Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821–1877) was an officer in the Confederate Army during the Civil War (1861–1865). Born in Tennessee, he was a prominent cavalry officer whose reputation was stained by accusations regarding his role in the “Fort Pillow Massacre.” Today, Forrest is likely most well-known for his connections to the first version of the white supremacist organization calling itself the “Ku Klux Klan.”
Nathan Bedford Forrest Before the Civil War
Nathan Bedford Forrest and his twin sister, Fanny, were born on July 13, 1821, in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. Forrest’s parents were William and Mariam (Beck) Forrest.
- Forrest received little formal education because he spent much of his youth helping his father provide for the growing family.
- In 1834, when Forrest was 13, the family moved to Marshall County, Mississippi.
- In 1837, William Forrest died, making 16-year-old Nathan the family’s primary breadwinner.
In 1841, Forrest entered into a business partnership with his uncle, John Forrest. The partnership ended in violence in 1845 when his uncle was killed during an argument with four men. Forrest responded by shooting and killing two of the men on the spot with a pistol and wounding the other two with a knife.