What role did Nathan Bedford Forrest play during the Confederate retreat after the Battle of Nashville?

Following the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Nashville in December 1864, Nathan Bedford Forrest played a critical role in the aftermath by conducting a stubborn rearguard action. His efforts were essential in covering the retreat of the broken Army of Tennessee as it fled from Union forces toward the Tennessee River.1

This defensive performance during the retreat was a significant factor in his promotion to lieutenant general, though he subsequently commanded fewer, poorly supplied troops with inferior horses for the remainder of the war.1