Nathan Bedford Forest

[Rebforever]

Is that his fighting horse or do you know? One of his books tells the story about his fighting horse chased police in their blue uniforms.

 

[G Low]

Is that his fighting horse or do you know? One of his books tells the story about his fighting horse chased police in their blue uniforms.

Painting by Michael Gnatek​

Yes this is King Phillip, Forrest's fighting horse.
He was known to charge blue coats on sight.

 

[Rebforever]

I have a book around somewhere called "Book of list" that Forrest was the best General in the civil war due to his innovative methods of fighting.

 

[DixieRifles]

[]Painting by Michael Gnatek[/]Yes this is King Phillip, Forrest's fighting horse.
He was known to charge blue coats on sight.

I had a discussion somewhere on here about who is the officer in the background. I'm not sure if there was much discussion but I leaned towards Colonel Tyree Bell or maybe Colonel Robert "Black Bob" McCulloch.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I'm not sure if there was much discussion

From what I remember ... there was a detailed discussion about that painting.

But since the "comprehensive" search function is no longer available ... (at the moment) ... it's impossible to find old threads and provide links to previous information provided by very knowledgeable CivilWarTalk members.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

I had a discussion somewhere on here about who is the officer in the background. I'm not sure if there was much discussion but I leaned towards Colonel Tyree Bell or maybe Colonel Robert "Black Bob" McCulloch.

Thought the beard style of that painted officer standing in the background looks similar to the one worn by Col. Robert 'Black Bob' McCulloch. (See photo below from https://2ndmocavcsa.tripod.com/id13.htm ).

 

[Pollaco]

View attachment 568410

Painting by Michael Gnatek​

Yes this is King Phillip, Forrest's fighting horse.
He was known to charge blue coats on sight.

Poor King Phillip was accidently killed when some farm hands unknowingly fed him some green hay.

 

[Rebforever]

If shooting my piano teacher caused me to be aware of my sin that would be helpful to me but not helpful to my teacher or their family. Especially if it was years later. Forrest never paid for it.

Forrest also said "War means fighting, fighting means killing."

 

[danny]

He was a violent man. Godly?

The duality of man [Full Metal Jacket]

 

[danny]

He didn't massacre anybody himself. When he was able, he stopped the shooting. There was a hearing on his activity and found not guilty.

Shhh! That might actually get out

 

[Rebforever]

I think the time in his life he recognized true violence was when his best friend tried to kill him.

 

[DanSBHawk]

He didn't massacre anybody himself. When he was able, he stopped the shooting. There was a hearing on his activity and found not guilty.

Actually, the joint committee that investigated the Fort Pillow massacre found that Forrest was to blame. The report also characterized Forrest's actions during the entire campaign as "treachery" and "bad faith."

"Although your committee were instructed to inquire only in reference to the
attack, capture, and massacre of Fort Pillow, they have deemed it proper to
take some testimony in reference to the operations of Forrest and his command
immediately preceding and subsequent to that horrible transaction. It will
appear, from the testimony thus taken, that the atrocities committed at Fort
Pillow were not the result of passions excited by the heat of conflict, but were
the results of a policy deliberately decided upon and unhesitatingly announced.
Even if the uncertainty of the fate of those officers and men belonging to colored
regiments who have heretofore been taken prisoners by the rebels has failed to
convince the authorities of our government of this fact, the testimony herewith
submitted must convince even the most skeptical that it is the intention of the
rebel authorities not to recognize the officers and men of our colored regiments
as entitled to the treatment accorded by all civilized nations to prisoners of war.
The declarations of Forrest and his officers, both before and after the capture
of Fort Pillow, as testified to by such of our men as have escaped after being
taken by him; the threats contained in the various demands for surrender made
at Paducah, Columbus, and other places ; the renewal of the massacre the morn-
ing after the capture of Fort Pillow; the statements made by the rebel officers
to the officers of our gunboats who received the few survivors at Fort Pillow-
all this proves most conclusively the policy they have determined to adopt."

Fort Pillow massacre : United States. Congress. Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

38th Cong., 1st sess. House. Report no. 65, 67

archive.org

 

[G Low]

Actually, the joint committee that investigated the Fort Pillow massacre found that Forrest was to blame. The report also characterized Forrest's actions during the entire campaign as "treachery" and "bad faith."

"Although your committee were instructed to inquire only in reference to the
attack, capture, and massacre of Fort Pillow, they have deemed it proper to
take some testimony in reference to the operations of Forrest and his command
immediately preceding and subsequent to that horrible transaction. It will
appear, from the testimony thus taken, that the atrocities committed at Fort
Pillow were not the result of passions excited by the heat of conflict, but were
the results of a policy deliberately decided upon and unhesitatingly announced.
Even if the uncertainty of the fate of those officers and men belonging to colored
regiments who have heretofore been taken prisoners by the rebels has failed to
convince the authorities of our government of this fact, the testimony herewith
submitted must convince even the most skeptical that it is the intention of the
rebel authorities not to recognize the officers and men of our colored regiments
as entitled to the treatment accorded by all civilized nations to prisoners of war.
The declarations of Forrest and his officers, both before and after the capture
of Fort Pillow, as testified to by such of our men as have escaped after being
taken by him; the threats contained in the various demands for surrender made
at Paducah, Columbus, and other places ; the renewal of the massacre the morn-
ing after the capture of Fort Pillow; the statements made by the rebel officers
to the officers of our gunboats who received the few survivors at Fort Pillow-
all this proves most conclusively the policy they have determined to adopt."

Fort Pillow massacre : United States. Congress. Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

38th Cong., 1st sess. House. Report no. 65, 67

archive.org

Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest was
not formally charged or prosecuted for war crimes related to the 1864 Fort Pillow Massacre, and some post-war inquiries, including one by General William Tecumseh Sherman, found insufficient evidence to hold him personally liable for the actions of his troops. However, this outcome remains highly controversial and widely disputed by historians.

 

[DanSBHawk]

Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest was
not formally charged or prosecuted for war crimes related to the 1864 Fort Pillow Massacre, and some post-war inquiries, including one by General William Tecumseh Sherman, found insufficient evidence to hold him personally liable for the actions of his troops. However, this outcome remains highly controversial and widely disputed by historians.

There was a general amnesty. Very few were prosecuted for crimes committed during the war.

Provide a source for the Sherman inquiry. I'm not aware of any.

 

[G Low]

There was a general amnesty. Very few were prosecuted for crimes committed during the war.

Provide a source for the Sherman inquiry. I'm not aware of any.

This is from Wikipedia
Lieutenant Daniel Van Horn of the 6th U.S. Heavy Artillery (Colored) stated in his official report, "There never was a surrender of the fort, both officers and men declaring they never would surrender or ask for quarter."[30]​ Another unit officer, however, and the only surviving officers of Bradford's Battalion, attested to the characterization that unarmed soldiers were killed in the act of surrendering.

Forrest's men insisted that the U.S. soldiers, although fleeing, kept their weapons and frequently turned to shoot, forcing the Confederates to keep firing in self-defense.[21]​ Their claim is consistent with the discovery of numerous U.S. Army rifles on the bluffs near the river.[31]​ The U.S. flag was still flying over the fort, which indicated that the force had not formally surrendered. A contemporary newspaper account from Jackson, Tennessee, states that "General Forrest begged them to surrender", but "not the first sign of surrender was ever given". Similar accounts were reported in both Southern and Northern newspapers at the time.[32]​

 

[gc45]

And those who never served will continue to write and re-write history, as if they too were there.

 

[DanSBHawk]

This is from Wikipedia
Lieutenant Daniel Van Horn of the 6th U.S. Heavy Artillery (Colored) stated in his official report, "There never was a surrender of the fort, both officers and men declaring they never would surrender or ask for quarter."[30]​ Another unit officer, however, and the only surviving officers of Bradford's Battalion, attested to the characterization that unarmed soldiers were killed in the act of surrendering.

Forrest's men insisted that the U.S. soldiers, although fleeing, kept their weapons and frequently turned to shoot, forcing the Confederates to keep firing in self-defense.[21]​ Their claim is consistent with the discovery of numerous U.S. Army rifles on the bluffs near the river.[31]​ The U.S. flag was still flying over the fort, which indicated that the force had not formally surrendered. A contemporary newspaper account from Jackson, Tennessee, states that "General Forrest begged them to surrender", but "not the first sign of surrender was ever given". Similar accounts were reported in both Southern and Northern newspapers at the time.[32]​

So no source for your claim that William Tecumseh Sherman conducted an inquiry? You made the claim twice in this thread. Was it completely made up?

 

[DanSBHawk]

This is from Wikipedia
Lieutenant Daniel Van Horn of the 6th U.S. Heavy Artillery (Colored) stated in his official report, "There never was a surrender of the fort, both officers and men declaring they never would surrender or ask for quarter."[30]​ Another unit officer, however, and the only surviving officers of Bradford's Battalion, attested to the characterization that unarmed soldiers were killed in the act of surrendering.

Forrest's men insisted that the U.S. soldiers, although fleeing, kept their weapons and frequently turned to shoot, forcing the Confederates to keep firing in self-defense.[21]​ Their claim is consistent with the discovery of numerous U.S. Army rifles on the bluffs near the river.[31]​ The U.S. flag was still flying over the fort, which indicated that the force had not formally surrendered. A contemporary newspaper account from Jackson, Tennessee, states that "General Forrest begged them to surrender", but "not the first sign of surrender was ever given". Similar accounts were reported in both Southern and Northern newspapers at the time.[32]​

Also, you're obviously cherry-picking sources. There are many sources - even on wikipedia - that support that Forrest and his men committed a massacre.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

And those who never served will continue to write and re-write history, as if they too were there.

Very true.

But such applies equally to "both sides".

 

[G Low]

Also, you're obviously cherry-picking sources. There are many sources - even on wikipedia - that support that Forrest and his men committed a massacre.

Lieutenant Daniel Van Horn of the 6th U.S. Heavy Artillery (Colored) stated in his official report.
Are you saying that this black man is lying? If so,
What are your sources? And I don't want any cherry picking……