Forrest Ami's SOA The Brothers Forrest

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There was a marker here but it has been removed...here was the text:

Nathan Bedford Forrest
In a house here, home of Col. Jesse Forrest, his brother, the man who had risen from private to Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army, died Oct. 27, 1877. Because of his achievements as a cavalry commander, he was termed by a foreign military authority the greatest commander of light cavalry among English-speaking peoples.

Most of the Forrest related markers in Memphis have been removed. In addition to the one above there was one marking the Gayoso Hotel and the raid of Aug 1864, another marked the Williams mansion where Jesse Forrest attempted to capture Washburn, another marked a Forrest artillery positions near Mississippi and Trigg. Another was previously located at Adams at Third to mark his home before the war.

Ah, me. Well, I guess I'm not surprised. I don't understand it. It's still Memphis history and taking down the marker doesn't change that. It's certainly a sore point, though.
 
Ah, me. Well, I guess I'm not surprised. I don't understand it. It's still Memphis history and taking down the marker doesn't change that. It's certainly a sore point, though.

At least I never have to return there except for a 10 minute stop to see the General --and I'll take my armed escort. :smile:
 
Such a shame that so many memorials and historical markers are being removed. And mostly through misunderstanding the past. So many people have vilified uncle Bedford that people assume it's all true. If he was such an evil racist, then why did so many black folks show up to his funeral to pay their respects, and leave flowers? I may have to make it a mission in my lifetime to get the truth out there. I am a public speaker for a well known Law Enforcement organization, so I do have the some public speaking and debating skill at least. I wish I were wealthy, so I could fund a movie about his life because for better or worse, that's what people pay attention to these days.

Sorry for the rant...
 
While attempting to track the AOT through the latter part of the war, I discovered a most interesting family. While most folks studying the Forrests tend to concentrate on old Bedford, there was much more to this family, a rather remarkeable lot. I'd very much appreciate your allowing me to post some scant data on some other Forrests in the hope that I can gain some more knowledge and weed out the screw-ups if any? Someone wrote on this board recently that the only man that N.B. Forrest was scared of was his brother William Hezikiah Forrest (not to be confused with son William Montgomery Forrest). This is all I have on William Hezekiah. I could use some references for further research if you've stumled across same in your travels. Thanks!

Capt. William Hezekiah Forrest (third son of William and Miriam Beck Forrest): William ran slave businesses in St. Louis, Missouri and Vicksburg, Mississippi, buying slaves from Aaron. Jack Hurst, in his Nathan Bedford Forrest, A Biography wrote: “The day of the last Forrest and Maples sales recorded in the Register’s office, two younger Forrest brothers, William and Aaron, sold an eighteen-year-old slave named Bob for $1050 to Mary C. Temple.” William had a home in Memphis. He joined the Confederate Army on Jun 14, 1861 as a private along with brothers Nathan and Jeffrey. All were to receive considerably more rank as the war progressed.

July 10, 1862

Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest's brigade passed here enroute to its junction with additional units, to be followed by a further advance on the Federal garrison and stores at Murfreesboro. Leaving Chattanooga on July 9, the brigade here consisted of the 8th Texas Cavalry (Wharton), 2nd Georgia Cavalry (Lawton), and Woodward's Kentucky Cavalry Battalion, with a headquarters unit of 20 men, commanded by Captain William Forrest. Further accessions to strength were to join at McMinnville.

William served as a cavalry officer and led the charge against Col. Abel D. Streight’s column at the Battle of Sand Mountain in Days Gap, Alabama where he was wounded April 30, 1863. William skirmished for two miles before he received a ball through his thigh, breaking the bone. Several of his men were lost in this battle. Col. Streight’s men rode mules from their departure from steamships at Eastport, Mississippi. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest captured Streight’s entire command on May 3, 1864 at Cedar Bluff, Alabama near the Georgia state line. William died in Hickman County, Tennessee b. 1825 - d. 1871
I had little knowledge of this family--now I have a good lesson...Thanks!
 
There was a marker here but it has been removed...here was the text:

Nathan Bedford Forrest
In a house here, home of Col. Jesse Forrest, his brother, the man who had risen from private to Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army, died Oct. 27, 1877. Because of his achievements as a cavalry commander, he was termed by a foreign military authority the greatest commander of light cavalry among English-speaking peoples.

Most of the Forrest related markers in Memphis have been removed. In addition to the one above there was one marking the Gayoso Hotel and the raid of Aug 1864, another marked the Williams mansion where Jesse Forrest attempted to capture Washburn, another marked a Forrest artillery positions near Mississippi and Trigg. Another was previously located at Adams at Third to mark his home before the war.
Can you tell me more about the Williams mansion? I know there's still a "Washburn's escape alley" (although last I checked I believe that too is no longer marked) but I couldn't figure out why Washburn would be escaping in that direction at that location.
 
Can you tell me more about the Williams mansion? I know there's still a "Washburn's escape alley" (although last I checked I believe that too is no longer marked) but I couldn't figure out why Washburn would be escaping in that direction at that location.

The Williams mansion was located on Union where the Redbird Stadium is now; it had been confiscated and was used by Washburn for his quarters. On the night of the raid, he fled in his night gown and ran down the alley to Fort Pickering which was on the river and stretched from Beale to the Indian mounds (a distance of over two miles).

As an aside, IIRC Grant used the Hunt-Phelan mansion, Sherman used the Farrington House while his family was with him and Hurlburt used several different homes including the Robertson-Topp mansion when they commanded Memphis. The city was also governed by Dana, and a couple of others.
 
I had little knowledge of this family--now I have a good lesson...Thanks!

Glad you enjoyed Larry's posts on the Forrest family! Larry was one of our most beloved members when he was taken suddenly by a heart attack in February 2011. A number of folks contributed to preservation of the barn at the Forrest Boyhood Home in Elm Grove,TN in his memory, and several of us traveled there to "unveil" a plaque that June.

He was a special man... and just reading the exchanges between Larry and Diane was amazing.

Anyway, he'd be tickled to know you read and learned.
 
The Williams mansion was located on Union where the Redbird Stadium is now; it had been confiscated and was used by Washburn for his quarters. On the night of the raid, he fled in his night gown and ran down the alley to Fort Pickering which was on the river and stretched from Beale to the Indian mounds (a distance of over two miles).

As an aside, IIRC Grant used the Hunt-Phelan mansion, Sherman used the Farrington House while his family was with him and Hurlburt used several different homes including the Robertson-Topp mansion when they commanded Memphis. The city was also governed by Dana, and a couple of others.
So, family lore states that Clanlo hall (not called that at the time, it was named later for the Schwamm ladies, Claire, Lois, and Ann) on Central was where Forrest rendesvoused with his men before the raid. Claire used to keep a garden on the spot where Forrest supposedly met with his men. Other information on the internet says it was once a Yankee headquarters. Any idea what the truth is on this one? Claire died in 1911 and I've always regretted not talking to her about this - but I'm not sure how much was truth and how much was myth.
 
So, family lore states that Clanlo hall (not called that at the time, it was named later for the Schwamm ladies, Claire, Lois, and Ann) on Central was where Forrest rendesvoused with his men before the raid. Claire used to keep a garden on the spot where Forrest supposedly met with his men. Other information on the internet says it was once a Yankee headquarters. Any idea what the truth is on this one? Claire died in 1911 and I've always regretted not talking to her about this - but I'm not sure how much was truth and how much was myth.

I have read that Clanlo was used by Union troops. I don't think that it was used as a meeting place during Forrest' raid on Memphis but NBF did meet several times at the William R Harris home further east on Central. That home is now gone.

home-wr-harris-1853.jpg
 
Need to make a correction....

The William Roland Harris house and Clanlo are the same place... They are referenced as two separate homes in some some sources, while others acknowledge that they are the same. I noticed the resemblance when I snagged the photo above and checked further. Photographs settle the question. William Harris was the brother of Isham G Harris, civil war governor of Tennessee and Forrest did spend time there. Here is a picture of Clanlo to compare with the one posted above...

home-clano-hall-wm-harris-1853_small.jpg
 
Need to make a correction....

The William Roland Harris house and Clanlo are the same place... They are referenced as two separate homes in some some sources, while others acknowledge that they are the same. I noticed the resemblance when I snagged the photo above and checked further. Photographs settle the question. William Harris was the brother of Isham G Harris, civil war governor of Tennessee and Forrest did spend time there. Here is a picture of Clanlo to compare with the one posted above...

home-clano-hall-wm-harris-1853_small.jpg
Yep, that's it! They put a brick facade on it in the 1920s I believe, plus the wings contain things like kitchens.
 
Over the weekend, I reread all of our late member Larry Cockerham's thread about the Forrest family.

I'm sure Larry would be slightly embarrassed that we took his great thread and designated it as a sub forum when Mike created the Nathan Bedford Forrest Forum.

There's a lot of good info here for anyone interested in General Forrest's life.

This thread is long over due for a 'bump'.

Enjoy.
 
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