Forrest Help deciphering this note

Reb

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jul 21, 2015
Location
South Central Arizona
I found this in
The Artillery Of Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry- John Morton
It's supposed to be the only
surviving document of the KKK.


KKK.JPG
 
Alarming Era 2nd Black
Horrid Hour '68

Genl G G Dibrell is hereby appointed Deputy Grand --?--- 3rd Dominion 1st Relm to organize all the Divisions

in his Dominion when found competent under the Prescript

By Order of the

Grand Wizard of the Empier

Per ------?------

----?----

Edited to correct Dibrell
Edited to correct Divisions
Edited to correct Hour
 
Last edited:
Alarming Era 2nd Black
Horrid Hou-- '68

Genl G G Dibrell is hereby appointed Deputy Grand ------ 3rd Dominion 1st Relm to organize all the Dominions

in his Dominion when found competent under the Prescript

By Order of the

Grand Wizard of the Empier

-------------

---------
You have better vision than I do. My tired eyes just won't work, even with glasses.
 
This may be way off, but at first glance this is what I think:

Alarming era 2nd ?
? ? ‘68

Genl. GG ? is hereby appointed Deputy Grand ? 3rd ? 1st realm.

to organize all divisions in his ? when found ? under his Prescript.

By order of the Grand ?
? ?
 
In Capt. John W. Morton's book THE ARTILLERY OF NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST page 344 there is a photocopy of a letter written by Morton transcribed as follows:

"Possibly the only order of the Klan that was ever written is the following, in Captain Morton's possession:

" ' Alarming Era, 2d Black, Horrid Hour 68.

"Gen. G. G. Dibrell is hereby appointed Deputy Grand Titan, Third Dominion, First Realm, to organize all the Divisions in his Dominion when found competent under the Prescript.

" ' By order of GRAND WIZARD OF THE EMPIRE,
" ' Per J.W. Morton, Jr., Genii."

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/post-war-nathan-bedford-forrest-question.19974/page-2
 
Very interesting! The only thing I can add now is that the note wasn't written by Forrest. Here is a note he wrote himself, responding to a person seeking autographs:

2979248166_a7a4fc8924_b.jpg

Forrest's handwriting is excellent in this example - one can almost read it! He had the long sloping typical of a left-handed person writing with his right hand, which he did.
 

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This may be way off, but at first glance this is what I think:

Alarming era 2nd ?
? ? ‘68

Genl. GG ? is hereby appointed Deputy Grand ? 3rd ? 1st realm.

to organize all divisions in his ? when found ? under his Prescript.

By order of the Grand ?
? ?

Alarming is for the 6th month June
2nd Black is for the 2nd Thursday
Horrid Hour is 5pm 168 is 1868

Appointed to the Deputy Grand Titan 3rd Dominion, 1st Realm to organize all of the divisions in his Dominion. The Imperial Wizard had 15 Genii which were subordinates.
 
The reason I am investigating this is because I've always wondered if my family were in the klan. They were from Lincoln Co., Tennessee, and many of my ACW menfolk were in "Forrest's Escort". I'll never know I suppose, as it was a secret organization. The only reference I have found is a recollection of my aunt, who tells a story about her and my great grandmother bringing a jar of fig preserves to Hugo Black, who became a member of the Supreme Court, and who was a member of the 2nd ideation of the klan. The ladies in my family were all members of the UDC, and I know they supported the klan.
 
The reason I am investigating this is because I've always wondered if my family were in the klan. They were from Lincoln Co., Tennessee, and many of my ACW menfolk were in "Forrest's Escort". I'll never know I suppose, as it was a secret organization. The only reference I have found is a recollection of my aunt, who tells a story about her and my great grandmother bringing a jar of fig preserves to Hugo Black, who became a member of the Supreme Court, and who was a member of the 2nd ideation of the klan. The ladies in my family were all members of the UDC, and I know they supported the klan.

Have you looked in newspapers from the era? Sometimes if your folks' area had a local correspondent, they might mention your folks in passing. Even if you read through and got a feel for what was going on in the area, you might run across some mention of them.
 
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