25:26 | cleaned
He personally killed a minimum of 30 men in battle himself. His enemies did not triumph over him. I want you to listen to Leviticus 26, verses 7 and 8. Listen to this promise that God gave. He says, and you shall chase your enemies. And they shall fall before you by the sword, and five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. Forrest could certainly put his enemies to flight, and he often did so with a handful of men.
#37 | 25:28 to 26:07 | cleaned
He literally ran them into the ground. Forrest was one of the first men to understand mobile warfare, which later became very prominent in the 20th century. His strategy was fast movement, even if it meant pushing his horses at a killing pace, which he did far more than once. I want to just give you two illustrations of his philosophy, and I want you to understand where we're lacking today. I want you to consider not only where we are as individuals, but look at our military. Look at our politicians. I want you to think about this.
#38 | 26:07 to 26:48 | cleaned
Forrest's capture of Colonel Abel Strait is a good illustration of this point. Colonel Strait was a Hoosier from Indiana and Colonel Strait took 2,000 hand-picked men and he intended to destroy the railroads that ran from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia and to Knoxville, Tennessee. Colonel Strait was joined by General G.M. Dodge who brought 7,500 men. General Dodge had one mission and that was to hold Forrest and contain him while Colonel Strait tore up all the railroads. Well Forrest knew what was happening. So what Forrest did was this. He left most of his men to deal with General Dodge and he told them that they were to make Dodge believe that there's going to be a major assault and make him dig in.
#39 | 26:50 to 27:55 | cleaned
And that's what they did. And then Forrest took a thousand men and went after Colonel Strait. He called up the Colonel Strait on April the 30th, 1863. His order was shoot at everything in blue and keep up the scare. Shoot at everything in blue and keep up the scare. Since Strait was already on top of Sand Mountain when the Confederates attacked, initially they were repulsed. But, Strait was scared and he took his men and turned to run. And he ran, and he ran, and Forrest and his men were right behind. Strait laid ambush after ambush, but none were really successful. None stopped Forrest. He finally attempted another battle with Forrest on Hog Mountain, but that battle was equally unsuccessful as well. Whenever Strait would burn a bridge, Forrest would find a way to cross the river, cross the creek. This is where he wrote the note and got the lock of Emma Samson's hair when old Strait burned one bridge and Forrest couldn't get across the river and finally this little girl came up and said, well, I saw some old cows ford down the road down here and said, you might can get
#40 | 27:56 to 29:19 | cleaned
across there. Forrest said, where? She said, let me saddle my pony and I'll show you. He said, there's not time for that. And he pulled her up behind him and she rode and showed him where they crossed. And so he let her go. And he wrote her a note, by the way, got a lock of her hair as well. And he and his men crossed and still kept up the chase after Strait. Now, listen to this. In order to show you the stamina, the courage and the fortitude of Forrest and his men, it needs to be understood that they had ridden 44 out of 48 hours in order to catch and confront Strait and had fought the last 18 of those hours in and out of the saddle with almost cessation. Strait also had the advantage of fresh mounts, plenty of horses and mules, and whenever he was in advance, he always stole all the horses and mules that he could and the food just to deprive Forrest of fresh mounts and food as well.
#41 | 29:19 to 30:22 | cleaned
But Forrest just simply pressed on. If a horse died or if a soldier faltered, Forrest did not slow down. He was just out a soldier and short a horse. That was all there was to it. He pressed Colonel Strait so heavily that Strait wrote this. He said he needed to march all night, but the command was in no condition to do so. I only halted at Gadsden sufficiently long to destroy a quantity of arms and stores found there and proceeded.
#42 | 30:22 to 30:55 | cleaned
Many of our animals and men were entirely worn out and unable to keep up and were captured. It now became evident to me that our only hope was in crossing the river at Rome and destroying the bridge, which would delay Forrest a day or two and allow my command a little time to sleep, without which it would be impossible to proceed. Well, Forrest was already ahead of Strait because he knew that. And so he had already sent some men to arouse other men and control the bridge and keep Strait from crossing that bridge. He had him, and he knew he had him. Now, before I tell you really what happened, I want you to listen to what Forrest and his men accomplished. Listen carefully.
#43 | 30:56 to 31:42 | cleaned
Starting from Cortland, Alabama, at 1 a.m. on the morning of April the 29th, he and his command marched 16 miles to Moulton, Alabama. From there, they marched 17 miles to Days Gap. They rode and fought all day of April the 30th, and through a great portion of the night, reaching Blountstown, 76 miles from their starting point, at 10 a.m. on the morning of May the 1st.
#44 | 31:43 to 32:10 | cleaned
The time consumed was 57 hours, and for 52 of those 57 hours, his troops were in the saddle. From Blountstown to Gadsden to Lawrence where Strait finally surrendered, they covered 31 more miles, making a total of 150 miles covered. You must also remember that the terrain was rough, mountainous, and in mud and in rain. General Braxton Bragg reported to the War Department May the 3rd, from Gadsden in Rome, after five days and nights of fighting and marching, General Forrest captured Colonel Strait in his whole command with 1,600 men with rifles, horses, etc., etc.
#45 | 32:10 to 32:57 | cleaned
Now here's the exciting part. When Colonel Strait stopped at L'Arche to feed and rest most of his troops, fell asleep instantly by the time they hit the ground. When Forrest finally caught up with Colonel Strait, he advanced at once, making the most of his numerical weakness. Strait tried in vain to awaken his men. Some of them sat up half dazed not knowing where they were or what they were doing. Finally, Strait was able to arouse about half of his command.
#46 | 32:58 to 33:39 | cleaned
and he placed them in a prone position for better protection and for more accurate shooting. However, instead of shutting one eye and taking deadly aim at the Confederates, the Federal soldiers closed both eyes and went fast asleep. Colonel Strait in his report actually said this, nature was exhausted. A large portion of my best troops actually went to sleep while lying in a line of battle under a severe skirmish fire. So all the time the Confederates were shooting, the Yankees were sleeping. Well, General Forrest called upon Colonel Strait to surrender.
#47 | 33:40 to 34:30 | cleaned
and Strait asked him what the conditions were. Forrest replied immediate surrender, your men to be treated as prisoners of war, the officers are to retain their side arms and personal property. Colonel Strait asked for time to consult with his officers and Forrest replied all right. But you will not require much time. I have a column of fresh troops at hand, now nearer Rome than you are. You cannot cross the river in your front, and I have men enough right here to run right over you.
#48 | 34:31 to 35:04 | cleaned
Well, all of that was a bluff. None of it was true. While Strait was talking to Forrest, Forrest had turned around and signaled Captain Pointer, who was responsible for Forrest's two pieces of artillery. He only had two pieces of artillery. Pointer knew what to do. He began to circle those pieces of artillery behind the hill. Forrest's back was to the artillery and Colonel Strait was facing it. Finally, Colonel Strait said, name of God.
#49 | 35:05 to 35:50 | cleaned
How many guns do you have? That's fifteen, I've counted already. Forrest just turned his head slightly and said, well, I reckon that was all that was able to keep up with us. Forrest also shouted orders to Captain Pointer for the disposition of imaginary commands. Two of his officers caught the drift and moved their troops over and over to make it appear that Forrest had thousands at his disposal.
#50 | 35:51 to 36:19 | cleaned
Strait and his men agreed unanimously to surrender. Thus, Forrest, with around 500 men, captured Strait and his 1,600 men. Because some of Forrest's men had fallen by the wayside as well. They could not even keep up. And he had sent some ahead in case Strait did not surrender. You see, Forrest was a fighter. He refused to give up. He refused to give in. I suppose that many have stated that Forrest's greatest battle was known as the Battle of Bryce's Crossroads.
#51 | 36:21 to 37:00 | cleaned
It was there that it happened, June the 10th through the 13th of 1864. Forrest, with 3,500 men, met and defeated General S.D. Sturgis with 8,000 men.
#52 | 37:01 to 37:08 | cleaned
Forrest had predicted that June the 10th in Mississippi was going to be a scorcher. And he said he needed to be at the crossroads first. He knew they were coming that way. And he wanted to be there at least three hours in advance. Forrest knew that the federal cavalry would move out ahead of the infantry. And he said this, we can whip their cavalry in that time. And as soon as the fight opens, they will send back to have the infantry hurried up. It's going to be hot as hell, and coming on a run for five or six miles, their infantry will be so tired out that we will ride right over them. I want everything to move up as soon as possible. I will go ahead with the line and the escort and open the fight. Forrest hid many of his men among the scrub oaks and the dense foliage.
#53 | 37:18 to 38:07 | cleaned
He said this, the country is densely wooded and the undergrowth is so heavy that when we strike them, they will not know how few men we have. Now, let me hasten to point something out. Although Forrest had a total of 3,500 men, not all of them were with him. Others were behind and still coming, and yet Forrest says, I'm going to be there and I'm going to take these few men and I'm going to go ahead and open the fight. You see, fewness in number never hindered Forrest from striking his enemy. And sure enough, Forrest whipped the cavalry and those three out. The infantry then was hurried up just as Forrest predicted. In fact, he whipped the cavalry so quickly that there was momentarily a lull in the fighting, and his men got a few minutes rest. Finally, here comes the federal infantry, and Forrest begins shouting, Get up, men! Get up!
#54 | 38:08 to 39:05 | cleaned
I've ordered Bell to charge on the left. When you hear the guns and the bugle sounds, every man must charge, and we'll give them hell. And Forrest gave them exactly what he described. They began to retreat, and their retreat turned into a rout. Order gave way to confusion and panic. Forrest pushed them so hard and so quickly that they could not form any kind of defensive line.
#55 | 39:05 to 39:34 | cleaned
Men, Yankees, threw away their gear, their arms, and anything that would slow them down from escaping from the charging Confederates. Wagons were abandoned and a number of those wagons were purposely set on fire by the Yankees to deprive the Confederates of their contents. Forrest rode up and saw a number of his men sitting on their horses watching the wagons burn. Forrest shouted, don't you see the damn Yanks are burning my wagons? Get off your horses and put those wagons out. And what they did, they snatched the burning beds off that they had set on fire and most of the wagons were saved.
#56 | 39:34 to 40:15 | cleaned
One of General Sturgis' officers asked General Sturgis for the ammunition that was being discarded so that he and some of his men might try to save the day from complete disaster. General Sturgis replied, listen, he said, for God's sake, if Mr. Forrest will leave me alone, I will let him alone. You've done all that you could and more than was expected of you. Now all you can do is save yourselves. But Forrest had no intention of letting Sturgis and his men alone.
#57 | 40:16 to 40:50 | cleaned
He pushed them with all speed and power. One of Forrest's troopers came upon a discouraged and dejected Union soldier. And when the Union soldier saw the Confederate, he looked at the Confederate soldier and said, Old Forrest gave us hell today. Yes, he said, and we were fooled about Old Forrest's strength. He certainly had 50,000 men in that fight. The woods were full of them. They were everywhere. The Confederate soldier then informed the Union trooper that he was now a prisoner of one of Old Bedford's men. What did they, 50,000?
#58 | 40:50 to 41:33 | cleaned
And he didn't have more than 3,500 total. And what did Forrest say? They'll never know how few we are if we strike them hard. General Sturgis himself described the rout as a hell of a stampede in which every man would have to take care of himself. The commander of the rear guard of the Federal Army wrote this. He said, the day was very hot. The soldiers had eaten nothing since the morning of the 10th. They were without rations, many had thrown away or destroyed their arms, and all the infantry near the rear had reduced their clothing as much as possible, hoping to keep in advance of the rear guard. But the general in command, that's Sturgis, but the general in command was leading the retreat so rapidly that I was obliged to leave hundreds every mile. Who could keep up with ordinary marching? But we're unable to keep up with marching as fast as we were.
#59 | 41:35 to 42:38 | cleaned
Now, let me ask you. How fast were the Yankees retreating? Well, let me offer this for your consideration. It had taken a week for the Yankees to march from Colliersville to Bryce's Crossroads. But the return march of 90 miles was made without rest and without food after a day in battle and two nights in a day. So what had taken them a week to get there, they got back in two nights and a day, moreover, when the Yanks did get back and made it to White Station on the morning of the 13th, many of them did so with deadbeat horses.
#60 | 42:40 to 43:27 | cleaned
Now listen, and men so stiffened as to require assistance to enable them to walk, and some of them to foot sore, to stand upon their feet, crawled upon their hands and knees to the railroad cars. Wow. General Sturgis reported the loss of 2,240 men, of whom 223 were killed, 394 wounded, and 1,623 missing. All of his artillery was lost, and more than 200 fine six-horse wagons. General Sturgis is the man who boasted that he would bring back Forrest's head or his hair, and he did not even get a single strand of that hair, much less his head. Old Bedford reported in this battle, 96 killed, 396 wounded. However, Forrest lost nothing in the fight, but he did capture 60 Yankee officers, 1,558 enlisted men, 16 pieces of artillery, 1,500 stands of small arms, 1,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, and 300,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, 176 wagons, mostly six horse, with a vast supply of harness, quartermaster, medical, and other equipment and supplies.
#61 | 43:27 to 44:55 | cleaned
Now I hope you're beginning to understand why General Sherman wrote the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and said this. I know that I would have been willing to attempt the same task with that force of 8,000 men, but Forrest is the very devil. And I think he has some of our troops under power. I have two officers at Memphis that will fight all the time, A.J. Smith and Maurer. I will order them to make up a force to go out and follow Forrest to the death. If it costs 10,000 lives and breaks the treasury, there will never be peace in Tennessee until Forrest is dead.
#62 | 44:58 to 45:42 | cleaned
Old Bedford was a fighter. Now, let me make some applications and I want to first emphasize a biblical principle that we should learn. It's found in Ecclesiastes 9, verse 11. Let me just read it. Solomon said, I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. Forrest with fewer men consistently whipped and destroyed much stronger and more numerous and better equipped troops. See, we have to remember, like David in 1 Samuel 17, verse 47, where David said the battle is the Lord's. And Deuteronomy 20 in verse 1, God says this, when thou goest out to battle against thine enemies and seest horses and chariots and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them, for the Lord thy God is with thee who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. God said, don't be afraid of a large host. Doesn't matter. David said it like this in Psalm 3 and verse 6, I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have beset themselves against me round about.
#63 | 45:45 to 46:59 | cleaned
Now, let me tell you something. There is no doubt that old Bedford could have accomplished that which he did without the grace and the power and mercy of God. However. What we are lacking today. Is Forrest's philosophy of fighting? You see, Forrest did not intend simply to win a battle. He intended to defeat his enemies. There's a big difference. Forrest was like David. He intended to conquer.
#64 | 47:01 to 47:37 | cleaned
I want you to listen to Psalm 18, verses 37 through 42. Listen carefully. Here is David's philosophy of war. This was Forrest's philosophy of war. David said in Psalm 18, verse 37, I pursued my enemies and overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed. I've wounded them that they were not able to rise. They're falling under my feet. Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle. Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of my enemies that I might destroy them that hate me.
#65 | 47:38 to 48:14 | cleaned
They cried, but there was none to save them, even to the Lord. But he answered them not. Listen to what he said. Then did I beat them small as a dust before the wind. I did cast them out as dirt in the streets. What did David say? I pursued my enemies. I've overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed. It's not just a battle that we need to win. We need to understand that God's enemies need to be destroyed. We can't stop just because we win a battle. Surely we can be thankful, but the war is not over just because the battle has been won. Now, listen to this. We will never be what we were in this nation until we produce a generation of men.
#66 | 48:15 to 49:18 | cleaned
Even the Philistines, as wicked as they were, they said, We're not going to be servants to the Hebrews as they were to us. Quit yourselves like men and fight! Do you understand, folks? We need men today that will quit themselves like men. We need men of character and courage and Christian principles. We need men that are unafraid of prison, that are unafraid of death, that are unafraid of defeat. We need men that will face tyranny and never back down. We need men that will fight like Forrest in the face of overwhelming odds and never, ever consider quitting. We need men who will never give up. We need men who will learn to chase their enemies like old Bedford until those enemies cannot run any further. That's what David said. David said, neither did I turn again until they were consumed. What can we learn? We can learn all kind of biblical principles. And you have to remember Psalm 144, verse 1, where David said, Blessed be the Lord, my God, that teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.
#67 | 49:20 to 50:45 | cleaned
We need to learn to fight, not just physically, but spiritually, mentally, emotionally, in every area of our lives and never give in and never give up. If God would be pleased to give us some men like John the Baptist of old and old Bedford of more recent times, you'd see some changes. You'd see some changes because these men would never quit. May God Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.
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We thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your grace. Lord, we thank You for the principles. We thank You for men like Forrest. And we pray, Father, that You would indeed help us to learn and mold our lives from those things that are biblical and not mold them from those things that are unbiblical. Give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee and worship Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
#69 | 51:24 to 51:50 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:16:18Z

Ole Bedford Forrest

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver uses the life of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest to illustrate biblical principles of manhood, courage, and relentless fighting. He argues that Forrest, though lacking formal education and not converted until after the war, embodied scriptural ideals of boldness and perseverance. The sermon draws parallels between Forrest's military tactics and David's psalms, urging believers to fight spiritual battles with the same tenacity, never giving up until enemies are consumed.

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message on 'Old Bedford' and reads 1 Samuel 4:9, calling for strength and fighting like men.

Forrest's Character and Lack of Formal Education

Forrest is described as a genuine, courageous man who learned from experience rather than formal schooling, yet outthought West Point graduates.

Forrest's Military Genius and Tactics

Forrest's ability to assess battles and act swiftly earned him the nickname 'Wizard of the Saddle'; his tactics are still studied today.

Forrest's Thoughts on Fighting and Independence

Forrest was an independent thinker who spoke his mind without political correctness, and his actions revealed his heart's commitment to fighting.

Forrest's Call to Arms and Early War Actions

Forrest's honest call for active fighters and his refusal to surrender at Fort Donelson demonstrate his determination and leadership.

Forrest's Philosophy of War and Relentless Pursuit

Forrest believed in boldness, never missing an opportunity to strike, and pursued enemies until they were destroyed, as seen in the capture of Colonel Strait.

The Battle of Bryce's Crossroads

Forrest's greatest victory, where with 3,500 men he routed 8,000 Union troops, exemplifies his tactics of surprise, speed, and relentless pressure.

It was there that it happened, June the 10th through the 13th of 1864. Forrest, with 3,500 men, met and defeated General S.D. Sturgis with 8,000 men.

Biblical Principles and Application

Weaver applies Forrest's fighting spirit to spiritual warfare, urging believers to pursue enemies without quitting, citing David's psalms and the need for courageous men.

I want you to listen to Psalm 18, verses 37 through 42. Listen carefully. Here is David's philosophy of war. This was Forrest's philosophy of war. David said in Psalm 18, verse 37, I pursued my

Scripture Reading — Psalm 18:37-42

enemies and overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed. I've wounded them that they were not able to rise. They're falling under my feet. Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle. Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of my enemies that I might destroy them that hate me.

Ole Bedford Forrest

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	92914951108
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election
Genre	Sermon
Date	2014-07-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 081: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	69

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Scripture Reading: Weaver introduces the message on 'Old Bedford' and reads 1 Samuel 4:9, calling for strength and fighting like men.
Forrest's Character and Lack of Formal Education: Forrest is described as a genuine, courageous man who learned from experience rather than formal schooling, yet outthought West Point graduates.
Forrest's Military Genius and Tactics: Forrest's ability to assess battles and act swiftly earned him the nickname 'Wizard of the Saddle'; his tactics are still studied today.
Forrest's Thoughts on Fighting and Independence: Forrest was an independent thinker who spoke his mind without political correctness, and his actions revealed his heart's commitment to fighting.
Forrest's Call to Arms and Early War Actions: Forrest's honest call for active fighters and his refusal to surrender at Fort Donelson demonstrate his determination and leadership.
Forrest's Philosophy of War and Relentless Pursuit: Forrest believed in boldness, never missing an opportunity to strike, and pursued enemies until they were destroyed, as seen in the capture of Colonel Strait.
The Battle of Bryce's Crossroads: Forrest's greatest victory, where with 3,500 men he routed 8,000 Union troops, exemplifies his tactics of surprise, speed, and relentless pressure.
Biblical Principles and Application: Weaver applies Forrest's fighting spirit to spiritual warfare, urging believers to pursue enemies without quitting, citing David's psalms and the need for courageous men.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Forrest's military success stemmed from his aggressive, relentless philosophy of war.

Forrest believed in striking first, never giving the enemy rest, and pursuing until complete destruction, which led to victories against larger forces.

Weaver recounts Forrest's capture of Colonel Strait and the Battle of Bryce's Crossroads, where Forrest's tactics of speed and pressure caused Union routs.

Forrest's life exemplifies biblical principles of fighting and manhood.

Though not a Christian during the war, Forrest's actions aligned with scriptural commands to be strong, fight, and not fear overwhelming odds.

Weaver connects Forrest's conduct to 1 Samuel 4:9, Psalm 18, and David's example, arguing that Forrest embodied these principles.

Modern society lacks men of Forrest's caliber, and this deficiency is a spiritual problem.

Weaver laments the absence of courageous, principled men in leadership and calls for a generation that will fight tyranny without quitting.

He asks, 'Can you imagine what Washington, D.C. would be like if we had four or five old Bedfords up there today?' and urges men to 'quit yourselves like men.'

God's preservation of Forrest before his conversion shows divine purpose.

Weaver argues that God protected Forrest in battle because He intended to save him later, paralleling God's use of King Cyrus.

He cites Isaiah 45:4-6 about Cyrus and says, 'God was with Forrest, and the Lord protected him and preserved him.'

Scripture References

1 Samuel 4:9: Weaver reads this verse as the text for the sermon, emphasizing the call to be strong and fight like men, which he applies to Forrest's life.
Colossians 4:6: Weaver notes that Forrest's speech was not always gracious or seasoned with salt, but it was never vulgar, contrasting with this verse.
Proverbs 23:7: Weaver uses this verse to explain that Forrest's actions revealed his heart and thoughts, as a man thinks, so is he.
Proverbs 4:23: Weaver cites this verse to stress that the heart determines the issues of life, connecting to Forrest's conduct.
Acts 8 (Simon the sorcerer): Weaver references Peter discerning Simon's heart by his words and actions, illustrating how conduct reveals the heart.
Isaiah 45:4-6: Weaver quotes God's words to Cyrus, showing that God can use and preserve even those who do not know Him, as He did with Forrest.
Psalm 41:11: Weaver cites David's words that God's favor is shown when enemies do not triumph, applying it to Forrest's survival in battle.
Leviticus 26:7-8: Weaver quotes this promise of chasing enemies and putting them to flight, paralleling Forrest's military successes.
Ecclesiastes 9:11: Weaver reads this verse to emphasize that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, as Forrest often won against superior forces.
1 Samuel 17:47: Weaver quotes David's declaration that the battle is the Lord's, applying it to Forrest's victories.
Deuteronomy 20:1: Weaver cites God's command not to fear a larger enemy, for the Lord is with His people, as seen in Forrest's battles.
Psalm 3:6: Weaver quotes David's refusal to fear ten thousands of enemies, linking it to Forrest's courage.
Psalm 18:37-42: Weaver reads David's description of pursuing and destroying enemies, stating this was Forrest's philosophy of war.
Psalm 144:1: Weaver quotes David's blessing of God who teaches hands to war and fingers to fight, applying it to spiritual warfare.
John 1:6: Weaver references God's description of John the Baptist as 'a man sent from God,' comparing John's manhood to Forrest's.

Historical References

General Nathan Bedford Forrest: The central figure of the sermon, a Confederate general known for his cavalry tactics, courage, and post-war conversion to Christianity.
Fort Donelson (1862): Forrest refused to surrender when Confederate generals planned to, escaping with 4,000 men and later saving machinery in Nashville.
Colonel Abel Strait's capture (1863): Forrest pursued Strait's 2,000 men with 1,000 of his own, covering 150 miles in harsh conditions, and bluffed Strait into surrendering.
Battle of Bryce's Crossroads (1864): Forrest's greatest victory, where 3,500 Confederates routed 8,000 Union troops under General Sturgis, capturing vast supplies.
General William T. Sherman: Sherman wrote to Secretary of War Stanton that Forrest was 'the very devil' and must be pursued to the death for peace in Tennessee.
General Erwin Rommel, George Patton, Norman Schwarzkopf: Weaver notes that these 20th-century military leaders studied Forrest's tactics, showing his lasting influence.
Dr. Bob Jones Sr.: Weaver quotes Jones' advice about not going possum hunting with someone who doesn't know the difference, illustrating practical wisdom.
Major John Pelham: Pelham's more polite call to arms is contrasted with Forrest's bluntness, both conveying the same resolve to fight invaders.
Stonewall Jackson: Jackson's maxim about mystifying, misleading, and pursuing the enemy is cited as a principle Forrest mastered.
King Cyrus of Persia: Weaver uses Cyrus as a biblical example of God preserving and using an unbeliever for His purposes, paralleling Forrest.

Important Quotes

Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that you be not servants unto the Hebrews as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight.

This is the key verse Weaver uses to frame the entire sermon, calling for manly courage and fighting spirit, which he sees exemplified in Forrest.

I ain't no graduate of West Point and never rubbed my backside up against any college.

Forrest's own words highlighting his lack of formal education, which Weaver uses to argue that practical wisdom can surpass academic training.

War means fighting and fighting means killing. Turn the grindstone.

Forrest's blunt philosophy of war, emphasizing that weapons must be functional and that war is about decisive action, not show.

Whenever you meet the enemy, no matter how few there are of you or how many there are of them, show fight.

Forrest's tactical advice to his soldiers, reflecting his belief in boldness and aggression regardless of odds, which Weaver applies to spiritual battles.

I pursued my enemies and overtaken them. Neither did I turn again until they were consumed.

Weaver quotes David's words from Psalm 18 as the biblical parallel to Forrest's relentless pursuit, making it the central application for believers.

Get up men, when you hear the bugle sounds, every man must charge and we'll give them hell.

A Confederate private's recollection of Forrest's exhortation, illustrating his aggressive leadership style.

I wish none but those who desire to be actively engaged. Come on boys, if you want a heap of fun and to kill some Yankees.

Forrest's initial call to arms, showing his honesty and directness about the nature of war, which Weaver admires.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does Forrest's philosophy of 'showing fight' regardless of odds apply to spiritual warfare in the life of a believer?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that Forrest never hesitated to engage the enemy even when outnumbered, and he urges Christians to adopt the same mindset.

[Question]

In what ways can the church today cultivate men of character and courage like Forrest, without endorsing his pre-conversion flaws?

[Context]

Weaver calls for a generation of men who will 'quit themselves like men' and face tyranny without backing down.

[Question]

What does it mean to pursue our spiritual enemies until they are 'consumed,' and how do we balance this with New Testament teachings on love and forgiveness?

[Context]

Weaver uses Psalm 18 to argue that believers should not stop at winning a battle but should seek the complete defeat of evil.

[Question]

How can we discern when boldness and straightforward speech, like Forrest's, crosses the line from being principled to being ungracious?

[Context]

Weaver notes that Forrest's speech was not always seasoned with grace, yet he was never vulgar, raising questions about Christian communication.

[Question]

What lessons can we learn from Forrest's ability to think independently and resist political correctness in our current cultural context?

[Context]

Weaver praises Forrest for saying what he believed without caring who liked it, and he critiques modern political correctness.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T23:54:37Z