Nathan Bedford Forrest: In Search of the Enigma

by Daniel Foxx and Eddy W. Davison

Book Overview

"Recommended as must reading for those who want to know Forrest and his way of war." --Edwin C. Bearss, historian emeritus, National Park Service

Nathan Bedford Forrest's astounding military abilities, passionate temperament, and tactical ingenuity on the battlefield have earned the respect of Civil War scholars and military leaders alike. He was a man who stirred the most extreme emotions among his followers and his enemies, and his name continues to inspire controversy. In this comprehensive biography, Forrest is illuminated as the brilliant battlefield tactician that he was--and the only Confederate cavalry leader feared by Ulysses S. Grant. Historians Eddy W. Davison and Daniel Foxx offer a detailed explanation of the Fort Pillow"massacre," unraveling the facts to prove that it was not indeed a massacre. The book also discusses Forrest 1/2s role in the Ku Klux Klan and how he came to be its first grand wizard. Dispelling several myths, this is a study of the complete Forrest, including his rise as a self-made millionaire in Memphis, his remarkable success leading the Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, and his life following the Civil War. Although the book is filled with vivid battle narratives, it goes beyond Forrest 1/2s military life to examine other aspects of this enigmatic leader 1/2his role as husband and father, for example, and his dramatic call for full citizenship for Black Southerners.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1589804155
• ISBN13: 9781589804159
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 2.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.5" x 9.1"