Forrest Welcome to the Forrest Forum!

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/

Thanks for posting that. I've heard of Turner Hall, but am not exactly sure of where - I'm interested in this book. That video was fair - it did say they were teamsters for Forrest. It's interesting to me how racially diverse Forrest's elite body guard and escort was - lots of Indians in there, too. I wonder if there are any other similarly diverse groups? Maybe Louisiana? Lots were separated into their own units but Forrest had everybody all mixed up. If anybody didn't like it, they'd better not say anything about it!
 
Well, after much lurking and reading in this part of the forums for the past 6 months, I took the plunge and ordered Hurst's and Jordan & Pryor's bios on "That Guy." this evening. Much appreciation to all the previous posts about biography recommendations, especially @diane. I'm normally reading about Sheridan and his exploits in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864, but Forrest is just too interesting to me to ignore anymore. Hopefully I will be able to contribute to "That Guy's" topics in the near future after I get my feet wet.

Rebecca
 
Well, after much lurking and reading in this part of the forums for the past 6 months, I took the plunge and ordered Hurst's and Jordan & Pryor's bios on "That Guy." this evening. Much appreciation to all the previous posts about biography recommendations, especially @diane. I'm normally reading about Sheridan and his exploits in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864, but Forrest is just too interesting to me to ignore anymore. Hopefully I will be able to contribute to "That Guy's" topics in the near future after I get my feet wet.

Rebecca

Glad you're enjoying it! Jordan and Pryor is still one of the best military biographies around - Forrest was very generous with his papers and information about his campaigns. :smile:
 
Well, after much lurking and reading in this part of the forums for the past 6 months, I took the plunge and ordered Hurst's and Jordan & Pryor's bios on "That Guy."
Jack Hurst's biography is a great introduction to the life of Forrest, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Much appreciation to all the previous posts about biography recommendations, especially @diane.

IMHO, @diane is the successor to Larry Cockerham. :smile coffee:
 
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There are Native American Think Tanks out there no one knows anything about. Diane runs one, she just takes time off sometimes to come hang out here with the common folk. :nerd:

:D Oh...the secret is out about the sweat lodge...:laugh: Well, truth is I ain't bright just a parrot - I can relate to Forrest's tricks to hide his illiteracy. Memorize everything!
 
Okay, tell me more. Because wasn't he quite the successful business man? What issues did he have?

Forrest only had about 3-6 months formal education, probably in one of the traveling 'blab' schools of the day. They usually set up for the winter months and closed up for planting. Family helped out with some education but Forrest liked physical activity much more than study. As one old-timer who knew the family said, "Bedford always had sense. He just didn't apply himself." He couldn't read or write very well at all. Quite often during the war he'd have his clerk, George Cable, or someone else write up the reports and then read them back to him 'to get the pitch'. That was because his reading was slow. However, he did read all he could get his hands on and said he always keenly felt the pinch whenever he was around educated people. He made sure his younger brothers were better educated than he was and his pride was being able to send the baby of the family, Jeffrey, to college. In later years, before his death, he was a strong supporter of black education - which earned him a heavy amount of criticism. One of the big reasons Forrest couldn't get back on his feet after the war was because he had no education to fall back on as did other Confederate officers. His wealth was from slaves and cotton - that was how an uneducated farm boy became rich in those times.
 
So much I don't know! Always another layer or different view with Forrest. :smile: How long...don't know! :confused:

I suppose it's like peeling back the layers of an onion with him. I'm like that with Sheridan, always looking for something more. I needed a polarizing figure to concentrate on from the Confederate side of the house...I have settled on Forrest, lol.

Rebecca
 
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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Thanks for the invite to the Forrest Forum. Love the print above. I have Sound the Charge by Dale Gallon:

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As a person who is ignorant about Nathan B Forrest, can someone enlighten me as to a decent book about him. I do not believe he is the devil incarnate or some kind of 19th century God so hagiography and trashing volumes please warn me off them.

I have Nathan Bedford Forrest, In Search of the Enigma by Eddy W. Davison and Daniel Foxx and Nathan Bedford Forrest, A Biography by Jack Hurst. I thought both were good. Gonna have to reread them for this forum.
 
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