[217] Forrest fought by simple rules; he maintained that "war means fighting and fighting means killing" and the way to win was "to get there first with the most men". [132] According to Forrest biographer Jack Hurst, writers present at the public viewing of Forrest's body and the funeral procession noted many black citizens among them. [62] Forrest chased Streight's men for 16 days, harassing them all the way. [181], In response to the Pole-Bearers speech, the Cavalry Survivors Association of Augusta, the first Confederate organization formed after the war, called a meeting in which Captain F. Edgeworth Eve gave a speech expressing strong disapproval of Forrest's remarks promoting inter-ethnic harmony, ridiculing his faculties and judgment and berating the woman who gave Forrest flowers as "a mulatto wench". [207] In 2008, the Duval County School Board voted 52 against a push to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in Jacksonville. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he raised a cavalry and fought with. He emptied his Colt Army revolvers into the swirling mass of U.S. Army soldiers and pulled out his saber, hacking, and slashing. [233], The site is now a Tennessee State Historic Park. [102] The Confederate press steadfastly defended Forrest's reputation. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis at the Battle of Brices Crossroads in northeastern Mississippi. Browse 85 nathan bedford forrest stock photos and images available or search for nathan bedford forrest statue to find more great stock photos and pictures. [100], At the time of the massacre, General Grant was no longer in Tennessee but had transferred to the east to command all U.S. troops. [212] Leaders in other localities have also tried to remove or eliminate Forrest monuments, with mixed success. Forrest assisted in maintaining order. Nathaniel Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821-October 29, 1877) was a Confederate Army general during the American Civil War. For Selma, of all places, to have a big monument to a Klansman is totally unacceptable". Nathan Bedford Forrest. The school in Jacksonville was named for Forrest in 1959 at the urging of the Daughters of the Confederacy because they were upset about the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision. [239], A 2011 Mississippi license plate proposal to honor him by the Sons of Confederate Veterans revived tensions and raised objections from Mississippi NAACP chapter president Derrick Johnson, who compared Forrest to Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. The Klan's activity infiltrated the Democratic Party's campaign for the presidential election of 1868. 769 Words4 Pages. Uniforms & Relics: 18: May 8, 2021: U.S. His declaration had little effect, and few Klansmen destroyed their robes and hoods.[165]. Under these laws enforced by Grant and the newly formed Department of Justice, there were over 5,000 indictments and 1,000 convictions of Klan members across the Southern United States. Not realizing that the rest of his men had halted their charge when they reached the full U.S. brigade, Forrest charged the brigade alone and soon found himself surrounded. Services were held at Court Avenue Presbyterian Church in Memphis before he was buried at Elmwood Cemetery. [13] His blacksmith father was of English descent, and most of his biographers state that his mother was of Scotch-Irish descent, but the Memphis Genealogical Society says that she was of English descent. Forrest's notoriety only increased . Parents and Siblings. [159], In an 1868 interview by a Cincinnati newspaper, Forrest claimed that the Klan had 40,000 members in Tennessee and 550,000 total members throughout the Southern United States. Forrest carried a model 1840 officer's cavalry sword from Horstmann and Sons of Philadelphia. [60][61], The U.S. Army gained military control of Tennessee in 1862 and occupied it for the duration of the war, having taken control of strategic cities and railroads. Birth: 6 Jul 1801 in NC Death: 1837 in Salem,Tippah,MS PEDI: birth Father: Nathan Forrest b: 28 Oct 1776 in ,Orange,NC Mother: Nancy Shepherd Baugh b: 16 Apr 1778 in VA Marriage 1 Mariam Beck b: Abt 1801 in SC Married: 1820 in Gallatin,Bedford,TN Children 1. [203] The bust of Forrest was stolen from the cemetery monument in March 2012 and replaced in May 2015. [16] William Forrest worked as a blacksmith in Tennessee until 1834, when he moved with his family to Salem, Mississippi. Hood ordered Forrest to conduct an independent raid against the Murfreesboro garrison. The losses were a deep blow to the black regiment under Sturgis's command. Forrest spoke in the encouragement of black advancement and endeavored to be a proponent for espousing peace and harmony between black and white Americans. Nathan Bedford Forrest Title Lieutenant General War & Affiliation Civil War / Confederate Date of Birth - Death July 13, 1821 - October 29, 1877 Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the most polarizing figures of the Civil War era, was born July 13, 1821 in Chapel Hill, Tennessee - a small town on the Duck River. The Nathan Bedford Forrest statue was removed along Interstate 65 on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, during in Nashville, Tenn. A few vehicles left the site and the security guard locked the gate. [143] James R. Crowe stated, "After the order grew to large numbers we found it necessary to have someone of large experience to command. [90] Forrest's men were alleged to have set fire to a U.S. barracks with wounded U.S. Army soldiers inside[91][92] In defense of their actions, Forrest's men insisted that the U.S. soldiers, although fleeing, kept their weapons and frequently turned to shoot, forcing the Confederates to keep firing in self-defense. Known as "the Wizard of the Saddle," Nathan Bedford Forrest was a prominent Confederate cavalry officer whose reputation was stained by accusations regarding his role in the "Fort Pillow Massacre" on April 12, 1864. All of the sidewalks in the park were named after officers who served under himexcept for one, which was named for his war horse King Philip. The white men fared but little better. [218] U.S. Army General William Tecumseh Sherman called him "that devil Forrest" in wartime communications with Ulysses S. Grant and considered him "the most remarkable man our civil war produced on either side".[219][220][4]. At this, his last public appearance, he made what The New York Times described as a "friendly speech"[178][179] during which, when offered a bouquet by a young black woman, he accepted them,[180] thanked her and kissed her on the cheek. Similar accounts were reported in many Confederate newspapers at the time. Army. Nathan Bedford Forrest Civil War Print, Gallery Of Gettysburg Brand New $6.40 endzonecards23 (2,459) 100% Was: $8.00 20% off or Best Offer +$5.00 shipping Sponsored General Nathan Bedford Forrest Framed Limited Edition Print "That Devil Forrest" Pre-Owned $350.00 lefor-4928 (0) 0% or Best Offer +$12.45 shipping Sponsored [76] On March 25, 1864, Forrest's cavalry raided the town of Paducah, Kentucky in the Battle of Paducah, during which Forrest demanded the surrender of U.S. Eva, TN 38333. Bragg failed to do so, upon which Forrest was quoted as saying, "What does he fight battles for? Forrest's Career In an article published in The New-York Times immediately before the close of the war, the characteristic types of the soldiers of the South were sketched. In 1845, Forrest married Mary Ann Montgomery (18261893), the niece of a Presbyterian minister who was her legal guardian. [99] President Abraham Lincoln asked his cabinet for opinions as to how the United States should respond to the massacre. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Legislative Branch-Dixon, Nathan Fellows II - U.S. Nathan Bedford Forrest Born: 13-Jul - 1821 Birthplace: Chapel Hill, TN Died: 29-Oct - 1877 Location of death: Memphis, TN Cause of death: Diabetes complications Remains: Buried, Forrest Park, Memphis, TN Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Military Nationality: United States [110] Sturgis ordered his infantry to advance to the front line to counteract the cavalry. Newspaper correspondent Sylvanus Cadwallader, who traveled with Grant for three years during his campaigns, wrote that Forrest "was the only Confederate cavalryman of whom Grant stood in much dread". "[71][72] The story that Forrest confronted and threatened the life of Bragg in the fall of 1863, following the battle of Chickamauga, and that Bragg transferred Forrest to command in Mississippi as a direct result, is now considered to be apocryphal. Perhaps the most highly regarded cavalry and partisan ( guerrilla) leader in the war, Forrest is regarded by many military historians as that conflict's most innovative and successful general. [80] The fort was defended by 557 U.S. Army troops, 295 white and 262 black, under U.S. Army Maj. L.F. In June 2021, the remains of Forrest and his wife were exhumed from Health Sciences Park, where they had been buried for over 100 years, and a monument of him once stood. [23], Forrest was well-known as a Memphis speculator and Mississippi gambler. [43] In October 1861, Forrest was given command of a regiment, the 3rd Tennessee Cavalry. [228] According to this analysis, Forrest's troops were carrying out Confederate policy. He wanted nothing more to do with the Klan, but felt honor bound to protect former associates. Nathan Bedford Forrest, Confederate general, 1862-1867. [14] He and his twin sister, Fanny, were the two eldest of 12 children. The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest by Brian Steel Wills. The effort was spearheaded by Take 'Em Down 901, an organization dedicated to removing Confederate iconography founded by activist Tami Sawyer. . The day was worse for U.S. troops, who suffered 223 killed, 394 wounded, and 1,623 missing. Before the war, Forrest amassed substantial wealth as a cotton plantation owner, horse, and cattle trader, real estate broker, and slave trader. He married Mary Ann Montgomery on 25 September 1845, in Hernando, DeSoto, Mississippi, United States. 731-593-6445. [129], On July 5, 1875, Forrest gave a speech before the Independent Order of Pole-Bearers Association, a post-war organization of black Southerners advocating to improve black people's economic condition and gain equal rights for all citizens. [253], In June 2020, after Black members of the Tennessee House of Representatives unsuccessfully asked it to eliminate a state celebration of Forrest, Representative Cameron Sexton opined: "I dont think anybody here is truly racist. [190] In light of the 2015 church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, some Tennessee lawmakers advocated removing a bust of Forrest located in the state's Capitol building. His acts have photographed themselves upon the hearts of thousands, and will speak there forever. [13] Forrest's family lived in a log house (now preserved as the Nathan Bedford Forrest Boyhood Home) from 1830 to 1833. On June 13, 1863, Gould confronted Forrest about his transfer, which escalated into a violent exchange. [11], Nathan Bedford Forrest was born on July 13, 1821, to a poor settler family in a secluded frontier cabin near Chapel Hill hamlet, then part of Bedford County, Tennessee, but now encompassed in Marshall County. Forrest was blamed for the slaughter in the U.S. press, and this news may have strengthened the United States's resolve to win the war. His books include Nathan Bedford Forrest: A Biography , Men of Fire: Grant, Forrest, and the Campaign That Decided the Civil War, and Born to Battle: Grant and ForrestShiloh, Vicksburg, and. Grant . [235], In the 1990 PBS documentary The Civil War by Ken Burns, historian Shelby Foote states in Episode 7 that the Civil War produced two "authentic geniuses": Abraham Lincoln and Nathan Bedford Forrest. After his bloody defeat at Franklin, Hood continued to Nashville. Tucker. [95][96][97], Following the cessation of hostilities, Forrest transferred the 14 most seriously wounded United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the U.S. steamer Silver Cloud. Forrest became involved sometime in late 1866 or early 1867. But there is more to the story than that. [168] The SeymourBlair Democratic ticket's campaign slogan was: "Our Ticket, Our Motto, This Is a White Man's Country; Let White Men Rule". [162][163] After only a year as Grand Wizard, in January 1869, faced with an ungovernable membership employing methods that seemed increasingly counterproductive, Forrest dissolved the Klan, ordered their costumes destroyed,[164] and withdrew from participation. Report of the Sub-committee", "Abraham Lincoln to Cabinet, Tuesday, May 03, 1864 (Fort Pillow massacre)", "Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and the KKK", "General Nathan Bedford Forrest Versus the Ku Klux Klan", "Memphis daily appeal. Nathan Bedford Forrest, fdd 13 juli 1821 i Chapel Hill, Tennessee, dd 29 oktober 1877 i Memphis, Tennessee, var en amerikansk plantagegare och generalljtnant i sydstatsarmn under amerikanska inbrdeskriget. [103][104], S.C. Gwynne writes, "Forrest's responsibility for the massacre has been actively debated for a century and a half. [227] Forrest's claim that the Fort Pillow massacre was an invention of U.S. reporters is contradicted by letters written by Confederate soldiers to their own families, which described extreme brutality on the part of Confederate troops. The ball went through Forrest's pelvis and lodged near his spine. [55], Promoted on July 21, 1862, to brigadier general, Forrest was given command of a Confederate cavalry brigade. Joint Resolution on the Subject of Retaliation", "KKK leader on specialty license plates? [182][183] The Macon Weekly Telegraph newspaper also condemned Forrest for his speech, describing the event as "the recent disgusting exhibition of himself at the negro jamboree" and quoting part of a Charlotte Observer article, which read "We have infinitely more respect for Longstreet, who fraternizes with negro men on public occasions, with the pay for the treason to his race in his pocket, than with Forrest and [General] Pillow, who equalize with the negro women, with only 'futures' in payment". [132], Forrest reportedly died from acute complications of diabetes at the Memphis home of his brother Jesse on October 29, 1877. Nathan Bedford Forrest died in 1877 from health complications related to his diabetes, leaving behind a legacy of racism, first as a slave trader, then as a soldier in the Confederate Army where he became one of the south's greatest military strategists, and following the Civil War when he joined the KKK and became a grand wizard of one of the . 7,500. As a result, Grant was forced to revise and delay his Vicksburg campaign strategy. Nathan Bedford Forrest birth b: 13 Jul 1821 in Bedford then now,TN 2. [81] Bradford refused to surrender, believing his troops could escape to the U.S. Navy gunboat, USS New Era, on the Mississippi River. 1825 Pilot Knob Road. When was Nathan born?, Where was Nathan born?, How many room were in Nathan's first house?, How many siblings did Nathan have? In 1871, the U.S. Congressional Committee Report stated that "The natural tendency of all such organizations is to violence and crime, hence it was that Gen. Forrest and other men of influence by the exercise of their moral power, induced them to disband". Forrest County, Mississippi is named after him, as is Forrest City, Arkansas. The Confederate States of America a slave narrator cites Nathan Bedford Forrest as the leader of a Confederate army that massacred hundreds of freed slaves in the North shortly after the Civil War, possibly an alternate reference to the Fort Pillow Massacre. I think it is the best government in the world, if administered as it was before the war. [101], Because of the events at Fort Pillow, the U.S. public and press viewed Forrest as a war criminal. In 1869, Forrest expressed disillusionment with the lack of discipline in the white supremacist terrorist group across the South,[8] and issued a letter ordering the dissolution of the Ku Klux Klan as well as the destruction of its costumes; he then withdrew from the organization. Nathan Bedford Forrest passed away in the Memphis home of his brother Jesse on October 29, 1877. Nathan Bedford Forrest Wizard of the Saddle (7222843292).jpg 750 1,050; 290 KB. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Congress and Grant passed the Enforcement Acts from 1870 to 1871 to protect the "registration, voting, officeholding, or jury service" of African Americans. I think people may make insensitive comments. [132] Aiming to right his past wrongs, Forrest encouraged African-Americans to "work, be industrious, live honestly and act truly", as well as declaring that "when you are oppressed, I'll come to your relief". When Forrest rose and approached the bully his larger challenger's "purpose evaporated. One of the wounded Matlock men survived and served under Forrest during the Civil War. ", "Sons of Confederate Veterans 'Put to Rest for Eternity' Gen. Nathan Bedford in Columbia, Tennessee", Animated History of The Campaigns of Nathan Bedford Forrest, General Nathan Bedford Forrest Historical Society, List of Union Civil War monuments and memorials, List of memorials to the Grand Army of the Republic, Confederate artworks in the United States Capitol, List of Confederate monuments and memorials. His eulogy was delivered by his recent spiritual mentor, former Confederate chaplain George Tucker Stainback, who declared in his eulogy: "Lieutenant-General Nathan Bedford.. 05 Feb 2023 19:31:11 Debate over the memory of this incident formed a part of sectional and racial conflicts for many years after the war, but the reinterpretation of the event during the last thirty years offers some hope that society can move beyond past intolerance. Klansmen took their orders from their former Confederate officers. After the U.S. victory, Forrest commanded a Confederate rear guard. 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