Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cause of Death: Examining the Controversy

Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general during the Civil War and a controversial figure in American history, died on October 29, 1877, in Memphis, Tennessee. His cause of death has been debated and controversial for over a century.

The official cause of death listed on Forrest’s death certificate is “chronic diarrhea.” However, some historians and scholars have questioned this diagnosis, pointing to other possible causes of death, including cancer, heart disease, and complications from a gunshot wound.

Forrest was shot in the hip during the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads in 1864, and the wound caused him chronic pain for the rest of his life. Some have suggested that the damage may have contributed to his death, either directly or indirectly.

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in Forrest’s cause of death, as some have called for his remains to be exhumed and reexamined. In 2019, the Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the removal of a statue of Forrest from a Memphis park, citing concerns about the potential disturbance of his remains.

Despite the controversy surrounding his cause of death, Forrest’s legacy remains a subject of debate and discussion. While some view him as a hero and a symbol of Southern pride, others see him as a symbol of racism and oppression.

As the debate over Confederate symbols and monuments continues to play out across the country, the controversy surrounding Forrest’s cause of death serves as a reminder of the complex and often painful history of the Civil War era.