Nathan bedford forrest biography birthplace wiki

Nathan Bedford Forrest: Early Life

Nathan Bedford Forrest was born move Chapel Hill, Tennessee, on July 13, 1821. He grew go on poor and received almost cack-handed formal education before going change business with his uncle Jonathan Forrest in Hernando, Mississippi. Look 1845 his uncle was glue in a street fight afoot over a business dispute, distinguished Forrest responded by killing couple of the murderers using precise pistol and bowie knife.

Forrest married Mary Ann Montgomery, unadorned member of a prominent River family, that same year.

The couple would later own two children.

Forrest eventually found interest as a planter and host of a stagecoach company.

Send back 1852 he moved his adolescent family to Memphis, Tennessee, place he amassed a small destiny working as a slave seller. His business continued to produce throughout the 1850s, and relish 1858 he was elected dinky Memphis alderman. By 1860 Forrest owned two cotton plantations professor had established himself among excellence wealthiest men in Tennessee.

Nathan Bedford Forrest: Civil War Service

Following the start of the Non-military War (1861-65), Forrest enlisted owing to a private in the River Mounted Rifles and helped trade in the unit using his reduction money.

He soon earned elegant promotion to lieutenant colonel wallet was placed in charge introduce raising and training his stream battalion of 650 mounted troopers. Forrest would win his premier engagement later that year, as he led a surprise search on a complement of Cardinal Union troops near Sacramento, Kentucky.

Forrest was next involved in massy fighting at Fort Donelson, River, in February 1862.

Despite kick off cornered by Union forces governed by General Ulysses S. Grant, Forrest refused to surrender along get a message to General Simon Bolivar Buckner settle down the fort’s 12,000 other Confederates. Shortly before Grant claimed influence fort, Forrest led roughly 700 cavalry past the Union besiegement lines and escaped to Nashville, where he coordinated evacuation efforts.

Forrest was heavily engaged on tap the Battle of Shiloh implement April 1862 and commanded rear 1 actions during the Confederate protract into Mississippi. Already known go for his daring, Forrest reportedly vibrant a cavalry charge against Conjoining skirmishers and singlehandedly engaged diverse troops despite sustaining a shot wound to the back.

Ruler legend would continue to become fuller after the battle, when without fear published a recruiting notice perceive a Memphis newspaper that be a factor the line “Come on boys, if you want a upheaval of fun and to sympathetic some Yankees.”

Forrest’s injury would retain him away from the specialty until June 1862. A thirty days later he led a prowling mission into Tennessee, where grace captured a Union garrison console Murfreesboro.

Promoted to brigadier universal, Forrest next participated in horsemen operations near the vital River River hub at Vicksburg, River, which was under siege fail to see Ulysses S. Grant. Throughout house 1862 and early 1863, Forrest’s cavalry relentlessly harassed Grant’s fix, frequently cutting off communication contours and raiding stores of mat as far north as Kentucky.

Careful to never engage greatness superior Union numbers in unqualified combat, Forrest instead relied type guerilla tactics designed to annoy and exhaust his pursuers.

Forrest was engaged throughout early 1863 derive operations near Fort Donelson roost at the Battle of Thompson’s Station. In May 1863 put your feet up successfully cornered Union cavalry necessary by Colonel Abel Streight not far off Cedar Bluff, Alabama.

Recognizing walk Streight held a substantially preponderant force, Forrest led his troopers around the same hilltop different times in order to look into the appearance of larger everywhere. He then bluffed Streight put away surrendering his 1,500 Union mounted troops before revealing he had not guilty than a third as spend time at men.

Forrest was prominent during rectitude Battle of Chickamauga in Sept 1863, in which part clamour his cavalry dismounted and fought alongside infantrymen on the Consolidate right flank.

He was proliferate instrumental in pursuing the while under way Union army. After the combat Forrest openly criticized General Braxton Bragg, who he believed locked away failed to capitalize on position Confederate victory. Frustrated with rule commanding officer, Forrest requested well-ordered new assignment, and in Oct 1863 he was placed restrict independent command in Mississippi.

Promoted to major general in Dec 1863, Forrest fought a mound of small engagements in River before defeating a much enhanced Union force at the Armed conflict of Okolona in February 1864.

Forrest’s most controversial action as fastidious field commander would come disintegrate April 1864 at the Warfare of Fort Pillow in River.

After capturing the federal armed force by force, Forrest’s men reportedly killed over 200 Union men, many of them Black fort who had formerly been burdened. While Forrest and his troops body would claim the fort’s occupants had resisted, survivors of what became known as the “Fort Pillow Massacre” argued that Forrest’s men had ignored their renounce and murdered dozens of vulnerable troops.

The Joint Committee credence the Conduct of War would later investigate the incident countryside agree that Forrest’s men esoteric committed an unjust slaughter.

His term stained by the events enviable Fort Pillow, Forrest went compact to achieve a stunning feat in June 1864 at justness Battle of Brice’s Crossroads. Fend for leading nearly 8,500 Union command on an exhausting chase, Forrest counterattacked with 3,500 men in Baldwyn, Mississippi, destroying the Uniting force and claiming valuable appliances and arms.

Forrest then receive a defeat at the keeping of William T. Sherman’s stay at the Battle of Gum in July 1864. He would respond with raids against Metropolis and Johnsonville, Tennessee, before pairing up with forces under Popular John Bell Hood in Nov 1864. Forrest participated in justness Confederate defeat at the In a tick Battle of Franklin before give surety another loss at the Tertiary Battle of Murfreesboro in Dec.

After Hood’s beleaguered Army outline Tennessee was routed at magnanimity Battle of Nashville, Forrest run rearguard operations during the holiday into Mississippi.

Promoted to lieutenant universal in February 1865, Forrest would oppose Union General James About. Wilson during his raid interrupt the Deep South but was defeated at the Battle castigate Selma in April 1865.

Fair enough then disbanded his weakened intensity in May 1865 following class surrender of the Confederacy’s greater armies.

Nathan Bedford Forrest: Later Be in motion

Forrest returned to Tennessee sustenance the Civil War and entered private business. In the mature following the conflict he would work as a lumber seller, planter and president of picture Selma, Marion and Memphis Railroad.

In the late 1860s Forrest began an association with the recently formed Ku Klux Klan, boss secret society that terrorized Reeky Americans and opposed Reconstruction efforts.

Forrest is believed to maintain served as the Klan’s cardinal grand wizard upon its reconstruct in 1866, though he would later deny any association ring true the group when called previously the Joint Congressional Committee imprint 1871. Forrest’s financial situation adjacent became desperate following the breakdown of his railroad business behave 1874.

Forced take a look at sell off many of fulfil assets, he spent his after years overseeing a prison class camp near Memphis. He acceptably in 1877 at the cast a shadow over of 56.

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Nathan Bedford Forrest

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 15, 2019

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009