Forrest Is anyone going to the Reinterment of Nathan Bedford Forrest this Saturday, 6/19/21?

Joined
Aug 1, 2018
Location
Nashville, TN
I'm thinking about going. I'm pretty neutral about him. I recognize the bad things like slave trading, Fort Pillow, and his association with the bad group of people that I don't think I'm allowed to mention here. There are also the things people admire like his military prowess and his apparent change of heart and even efforts towards racial reconciliation towards the end of his life.

To me, he's kind of like Ghengis Khan or Julius Caesar: not an angel and known for brutality, but also a historical figure of note and interesting to study. He became a central figure in my Civil War trilogy, especially in my latest book, Blood for Blood at Nashville, which comes out this Thursday.

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As an author who's studied and written about him quite a bit, I feel I ought to go. I'm afraid I'm going to be labeled a bad person by both sides of the culture war for appearing to like him or dislike him too much. I just want to be a dispassionate objective observer. Oh, who am I kidding? I'll probably whip out my fiddle and try to sell some books and make some tips while I'm there.

Anyway, I'm wondering if any of you are going. Come say hi to me if you do and you see me there. Regardless of where you are in all these fights over whatever we fight about, we're friends, man. I mean it. Here's a flyer I got from someone who's going. I don't think they're advertising it because they probably know they'll get a crowd of protesters and counterprotesters showing up and turning it into a circus.
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Cody, this looks like the annual event at That Guy's boyhood home rather than the proposed reinterment which is to be at Elm Springs in Columbia,Tn.
The event was cancelled last year because of Covid as I understand. As told to me, the event would not be publicized for the reasons you've cited. Date and time information was to be shared quietly.
I'm about 45 minutes away from Elm Springs and haven't decided about this year. Not looking for drama..
 
Cody, this looks like the annual event at That Guy's boyhood home rather than the proposed reinterment which is to be at Elm Springs in Columbia,Tn.
The event was cancelled last year because of Covid as I understand. As told to me, the event would not be publicized for the reasons you've cited. Date and time information was to be shared quietly.
I'm about 45 minutes away from Elm Springs and haven't decided about this year. Not looking for drama..
Ah, I thought it was a reinterment since they removed his and his wife's remains from Memphis last week. I know that they're planning to move the monument to the museum. Anyway, I think I might go. If you're there and see me, come say hi!
 
I agree. They are still removing the limestone slabs that formed the Plaza base for the statue pedestal. Then they have to prepare the new site and lay those 3,600 lb slabs and rebuild the pedestal.

To answer your question, I am very interested in going to this event. I made an effort to the unveiling of the Mississippi Memorial at Shiloh National Park. Now I am really glad I did because who knows when the State will approve any new Civil War monuments. It is something that I still will tell my grandkids.
 
his association with the bad group of people that I don't think I'm allowed to mention here.

I assume you are referring to the Ku Klux Klan.
The KKK is a major part of Forrest's personal story ... and the history of the United States in general.

So have at it !
Say anything you wish.
:smoke:

Forrest's involvement with the Klan is exactly why we requested a sub forum about Forrest and reconstruction.

We wanted everything about that man to be discussed.
Warts and all.
 
I'm no Forrest scholar, but IIRC, he didn't want a huge, fancy, downtown monument. He wanted to be buried modestly, with his family.
Yeah that is correct.

He was also very adamant about being buried close to his men within the Historic Memphis Elmwood Cemetery.

To "put it lightly" his wishes haven't been followed.
 
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