Another View of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest

The New Media Journal ^ | August 11, 2007 | Calvin E. Johnson, Jr.

[CutePuppy]

Another View of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest

USA Calvin E. Johnson, Jr.

August 11, 2007 URL:

http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/c_johnson/08112007.htm

Is the history of our great nation important to you?

Union Gen. William T. Sherman said of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, "After all, I think Forrest as the most remarkable man our "Civil War" produced on either side." This came from a man who was once a foe of Forrest on the field of battle.

Why do some folks attack America's heritage?

Several years ago attempts were made to change the name of Forrest Park in Memphis, Tennessee. Now, there are people who try to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High school in Jacksonville, Florida.

Was Gen. Forrest an early advocate for Civil Rights?

Forrest's speech during a meeting of the "Jubilee of Pole Bearers" is a story that needs to be told. Gen. Forrest was the first white man to be invited by this group which was a forerunner of today's Civil Right's group. A reporter of the Memphis Avalanche newspaper was sent to cover the event that included a Southern barbeque supper.

Miss Lou Lewis, daughter of a Pole Bearer member, was introduced to Forrest and she presented the former general a bouquet of flowers as a token of reconciliation, peace and good will. On July 5, 1875, Nathan Bedford Forrest delivered this speech:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I accept the flowers as a memento of reconciliation between the white and colored races of the Southern states. I accept it more particularly as it comes from a colored lady, for if there is any one on God's earth who loves the ladies I believe it is myself. (Immense applause and laughter.)

"I came here with the jeers of some white people, who think that I am doing wrong. I believe I can exert some influence, and do much to assist the people in strengthening fraternal relations, and shall do all in my power to elevate every man, to depress none. (Applause.)

"I want to elevate you to take positions in law offices, in stores, on farms, and wherever you are capable of going. I have not said anything about politics today. I don't propose to say anything about politics. You have a right to elect whom you please; vote for the man you think best, and I think, when that is done, you and I are freemen. Do as you consider right and honest in electing men for office.

"I did not come here to make you a long speech, although invited to do so by you. I am not much of a speaker, and my business prevented me from preparing myself. I came to meet you as friends, and welcome you to the white people. I want you to come nearer to us. When I can serve you I will do so. We have but one flag, one country; let us stand together. We may differ in color, but not in sentiment.

"Many things have been said about me which are wrong, and which white and black persons here, who stood by me through the war, can contradict. Go to work, be industrious, live honestly and act truly, and when you are oppressed I'll come to your relief. I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for this opportunity you have afforded me to be with you, and to assure you that I am with you in heart and in hand."

Nathan Bedford Forrest again thanked Miss Lewis for the bouquet and then gave her a kiss on the cheek. Such a kiss was unheard of in the society of those days, in 1875, but it showed a token of respect and friendship between the general and the black community and did much to promote harmony among the citizens of Memphis.

Involve your family in study sessions to seek the truth about this nation's history and ask your local government officials not to change the name of streets and schools named for our American ancestors.

Calvin E. Johnson, Jr. is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and author of the book, "When America Stood for God, Family and Country."

...

The New Media Journal.us © 2007

[Tax-chick]

Thanks, good information.

Of General Forrest, I think we can say that he tried hard to do what he thought was right. If he sometimes failed to do so ... so do we all. If he was sometimes wrong about what was right ... so are we all.

[BnBlFlag]

NBF - Probably the best fighting General in American History!

[stand watie]

i didn't know of that one.

fyi, 4 of the 5 members of MY family, who were UNfortunate enough to be "guests of the DAMNyankees" at PLPOWC, were MURDERED on their 1st day of "confinement" because they were "other than white persons".

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

WELL-said!

free dixie HUGS,sw

[stand watie]

my GUESS (based on a great deal of reading) is that slavery would have died a natural/UNlamented death within a decade or LESS.

inasmuch as a LARGE percentage of the MILLION Americans KILLED during the war were "persons other than white" (the DY army "freed" many slaves from being ALIVE!), this seems a REALLY high price to pay for 5-10 years of "freedom" for the remaining slaves.

otoh, the war from the dixie view was about FREEDOM;from the unionist side it was about $$$$$$$$ & keeping the south PERMANENTLY subservient to northern commercial/financial/manufacturing/railroad interests.

free dixie,sw

[4CJ]

Thank God for Forrest bump.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I think the prime motivation for start of the Civil War was the abolition of slavery on the Northern side, not wanting to be pushed around on the Southern side.

Once the fuse was lit, neither side was capable of backing down. Yes, the Civil War did far more harm than good; the freedom (from the most benign form of slavery in human history) for some was purchased a huge price in blood and treasure. And the effect of reconstruction was to harden attitudes and incite racial animosity.

[CutePuppy]

Interesting thought, which I have never encountered or considered before.

Some times require preventive actions to save many people or even mankind from death, ruin and madness (like 1930’s), some may require just the opposite - patience and pressure - to accomplish the same. It’s wise people who can see the distinction and make the right decisions.

Thanks for very interesting discussion and lots of historical facts on this thread.

[wardaddy]

folks who care should read the memoirs out now from Forrest’s staff and escort compiled by a professor here in Tennessee at Tullahoma.

I never knew Forrest had many blacks serve under him and not all were supply or quartermaster corps.

he offered pay and emancipation to his own slaves who agreed to serve under him

his reputation as a Simon Legree is utterly false.

I’ll be glad to debate Ft Pillow with any Neo-Abolitionists here too if they would like and we can do it strictly with Federal accounts

[stand watie]

SORRY, but FEW people north OR south cared a damn about "the plight of the slaves" in 1861. period. end of story.

furthermore, lincoln, the TYRANT, said "in his own hand" that he would assure passage of a Constitutional Amendment to "preserve slavery where it now exists forever".

the FACT is that they SHOULD have cared, but the free persons (of ANY race) mostly did NOT!

after it seemed that the voters were about to toss lincoln out in '64 and/or GB & France were about to recognize the CSA,then & ONLY then did the needLESS war become a "crusade against slavery". otoh, the north did NOT plan to free their slaves, but rather only those in dixie. it's called HYPOCRASY!!!

free dixie,sw

[Rabble]

"In disgust in January 1869, Forrest officially disbanded the organization saying it was “being perverted from its original honorable and patriotic purposes, becoming injurious instead of subservient to the public peace” and the vast majority of local groups followed his lead."

Who made this statement or who's opinion is it? I suppose that whoever it was had evidence or firsthand knowledge as to what they were saying. How about a link?

The quote above is certainly NOT proof that he was a member of the KKK. And if he actually made the statement the radical reconstruction congressional investigation in 1871 could not have found as they did, with Forrest's exoneration.

"The reporter should have asked him if he had ever belonged to the kkk."

Actually he did and is in the body of your post. According to the interview he stated “I am not, but am in sympathy and will co-operate with them."

[Pelham]

I think you are right. And slavery ended peacefully everywhere in the west except Haiti and the U.S.

[Rabble]

CORRECTION - The paragraph as stated by me:

"The quote above is certainly NOT proof that he was a member of the KKK. And if he actually made the statement the radical reconstruction congressional investigation in 1871 could not have found as they did, with Forrest's exoneration."

Should have read: The quote above is certainly NOT proof that he was a member of the KKK. And if Forrest actually made the quoted statement in context as to why he disbanded the KKK the radical reconstruction congressional investigation in 1871 could not have found as they did, with Forrest's exoneration, as the interview, according to you occurred in August, 1868."

[wardaddy]

not a bad post....these days..

thanks

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Lincoln was clearly personally opposed to slavery, read the Lincoln-Douglas debate. He may not have met the modern standard for racial fawning, but he was most certainly opposed to slavery. He was born in Kentucky and was familiar from his youth with the particular institution.

Recall the Dred Scott decision in which Judge Tannery in his concurrence offered the ex judicio opinion that the government of the Northern states had no right to prohibit slavery and invited a challenge by a prospective Northern slave owner. This galvanized the Northern electorate into voting in the candidate of the heretofore obscure antislavery Republican party.

Dred Scott, Bleeding Kansas, Harper’s Ferry and the election of Lincoln were the long fuse that set off a most avoidable and unnecessary war.

Even with it all, perhaps, perhaps, if that hothead Edmund Ruffin had not fired the first shot on Fort Sumter on his own initiative, the War might have been avoided.

Most of the problems that are with us today, trace to some extent, to the Civil War.

[smug]

if that hothead Edmund Ruffin had not fired the first shot on Fort Sumter on his own initiative,

Sorry, but it was not on Ruffin's own accord. Jefferson Davis after learning of Lincoln's sending reinforcements gave the order to P.G. T. Beauregard:

If you have no doubt as to the authorized character of the agent who communicated to you the intention of the Washington government to supply Fort Sumpter by force, you will at once demand it's evacuation, and if this is refused, proceed in such manner as you may determine to reduce it.

Beauregard offered the first shot to Roger Pryor but Pryor declined the offer. Edmund Ruffin accepted when he was given the same offer.

[Old Mountain man]

They constructed the buildings from green lumber during the summer. The lumber shrank during the winter and thousands died of exposure during the severe Ohio winter.

[Lee'sGhost]

Nice. But it would help if the guy knew how to spell barbecue.

[stand watie]

one wonders if this act was intentional or merely STUPID. (stupidity is usually not punishable by courts martial.)

otoh, the criminal acts of the "filth in blue uniforms" at PLPOWC, Hellmira & Camp Douglas (the 3 MAIN DEATH CAMPS)were INTENTIONAL, premeditated, war crimes.

rape, sexual assaults, torture, denial of medical attention, denial of sufficient food, denial of shelter & coldblooded MURDER were COMMONPLACE.

a letter order from a union officer at PLPOWC states that any guard shooting or bayoneting a prisoner "without cause shall be fined the sum of ONE DOLLAR"!!! (emphasis MINE)

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

IF what YOU SAY IS true (rather than more lincoln MYTH), WHY did lincoln state that he would personally ASSURE amending the Constitution to protect slavery FOREVER???

free dixie,sw