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Samuel W. Mitcham
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Bust Hell Wide Open: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest Hardcover – October 4, 2016

by Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 347 ratings
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At fourteen he became the head of his impoverished family, responsible for feeding eleven on the rough American frontier. By thirty-nine he had established himself as a successful plantation owner worth over $1 million. And at forty years old, Nathan Bedford Forrest enlisted in a Tennessee cavalry regiment—and became a controversial Civil War legend.

The legacy of General Nathan Bedford Forrest is deeply divisive. Best known for being accused of war crimes at the Battle of Fort Pillow and for his role as first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan—an organization he later denounced—Forrest has often been studied as a military figure, but never before studied as a fascinating individual who wrestled with the complex issues of his violent times. Bust Hell Wide Open is a comprehensive portrait of Nathan Bedford Forrest as a man: his achievements, failings, reflections, and regrets.
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  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Regnery History
  4. Publication date
    October 4, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1621575934
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1621575931
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap


Some called him “the wizard of the saddle.” Union General William Tecumseh Sherman damned him as “that devil Forrest.” Confederate Commander Robert E. Lee said he was the greatest military genius of the war.

This giant of a man—six foot two, two hundred and ten pounds—was Nathan Bedford Forrest, a general who killed no less than thirty men in man to man combat in the Civil War. He also hunted down a panther when he was fifteen, fought a gunfight in what was then the Western frontier, and amassed a business fortune, which he spent on his troops, after growing up on a ramshackle farm—responsible, as a teenager, for the well-being of his widowed mother and nine siblings.

Gallant, tough, chivalrous, Forrest was the epitome of a Confederate cavalryman, but without the polish and education of a Virginia aristocrat.

He was also controversial—in his own time and ours: charged with losing control of his men and allowing a massacre to happen at Fort Pillow and serving as the first elected leader of the Ku Klux Klan (a group he later helped to disband and disavow).

There have been other biographies of Forrest, but none like this one by Professor Samuel W. Mitcham, which taps all the latest scholarship while approaching Forrest not just as a celebrated general whose campaigns are studied to this day, but as a man in full, a man raised and shaped by the Tennessee frontier, with a conscience sharpened by his devoutly Christian wife.

Forrest said he would “bust hell wide open” rather than surrender to the Federals during the siege of Fort Donelson. In Samuel W. Mitcham, Forrest has found the perfect biographer to capture his defiant and courageous spirit.

About the Author

SAMUEL W. MITCHAM JR. is a military historian who has written extensively on the Civil War South, including his book It Wasn’t About Slavery. A U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War and a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, he remained active in the reserves, qualifying through the rank of major general. A former visiting professor at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, he has appeared on the History Channel, CBS, NPR, and the BBC. He lives with his family in Monroe, Louisiana.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Regnery History; First Edition (October 4, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1621575934
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1621575931
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.34 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 347 ratings

About the author

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Samuel W. Mitcham

Samuel W. Mitcham

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Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr. was born in Mer Rouge, Louisiana, in 1949. He was educated at Northeast Louisiana University, North Carolina State, and the University of Tennessee, where he received his doctorate. He was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot during the Viet Nam War, remained active in the reserves, graduated from the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College, and is qualified through the rank of major general. Following in his mother's footsteps (she was a newspaper editor for 47 years), he is the author of more than 40 books, several of which were History or Military History Book Club Selections.

Dr. Mitcham was a professor at Henderson State University, Georgia Southern University and the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and was a visiting professor at West Point. His works have been translated into several languages, including German, Bulgarian, Italian, Polish, Hungarian, Chinese, Russian, Japanese and Polish, and he has appeared on the BBC and the History Channel, among others.

Mitcham is married and has two children. He lives in Monroe, Louisiana.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
347 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Gunny
5.0 out of 5 stars Great READ!
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2023
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This book is a great read and an eye opener. This book is about a foul mouth, gambler, slave trader turned raging warrior. After enlisting as a Private and returning home, he offered freedom to any slave he owned who would fight for the Confederacy. He said it, he meant it and he did it! How he met his future wife would put most women on his side. Women near Fort Pillow complained of their treatment by the Union soldiers at that location. Forrest had no real tactical reason to attack the fort until he became outraged at how the non-combatants were being treated locally. He gave the commander of the fort every chance to surrender. His wife got him to stop gambling, quit cursing and he never desired to surrender. General R. E. Lee was asked who his best commander was. Lee stated he had never met the man, but his name was Nathan Bedford Forrest (Private to General). Reader will see that using a base hard corps group, he would raise a willing army. Regardless of where you stand on the Civil War, if you dismiss this book, don't expect others to dismiss it. NBF was a very brave man who became a Christian, defended his country (State the the Confederacy) who believed in honor, respecting womanhood, winning and living up to his word. He freed the slaves who volunteered and, in case of his death, their freedom papers were on hand to be given to them if he should have been killed in battle. A fairly rich man at the start of the war, his wealth was wiped out by the end of the war.
2 people found this helpful
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DJC
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprising read, I learned so much about NBF, the Civil War- context is everything!
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2018
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I'm not a historian and can't compare this book to other reads or historic work. I had an interest in reading about NBF after hearing the former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly state something to the effect that any statue of NBF should be removed. That is, he represented everything bad about the Confederacy and was nothing like the moral statesman Robert E. Lee by comparison. I wanted to learn NBF story, who he was, what he did etc...the title Bust Hell Wide Open seemed fitting.
Before reading this book, I knew NBF was a successful confederate general and the Grand Wizard of the KKK. I also learned that he became rich off of trading slaves and was the senior officer during a massacre of mostly black union soldiers. Not great points of NBF's legacy.
But context is everything...thanks to Bust Hell Wide Open. NBF was the only Confederate general that the Union couldn't defeat. He revolutionized warfare without any formal military education. He was a the Grand Wizard of the Saddle, a natural leader, took care of his soldiers, and protected his homeland...a hero to the Confederate south! He was the senior officer during the Fort Pillow massacre, it didn't appear the order came from him and he ordered the massacre to stop. After the Civil War, the confederate veterans organization of the time (aka KKK) was looking for a leader. Robert E. Lee declined to lead the organization, but he did refer NBF for the job. After leading the KKK for a period, he believe the organization lost its way and ordered it's disbandment. Not exactly the Grand Wizard of the KKK.
I ended this read questioning whether NBF was a hero, a villain, or anti-hero. That is, what is a fair portrayal of his character and legacy. Before the context of this book, my answers was villain. But I'm now leaning toward anti-hero. I would be interested in reading further historic works on NBF, but this book is a great start!
33 people found this helpful
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L. Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars HIghly readable and daring
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2023
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I'm not a Civil War fan. This was the only book I've ever read about it. The man's name has been cleared. It's was a crime what historians have done to this daring warrior. Had he been permitted to fight the way he wanted to, the South would have won the Civil War and lives may have been saved.
3 people found this helpful
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Thomas B. Mix
5.0 out of 5 stars The Real N.B. Forrest
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2016
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When I first came across the name of one Nathan Bedford Forrest many years (really decades ) ago and despised the man. Then gradually I had my mind opened to the real person that was Gen. Forrest rather than just an image, wrapped by many an enemy on both sides of the Blue and Gray. Author Samuel W. Mitcham tells the complete story in this excellent book. Pre-war, war time and post-war Forrest. From how helped in some limited way the onset of the KKK to his efforts to bring it an end when its racists ideals came to the forefront he wanted nothing to do with them, resigned and gook many of his old troopers with him too.. Ft. Pillow is covered in a fair and direct but factual accounting, one that many of his detractors will hate and some of his supporters as well as Forrest catered to no one but himself. (a trait that most of us wish we had more of or even just bit of, to be honest. Forrest had it for himself and others and did not keep it just for himself either, not being afraid to help another at his cost.) I could go on and on here but what is the point? This is an excellent book that I strongly recommend . Buy it and enjoy it and learn.
67 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2022
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Very interesting to read the true history and not looked at from the perspective of today. A great General who was ahead of his time in tactics and audacity. Clears up a lot falsehoods about Forrest. I have enjoyed every book by the author and intend to pick up more. Recommend this to anyone who has interest in the Civil War in the West.
4 people found this helpful
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djlebanza
4.0 out of 5 stars Take with a grain of Salt
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2021
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Well worth reading, tho strongly biased toward the Southern viewpoint very much worth reading. Overall, a very impressive General, and man…
One person found this helpful
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Ron D.
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book about an incredible warrior!
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2022
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An excellent bio of one of the greatest military figures of the 19th century. The author explores Forrest's hardscrabble childhood and the people who helped mold him into the man be became. Complex, controversial, ingenius and human, this book covers it all in an easy to read narrative, with indepth detail about the Fort Pillow "massacre," Forrest's early association and disassociation with the KKK and his subsequent salvation a couple of years before he died.
7 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The truth
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2022
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Amazing book about an amazing man. The winners write history and they lied about how brilliant this man was. A must read for anyone wanting the truth about the greatest instinctive military mind in history. No formal training but defeated multiple West Point graduates. He deserves better in the history books!
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

John Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book that does justice to a great Civil War generals
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 31, 2017
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This is a well researched and written book that does full justice to a natural soldier and inspired leader of men! In our time we can only marvel at such exploits of bravery and devotion to his cause!
We get a sense of the code of honour and sense of patriotism that inspired such near reckless bravery! Forest's devotion to his men and their loyalty to him and their cause is inspiring! Unlike so many leaders of the period his men could have confidence that he would not needlessly squander their lives!
Overall an excellent book about a great soldier. Patriot and leader!
One person found this helpful
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ReadWriteRepeat
2.0 out of 5 stars History whitewashed
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2017
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I confess I have never had any great affection for N.B. Forrest, and reading this book did nothing to change my view of the man. Unfortunately the author seems to have believed every anecdote he had come across regarding Forrest that shows him in a good light. Sadly the book comes across as biased in the subject's favour and reads more like it was written by Forrest's PR Agent.
2 people found this helpful
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