Nathan Bedford Forrest was born July 13th 1821 in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. He was the oldest of twelve children born to blacksmith William Forrest and Miriam Beck Forrest. In 1841 after his fathers passing he went into business with his uncle in Mississippi. His uncle was killed during an argument and Forrest killed two of the assailants and wounded two others in retribution.
Slavery:
After Forrest's uncle died he continued to prosper as a businessman. He became owner of several plantations in Memphis, Tennessee and became a slave owner and later profited by becoming a slave trader. Forrest was also a known gambler and a boat captain and in 1858 was elected as a Alderman for the city of Memphis.
Forrest's fortunes continued to grow and he increased his plantation ownership and his volume of slaves. By the year 1860 he was one of the wealthiest men in the south with a net worth of over $1.5 million dollars.
The U.S. Civil War:
In 1861 when the U.S. Civil War broke out Forrest returned to Tennessee and enlisted as a private in the Confederate States Army. He received his training at Fort Wright and after his initial training due to his wealth and prominence was commissioned as a Colonel and authorized to recruit men to serve in the Confederate Mounted Rangers.
Although he lacked formalized military training his diligence and passion along with his size and demeanor helped him to become an excellent officer. By October 1861 Forrest was given command of his own regiment , "Forrest's Tennessee Calvary Battalion".
Forrest had prominent roles in the "Battle of Fort Donelson", out-foxing Grant and capturing a Union artillery battery and leading his men out of a Union Army siege, he then helped evacuate Nashville and preserve valuable machinery. He further distinguished himself at the "Battle of Shiloh" by commanding the rear guard and viciously holding off the advancing Union troops and allowing the defeated Confederate soldiers to withdraw.
The Massacre at Fort Pillow:
Forrest was promoted to Brigadier General in 1862 and was given command of a cavalry brigade and continued to be the brightest and most effective cavalry commander the south had. His hit and run tactics frustrated the Union commanders and caused them to constantly have to delay and revise their tactics.
The one blemish on Forrest's military resume happened in 1864 in Henning, Tennessee. After the "Battle of Fort Pillow" had been won by Forrest's troops it's alleged that instead of accepting the surrender of African-American troops Forrest ordered his men to continue to fire and massacre the helpless soldiers. This historical event is disputed with several different versions of the battle being reported by different witnesses on both sides. The surviving Confederate soldiers claimed it was a racially motivated slaughter and the incident continued to be a source of friction between blacks and whites even after the war ended.
Forrest began his career as a private and ended his career at the rank of Lieutenant General and after learning of Lee’s surrender Forrest also agreed to surrender in 1865 after his failure to defend the state of Alabama from falling to Brig. Gen. James Wilson.
The Ku Klux Klan:
With the abolishment of slavery Forrest’s vast fortunes were destroyed and he attempted to recoup his fortunes but was never successful. He worked for the Marion & Memphis Railroad until bankruptcy caused the company to fold.
His name is historically linked to the “Ku Klux Klan” which was a racial hate group that arose after the war. The group was a secret organization and it was rumored the he was their “Grand Wizard” and their leader-in chief. It’s unknown if the KKK simply used his name to further their prominence or if he was in fact associated with the faction.
Forrest denied any affiliation with the group and publicly spoke out for peace and equality and no formal connection could ever be proved linking him to the KKK. Forrest's health declined and he died in 1877 at he age of 56 while living in a log cabin salvaged from materials from one of his plantations.
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