Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Redemption
In 1875 Nathan Bedford Forrest accepted an invitation to speak before the Independent Order of Pole-Bearers Association in Memphis, Tenn. The civil rights group, composed mainly of local members of the free black community, issued the invitation as an act of reconciliation toward Forrest. While difficult to believe, his words that day spoke of service to “one flag, one country; let us stand together. We may differ in color, but not in sentiment.” He reassured his audience: “When you are oppressed I’ll come to your relief.” By this time, author Shane Kastler contends, the controversial Confederate general had repented of his sins and accepted the gift of forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ. To many, Nathan Bedford Forrest is beyond social redemption and forgiveness. Kastler’s in-depth research reveals a warrior who fought for the Confederacy, yet in later years became contrite, repentant and, most importantly, a sincere, vocal advocate of social justice for freed slaves. After his father died in 1837, 16-year-old Nathan became the head of the Forrest household and helped his mother raise his seven siblings. Responsibility, discipline, and the harsh realities of frontier life drove him to work in the fields all day. He spent his evenings “making buckskin leggings and shoes and coon-skin caps for his younger brothers. Providing for his family left little time for spiritual reflection. While having a respect for God, Forrest made little time in his life for spiritual growth.” In 1843, Nathan’s mother remarried and left Nathan to pursue his own goals. While working for his uncle’s horse-trading business, Forrest utilized his organizational skills learned on the farm. During this time his legendary temper began surfacing, thereby giving his life a volatile edge that even marriage to Mary Ann, a committed Christian, could not curb. Forrest spent time as a slave trader and, although the author does not absolve Forrest of blame for this conduct, he does state that Forrest was a man of his times, which included slavery. Even though Forrest was unschooled in military matters, the Civil War brought to the forefront his extraordinary skills in strategy and combat. William Tecumseh Sherman gave Forrest the sobriquet “that devil Forrest,” a name that later meant more than just someone who refused to surrender or lose a battle. A chapter is devoted to the incident at Fort Pillow, Tenn. (often called the Fort Pillow Massacre). Local residents informed Forrest of plundering by the Union garrison at the fort. Forrest received several requests from local families to reprimand the Union soldiers for their alleged atrocities against noncombatants. After several attempts to discuss surrender of the fort under a flag of truce, the Union soldiers openly taunted Forrest and his men. Tensions and emotions surpassed the point of no return. When Forrest successfully attacked Fort Pillow, many Federal soldiers attempted to surrender, while others continued fighting. During the fighting and attempted surrender, 62 of 262 black Union soldiers, many freed or escaped slaves fighting for the Federal army, were killed. The controversy regarding Fort Pillow followed Nathan Bedford Forrest for the rest of his life. (For a different perspective, see Andrew Ward’s River Run Red: The Fort Pillow Massacre in the American Civil War, which was reviewed in CWN in about 2005.) Kastler’s book examines Forrest’s involvement with the Ku Klux Klan, primarily his recruitment of KKK members. The author explains, but does not justify, this behavior as understandable in light of the frustration and fears in the South during Reconstruction. The author’s thesis is the redemptive power of God in the life of this much-maligned individual. While many will continue to debate and demonize Forrest, this author contends that where sin is present, grace can also be found. Reviewer: Janet Bucklew Janet L. Bucklew, M.A., American Studies, Pennsylvania State University, has worked for several museums including Gettysburg National Military Park and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. She wrote Dr. Henry Janes: Country Doctor & Civil War Surgeon andhas extensive background in public history, research and interpretation.
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Photographs, notes, bibliography, index, 176 pp., 2010, Pelican Publishing Co.,