Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. IV. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
FEATHERSTON,
Winfield Scott, soldier,
was born in Rutherford county, Tenn., Aug. 8, 1821. He served for a brief
period against the Indians in 1836 and shortly afterward removed to Houston,
Miss., where he was admitted to the bar in 1840. He was a Democratic
representative in the 30th and 31st congresses, 1847-51; was a presidential
elector in 1852, and in 1860 was delegated by the
people of Mississippi to consult
with those of Kentucky on the question of secession. He joined the Confederate
army in May, 1861, as colonel of
the 17th Mississippi regiment, and
in March, 1862, was promoted brigadier-general in recognition of his bravery at
the battle of Ball's Bluff, Oct. 21, 1861. He served in the Seven days' battles
in Virginia, being wounded on the sixth day, June 30, 1862. In January, 1863,
he was transferred to Vicksburg, and early in 1864 led an expedition to meet
Admiral Porter's gunboats, joining General Johnston in Georgia in March. He
resumed the practice of his profession at the close of the war and served
in the
Mississippi legislature, 1876-78, and 1880-82. As chairman of the judiciary
committee in 1879-80 He assisted in revising the state code. He was appointed
circuit judge in 1881. He died in Holly Springs, Miss., May 28, 1891
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. IV. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
FOOTE,
Henry Stuart, senator,
was born in Fauquier county, Va., Sept. 20, 1800. He was graduated at
Washington college, Lexington. Va., in 1820, and was admitted to the bar in
1822. He removed to Tuscumbia, Ala., in 1824, and to Jackson, Miss., in 1826.
He was a presidential elector in 1844, and served in the U.S. senate, 1847-52,
being chairman of senate committee on foreign relations in 1848. He was an
advocate of compromise measures in 1850. He was elected
governor of Mississippi in 1853,
defeating Jefferson Davis, and served, 1853-54. He removed to California in
1852, and to Vicksburg, Miss., in 1858. He was a delegate to the Southern
convention at Knoxville, Tenn., in May, 1859, where he opposed secession,
and when
Mississippi was about to secede he removed to Memphis, Tenn. He was a
representative in the Confederate congress, where he opposed the administration
and favored the terms of peace offered by President Lincoln in 1863 and 1864.
He left Richmond in 1864 and made his home in Washington, D.C. After the war he
resided at Nashville, Tenn. He was superintendent of the U.S. mint in New
Orleans, La., by appointment of President Grant, 1869-79, resigning in the
latter year. He was a principal in several duels and personal encounters,
notably his duels with Sergeant S. Prentiss, with John A. Winston, and with
John F. H. Claiborne, and his encounter with Senator Benton on the floor of
congress. He published:
Texas and the Texans
(1841); The War of the Rebellion (1866); Bench and Bar of the South
and Southwest (1876); and Personal Reminiscences. He died at his
home near Nashville, Tenn., May 20, 1880.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. IV. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
FORREST,
Nathan Bedford, soldier,
was born in Bedford county, Tenn., July 13, 1821. His father removed the family
to Mississippi in 1834, where he died in 1837, leaving to Nathan the care of a
large household. He had no school training and established himself as a
merchant at Hernando in 1842, removing in 1852 to Memphis, Tenn., where he
engaged as a real estate broker and in merchandising. In 1859 he became a
planter in Coahoma county, Miss., and amassed a considerable fortune. He
joined the Confederate army as a private in the Tennessee mounted rifles in
June, 1861, and at the request of Governor Harris recruited a regiment of
cavalry which he equipped at his personal expense and of which he was made
lieutenant-colonel He escaped with his force from Fort Donelson, Feb. 15, 1862,
after his advice to the commandant to continue to hold the fort was not acted
on. He then made a raid by way of Nashville, Huntsville and Iuka, arriving in
time to take part in the battle of Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862, and was wounded in
combat, April 8. As commander of the cavalry force he made the successful
attack on Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 13, 1862, and while in command at that
place, having been promoted brigadier-general, July 21, 1862, he took part in
the action at Parker's Cross Roads, Dec. 31, 1862. He was engaged in the battle
of Chickamauga, Sept. 19-20, 1863, and was in northern Mississippi, November
and December, 1863, when he was made major-general, and his command was known
as Forrest's cavalry department, He [p.154] commanded at Fort Pillow in April,
1864, and directed the attack on the fort after the Federal force had refused
to surrender. The men trader his command gave the colored troops no quarter and
the excuse for the massacre was the alleged presence of the flag over the fort
and the stubborn refusal of the Federal officers to surrender, which was not
true. He annoyed the forces under Schofield and Thomas in Tennessee and
received for his activity the rank of lieutenant-general in February, 1865. He
was opposed by the cavalry force of 15,000 men under Gen. James H. Wilson in
the spring of 1865 in northern Alabama, was defeated April 2, 1865, and
surrendered his force at Gainesville, May 9, 1865. After the war he engaged in
railroad building and became president of the Selma, Marion & Memphis railroad.
He wore throughout the war a pair of silver spurs, fashioned out of thimbles
that had been worn and presented by the ladies of Mississippi, He died in
Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 29, 1877.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. IV. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
FOX, Andrew Fuller, representative, was born in Pickens county, Ala., April 26, 1849. He attended the public schools and in 1877 was admitted to the bar, practicing (sic) at West Point, Miss. He was a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1888 and was elected a state senator in 1891, which office he resigned in 1893 to accept that of U.S. district attorney for the northern district of Mississippi. He was a Democratic representative from the fourth district of Mississippi in the 55th, 56th and 57th congresses, 1897-1903.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. IV. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
FRENCH,
Samuel Gibbs, soldier,
was born in Gloucester county, N.J., Nov. 22, 1818; son of Samuel and Rebecca
(Clark) French; and a direct descendant from Thomas French, who was baptized in
the church in Nether-Hayford, Northamptonshire, England, in 1537, and whose
descendant, Thomas French, left the church of England, became a Quaker, was
persecuted and imprisoned, and finally, on July 23, 1680, landed in Burlington,
West New Jersey, with his wife and nine children, being one of the landed
proprietors there. Samuel G. French acquired his early education chiefly at
Burlington, N.J., was graduated from the U.S. military academy in 1843 and was
commissioned brevet 2d lieutenant in the U.S. army. He was appointed 2d
lieutenant, 3d artillery, Aug. 11, 1846; 1st lieutenant, March 3, 1847, and
captain on the staff, assistant quartermaster, U.S.A., Jan. 12, 1848. He served
with distinction in the Mexican war, being brevetted 1st lieutenant, Sept. 23,
1846, "for gallant and meritorious conduct in the several conflicts at
Monterey"; and captain, Feb. 23, 1847, for gallantry at Buena Vista. He
resigned from the army in April, 1856, and became a planter in Greenville,
Miss. On Feb. 12, 1861, he was appointed chief of ordnance in the army of the
state of
Mississippi; and on Oct. 23, 1861, was appointed brigadier-general of the
provisional army of the Confederate States and major-general, Aug. 31, 1862. He
commanded a brigade and subsequently a division in Gen. D. H. Hill's corps at
Petersburg, Va., and led the demonstration against Harrison's Landing, July 4,
1862, and against Suffolk, Sept. 22, 1862. He was transferred to Hood's army in
the west, and on Oct. 5, 1864, was directed with his division to break the line
of communication of Sherman's army by capturing Allatoona Pass. Gen. J. M.
Gorse defended the pass with desperate bravery, and when reinforcements arrived
General French withdrew his division to New Hope Church. After the close of the
war he went to Alabama, and in 1899 was a resident of Pensacola, Fla. He was
married, April 26, 1853, to Eliza Matilda, daughter of Joseph L. Roberts of
Natchez, Miss. She died, June 13, 1857, leaving one daughter. General French
was married in 1865 to Mary Fontaine, daughter of Gen. Anderson Abercrombie.
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