Forrest Welcome to the Forrest Forum!

This is a happy day for Forrest - I'm very pleased to see this forum kicked off so nicely! I'd whack a bottle of champagne over the hull but the Old Rebel didn't drink! :laugh: I'll settle for another celebration. Somebody just now brought me my first genuine Forrest portrait - they found it hanging around the hospice thrift shop. Nobody knew anything about it so my buddy got it for a few bucks. (He doesn't know Forrest from forest - just thought 'civil war = my pal downriver'.) It is a lithograph, signed by the artist, genuine article - can't believe this! :dance: This is the one:

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Great treasure!
 
I posted this in another forum, but it probably needs to be here instead...
I don't know a lot about my great great grand uncle N. B. Forrest. I'm currently reading Jack Hurst's book about him. I do know that he wasn't the "evil" man many modern historians make him out to be. People often forget to look at history in the context of the place and time in which it took place. How is it that some slave owners/traders like Forrest (who freed his slaves before the war was over) can be judged as evil while others such as Thomas Jefferson who owned 200 slaves (and never freed them) are national heros? These are the types of questions I'm trying to understand. While I'm certainly not saying he was an angel, I think uncle Bedford has taken an unnecessarily bad rap in history.
Wow!A relative! I'd like to ask you if you agree with Shelby Foote's assessment of N.B. Forest, being one of two "authentic geniuses" that war produced, as he expressed in the K. Burns documentary. Thanks!!!!!
 
Let me explain...my post was intended as a reply to DSlessom, Private, if I read his post correctlty, regarding being a relative of N.B. Forest. I have more to add about Forest, but I need to read more threads to see if someone else started conversational topic I'm looking for about "that guy." Thx, all
 
There has to be more. Hmmmm. The pics were great! OK, here's a question someone will know and save me a search. Did N.B.F. write a mémoire?
 
Wow!A relative! I'd like to ask you if you agree with Shelby Foote's assessment of N.B. Forest, being one of two "authentic geniuses" that war produced, as he expressed in the K. Burns documentary. Thanks!!!!!

Bedford Forrest was undoubtedly extremely intelligent. I still consider myself very much a student when it comes to Civil War history, Lincoln and Forrest. Although Bedford was my uncle, he died 93 years before I was born. I have heard stories, and family "legend" that has been handed down through the years, and I have grown up around folks who weren't too far removed from his time, and were more closely related - so although I do have perhaps somewhat more insight as to how he might have been, based on his male descendants, I really don't know any more than anyone in these forums. I gain most of my information from books just like anyone. If your definition of "genius" means the ability to use available resources to make the best of a given situation, then Bedford absolutely was a genius! He seemed to have had an uncanny ability to plan out a battle situation, taking all available information into account, and even on at least one occasion, even taking the weather into account - which seems to have been a rarity at the time.

One thing I can say for sure, is that he was quick tempered and fearless. An alpha male to the extreme. But, he was also a man of strong morals, and likely a compassionate person - a view that would probably be not be agreed with by many people today. How can I say that a slave trader is a moral man? Well, I believe he did what he thought was right at THAT TIME, and I also believe that his morality and compassion are what made him re-assess his position on certain issues throughout his lifetime. This is why Bedford at age 30 is almost a completely different man at age 55.

Most men in my family are like this. Strong willed, outspoken, hot tempered, but compassionate and intelligent. Many have been military men, law enforcement officers (my self included - I am a former Deputy Sheriff). I imagine Bedford was much the same, but maybe just more extreme.
 
Dear Private, this post was soooo good to read. I am elated, really, because descendants are sources of oral histories, though you remind me that even direct descendants aren't born into knowledge of history.... I am not sure how genius would be defined by Foote, but I really liked that regarding swinging the general's saber, yet not liking coupling N.B. Foest's genius on par with Mr. Lincoln's, lol. Another great point you mention is that one of personal growth. Like Lincoln, seems like Forest changed over the course and beyond that war. Change. Growth. That is the human miracle of the legacy, in my opinion, about that war. It elevated the way we look at ourselves in relation to that ongoing story...history is our story. Lincoln's changing views are so obvious to anyone reading about this war, and "causes" do not seem as important to me as the shift in people views of human life, liberty, and government sustained of, by, and for the people. I am going to read more about your uncle. Thanks for replying, and really nice to meet you.
 
I thought this was going to be a forum, but it's more like a love-in. Unfortunately, I 've already said almost all the mean things I have to say on earlier threads, sigh. but just to keep Nate going, I will try to dredge up scandal I haven't already b------ about yet. Meh...maybe tomorrow.
 
I just had to say something about forests professor Gary Gallagher on C-SPAN made this statement that forest wasn't that good of a general. I find that hard to believe as a Northerner I tend to look at forest The Same Way, Sherman did but in all reality I found him to be one of the more competent generals his use of topography bypasses any other general of that time like him or hate him he was self toward and quite remarkable.
 
I just had to say something about forests professor Gary Gallagher on C-SPAN made this statement that forest wasn't that good of a general. I find that hard to believe as a Northerner I tend to look at forest The Same Way, Sherman did but in all reality I found him to be one of the more competent generals his use of topography bypasses any other general of that time like him or hate him he was self toward and quite remarkable.

I like Gary Gallagher and usually agree with him but on this I think he's mistaken! Forrest was held back a good deal by commanders who were either jealous of him or didn't realize his true value. It seemed like the more responsibilities he got, the better he performed.
 
I like Gary Gallagher and usually agree with him but on this I think he's mistaken! Forrest was held back a good deal by commanders who were either jealous of him or didn't realize his true value. It seemed like the more responsibilities he got, the better he performed.

Diane, I'm posting this here. Trusting that none, (at least not many) of the forum's "flame throwers" usually avoid the Forrest Forum. I figured there'd be more people here genuinely interested in the content of this new book.

https://orderlyforlee.wordpress.com/author/orderlyforlee/
 
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