Mr. McLendon,

The training of the various regiments that at various times would have been trained by the leadership of that regiment and not particularly personally by Forrest. The exception would have been the regiment that Forrest initially raised, the 3rd (Forrest's Old) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.

Forrest was adaptive in his tactics throughout the war. To really gain an appreciation of this you really need to study Forrest just prior to and including the Chickamauga Campaign. He, like Colonel John T. Wilder (USA), used mobility, shock, and limited fire power to hit the enemy. Colonel Wilder had the advantage of the Spencer Repeating Rifle while Forrest began to arm his men with the Enfield rifle in an attempt to have an effective punch with a standoff capability more than pistols and shotguns possessed.

What manual that was used in the beginning of the war did not equate to what was used mid- or late- war. Then again, charging in columns of four by company varied little between the manuals. Manuals do not teach if X happens then Y must follow. A commander's experience or intuition is often relied upon to help in this decision process.

I hope this provides additional clarity. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Respectfully,

Gerald D. Hodge, Jr.
War Between the States Historian
Historian: 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment
http://39thgavolinfrgt.homestead.com/39thHomepage.html