Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Duty of the Hour (Lieutenant-General Nathan Bedford Forrest)

This is a very long examination of The Man, way too long to post here. Allow 30 minutes to take it all in:

https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/blog/the-duty-of-hour/

The first thing I learned about Lieutenant-General Nathan Bedford Forrest was that he had twenty-nine horses shot out from under him in battle; in my fifth-grade social studies class, I remember thinking to myself that the most dangerous thing one could be was one of Forrest’s horses. The unconquerable Tennessean was bold, severe, and uncompromising in the discharge of his duties for our Cause. He was born in direst poverty on the Duck River settlement, the son of a blacksmith, heir to, in John Wyeth’s words, “that restless race of pioneers who in search of home and fortune had followed close upon the heels of the savages, as these were driven farther and farther towards the setting sun.” From this obscurity on the frontier, Forrest attained a position of prominence in Memphis through his own determined struggle. He was animated by a rigid code of honor and was known for his fierce, yet judicious, temperament. He was seen to drink only after sustaining serious wounds; when invited to take a drink, he often declined, saying, “My staff does all my drinking.” His friends said that without any affectations of piety, “Forrest was by nature deeply reverent and religious.”

There are at least 3 men buried in our local cemetery, that served under Forrest. One being my Great Grandfather. There is about thirty buried with no marker, so we do not know. 2 states on the marker that they served under Forrest, but my Great Grandfather only has His Tennessee unit, but stories have Him with Forrest, and looking up the unit, they should be true. Not many stories but some. miles

One of the greatest men America ever produced.

Forrest was a great man. Not only was he fiercely personally courageous, he was beloved by most who served under him. I forget how many negros turned out for his funeral as contrary to popular (Yankee) belief, he was loved by many of them as well. One of the finest of the fine. Son of the South. May he RIP.

Amen brother.

And this is his grave site and memorial in Memphis one month ago. I was aghast. I had read about it but seeing our own Government destrotying history really repulsed me. Read the book by the Doctor that road with him. Can't recall the name at this moment. Great friggin read...about a great man.

We know the names of 33 Union officers whom he personally killed in single combat. No armchair general.

Once he came across the trail of a large body of Union soldiers and ordered a charge, right into their camp. The other Confederates, outnumbered, held back and Forrest alone charged into the middle of the camp. There were so many Yankees that their rifles banged into each other as they tried to shoot him. He grabbed a union soldier, threw him over his back as a shield, and rode out of the camp.

He founded the Ku Klux Klan as a civil rights organization for ex-Confederates but quit when it became a Negro terrorizing organization.

Love him or hate him, they don't make 'em like that any more.

X10

What is the name of the book written by his doctor?

There is no group of American fighting men that I admire more than the Confederate Soldier, They worked miracles with nothing. Forrest was the greatest one of all.

That Devil Forrest by Wyeth. $0.99 on Kindle.

Good read. Thanks

I believe it was 3000 blacks who turned out for his funeral. He was the best friend that Memphis blacks had after the war. He worked hard to get jobs for the newly freed blacks. There was a great shortage of skilled workers after the war, and he wanted to get the whites to hire skilled blacks. The Fort Pillow Massacre was a hit job by the Radical Republicans in Congress. No Union officers found anything to charge him on. He was one of the few Confederate officers who had a bounty put on his head during the war.

I wish I could remember the names of the Union generals who were in command in West Tennessee. One general was relieved of command because he couldn't control Forrest. Shortly afterward Forrest made his famous raid on Memphis. The general who had been relieved said, I was relieved because I couldn't keep Forrest out of West Tennessee, and my replacement can't even keep Forrest out of his bedroom.

That was a good one,thanks for posting.

A Battle From the Start
By Brian Steel Wills. Excellent biography of General Forrest.
There was a story posted here years ago about the General’s war horse, King Phillip, who survived the war.
IIRC, a couple Yankee officers were stopping by Forrest farm to pay their respects to the General. Forrest was away at the time, but when King Phillip saw those blue uniforms, he went berserk, charging the officers, even trying to bite them! A black overseer finally got the horse quieted down.
The Yankees said it was no wonder Forrest was so hard to beat! Even his very horse fought like the devil!
7mm

I’m thinking it was General Samuel Sturgis, but I’m not sure. I remember the quote.
7mm

There is a nice monument where he disbanded his troops. Has his speech inscribed on it.

I suspect it still exists because so few know about it.