Nathan Bedford Forrest
Royal Courtroom, Royal Palace, Memphis, Tennessee
January 1877
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Nathan Bedford Forrest had returned to Memphis, after a seven day horse ride to the nearest adjacent railway line, as the line from Nashville to Asheville had been severed by the Partisans who sought to bring independence to Appalachia, although their plot wasn't well known to the Southern aristocracy which had now mobilized armies, and simultaneously a delegation towards the North, and, to be more specific Maryland.
For the most part, individual events had remained quiet within the Grand Duchy. Colonel John Goodwin had been dispatched in the provinces in the closest proximity to Memphis' Province itself, to begin to seek out and tear down the names of those that would publicly denounce the empire, and make it known they were Union sympathizers. Goodwin would have several successful raids on multiple homes of residents, finding weapons, ammunition, and evidence of notations addressed to and from fellow co-conspirators. One of the most shocking revelations came during a raid from within the capital city itself, which saw a man with a family of three be found to have possession of sensitive documentation calling for potential assassination attempts on the Archduke, as well as simultaneous bombings of key infrastructure. The best part about the finding was it linked the man in question living in the capital to a cell based out of the town of Parsons, which was in the territory of Decatur-Hardin, a large sum of land on the Western border of estabilished Duchy territory, ending exactly at the Tennessee River. Across the river laid an immense mass of independent cities, towns, and villages, varying from Pro to Anti-Union and the like. It was no wonder Parsons, only five miles from the West bank of the Tennessee River, was a base for a cell. The most recent writings had uncovered the town had now fully capitulated and fallen to Pro-Union hands. This news could not be more unsettling, especially considering the Partisan attacks in the opposite side of Tennessee. The Archduke had called his Court to order.
His most trusted man, to his knowledge, Jeb Stuart, entered from the West Wing of the Palace, from the hallways which led to the remainder of the "Royal Complex" that housed the Palace itself, adjacent buildings, and the garrison for the Royal Guard. Stuart was dressed in his red-lined gray cape, yellow sash, hat cocked to the side with an ostrich plume, red flower in his lapel, the signature Jeb Stuart attire. A strong odor of a most elegant cologne trailed not far behind him as he entered. From the North Wing, that of which led the mainstay of the Palace, including Forrest's Chambers, Personal Study, and Residence, as well as the main entrance to the palace itself, entered Brigadier General Richard Taylor; a man who had served under Forrest's mentor General John Bell Hood during the great war. Taylor was now his first in command. Alongside him, entered his son; William Montgomery "Monty" Bedford Forrest, dressed in a standard looking Confederate uniform, augmented with grey epaulets to promote association as having direct connection with His Grace's Royal family in some linear way. His boots were freshly polished and not a crease donned his uniform.
My boy though Forrest
Boy does he make me prouder by the day seeing him grow older, wiser, and more professional, never could I have kept myself so highly self-scrutinized The fourth in command of the Grand Army; Major General Pierre Saint Laurent Emerstine, a devout Catholic and subsequently 90% Frenchman, was not present for this emergency hearing. Colonel John Goodwin, head of the new militarized Secret Police which as described dealt with rhetoric and anti-Confederate as well as Anti-Duchy propaganda was granted emergency seating in this call for the Court to assemble.
Out of the East Wing, came four additional men. The East Wing housed different chambers, board rooms, administrative offices, communications centers of non-military origin and additional resources and areas which handled the major political, economic, social, and religious proceedings of the Grand Duchy as a whole in place of the Archduke. There were several Ministers of these specializations in running the affairs of the Government at the top, as well as each Provincial lord who could hold titles from Viceroy to Viscount to Baron, and then underneath those offices were major administrative persons who could potentially be working and living out of the Capital City, representing, or helping to augment the governing of his/her territories; be them cities, towns, villages or settlements, from the Capital itself and sometimes in place of their ranking Mayor, Town Manager, Sheriff, Settlement Leader, etc. One of the four men who approached were Minister Stratton Wheeler of Wartime Politics, Strategy and War, a similar position to Jeb Stuarts however assisting with more of the administrative side to handling the military, as well as funds, and advisement for analytics related to warfare on the political side. A larger man, Wheeler appeared to be in what one could assume was his late 40s, mostly balding, he sported a handlebar mustache and associating stubble The second man was Minister J.K Hopkins of Strategic Economics and Finance; a man formerly who had done business ventures with Forrest prior to the war, and was a venture capitalist at heart, Hopkins himself had ulterior motives to ultimately establish Memphis as one of the leading places in Dixie to achieve financial success, through improving the quality of banks in the region, and establishing the power of the Southern Imperial banknote and inflating currency to be worth much more than it was currently. Aside from that, Hopkins was a younger man, most likely in his mid 30s with blonde hair and clean shaven, with a medium build. The third man was Minister Robert Pearson-Cutlass of Justice & Tribunals, he was the main entity that would weigh in on decisions of judicial proceedings, alongside an advisement board that he himself had appointed. His word on judiciary hearings, and sentencing was second only to the Archduke himself. He had been an astoundingly well renown judge in Nashville, and Forrest had written him in the early days of the formation of his Duchy to assist him in keeping order through fair and impartial trials and sentencing throughout its short existence thus far. Pearson-Cutlass appeared to be in the early 40s, late 30s age range, sporting ginger hair cut to a crew cut length, and mutton chops. He was a man of average height and average weight, appearing to be slightly above-average in muscular tone to the body. The last man was Governor General Maximelius Cordon-West of the Territory of Decatur-Hardin, the area in question of which the Town of Parsons belonged, and the sole reason this emergency hearing of the Royal Court had been called by the Archduke despite arriving back from his seventeen hour train ride which had been preceded by the seven day horse ride.
Forrest sat, wrapped in one of his more conservatively styled tunics, black pants and shoes underneath. His beard was ungroomed, and he hair sat messily atop his head. He would appear to any average man as unscrupulous, which in part was true. Forrest was a man of few manners and his wife's uncle, who had been her childhood caretaker had judged Forrest as such, but in addition to that, the Archduke had been mildly stressed to get back to his Duchy. He never liked to be too far away from the Palace, where he could directly administer his Government as necessary. He had no problem delegating responsibilities to these trusted ministers and military professionals, leading from the front line was past the older-man's time. But he did like to be central to proceedings, in case something, just like in this case, happened to arise.
"I've called this emergency proceeding ahead of the regular briefing of which I would have called in approximately three to four days following my long trip, because Colonel John Goodwin, in his extremely proactive efforts to pillage our great lands of treason and treachery, has uncovered an elaborate plot of traitorous acts, including treason, arson, and terror. In addition to all of this, he linked the suspected man in question to several other cells within our great capital city, and in addition to all of that, uncovered a plot to compromise the progress and stability of our nation from within our own borders by conspirators. The Town of Parsons, unbeknownst to Governor General Cordon West here,"
Forrest said, as he raised his hand to directly acknowledge the Governor General.
"Has fallen into the hands of rebels, traitors, thieves, and pillagers. In the reports confiscated belonging to the conspirator here in the capital, it was discovered not only has the Town been overtaken from the Sheriff and potential deputized persons under the direction of the Governor General, but certain elements to the towns infrastructure have been razed, and some have been pillaged. There is potential to the murdering of innocent persons who have committed no crime against these beasts."
The court had an uncanny silence to it. Despite the fact Forrest was no silver-tongued politician, and was the last person to be a testament to Southern etiquette, he was able to put on a great showing in positions where he needed to play the role of royalty. His son, in comparison, championed the role regardless of who was watching, and he never broke stride with being, and believing, he was of royal blood and destined for greatness. Forrest by comparison embraced the role he had been able to achieve for himself, but it wouldn't be uncommon to find Forrest slumped back in his throne chair on occasion, being flat out unavailable for proceedings, or generally uninterested in certain royal ceremonies. He wasn't a drunkard, or a partier, like the great George Washington of Asheville, but he also wasn't cut out to be solely a royal figurehead, or absolute monarch by comparison.
Forrest continued on his opening remarks.
"Henceforth, Colonel Goodwin, you are to pass on a detailed report and all essential pieces of evidence you have uncovered to Brigadier General Taylor and his Staff, in order for them to coordinate a counter-attack.
"Understood my liege, I will return to my men at once, and ensure the reports are detailed and organized before presentation to the Army," said Goodwin. "Very good," said the Archduke. "Good work, my friend. Your efforts to the success of our lands has not gone unnoticed, and our people are to be giving great thanks to your continued efforts."
The Colonel bowed his head to Forrest with a smile, and exited out towards the North Wing.
"General Taylor." He called out to the veteran standing at ease across from him. Without a moment's hesitation, the man clacked his freshly polished boots together with a loud *clack*, as did his preceding ranks among him; Stuart, Montgomery Bedford Forrest, and Taylor's entourage of a man of lieutenant rank who was most likely accompanying in an advisement role as well as taking detailed notes for the General, as well as two privates who stood as guardsmen. Simultaneous with the straightening and clacking of booted legs, they saluted their Archduke and Supreme Commander with unanimous and symmetrical salutes. Forrest firmly saluted his men back, then continued to address the General.
"As you were and yours were, General" as the man now spread his legs approximately shoulder lengths apart, hands clasped behind his back and back set perpendicular with the floor ever-so-straight, as did Stuart and Taylor's men of entourage, standing at ease.
"General, yourself and Inspector General Stuart are to formulate battle plans at once, we will dispatch a small army of approximately three hundred men, to crush this pitiful insurrection. As part of this Army will be two regiments of Royal Cavalry, as well as a support brigade of half a dozen or so 12 pound artillery apparatus and a single Vulcan minigun. Stratton?"
He turned to his Minister of Wartime Politics to the left side of his court.
"Do those numbers comply with our reserve ranks and our troops on assignment?"
"Your Grace, from the latest reports from the field, most of our reserves are on light duty and military exercises at a reduced level due to the start of the new calendar year, in compliance with the recommendation from the Inspector General," Stratton said, eyeing Stuart with a deathly glare from across the Court. The two men always butted heads on certain issues and maintained the most feverish rivalry despite the fact Stuart ultimately was superior in reputation and respect from those under his command in comparison to Stratton Wheeler.
"Very good then, three hundred men total it is, a contingent of forty horses for the cavalry and a couple of steeds to tow the apparatus as well as additional supplies for the forces in a couple of wagons." said Forrest.
"Excellent your Grace, myself and the Inspector General will undertake these orders at once," Taylor said. He looked to Stuart standing to his left giving him a look as if to motion for him also to exit, and bowed his head to the Archduke, turning on his heel and stepping out of the Court back from the North Wing from which he came. Monty and Stuart clacked their feet together and also began to depart. Monty cleared the doorway as the Archduke called out to Jeb.
"General Stuart," Forrest called out, as Jeb began to follow Taylor out towards the entrance to the Complex, to travel down the road away to the Military Complex for the Grand Army. "Yes your grace?" said Stuart "May I suggest assigning Major Sterling K.M Foster to the task, his exercises at the showcasing in Binghampton was exceptional and I believe he's ready for a battle as trivial as this." Said the Archduke. "Of course your excellency. I will advise the Brigadier General as such on our way to Headquarters," said Stuart. Forrest gave a genuine smile, but Stuart tipped his head to the ground, turned again towards the North Wing, and exited.
"As for the rest of you, we are adjourned. Governor General, you are hereby ordered to maintain a better foothold of your territories in the future. Just because your lands aren't officially a Province doesn't give you the right to neglect them in favor of the hosh-posh style of living and wining and dining in the hors d’oeuvres of the capital lifestyle." He proclaimed to the man who had now shriveled up into a metaphorical ball in stature due to the public humiliation in the midst of the three major Ministers; all men of which had more political and social power in the Duchy than himself.
"Of course your grace, I can assure you such a slip up will not happen again. I will embark for Parsons myself, as soon as the Army has done its job."
Cordon-West, the Governor General, of which had been able to sneakily slide into his position through strings pulled by Stratton Wheeler that the Archduke knew all too well about, knew Cordon-West to be a former soldier. Though Governor General was a title of political and military power simultaneously, all other rulers of the actual provinces, from Barons to Viscounts all held semi-military titles and could be considered part of His Grace's Grand Army as part of any defensive or offensive conflict. They were not required, as they weren't enlisted men, they were figureheads, and any role would hold limited command interaction in comparison to the main Generals and Colonels of the Army, but regardless, they were able to be involved militarily. In comparison Governor General was a very loose title, and Cordon-West had become typically well known especially within the past six months of his ownership of handling administration of the territory, he shied away from leading, directing, or augmenting situations which required the military, even though he was a former Private on the Confederate sides during the Great War, who had given up the military following it to live a lush lifestyle of a Memphis aristocrat.
"Actually, good Governor General," said Forrest. "I have no intention of sending three hundred of some of my finest men into a conflict and not having the man responsible for the formation of the enemies they are now needing to fight on the frontline with them. You are to report to General Taylor and instruct him I have assigned you to be a part of the mission with the ranking Major leading the advance in strictly a surveillance role. You will not give orders, you will not take command, and you will most certainly not discourage the conflict from occuring. Is that clear?" Forrest finished, with a clearing of his throat and a raise of his left eyebrow to the now completely shriveled up man standing in front of him. He was a sorry excuse for words by this point.
"Crystal clear in fact your excellency." Cordon-West retorted in a less than could be described as jubilant tone of voice as he sullenly left the Court for the East Wing.
"Minister Cutlass," Forrest looked to his Minister of Justice & Tribunal. "I trust that was have signifigant reasoning behind the calling for an execution by firing squad for the man of which indirectly provided us with this information of conspiracy?" He inquired.
"Certainly sir, that alone shall give us a reason to executive him. Shall I have the other captured men who were proven to be linked that Colonel Goodwin arrested in the city also be placed on the list for an execution for crimes against the state?"
"At once," Forrest said, without any hesitation.
"Right then sir, I shall see to it that it is done, privately of course, we don't want public opinion to sway. There hasn't been a public execution since the starts to our prosperous united lands." the Minister said.
Himself, Minister Stratton Wheeler, and Minister J.K Hopkins all left for the East Wing.
Forrest now sat alone in his Royal Court room, alone aside for his personal detail of Royal Guardsmen, who stood at the major entrances from the wings, and alongside his throne somewhat off to the side. Forrest sank back into his thrown, slouching back. He discarded the Royalty game and stretched his feet out so they extended far over the top step to the three or four steps that slightly elevated his throne over those of which stood on the black and white tile on the perimeter as his guests just had, or would seat themselves in the U shaped table directly in the center of his court for more formal meetings of prolonged discussion, planning and negotiation. He clasped his hands together, and then steepled them in a slow, deliberate motion as he stared off thru the window panes to the West, where one could somewhat view the size and sure might of the capital city from the surrounding countryside of which the Royal Complex was situated on.
How could I let my power dwindle in favor of a unionization with the Emperor? I don't bow to a boy, other than for formalities' sake. The will of my mind will be done, and I will have left a legacy for Monty to truly inherit. The might of what we stand for in Dixie shall stop at nothing, and for no one person, entity or object. My will be done, and this is finally the unwanted rebel incursion we've wished for to rationalize a mobilization for Westward expansion Forrest licked his lips as he continued his train of thought. He stared off to the left side of his courtroom now, eyeing the elaborate muti-colored glass panes that characterized baby Jesus, among other major holy happenings from the Old Testament. Forrest had never believed in God, yet he found himself, ever aging, now thinking to acknowledge him in some light.
Maybe the Northerners are right. Maybe to trade a slave is to sin. I'm too far past believing that now. I would never be able to abolish such an essential craft to the continued success of my growing nation, to my growing prosperity, to the longevity and glory of my families' name. I'm royalty! Never to ever believe had I thought so ten plus years looking back, and with a son now who players superior to I, who will make twice the ruler I have ever been or could ever be. No. Not a sin. No God shall rule my life here on Earth so help me God. Even Mary Ann acknowledges my strength and spirit. Maybe even more than the Lord himself. I bow to no man on this planet aside from formalities' sake. Why should that be any different. Yet, Forrest from almost what appeared to be force-of-habit now, instinctively removed a white handkerchief from a pocket on his tunic, coughing directly into it, and seeing dark red blood spread across the majority of the surface of the soft piece of cloth. Forrest was dying. No one knew it, but the man would be done in soon, if not by the forces of God himself for the pure arrogance and treachery of which he continued to rationalize and commit himself to.
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart
Chambers, Military West Wing of the Archduke's Complex
January 1877
"But father, there's so many better things my talents are suited for. You know this. The Colonel you always talk about, Goodwin, you've heard of his hand being played here in the capital. It's turning into pandemonium. The people in the streets, in the markets, the parlors, the breweries, the bars, the casinos, they all see it. My services are better served here where I can be a reliable source of information to you where it matters most." said thirty-year old Flora Stuart, daughter of Jeb Stuart, in her quarters, which were a part of Jeb's in the West Wing of the Complex.
Stuart had just returned from his meeting with General Taylor. They would dispatch Major K.M Foster to head the counter-insurgency as per request of Forrest, much to the dismay of Stuart, who saw him as a still inexperienced man who his son had detailed spent limited time studying his books when as upper-level officers as a whole they would meet on scheduled days in the Army. Three hundred soldiers would be sent, including forty cavalrymen, alongside their trusty steeds, service horses for the towing of field artillery, the Vulcan the Archduke had approved for use, and support wagons carrying supplies. Now Stuart needed to make sure he had sufficient surveillance and intelligence on hand to witness how the results of battle would go, and what more could be uncovered in terms of the plot of these Northern-supporters to upend the progress of the Archduchy in their Western holdings.
"I know my darling, but you're right, I do need you where it matters most, and that is exactly where you're going," He said.
"I just don't understand, what's so big about a small town in the Western expansionary territories?" She asked.
"It's not the location, it's the underlying circumstances surrounding it. The men I told you Goodwin found had direct links to this group which has now taken power. There's no details on size, strength or fighting capacity within these rebels, but what we do know is they, like the man they were linked to, hate the idea of a Grand Duchy, and want to bring the Archduke down."
"But don't we want to do the same thing daddy?" Said Flora.
"No, not if we can help it. I realize when I asked you to undertake the job of being one of my top spies off the record you'd be good for it. Your mother continues to remind me no matter how old you seem to get you've got more of my blood in me than I realize." He said, with a smile, ruffling his daughter's hair, done up in a neatly styled loose bun towards the top of the back of her head. "The Archduke and me, though we may not see eye to eye on everything, have been fellow officers since before the start to a new life you've seen for the past ten some-odd years now, since the middle of the Great War at least. Objectively, I'd like to find ways for me to influence him even without him knowing. We both have a passion for Dixie, as you do as well my darling. There will be several other men I have as informants going as part of the army. They're fully enlisted men as well, but more veteran than some of the younger aged reserves I trained within the past few months. They'll keep you safe. No one is going to question you going. Women aren't encouraged to join the Grand Army, and those that do have limited roles, but I've worked it out with General Taylor you'll be going as an observer for me to report to me all strategic analysis. But your true purpose is to uncover more findings related to the bigger picture here." He said.
"So what would you have me do?"
"When you get into the inner parts of town, make sure that our forces don't air too heavily on the side of torching and ransacking the city. For one thing, the people have already reported massive property and infrastructure loss by some of these rebel raiders, despite the fact obviously the commonfolk shouldn't be their enemy if they're trying to liberate it in the name of the Union. Secondly, I need you to investigate as much as you can before some elements of the Major's forces find and confiscate sensitive information. There's a growing presence of investigations through Colonel Goodwin, which is undermining my title as Grand Inquisitor of Espionage. Although this time around he showed us everything he found, allegedly, it's highly plausible he starts to show us less and less on the military side."
"Isn't he a military officer though father? He served under the Archduke?"
"He served under the Archduke including during one of the most highly scrutizined battles of the Western theater...
Fort Pillow"
"You had me read on Fort Pillow before, when you were giving me preliminary information on Archduke Forrest,"
"Correct, although I failed to mention Goodwin's connection. When the report was delivered to some of our staff including General Lee, Goodwin was the fellow under Forrest who delivered the report of individuals captured from the North. The report solely detailed white prisoners of the Union Army. Black prisoners had no names documented, although there were some black prisoners sent to the main prison camps from Fort Pillow. Ultimately, the conspiracy has Goodwin pinned as just a big conspirator in that whole rat's nest as the Archduke himself. To add insult to injury, numerous colleagues of mine who served in the Theater during the time of the massacre claim Goodwin was one of the main antagonists and promoters of over-the-top tortures and atrocities committed against both white and black prisoners of the North. He's hellbent on radical Southern thought and pride, in all of the wrong reasons. He's a loose cannon, and he cannot be allowed to continue to gain influence and firsthand view of sensitive documents before my Office."
"Right, so we have to find the paper trail on these resistance fighters before he does and seals it so then he can go on his own hunt,"
"Exactly, if you find some information first, hell, even interrogate a couple of prisoners before him and his men get that far after the battle is won and the town is secure, we're on up on the more radical parts of the Grand Duchy and we're able to know what the intentions and implications of a major raid on one of our territories was and is. I need to know how much the North may be directly involved, and more than that, I need to keep it silent. If Forrest is able to find a way to justify troops from Dixie into the Union when we as a Southern whole are so widespread and divided, it could mean the end to any free parts of Dixie that are enjoying their medieval style of rule, not just the Archduke himself."
"Alright father, I shall leave at once, attached to the army embarking for Parsons."
"Very good my dear, be safe, you were born to succeed me, you make me proud each day,"
Stuart watched his daughter pull on her coat and strap her gun belt up to her waist as she started out the door of her quarters and out into the hall towards the yard. Legacy was a word seemingly present with most of the older Confederate leadership now in Memphis. That much was certain.
Stuart, with these new developments in mind, needed to warn Jackson of what was about to transpire.
A message to his esteemed greatness Chancellor Stonewall Jackson of the Emperor's Council
Dear Old Friend,
I write to inform you of increasingly hostile developments here in West Tennessee. As we spoke briefly at the coronation, I understood you were undertaking very man responsibilites, and making your best attempt to keep order despite the fact the Partisans have launched their attack in the East, and the young Emperor commands very little respect or direct allegiance from any of the territories in Dixie, Archduke Forrest here as no exception. A growing organized secret police movement Forrest has put together, ran by his former enforcer John Goodwin, who you may remember from the memos detailing Fort Pillow and the massacre, have begun to rage intense wars internally against those that would look to badmouth and denounce slavery, or the Southern model as whole, as well as Memphis and its government specifically.
We've had several of these individuals captured, and their plans and information discovered by Goodwin. So far he's cooperated with us on the military side of things, but no telling how long that will last. Richard Taylor, who you may remember from the Western Theater who at one time relieved General John Bell Hood, is first in command under Forrest himself. I'm still unaware of his true allegiances and his stance towards a unified versus sectional South.
In any case, Goodwin could turn cold-turkey and start to cut the military out, if not at least myself, very soon. I've been appointed Grand Inquisitor of Espionage which essentially puts me in charge of all reconaissance, spying and surveillance, yet Goodwin in his newfound role with this secret police element, looks to upend me and potentially find ways to discover and turn information over directly to the Emperor.
We've had a Town; Parsons, near our border East with the Tennessee River, be connected with a rebel undertaking by Union sympathizers. Their true connection to the North remains unclear, as well as their connection to potentially the Partisans in the East. If we are to find evidence the North is directly or even indirectly involved, however, you as much as I fear the potential what an all out assault on the Mason-Dixon on the Kentucky border by Forrest's Armies could mean for the potential future and independence of any or all portions of Dixie, especially in our current divided state.
I write you old friend to allow you to be aware of these findings in advance. This telegram will hopefully reach you sooner rather than later, inevitably God willing before their train arrives approximately right outside of the Town.
I've sent my daughter, who's proven to be a great asset to my original mission of spying on Forrest while being his right hand for you. She will report back to me at her earliest convenience what she finds in relation to Northern involvement, as well as limited atrocities and unecessary killings and pillaging by our troops who will be fighting these rebels, some of which were rumored to have already raised and pillaged parts of the town among other things. She will make her best attempt to make sure Northern news sources don't unecessarily learn of violence in the Town as part of a stomping out of rebels, which could be further fuel for a move for Northern advance on our beloved Dixie.
Stay safe my friend, I anxiously await your reply,
J.E.B Stuart