Forrest Forrest vandalized again

[diane]

I rather suspect the problem is one of those that could be resolved to the satisfaction of most with relative ease, but it gets too much publicity and political mileage being a problem. That's really too bad. But someone should make an issue of the fact that it is a burial, never mind whose. Forrest stated clearly in his will that Elmwood was where he wanted to be buried and he had put a lot of personal money and work into that cemetery. Willie allowed the removal - to me, I would not have done it because Forrest was already buried where he wanted, but to Willie it seemed like a very nice thing!

 

[redbob]

Back in the cemetery where they were originally, where Forrest said he wanted to be.

He wished to be in Elmwood Cemetery so that he could be with his men.

 

[Allie]

The problem with moving him back to Elmwood is that others have been buried where he and his wife were buried originally, so it's not possible to simply lay them in their original grave. Nor is there room for the statue. It's my opinion that Elmwood should do whatever it takes to make room, but they need to be motivated - with money - and the City Council is not all that interested in spending money on this, just complaining about it. Doing something costs money, being offended is free.

 

[Graycaptain]

We could use more men like Forrest instead of these Pee Wee Hermans we have today.

 

[Desert Kid]

I had a dream about Forrest once, back when the City Council first started discussing whether to remove the statue. I had been participating in some nasty discussions on the forum connected to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, and the subject was on my mind when I went to sleep. I dreamed the general was sitting on the base of the monument, and he said, "Don't fight for me. My fight is over and not one more person should be made hurt or upset on my behalf." It was a very vivid dream, and it made me think about my feelings for the monument, which I love. I wish people would not vandalize the monument, which as Reb pointed out, is also Forrest's grave and his wife's grave, but they can't hurt him.

On the other hand, stopping traffic across the bridge is really dangerous. Sooner or later someone trying to get to a hospital is going to die, or someone with an illness is going to be prevented from reaching their medication, or an old person stuck in a car for eleven hours is going to get heat stroke. I hope these issues can be resolved without further tragedy.

I always wondered. What does Forrest's voice sound like? I always imagined it being a bit of a brusque frontiersy West Tennessee or Deep South drawl, a calm but constant stern tone inflection in his mannerism.

 

[Allie]

I always wondered. What does Forrest's voice sound like? I always imagined it being a bit of a brusque frontiersy West Tennessee or Deep South drawl, a calm but constant stern tone inflection in his mannerism.

You know, I couldn't tell you. I don't think I noticed anything past the eyes, and his very easy and relaxed way of moving. I'm from here which means "West Tennessee accent" is my normal. The only thing I ever recall reading about his voice was that it was higher pitched than you might expect and in his latter days his voice became soft and gentle enough that some others criticized him for sounding womanish.

 

[Desert Kid]

You know, I couldn't tell you. I don't think I noticed anything past the eyes, and his very easy and relaxed way of moving. I'm from here which means "West Tennessee accent" is my normal. The only thing I ever recall reading about his voice was that it was higher pitched than you might expect and in his latter days his voice became soft and gentle enough that some others criticized him for sounding womanish.

Well, Forrest was keeping calm. Not many positive things happened when his voice and temper shifted!

 

[Reb]

I always wondered. What does Forrest's voice sound like? I always imagined it being a bit of a brusque frontiersy West Tennessee or Deep South drawl, a calm but constant stern tone inflection in his mannerism.

If my grandfather is anything like his grandfather, He had a middle Tennessee drawl. He was a man of few words. He was quite stern. His grandfather was in "Forrest's Escort". He was older than most of them, being 27 when he enlisted at Murfreesboro. They called him "Old man". My grandfather was born in the same house as his grandfather. He was raised the same way, on the same farm, doing the same things. He was born about 30 miles from Chapel Hill where Forrest was born. Forrest was 15 years older than my gg grandfather. They were both 56 when they died. Forrest in 1877 and my gg grandfather in 1892.

 

[Nathanb1]

I always wondered. What does Forrest's voice sound like? I always imagined it being a bit of a brusque frontiersy West Tennessee or Deep South drawl, a calm but constant stern tone inflection in his mannerism.

Read Richard Taylor for a great description.

 

[Desert Kid]

Read Richard Taylor for a great description.

When did Taylor meet Forrest?

 

[Nathanb1]

When did Taylor meet Forrest?

It's in his book. Possibly my favorite description.

 

[Reb]

When did Taylor meet Forrest?

Dick Taylor took over the Army of Tennessee after the Franklin/Nashville debacle. Forrest was with him at the surrender at Citronelle, Alabama.
http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/citronelle.html

 

[gary]

***edit by Lnwlf***

The Civil War is part of our history. Learn from it and don't forget its lessons.

 

[Two Eyed Jack]

Dick Taylor took over the Army of Tennessee after the Franklin/Nashville debacle. Forrest was with him at the surrender at Citronelle, Alabama.
http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/citronelle.html

Thanks for the link. This part is sad reminder of what some of our ancestors had to live through:

...Bank stocks, bonds, all personal property,
all accumulated wealth, had disappeared.
Thousands of houses, farm-buildings, work-
animals, flocks and herds, had been
wantonly burned, killed, or carried off. The
land was filled with widows and orphans
crying for aid, which the universal destitution
prevented them from receiving. - Lt. Gen.
Richard Taylor, CSA (Destruction and Reconstruction
p. 236).

 

[diane]

When did Taylor meet Forrest?

They had a very great mutual respect. Forrest wrote Taylor a letter when he was transferred to Hood, letting him know their friendship was sincere and he deeply regretted leaving Taylor's command. Taylor had several good remarks about Forrest, too. They genuinely liked one another. Here's the letter Forrest wrote:

https://books.google.com/books?id=p...Q6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q= richard taylor&f=false

 

[truthckr]

The problem with moving him back to Elmwood is that others have been buried where he and his wife were buried originally, so it's not possible to simply lay them in their original grave. Nor is there room for the statue. It's my opinion that Elmwood should do whatever it takes to make room, but they need to be motivated - with money - and the City Council is not all that interested in spending money on this, just complaining about it. Doing something costs money, being offended is free.

When I visited Elmwood 3 years ago, the curator (I suppose/assumed) pointed out Forrest's former grave site. There is an empty space between Willy and Fannie's graves where Bedford and Mary were disinterred. If the family wished to have him reinterred in Elmwood, the space exists.

Of Course, things may have changed since 2013

 

[diane]

I always wondered. What does Forrest's voice sound like? I always imagined it being a bit of a brusque frontiersy West Tennessee or Deep South drawl, a calm but constant stern tone inflection in his mannerism.

That's an interesting question - like Allie says, it was higher than one might think. In the Jordan and Pryor book as well as Wyeth's, there was a discussion of his speech. Wyeth said he said 'mout' for might, 'fit' for fought, used fetch and yonder, tended to be ungrammatical as in 'they was' or 'we was'. I think this was more about his education than accent - Wyeth said he spoke in a rural accent but was not unsophisticated. Many others described his speech as soft, very mellow. However, that all changed with combat. Then his voice became very loud and ringing, almost metallic, and he had one good set of lungs - he could be heard clearly over the artillery! One interesting thing - Forrest could sing quite well. Not many heard him do it, but those who did liked what they heard!

You know, if it had been a singing contest instead of a shootin' contest, the rebs would have won. Lee was a good bass, Jeb had the baritone section, Forrest and Little Powell were excellent tenors... Grant was tone deaf, Sherman couldn't carry a tune in a bucket and Sheridan couldn't help him tote!

 

[Nathanb1]

http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/taylor/taylor.html#taylor196

Check Taylor's account of their relationship here, about p 195, I believe.

 

[diane]

http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/taylor/taylor.html#taylor196

Check Taylor's account of their relationship here, about p 195, I believe.

That one's great! Thanks for bringing it back - I'd forgotten how good it was. He wasn't the only one who misjudged Forrest initially, either. Cheatham, when he first observed Forrest's battle high thought we're all gonna die, this guy is nuts. But then he changed his opinion right quick - he noticed Forrest's mind worked much quicker and clearer then, and he was in complete control of himself.

 

[Graycaptain]

I rather suspect the problem is one of those that could be resolved to the satisfaction of most with relative ease, but it gets too much publicity and political mileage being a problem. That's really too bad. But someone should make an issue of the fact that it is a burial, never mind whose. Forrest stated clearly in his will that Elmwood was where he wanted to be buried and he had put a lot of personal money and work into that cemetery. Willie allowed the removal - to me, I would not have done it because Forrest was already buried where he wanted, but to Willie it seemed like a very nice thing!

So are you saying the grave of Forrest was moved?