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Nathan Bedford Forrest: Saint and
Sinner
COMING IN 2007: Christian Civil War
author and historian Michael Aubrecht presents the
controversial life of Confederate General Nathan
Bedford Forrest. Heralded as one of the true
geniuses of the Civil War, this "Wizard of the
Saddle" is remembered as a hero and a monster. His
is a story that is rooted in both faith and hate,
patriotism and terrorism. This online biography
will present both sides of this complex and at
times, contradicting Christian soldier. By
examining the spiritual-side of this southern icon,
we can begin to understand what made him walk the
line between saint and sinner.
Featuring an in-depth religious
look at the general, both on the battlefield and
off, this online book will include excerpts from
post-war interviews, written communications,
quotes, and more. Not meant to be a tactical
analysis or military study, Nathan
Bedford Forrest: Saint and Sinner will
present an intimate look of a man whose legacy has
been mired in myths and folklore. From his early
beginnings as a functionally illiterate slave
trader, to his legendary charges on the Civil War
battlefield, as well as his post-war efforts
against Reconstruction, and highly controversial
election into the Klu Klux Klan, Forrest's story is
one of both triumph and tragedy.
Written in the same style as
previous printed works including Onward
Christian Soldier: The Spiritual Journey of
Stonewall and Christian Cavalier:
The Spiritual Legacy of J.E.B. Stuart,
the author has labored to present a
fresh perspective on an otherwise stale topic.
Presented in the same style as previous Internet
titles including Luckiest Fans On The
Face Of This Earth: History of the New York Yankees
Fall Classics, the author intends to
make an online version available FREE via the Web
following publication.
War means fighting and fighting
means killing.
General Nathan Bedford Forrest,
CSA
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FROM THE AUTHOR: As a
Christian author, I tend to write things
that are uplifting, or spiritual in
nature. I’m always trying to find the
positive lessons that can be learned by
studying the lives of historic
individuals. Recently, I have become very
interested in the life of one particular
individual who does NOT necessarily fit
“the norm” (at least for me). He’s not
someone who is remembered with the same
fondness and affection as a Stonewall
Jackson or J.E.B. Stuart. In fact he is
(in some regards), highly criticized, not
for his actions during the War Between the
States, but more for what he did after the
conflict ended. I’m talking about General
Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Revered by many as one of
the greatest cavalry commanders ever,
considered to be a military genius by such
noted historians as Shelby Foote, and the
first Imperial Wizard of the Klu Klux
Klan. In my initial research, I am
surprised by how many historians blatantly
shy away from his KKK affiliation. Some
don’t even mention it. Racism is a VERY
touchy subject when discussing Southern-CW
history, and religion and racism is double
jeopardy. As a result, many authors won’t
touch the subject of Forrest with a
10-foot pole. I on the other hand, remain
fascinated by the moral contradiction in
his beliefs.
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It appears, at least in my
experience so far, that no other subject from the
Civil War is surrounded in more myth and mystery
than the one they called “The Wizard of the
Saddle.” The amount of hearsay, conflicting, and
flat-out incorrect information is startling. Some
of this is completely understandable as Forrest was
not formally educated, and therefore missing the
academic pedigree of many of his contemporaries.
This provides a unique challenge as the
old-standby’s such as West Point and VMI are out of
the question. Additionally, many facets of
Forrest’s life, especially in regards to his
service, appear to have been muddied with
conjecture that has been propagated for decades.
Here are three examples:
First, to my knowledge, Forrest has
been repeatedly heralded as one of the top cavalry
commanders in the entire Confederate army, BUT,
after discussing this project with cavalry expert
J.D. Petruzzi (co-author w/ Eric Wittenberg of
Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb
Stuart’s Controversial Ride to
Gettysburg), it seems that Forrest wasn’t in
command of cavalry at all. In fact, J.D. told me
that Forrest actually led a group of “mounted
infantry,” and therefore, employed no traditional
cavalry tactics. This may have been due to his lack
of formal military training. Next, it is also well
documented that Forrest was functionally
illiterate, yet I have found many of his
communications from the field, especially his last;
the Farewell Address to his troops, to be among
some of the more eloquent pieces that I have read.
This may be due (in part) to whoever transcribed
them, but Forrest probably dictated them in the
first place and his lack of education is not that
apparent. His words read well above what I would
consider an illiterate to be capable of.
Last and perhaps the most
controversial, is the documentation and
recollections in regards to his nomination and
subsequent election as the first Imperial Wizard of
the KKK. There are so many conflicting pieces of
information surrounding his personal involvement as
well as this particular incarnation of the Klan.
The discrepancies lie in whether they were domestic
terrorists focused on disrupting the influx of
northern carpetbaggers – or the racist organization
that we hear of today. I have also found that he
apparently resigned from the KKK after 4 years, and
publicly criticized the frequent violent attacks
that were being perpetrated on the local black
citizens who were now free. I think there is truth
on both sides of this matter and hope to present
them in detail.
Unlike my other inspirational
biographies of Confederate generals, this study
will take a more edgy, and brutally honest look at
an imperfect man that, much like the rest of us,
sinned and was redeemed. By focusing on both the
good and the bad of Nathan Bedford Forrest, I hope
to give people a new perspective and understanding
of what made him tick.
- Michael Aubrecht
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