Before the war Rommel came to Tennessee to study battles of Forrest who moved artillery to the forefront in his battles to soften up enemy positions for the infantry.
I was told by a Gulf War Vet. that an Iraqi prisoner who knew English was pushed into a Bradly fighting vehicle. There was a Rommel picture on the wall. He asked "Why you have a picture of enemy?" Response: If you knew more about this guy, you wouldn't be where you are now! "Attack from both ways en puts the scare on um." N.B.F.
Goofy and convoluted, but good. The only thing that it fails to recognize is (as Sherman put it) "Forrest was the best soldier created on either side during our recent Civil War..."
I've read multiple books on Forrest, seen author's lectures on the man, and visited his grave site, (which had to be moved under politically correct pressure) I enjoyed your presentation and appreciate your research, but I'm convinced that you have bought in to every negative stereotype of Forrest. I believe, which seems to be the case a vast majority of the time, the truth about Forrest, his beliefs and motivations, lie more towards the center. I dispute your assertion that this man was somehow inherently evil. In fact, William T. Sherman said after the war that Forrest was the most competent general produced by either side by the Civil War. Forrest also offered to help Sherman with his dealing with Indians after the war and the two men were extremely cordial with each other after the war. I also believe that Forrest's offerings of regret over his actions as a younger man were indeed sincere. Who among us don't regret things we've done in our past ? Forrest was a man of his time. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, Forrest's brilliant saying of getting there first with the most men comes straight from "The Art Of War" by Sun Tzu. I think Forrest deserves a better bio than is depicted in your video. But I do thank you for a very good video otherwise.
@@davidglasscock2318 I'm actually from Pittsburgh 😂 But I dig NBF and have always contended that he was not only a great General, but a far more decent man than given credit for.
I have also read everything I could get my hands on about Fort Pillow, and I think the evidence clearly shows that he did not order the "execution" of the black Union troops. Forrest himself said he was in another part of the field, and when he did see what was transpiring, he put a stop to it. I believe him.
Having lived in Rome, Georgia for many years, the story of it's having been saved from capture and destruction from an invading union force by General Forrest is legendary. A quick moving army of twenty-eight hundred men and thirty-two artillery pieces was dispatched to march to Rome and cut the rail line to Chattanooga, Tennessee, thus severing the supply lines to the Confederate army there. The Union force under Colonel A D Streight advanced unopposed towards Rome, as there were no southern forces in the area sufficient to stop him. Forrest was westward in Alabama far from the area, but when he got the news he immediately set out to defend the railline and the city. With an army of fifteen hundred mounted infantry and eight cannon he drove his smaller force relentlessly for three days and nights, stopping only for brief rests lasting only minutes at a time. When he finally caught up to Colonel Streight just outside of Rome, Forrest had only four hundred men and five artillery pieces left, the rest having fallen behind from accident and exhaustion. Forrest immediately sent Streight an ultimatum for his surrender. Streight knew full well there was no army near that could challenge him and was therefore taken aback by Forrest's brash demand for surrender. His reply to Forrest was "show me your cannon". Forrest had his wagons go through a small clearing in front of a hill then circle around and go through again towing his few artillery guns. The drivers continuously drove around and around changing hats and clothes as they did so, presenting to the Union army an endless progression of field artillery. Duped, Colonel Streight surrendered his greatly superior forces to the exhausted remnants of the southern troops under Forrest. Needless to say the General was quite the hero to the city of Rome at that time, rather unlike the present leaders of the city who have forgotten the great sacrifice of those men under Forrest and ungratefully removed all traces of his once being honored there.
The best soldier either side in the war, according to Robert E. Lee. Lee for those unaware, is the man who was offered overall command of both Union and Confederate armies.
My great great grandpa served with him. Part of the war he was his body guard. He said forest was best man he served under. He named one of his sons after forrest. He was a military genius. Probably best general north or south. If you want to research a sorry and brutal general you should research general sherman. He should have been tried for war crimes.
@davenewsom5985 Obviously you don't know squat. Forrest had 31 kills in Hand to Hand Combat. He was wounded 4 times during the war. He fought with his men. He was a Natural. Can you name one Union General that did those things? No you can't. Forrest's Victory at Brices Crossroads was the Battle Perfect of the Civil War.
Some of his men were more afraid of him than they were of the Yankees. Forrest's body guards were his former black slaves. Quote: "No man ever kilt me and lived." My Great Grandfather was one of his horse soldiers. Southern people don't care about your ignorant laughter.
The Delta isn't the Mississippi River delta . It is the elliptically-shaped alluvial plain east of the Mississippi River from just south of Memphis to Yazoo City. It was not cleared for farming until the 1890s
Like him or not, N. B. Forrest was one hell of a man. There are very few men of his caliber, he was absolutely built for leadership, violence, and warfare. Interesting channel, I subscribed.
He murdered black Union prisoners while sparing the whites. He was a war criminal. His caliber was evil. Thank God there are very few men of his "caliber."
That is a fabrication and an exaggeration. I am tired of hearing about Southern "nobility." I fought in Vietnam and Southerners were some of the most brutal swine I knew. They weren't the only ones, but they were no better than any Northerner.
if i am not mistaken in the numbers ...35 of 37 slaves stayed with him AFTER they were free. What changed was now he payed them, and that they lived off their own wages.
Forrest offered freedom to his slaves if they served him throughout the war. Realizing that if he was killed he could not keep his promise, he freed those that accompanied him thus far. Once freed, they chose to stay with him till the end of the war.
@@CosmoShidan I didn't say he didn't. But I did imply he had a great deal of loyalty amongst his former slaves. Which counters the "hitler" narrative that is spewed against him. Most of that comes from his "Klan" activities. Which is also misunderstood. You cannot compare the insurgency group that sprang up after the war with the Race based organization that formed in the 1880s (In Indianna by the way). Forrest's Klan was fighting the abuse of the occupation. It disbanded in 1872.
@@kato1224 You mean from the perspectives of Martin Robison Delany? Or U.S. Grant? Or from the hero Billy Sherman? Or from the Filipino, Chinese, Fijian, Indoneasian, Arabic, Japanese, Samoan, or African-American perspective? Or how it was all about the right to...OWN SLAVES?! lol.
Historians invariably ignore the events that preceded the Fort Pillow "massacre". It was Sunday. The day before the attack on the fort. Southern forces had taken the day off from fighting to spend time with their families on the shores near the fort. These relatives had arrived by ship from down the river. Everything went well untill the time arrived for these families to leave. As the ships began leaving to go back down the river, the cannon of the fort suddenly and inexplicably opened fire on the non military transports. The southern troops watched helplessly in horror as their wives, sons, and daughters were slaughtered in the merciless bombardment. An attack on the fort had not been planned. However, in anger the confederate forces attacked early the next day. It didn't take long to breach the fort's defenses and the first thing they wanted to know was who manned the cannons that killed their families. When it was discovered that it was the black soldiers that had done this, revenge was quickly enacted on them. Forrest was tried for this "war crime" after the war and was exonerated after it was found that he halted the killing as soon as he arrived on scene later. What happened the day before was also a war crime. Not justifying what happened the next day, but it was not an act of "racism" but an act of revenge upon those who had just murdered their families, the perpetrators who happened to be black.
The truth is that Gen. Forest had food poisoning at Ft. Pillow, had an up set stomach and was pooping on himself. He was not able to stop the carnage. How do I know? My great grandfather was one of his troopers.
@@amybooth6583 OK, "Champ" I have his muster cards from the archives. 53d. Reg't. K Company, Alabama Vol. mounted Inf. CSA Comparison, today that would be like airborne ranger coming out of helicopter.
This is the most Yankeed up damn story I've heard in a long time. Mr Forrest was an honorable man. Over half the sht told in this slanderous post is b.s.
Nice job, but I greatly prefer paintings and photographs to movie clips, especially non civil war themed clips as this takes me instantly out of the historical narrative.
No love loss between Forrest & Gen John B Hood! Hood lost his leg at the Battle of Chickamauga, 1864 With US Grant in Vicksburg & Gen Sherman burned Atlanta & continued his March to the Sea, Hood who was unfit & was reinstated saw opportunity from Lee to lead the Southern Army 40K strong & marched north to Tenn, at the Battle of Franklin & retake Nashville, 5 CSA Generals would lose their lives under Hoods Command,
This video was one-sided, leaving out details of his life and context for his actions. Concerning Fort Pillow, It's commander and Forrest both knew the fort would fall if attacked, so Forrest told him if he had to attack and lose men trying to take the fort, he would show no quarter, in which the fort's commander replied that no quarter would be asked. The reports of Forrest's actions during the massacre are muddled with conflicting accounts from the soldiers under his command, of whom some claimed he tried to stop it.
Forrest also routinely demanded surrenders of isolated federal garrisons and forts on threat that if not surrendered, he would show no quarter. Ft. Pillow is a confused and often misused incident from his life. As is Forrest's role in the founding of the original KKK, an organization he also disbanded when its purpose was served (patrolling the roads and stopping freed slaves from burning barns for Union League carpetbaggers so ex-Confederates couldn't work their land and pay their taxes) and that subsequently re-emerged as an entirely different and racist organization that was known in the 1880's to the heyday in the 1920's.
What a character, he was like the Custer Of The South I guess. Not someone you wanted to cross or fight against or even be on his side. At least after the war he changed his ways and even dissolved the original Klan,
Armstrong Custer had low grades @ West Point. He thought that he could just ride in and slaughter the Indians without his artillery. His men had obsolete Spencer rifles, the Indians had repeating rifles. Gen'l Nat never fought that way. No guess work at all. It was Forrest's tactic's that won us the 1st. Gulf War in Iraq. "Attack um frum both ways en puts the scare on um!" The enemy did not expect the Cavalry coming from out of the desert.
there is a letter sent to the president grant from forest saying give me 100 men and i will hang those who are killing negros..because many blacks were being murdered at this time! he was later invited to a black womans university and he talked saying building bridges of friendship between blacks and whites
Wonder what Mr. Forrrest's judgment was from God. If he did not truly repent from the heart through Jesus Christ, he is still paying for his mercilessness and shall for all eternity. Despite his military genius, bravery, and skill. Leaves a human being wordless as to how this man thought and fought. But God knew him thoroughly.
Going through some of these comments, it’s frighting how many people are still brainwashed by the myth of the lost cause and have sympathy for an army and its people that rained down nothing short of terrorism on this nation for decades.
Lots of facts left out , especially regarding Fort Pillow, so the man wasnt a saint , but ironic that Sherman who called him a devil was one himself , he feared Forrest because he knew how to fight
I despise Forrest, as a man. Actually, I don't feel that he was much of one. However, I have to admit that he was one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, cavalry commander of the war. Too bad that he wasn't an admirable human being.
a lot of people seem to have a trouble fitting into their heads that a person can be cold hearted and mean but also very brave and competent. i would even argue its probably more likely than them being fair and agreeable. and then you have the other side of the coin, people who are really kind and compassionate but at the end of the day they are complete cowards which is also probably the norm. we want the good to also be brave and the bad to be cowards but unfortunately the world doesnt work like that.
@@CosmoShidan You seem to think that "great leader" is rooted in strategic/war victory. Forrest was a great soldier, as commented by Lee and the terrorist Sherman. If winning a war is what qualifies one to be a great commander, then Rommel, Jackson and Napoleon wouldn't be considered great leaders, which we know they were.
As a History major, General Bedford forst single-handedly changed war fair late in the civil war ..love or hate him that is facts. He was a genius when it came to embarrassing the with reconnaissance and unwavering pressure in pursuit of the enemy.
Remember that calling someone a "military genius" does not mean that you approve of their actions. Forrest would have gotten along with Genghis Khan and Tamerlane.
Moved forest from Memphis to Columbia Tennessee Memphis is a crime ridden city now he's in a better place Forest can rest in peace I give General Forest Rebel Yell read the true stories about Forest not carpetbagger
Just imagine if someone tried to make a film about Forrest the hysteria it would create, basically a movie about Forrest done by Hollywood would obviously focus on his role in the slave trade, looking at his picture he looks like a villainous type of person but I still understand he was a great combat leader, as a black American however I can’t make him out as some hero the way some white Americans like to do with him but I would watch an in depth documentary about him because he’s one of those generals from the civil war I would like to know more about
One of america greatest Calvery Generals . He sold slvaes because it was legal back then. He disbanded the first kkk after the harsh treament confederate soliders was getting wound down.
Nathan Bedford Forrest personally killed 31 men in battle and had 30 horses shot out from under him during the war. He said that he was one ahead in the war referring to this fact. Next time do more than a half-hearted effort.
Forest ended his life as an advocate for civil rights. Attempted to disband the KKK and even offered his help in hunting down men who had murdered African American men in Tennessee
This is extremely biased against Forrest. I find the accusations, especially about Ft. Pillow, to be misleading. This was a brave, capable and resourceful leader who risked his life alongside his men.
This is a one sided characterization, except for the truth at the end. He called for the klan to disband because it had gotten too violent and out of hand. It wasn’t his fault that many didn’t listen. Fort Pillow: Even Sherman his sworn enemy exhonorated him after the war. The yankees wouldn’t surrender, so he kept attacking. Any other good general would have done the same.
Racial Animus: The primary driver of the massacre appears to have been the intense racial animosity that Confederate soldiers held towards African American troops. The Confederacy, in general, had a deep-seated opposition to the arming of Black soldiers by the Union. The presence of African American soldiers at Fort Pillow likely exacerbated the violence during the battle.Previous Engagements: There had been a history of brutal encounters between Confederate and Union forces, especially involving units like Forrest’s, known for their ferocity. However, there is no substantial evidence directly linking specific instances of Union soldiers killing Confederate family members to the events at Fort Pillow.
I am glad that at the end though somewhat begrudgingly they noted that Forrest recanted his support of the Klan. The Klan had been founded in the early days of reconstruction to protect white civilians from mainly Northern carpetbaggers who came to steal as much as they could .They went after those civilians as they had the assets , they would have gladly stolen from blacks as well. Also those white civilians could not turn to the occupying Union soldiers for protection who looked at them with scorn at best. In this soil of no public protection the Klan grew. The Mafia in Sicily had similar start. When Forrest saw the Klan turning away from the purpose it was founded it he denounced it in public , a somewhat unhealthy thing to do. Not sure if it was true but I heard Forrest also had blacks free and slave fighting in his units, who he described as brave fighters. War is hell try not to judge those who fought it esp from comments that may have been blurred by jealousy and ignorance . Did not Patton slap a wounded G I in the hospital. WAs there reports that the Allies killed surrendering Germans during D Day and we can go on Vietnam, Afganhastan and the Middle East.
