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Now note the ellipses there. It's very interesting that the vast majority of times that line is quoted, those ellipses are there. But what was left out? It turns out, upon some deeper digging, that what he said, in full, was "These fellows never left me, drove my teams, and better confederates never lived." So there it is. No magnificent fighters. No black cavalrymen riding alongside Forrest and shooting it out with the yankees. Just more teamsters and another Watie lie exposed.

So then, it is not my original post in #140 that you dispute as inaccurate, nor my statement that: ...and which included black Confederate veterans such as Forrest's wartime drovers and teamsters...?

As for how many were *just* Teamsters [I'm betting you wouldn't denigrate that trade to one of Jimmy Hoffa's lads face-to-face] I'd expect that they were indeed armed and likely rarely used arms; a wise commander does not engage the enemy with his supply train. But at least eight of Forrest's former slaves were among his personal and very armed escort, and those worthies almost certainly engaged in combat alongside the man who had 29 horses shot out from under him.

When the war started, Forrest asked 45 of his slaves (which he considered as servants) to join him, offering them their freedom after the war, no matter how it turned out. They all joined him and although they had numerous opportunities to desert him, 44 stayed by his side until the end of the war. In fact, part of his special command escort later called "the green berets" (ironic isn't it), consisted of the most elite and best soldiers available, and among them were eight black men.

--Dr. Gene Ladnier, author "Fame's Eternal Camping Ground

So then, it is not my original post in #140 that you dispute as inaccurate,

You are correct. I do not dispute anything that you say in #140. I've never been one of the "Forrest started the Klan" guys, and Forrest's postwar record--apart from his unfortunate, but brief connection with the KKK--is basically admirable.

What I did dispute was Watie's spurious quote. In researching the actual quote which Watie was trying to remember (and fabricating when he couldn't), I found that the ellipsed version outnumbers the full version by a huge margin, something I find telling.

In fact, part of his special command escort later called "the green berets" (ironic isn't it), consisted of the most elite and best soldiers available, and among them were eight black men.

So you would have us believe that this unit adopted an obscure Basque peasant wool cap as it's symbol 20 years before the first recorded use by the French military? And it just happened to be dyed green? Just how gullible do you think we all are?