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Recommended: Civil War influence

Throughout American History there have been multiple defining moments and multiple defining figures. Arguably one of the largest is the American Civil war and the Confederate States of America’s fight for slavery. Confederate Army lieutenant general Nathan Bedford Forrest held and, a still holds, a strong negative influence on most Americans while others consider him a hero. His influence came mostly during the American Civil war as he won many key battles such as the Battle of Fort Pillow, and the battle of _______________, while leaving a more lasting impression on America by founding the Ku Klux Klan or the KKK.

The battle of Fort Pillow took place in Lauderdale County, Tennessee on April 12th 1864 at the Union fort named Fort Pillow. The Confederates previously controlled the fort but due to the pressing Union army, they had to abandon the fort in fear of being broken off from the Confederate Army. During March of the same year, Nathan Bedford Forrest launched a cavalry raid on Kentucky and Western Tennessee. During this month long cavalry raid Forrest and he squadron had lost many supplies and horses, "There is a Federal force of 500 or 600 at Fort Pillow, which I shall attend to in a day or two, as they have horses and supplies which we need," in this quote we see the initial cause for his attack is strictly for the supplies. This applies proof that Forrest did not go into fort pillow looking for a massacre.

The Union was at a disadvantage during this battle even though the fight was being brought to them. They were heavily out numbered with only 500-600 soldiers compared to the compared to the confederates with 1500-2500 soldiers. Forrest was also interested in making the Yankees prisoners so he ordered Capt. Charles...

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...it would be expected that the children would become casualties. Klan member Catherine Dee Adams stated, “I hate to be that way, but if it has to be…” (Implying that if the children had to die it was ok and had to be done for the cause). This is not just a one time isolated case, acts of prejudice and racism have been continuing under the name on the Ku Klux Klan

Works Cited
Wikimedia Foundation. "Battle of Fort Pillow." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Pillow#cite_ref-Eicher657_1-0 (accessed April 28, 2014).
Wikimedia Foundation. "Ku Klux Klan." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan#First_KKK (accessed April 27, 2014).
"Ku Klux Klan -- Extremism in America." Ku Klux Klan -- Extremism in America. http://archive.adl.org/learn/ext_us/kkk/crime.html?LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=4&item=kkk (accessed April 28, 2014).

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