Jo Shelby a better Cavalry Man then Bedford Forrest--

5fish

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
10,619
Reaction score
4,544
I want to bring up a Confederate Hero that has been grieviously ignore by our board. This board lavishes praise on the Highway man Gen. Bedford Forrest while this hero of the south goes unloved by this board.

I am speaking of General Jo Shelby citizen soldier and cavalry leader. He never surrendered unlike Forrest. He carried the fight on until July 4, 1865 when he buried the confederate flag in the Rio Grand river crossed into Mexico.

Jo Shelby and his "Iron Bridge" exploits easily rival those of Forrest maybe even exceed them. Lets look at at a few like the Battle of Mark Mill where his attack broke the union and let to the capture of over one union troops and wagons, which lead to union Gen. Steel retreat to Little Rock and ending his Camden campaign, 1864. He has the distinction of capturing the ironclad Queen City in June 1863 and burning it. I do not think Forrest ever ended a campaign by the union with a great sweeping attack or capture an ironclad.

I will bring up Shelby's Great Raid where he rode 1500 miles, inflicted 1000 casualties and destroyed millions of dollars in property. I don't think any of Forrest raids ever equal or matched it magnitude.

Like I said before Forrest surrendered while Shelby carried the fight on until true hope was all gone. His ride into Mexico is another amazing tale about stopping looters and protecting property and trying to find work.

My last observation is Shelby has no known massacres to his record unlike Forrest. He returned to Missouri went back to being hemp farmer and rope maker and into other business and was only moderately successful.

I challenge you Forrest fans to best this Champion form Missouri in exploits and deeds.... Joe O. Shelby will get his justice and rightful place in history as a better cavalry leader then Forrest...


Joe the turth will prevail and justice will be yours...
 

5fish

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
10,619
Reaction score
4,544
How will I ever turn back this love affair with Forrest by my fellow board members...

Lets bring Gen. Price's ill fated campaign into Missouri in 1864. Shelby commanded a division and preform with distinction and some would say saved Price's army in a couple of those battles. I see no where directly where Forrest help Hood out in Tennessee 1864 or even Bragg earlier in the war. Shiloh is one place but beyond that what other battles did he save the day. At Mine Creek Marmation River and Westport Shelby saved the day...At Big Blue river he carried the day for Price. He did all these feats as a Division commander not a Corps commander.....Where's does Forrest have a record like this during any campaigns in Tennessee or Mississippi....
 
Top