May Meeting Notice and Newsletter!

May 16th, 2012 – Our 98th Meeting!

The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, May 16th at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital. This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall. The meeting begins at 7:00 pm and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

Our apologies for the late newsletter – it has been a very hectic past ten days!!!!

OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC: “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”

Nathan Bedford Forrest was probably the finest cavalry commander of the Civil War. With only six months of any education and no formal military education, Forrest soon learned to
rely on his staff for the day to day operations of his commands. These officers were brought in to handle weapons and ammunition, shoes and uniforms, horses and much more
leaving Forrest free to handle the tactical and strategic operations of his campaigns. These men were devoted to Forrest and he relied on them to get his men where they needed to
be. It was a powerful relationship that lasted even after the war.

Additionally, as with many general officers, Forrest had a personal escort of company strength. These were probably the toughest fighters of his command and riding alongside Forrest
was not only a place of honor but also one of danger. Forrest used his escort for a variety of missions including as his own Old Guard, which, like Napoleon’s famous command, often
helped tip the scales to victory or helped cover any retreat. At Parker’s Crossroads, they charged a full brigade of Union infantry stopping them in their tracks and forcing them to deploy
into line of battle. These men, too, remained devoted to their commander after the war.

Telling us about these men will be Dr. Michael Bradley, a retired professor of history from Motlow College in Tennessee. Forrest’s staff and escort was the topic of one of his recent
books, which Dr. Bradley will have for sale at this month’s meeting. He is an accomplished historian, past commander of the Tennessee Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and
a noted author. Some of his books include; Forrest’s Fighting Preacher: David Campbell Kelley of Tennessee; Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Staff and Escort; Tullahoma: The 1863 Campaign
FFor the Control of Middle Tennessee; With Blood and Fire: Life Behind Union Lines in Middle Tennessee, 1863-1865; and his most current book, Murfreesboro in the Civil War. Dr.
Bradley also had the cover article for Blue & Gray magazine on the Tullahoma Campaign. He is very much in demand as a speaker.

Please join us as Dr. Michael Bradley tells us much more about the staff and escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

LAST MONTH’S MEETING

Mark Christ, from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, gave us an excellent program on the Civil War in Arkansas in 1863. The topic of his recent book, the program began with details on the campaign for Arkansas Post (Fort Hindman) and concluded with the fall of Little Rock and the war along the border of Arkansas and the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). Within this busy year, much took place and all was related with a full knowledge and understanding of the events often delivered with humor and pertinent anecdotes. Covering a full year of campaigns and battles is hard enough to do but Christ delivered the goods with this excellent program. The war in the Trans-Mississippi is getting a lot of attention with more and more books coming out so this was a fine way to learn about one of Tennessee’s neighbors during its most critical year.

We highly suggest that other CWRTs, if you are tired of the usual programs, contact Mark Christ to get this program (one of many he can do) and get him to your CWRT!

FUTURE PROGRAMS:

June 2012 – Gordon and Traci Belt, authors – “Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion in the Army of Tennessee”

July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss! Topic TBA.

August 2012 – Jack Hurst, author/historian – “Grant and Forrest: Extraordinary Ordinary Americans.”

September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)

October 2012 – Brian Wills, author/historian – “General George Thomas”

November 2012 – Ruth Hill McAllister, author/historian – “The Memoirs Of Sam Watkins, Company Aytch”

December 2012 – Krista Castillo, Fort Negley Park – “Christmas In The Civil War”

January 2013 – Rick Warwick, historian/author – Topic TBA (tentative)

April 2013 – William C. Davis, VA Tech University, author/historian – Topic TBA

MEMBERS AND DUES: – Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues. If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting! Thank you if you have already done so.

Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow. We would love to have you join us! If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along. July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due. If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so. Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation. Annual dues are as follows:

Ö Student – $10

Ö Single membership – $20

Ö Family – $30

Ö Military – Active duty and veterans – $15

Ö Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25

CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS

Ed Bearss to Speak to the Clarksville CWRT – July 18th, 2012 – VERY IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ!!!!

The one and only Ed Bearss, retired Chief Historian of the National Park Service and battlefield guide extraordinaire, will be speaking to our CWRT on Wednesday, July 18th, 2012.
Accordingly, due to the expected demand for seats, the meeting in July will be held at Clarksville’s Customs House Museum in downtown Clarksville in their auditorium. This seats
about 190 people. We are going to do a major PR push for this event so we expect the place to sell out. This will probably be the only time we can get Ed to come and speak to us as
he is very much in demand across the country for lectures and tours.

Clarksville CWRT members who are current in their dues will get in free of charge. For everyone else, tickets will be $10 each with the proceeds going to help fund the Tennessee
Civil War Monument at the Battle of Richmond, KY battlefield. These tickets will be first come, first served. As our fiscal year is usually July, in order to save time at that month’s meeting,
we will suspend the usual business portion of the meeting and get right to the evening’s program. In order to know how many seats we will have to sell, we will have a members sign
up sheet at the June meeting where members can sign up for July. That way we know how many seats will be available and can advertise that to the public at large.

Accordingly, we will have the dues collection for the 2012-2013 dues year take place at the June 2012 meeting. Please be prepared to pay your dues that month in order to be dues
current for the July meeting. There will simply be no time to handle dues at the July meeting so plan on June for paying them. If you cannot attend the June meeting please send your
dues in to Greg Biggs, 2600 W. Henderson Way, Clarksville, TN 37042. Make checks out to the Clarksville CWRT. If you are a new member and have joined since January 2012, your
dues will be pro-rated and you will only have to pay a half rate. If you do not take care of your dues before or during the June 2012 meeting you will be charged the $10 fee for Ed
Bearss. You may pay your dues at the May meeting if you wish.

Thanks for your help with this wonderful event! We are hoping to have a pre-lecture meet and greet with Ed while he is with us.

Fort Negley Memorial Day Program Set – Saturday, May 26, 2012

Fort Negley Park announces a Memorial Day weekend observance to honor all serving members of the U.S. Armed Forces and to commemorate those who gave the final devotion to their country. The observance will also honor those who perished building and defending the fortifications of Nashville during the Civil War including Fort Negley.

The program begins at 11 AM and continues until 1 PM on Saturday, May 26, 2012. The event is free and open to the public. Please support this wonderful event with your attendance. For more information please call Fort Negley at (615) 862-8470.

Fort Donelson Camp, Sons of Union Veterans Feature Dr. Michael Trapasso on Bowling Green, KY. – May 22, 2012

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012, at 7:00 p.m., the Fort Donelson Camp #62, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), of Middle Tennessee, at the Fort Negley Visitors’ Center in Nashville at 110 Fort Negley Boulevard will present Dr. Michael Trapasso giving a program entitled ““Rise and Fall of a Confederate Capitol: The Civil War in Bowling Green, Kentucky.” Dr. Trapasso will speak about early Civil War history in Kentucky, concentrating on Bowling Green and its importance as a military base and stronghold, as well as the Confederate State Capitol. Trapasso is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geography and Geology at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green where he was on the faculty from 1980 to 2008. He is a reenactor and battlefield preservationist, and speaks and writes frequently on the Civil War.

The meeting is free and open to members and perspective members. A kiosk in the lobby of the Visitor’s Center provides a computer link to the National Park Service’s Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System where attendees can search for Civil War ancestors. The group will hold a business meeting at 6:00 p.m. prior to the program. The SUVCW is a volunteer, non-profit, patriotic and educational organization founded in 1881 by sons of Civil War veterans. For more information, please email Roger Tenney at ratenney@comcast.net and visit www.tnsuvcw.org.

Clarksville Civil War Film Wins Award at the Meeting of the Tennessee Association of Museums!

If you visit Fort Defiance Interpretive Center in Clarksville you have undoubtedly seen the movie they show to their visitors. Entitled Crossroads Of Change: Clarksville, Tennessee
1861-1865, this film tells the story of Clarksville from just before the war through its end as well as some of the aftermath. Based on the actual events of the war and using local actors
and reenactors (some of whom are Clarksville CWRT members!), the film, used a female narrator to guide the tale, offering military and civilian accounts to tell the story of war and
occupation. The script was written by Frank Lott, Tammy Dohner and our own Greg Biggs and was filmed by local film maker Rick Goodwin who has won other film awards. The TAM
meeting was held in Memphis in April where it was entered into competition with other such productions. Congratulations to all who took part in the making of this film. You all should
be VERY proud!

Ray Mulesky, Noted Civil War Historian, Offers Free Tour of Newburgh, Indiana – May 19, 2012

Civil War historian and author, and former Clarksville CWRT speaker, Ray Mulesky, is leading a tour of the first Confederate raid north of the Ohio River in the Civil War. On July 18, 1862, Adam Rankin Johnson, with maybe 25 men, crossed the Ohio River and took the town of Newburgh, Indiana, a suburb of Evansville. He captured a large number of men and weapons and used fake cannons to encourage the surrender of the town’s garrison. Made of stovepipes and mounted on wheels, these guns soon brought Johnson the nickname, “Stovepipe Johnson.”

Ray will be leading a tour of the site where Johnson crossed the river and relate other events pertinent to the raid. The program begins at 11 AM on Saturday, May 19, 2012. There is no charge for the tour which lasts for about an hour. If you recall Ray’s program at Clarksville, he is a very engaging speaker. For details please email – ray@thunderfromaclearsky.com – for all details and directions. Newburgh is two hours north of Clarksville. Ray is doing the tour for the 150th Anniversary of the Newburgh Raid.

Historian Jim Hoobler of the Tennessee State Museum to Give Program at the Carter House in Franklin, June 7th, 2012

The Battle of Franklin Trust is pleased to announce an upcoming lecture to be held in Franklin, Tennessee. Organized to compliment the current exhibits being housed at Carnton Plantation and the Carter House, the lecture is free and open to the public, and will begin at 6:00 p.m. This is part of a series of planned lectures to be held in Franklin by the Battle of Franklin Trust.

On June 7, Jim Hoobler, Senior Curator of Art and Architecture at the Tennessee State Museum, will give his lecture, “Occupied Nashville,” at The Carter House. The lecture will cover life in Nashville under Union Army control. Hoobler is a published author, having written books such as, Cities Under the Gun: Images of Occupied Nashville and Chattanooga and is a former speaker at our CWRT. Do not miss this fine program by a fine historian and speaker.

Tennessee Historian Has a Blog On the Spencer Rifle and Carbine

If you have an interest in the Spencer repeating rifle and carbine, then this historian’s blog is just for you! Greg Wernke created the blog some months ago to highlight these famous weapons, their history and to allow for the discussion of them by those interested. The Spencer made one of its earliest battle appearances in Tennessee’s Tullahoma Campaign of June-July 1863. These rifles equipped the mounted infantry brigade commanded by Col. John T. Wilder of Indiana. Wilder, seeking to maximize the firepower of his men, purchased the rifles for his troops and the men paid him back on a monthly basis. Spencers soon equipped many other units of the Union Army with the carbine version coming out in 1864. In 1865, the 14,000 man cavalry corps commanded by Gen. James H. Wilson that would smash their way through Alabama and Georgia and hand Forrest his worst defeat of the war, was fully armed with Spencers making them the most powerful mounted force in the world!

Just drop by http://lovemyspencer.blogspot.com/ and be ready for some fine history and fun.

April Meeting Notice and Newsletter

April 18th, 2012 – Our 97th Meeting!

The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, April 18th at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital. This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall. The meeting begins at 7:00 pm and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC: “Civil War Arkansas 1863: The Battle for a State”

In 1863, Union commanders began a concentrated campaign to gain control of the Arkansas River valley and split the Trans-Mississippi Confederacy in half. In January, Union commander John McClernand, a political general from Illinois, sought to upstage Ulysses S. Grant especially after his failed attempt to take Vicksburg in December 1862. Gathering an army and with naval support, McClernand went after Fort Hindman, better known as Arkansas Post, which protected the Arkansas River approach to the state capital of Little Rock. After a battle, McClernand was able to capture the entire garrison earning a rare victory and gloating rights over Grant. This set into motion a series of battles to control Arkansas that would take the rest of the year.

In early July, 1863, while battles at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and the Tullahoma Campaign waged, Confederate forces attacked the fortified Union garrison at Helena, Arkansas. If they took the town, they could again cut the Mississippi River perhaps offsetting, somewhat, the pending defeat at Vicksburg. But they were repulsed after several assaults and heavy casualties. After this, Union General Frederick Steele, Grant’s West Point classmate, took a force to take the state capital of Little Rock. Plagued by disease and Confederate defense, Steele finally took the city in September 1863. In October, the Confederates struck back seeking to capture Pine Bluff on the Arkansas River and cut Federal supply lines. A stout Union defense threw back their assaults and held the town. Supporting all of this was the Union victory in the Indian Territory which secured the western portion of Arkansas. Other than raids, Arkansas remained in Federal hands for the rest of the war.

Our speaker, Mark Christ, probably knows more about the war in Arkansas than anyone around. His most recent book covers the campaigns that will be the subject of his program for the Nashville CWRT. Many of these will not be that well known, save possibly Helena, but the importance of them is little appreciated. Offsetting Vicksburg could have been one result had the Confederates won at Helena and Arkansas Post. Mark will have his books for sale at the meeting.

Mark Christ is community outreach director for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage He joined the AHPP in 1990 after eight years as a professional journalist. A 1982 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, he received his Master’s degree in 2000 from the University of Oklahoma, where he wrote a thesis based on the Little Rock Campaign of 1863. He is a member of the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, serves as vice chairman of the board of directors of the Arkansas Humanities Council and is a member of the board of trustees of the Arkansas Historical Association. He has written and edited several books, including “Rugged and Sublime” The Civil War in Arkansas, Sentinels of History: Reflections on Arkansas Properties Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which won an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History, “Getting Used To Being Shot At”: The Spence Family Civil War Letters, “All Cut to Pieces and Gone to Hell”: The Civil War, Race Relations and the Battle of Poison Spring, “The Earth Shook and Trees Trembled”: Civil War Arkansas 1863-1864, and “The Die is Cast: Arkansas Goes to War, 1861”. The University of Oklahoma Press just published his newest book, Civil War Arkansas, 1863: The Battle for a State, which won the 2010 Douglas Southall Freeman Award.

Please join us as Mark Chris of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program tells us much more about the Civil War in Arkansas in 1863.

LAST MONTH’S MEETING

We were very fortunate to have had Ltc. (retired) Harold Knudsen give us a very detailed program analyzing the military career of Confederate General James Longstreet. Using two of his battles, Fredericksburg and Chickamauga, which detailed his vision of defense in depth and attack in depth, Ltc. Knudsen offered his views, rooted in his military training and career as a professional soldier, as to why Longstreet was ahead of many of his contemporaries in terms of how he viewed tactical combat in the Civil War. Longstreet, of course, remains a very controversial general. Much of which stems from his life after the Civil War and the need to blame the loss at Gettysburg on somebody other than Robert E. Lee on whose shoulders the defeat actually rests (and he said so at the time). This is a very unique program given by a speaker in full command of the topic coupled with sound military analysis of this controversial general. It proves him to be an officer of great capability who was looking ahead in his tactical dispositions in battle. Thanks Ltc. Knudsen for the terrific program. Other CWRTs would be benefit greatly from this program.

FUTURE PROGRAMS:

May 2012 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”

June 2012 – Gordon and Traci Belt, authors – “Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion in the Army of Tennessee”

July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss! Topic TBA.

August 2012 – Jack Hurst, author/historian – “Grant and Forrest: Extraordinary Ordinary Americans.”

September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)

October 2012 – Brian Wills, author/historian – “General George Thomas”

November 2012 – Ruth Hill McAllister, author/historian – “The Memoirs Of Sam Watkins, Company Aytch”

December 2012 – Krista Castillo, Fort Negley Park – “Christmas In The Civil War”

January 2013 – Rick Warwick, historian/author – Topic TBA (tentative)

April 2013 – William C. Davis, VA Tech University, author/historian – Topic TBA

MEMBERS AND DUES: – Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues. If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting! Thank you if you have already done so.

Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow. We would love to have you join us! If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along. July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due. If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so. Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation. Annual dues are as follows:

Ö Student – $10

Ö Single membership – $20

Ö Family – $30

Ö Military – Active duty and veterans – $15

Ö Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25

CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS

Carolyn Ferrell to Sign Her Book On Clarksville in the Civil War at Montgomery County Library

Local author Carolyn Ferrell will have a book signing at the Montgomery County Library for her recently published book Occupied: The Story of Clarksville, Tennessee During The Civil War on Sunday, April 15th, 2012 from 1PM to 4 PM. Her books will be available for purchase. The Montgomery County Library is located in the center of the Montgomery County government center just off Madison Street. Please be sure to support this fine book and the author.

Fort Negley Memorial Day Program Set – Saturday, May 26, 2012

Fort Negley Park announces a Memorial Day weekend observance to honor all serving members of the U.S. Armed Forces and to commemorate those who gave the final devotion to their country. The observance will also honor those who perished building and defending the fortifications of Nashville during the Civil War including Fort Negley.

The program begins at 11 AM and continues until 1 PM on Saturday, May 26, 2012. The event is free and open to the public. Please support this wonderful event with your attendance.
For more information please call Fort Negley at (615) 862-8470.

Richmond, KY Battlefield Wants a Tennessee Monument – Can Tennessee CWRTs Help?

Phil Seyfrit, one of our recent speakers, is asking the Tennessee Civil War Round Tables to help raise funds for a Tennessee Monument to be placed on the battlefield at Richmond, KY.
Tennessee officers who fought there include Alfred Vaughn, Preston Smith, Benjamin Hill, Tyrell Bell and Lucius Polk. The Tennessee units include: 4th Tennessee Cavalry; 2nd
(Bate’s), 12th, 13th, 35th, 47th, 48th and the 154th Senior Tennessee Infantry and Huwald’s Tennessee Battery. The Tennessee troops pierced the Union line in what is now the
Richmond Cemetery which has granted permission for such a monument.

The Clarksville CWRT voted to create a “battlefield box” where members and guests can donate funds for this monument. The Nashville CWRT challenges all other Tennessee
CWRTs to do the same to commemorate Tennessee soldiers in this battle. More details for private donations to this fund are forthcoming.

Johnsonville State Historic Park Opens New Welcome Center – Friday, May 11, 2012

The Grand Opening of the Johnsonville State Historic Park Welcome Center will be Friday, May 11th, at 11:00 a.m. The park welcome center is located in New Johnsonville, TN. Parking will be located across the street at the Baptist Church and participants will be shuttled over to the event site. Please arrive no later than 10:30 to be sure to get a seat. Governor Haslam is scheduled to be there and light refreshments will be served.

The park is about an hour west of Nashville on US Hwy 70 at the Tennessee River. It was the site of a massive Union supply depot that was attacked in November 1864 by Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest’s destruction of the depot was probably the largest such demolition of a Union supply dump of the entire war resulting in the loss of millions of dollars in supplies. Forrest hoped that it would force Union General William T. Sherman to abandon his March to the Sea but to no avail. Johnsonville state park, along with nearby Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park on the Tennessee River, interpret this Forrest campaign. The park superintendent is Jerry Wooten, who is well known to many in the Tennessee Civil War community.

Civil War Show in Cave City, Kentucky – May 4-6, 2012

The second Civil War show to be held in historic Cave City, Kentucky, will be held on May 4-6, 2012 at the Cave City Convention Center. This is located just off Exit 53 off I-65 about 30 minutes north of Bowling Green. After the exit, turn left and follow the signs to the convention center. As with last year’s show, a Civil War encampment will also be held. This show brought dealers from the South and Midwest and promises to be even better this year. For more information please visit www.cityofcavecity.com or call (270) 773-2118.

Cave City was the site of one of John Hunt Morgan’s raids and is close to the Civil War sites at Munfordville, Kentucky which are well worth visiting if you haven’t yet done so. This is about 90 minutes from Clarksville.

Excellent Programs at The Franklin Civil War Roundtable Coming This Year

Our neighbors to the south, the Franklin Civil War Roundtable, have a wonderful offering of programs coming over the next few months. The CWRT meets at the Franklin Police
Department building in the community room. The meeting days are normally the second Sunday of each month and the meetings begin at 3 PM. The set speakers are:

April 15th – Dr. Brian McKnight – Champ Ferguson: Tennessee’s Perfect Guerilla (based on his current book)

June – Ruth Hill McCallister – new findings on Sam Watkins (editor of the recent version of “Co. Aytch”)

July – Dr. Michael Bradley – Forrest’s Fighting Preacher (noted Tennessee historian and author)

August – Ranger Jim Ogden – Chickamauga (historian at Chickamauga/Chattanooga National Military park)

September – Kent Masterson Brown – Kentucky sentiments (noted Civil War author)

October – Dr. John Kvach – De Bow and the impending crises in the South

November – Peter Cozzens – The Cahaba Prison (noted Civil War author)

Do go and visit the Franklin CWRT when you can!

Great Events Coming At Jefferson Davis State Park – Fairview, Kentucky

Less than 30 minutes north of Clarksville is Fairview, Kentucky, home of Jefferson Davis State Park, birthplace of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Park superintendent Ron Sydnor has a wonderful slate of programs set for the next several months. These include:

North Drive Middle School’s Re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg – April 21, 2012. Jefferson Davis’ Birthday Commemoration – June 1-3, 2012. U.S. Colored Troops’ 12th Heavy Artillery, Living History – August 11, 2012.

For more information on these and other events at the park call 270-889-6100 or email Ron at – Ron.Sydnor@ky.gov

February Newsletter and Meeting Notice

February 15th, 2012 – Our 95th  Meeting!
The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, February 15th at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital.  This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall.  The meeting begins at7:00 pm and is always open to the public.  Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.


OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC:           “Nashville – Siren’s Song of the Confederacy”



The fall of Fort Donelson on February 16, 1862, set off a chain reaction of events in Middle Tennessee that culminated with the capture of Nashville, the Volunteer State’s capital some days later.  The last state to secede (June 1861), the loss of Nashville was a major blow to state morale as well as Confederate hopes for independence.  Nashville then became the focus of no less than five Confederate offensives to capture it either directly, or indirectly, which dominated Confederate strategy in the west for the rest of the war.  In essence, this telegraphed the Southern playbook to the Union Army so that they were able to make their own plans to retain hold of the city.  Beginning in April 1862 and ending in December 1864, with the Confederate Army of Tennessee literally on the doorstep, Nashville remained in Union hands, becoming the major supply depot for all western campaigns conducted by their army.


 


Our speaker, CWRT president Greg Biggs, will detail the importance of Tennessee and Nashville before going into each of the campaigns to retake the city by the Confederates.  Some of these offensives might be a surprise considering where they went, but part of their goal was getting Nashville back.  The program will analyze these movements and the corresponding events after they failed.


Greg Biggs, president of the Clarksville CWRT, is also a flag historian, tour guide and research historian for some notable authors.  He has lectured across the country to CWRTs, conferences and other history groups and has lead tours for many of them as well as the US Army.


Please join us for Greg Biggs and his program on the attempts to retake Nashville, Tennessee.




LAST MONTH’S MEETING


 


Teresa Prober, an instructor of history at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, gave us a very informative program on Dover, Tennessee and how the town has grappled with its Civil War history.  She has spent numerous years researching Dover and its history which will culminate in a book for the University of Tennessee Press.  Tremendously set back from the start by the loss of 17 wartime structures in 1862, what was left in Dover came under assault by modern development in the 20th Century.  Fortunately, some images of these buildings have survived and were included in her supporting Power Point program.  It was evident that the program struck a chord because a long period of questions and answers followed; the mark of a program that got deeply into the interest level of our CWRT.  For something different from the typical Civil War program our fellow CWRTs would do well to get Teresa Prober to speak to them.


 


Thanks Teresa for coming to see us.




FUTURE PROGRAMS: 




March 2012 – Ltc. Harold Knudsen – “General James Longstreet – Modern General”


April 2012 – Mark Christ, Arkansas Historical Commission – “Arkansas 1863”


May 2012 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”


June 2012 – Gordon and Traci Belt, authors – “Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion in the Army of Tennessee”


July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss!  Topic TBA.


August 2012 – Jack Hurst, author/historian – “Grant and Forrest: Extraordinary Ordinary Americans.”


September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)


October 2012 – Brian Wills, author/historian – “General George Thomas”


November 2012 – Ruth Hill McAllister, author/historian – “The Memoirs Of Sam Watkins, Company Aytch” 


December 2012 – Krista Castillo, Fort Negley Park – “Christmas In The Civil War”


January 2013 – Rick Warwick, historian/author – Topic TBA (tentative)


April 2013 – William C. Davis, VA Tech University, author/historian – Topic TBA




MEMBERS AND DUES: - Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues.  If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting!  Thank you if you have already done so.


Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow.  We would love to have you join us!  If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along.  July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due.  If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so.  Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation.  Annual dues are as follows:


 


Ö         Student – $10


Ö         Single membership – $20


Ö         Family – $30


Ö         Military – Active duty and veterans – $15


Ö         Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25




CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS







Civil War Events In Clarksville, Tennessee – February 2012 – Civil War Sesquicentennial

Fort Donelson fell on February 16, 1862 and Clarksville was captured by the Union Navy a few days later.  To help commemorate this time of our history three events will be taking 
place in town and they deserve your support.  As follows:


    

  • Local author Carolyn Ferrell will have a book signing at Ft. Defiance for her recently published book Occupied: The Story of Clarksville, Tennessee During The Civil War on Saturday, February 18, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Books will be available for purchase. Fort Defiance Civil War Park is located at 120 Duncan Street.
    • 



 


    

  • “Surrender of Clarksville.” Commemoration ceremony on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at
    • 



2 p.m. at Ft. Defiance Civil War Park & Interpretive Center. The ceremony will include a 20-minute re-enactment of events pertaining to the surrender. The event is free and open to the public.


 


    

  • “General Grant’s Briefing”by Grant impersonator Dr. E.C. Fields will be presented on Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11 a.m. in the theater of the Customs House Museum.  A one-person, one-hour program on Grant’s role during the war in Tennessee.  Free and open to the public.  Limited seating.
    • 



 
The events are sponsored by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee.  There are three other events coming in March and April courtesy of Austin 
Peay State University, the Roxy Theater and Fort Defiance Interpretive Center.







Fort Donelson National Battlefield – 150th Anniversary Programs Have Begun!

Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Dover, Tennessee, will be having a number of events for their upcoming 150th Anniversary.  Not all of the programs have been filled as yet but several known authors including Ed Bearss, Kendall Gott, Jack Hurst and Myron Smith have all been tabbed to make appearances at the park, most of them during the February events.  Smith is an expert on the naval war in the west with several books to his credit while Hurst and Gott have both written books on the Fort Donelson Campaign.  Ed Bearss is…well… Ed Bearss!


 


Most of the events will be around the date of the battle, February 12-16, 1862.    Many of the programs will be led by park rangers but there will also be living historians and their encampments to add luster to the affair.


 


Included in the events will be the ceremonial signing of the deed between the Civil War Trust and Fort Donelson National Battlefield for the transfer of the acreage saved by CWT to the park service.  This will, in effect, double the size of the park.  How many other Civil War parks can say that?  This takes place on Saturday, February 11 at 11 AM in the park visitors center.


 


For more information on all of the events please visit the park’s web site at: www.nps.gov/fodo and please support our wonderful neighbors!


 
New Blue & Gray magazine on Fort Donelson and Dover now in stock at Books A Million, Clarksville


For those that did not order the new issue of Blue & Gray magazine from our CWRT, with a cover story on the Fort Henry-Donelson Campaign written by park historian Jimmy Jobe, it is now in stock at Books A Million in Clarksville.  The store is located on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard across from Governor’s Square Mall.  The magazine also features an article on the battles of Dover, Tennessee written by John Walsh, one of our former members and owner of Fort Donelson Relics.


 


For those that did order the issue we will have them for you at the meeting this month.







150th Anniversary Fort Donelson Reenactment – March 2-4. 2012 To Be Held At Cumberland City, Tennessee  







This 2012 national event will be held 20 miles south of the actual battlefield on the Stewart-Houston County line in an industrial park.  The event will feature loads of cannons, thousands of troops as well as civilian events like a ladies tea.  The whole affair is sponsored by Porter’s Tennessee Battery (www.portersbattery.com) and the Armies of Tennessee (www.armiesoftennessee.com).


 


For more details about attending either as a spectator or reenactor please visit the event web site at – www.FortDonelson.org. This is an approved state of Tennessee Sesquicentennial event – visit www.tnvacation.com for details of all of their Civil War events.







Fourth Conference on the History of Louisville, Kentucky, and the Ohio River Valley in the Civil War— "Louisville and Louisvillians During and After the War." – March 8-9, 2012 
 


This reoccurring Civil War conference will be held the weekend of March 8-9, 2012.  It will start with a continental breakfast at 8:30 a. m. on March 8th and 9th and continue until around 3:30 p. m. each day.  There will also be a panel discussion on Lincoln and the Constitution at 5:00 p. m. on March 8, followed by dinner at the Frazier History Museum and a chance to see the exhibit “My Brother, My Enemy.”  The cost is $65 and includes 2 continental breakfasts, one lunch and dinner.  To register call Janna Tajibaeva at 502-852-2247 or email Janna at janna.tajibaeva@louisville.edu


 


Some of the speakers are: Nikki Taylor, University of Cincinnati; Glenn Crothers, U of L; Anne Marshall, Mississippi State University; Luke Harlow, Oakland University; Carol Janney, Purdue University; Barbara Gannon, University of Central Florida; Mary Jean Wall, University of Kentucky; Mark Wetherington, Filson Historical Society; and Joe Reinhart, independent historian and noted author.  The event will be held at the University of Louisville’s Chao Auditorium, Ekstrom Library, Lower Level West.  Louisville is only 3 ½ hours north of Clarksville.


 
Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Signature Event:  Invasions By Rail and River, April 4-5, 2012







The next series of Tennessee Sesquicentennial Civil War events will be held on April 4-5, 2012 at Pickwick Landing State Park.  This site is not far from Shiloh National Military Park. Part of the festivities will include – Looking Back:The Civil War In Tennessee digitization project, where people can bring their letters, diaries, photos, weapons and much more to the event so that they can be documented by the state archives.  Other programs include living history demonstrations; special exhibits from the Tennessee State Museum and Tennessee State Library and Archives plus musical performances and lectures by noted Civil War historians.  These speakers include Larry Daniel, Wiley Sword, Stacy Allen, Tim Smith, James McDonough, John Marszalek Carroll Van West and others.


 


For more details on the location please visit www.tn.gov/environment/parks/PickwickLanding/. The hotel at Pickwick Landing is offering a special sesquicentennial rate of $75 per night and to secure that rate please call 800-250-8615. For more details on the event please call 615-741-2159 or email vionne.williams@tn.gov


 


Shiloh National Military Park Sesquicentennial Events – April 6-7, 2012







If you stay in the Pickwick Landing area a couple more days you can attend the additional sesquicentennial events hosted by Shiloh National Military Park just down the road.  These include special extended tours of the battlefield and a grand illumination of the Shiloh National Battlefield with 23,746 luminaries, one for each American soldier killed, wounded or missing at Shiloh.  If that isn’t enough, two amazing locally sponsored living history reenactments featuring 6,000+ re-enactors and hundreds of cannons will be held on March 29 through April 1st in Hardin and McNairy counties to commemorate the 150th Battle of Shiloh.


 


For more information on these locally organized events visit www.nps.gov/shil/.  


 

			

	
	



				
					


	

		
Blue & Gray Issues are Here!


				

			
				
			
					

			


		

		
For the 15 of you that ordered copies of the new Blue & Gray magazine on Fort Donelson, the issues arrived today.  Greg will have them at the February meeting for $6 each.  Payments will be made to the Clarksville CWRT. 


In addition to the article by Donelson historian Jimmy Jobe, there is also a fine article by John Walsh of Fort Donelson Relics and for Fort Donelson CWRT about the two other battles for Dover.  The maps are amazing! 


Both Hastings and Books A Million will be carrying this magazine which should be in soon so if you are did not purchase from the CWRT,  please visit those stores for your copy.

			

	
	



				
					


	

		
January Meeting Notice and Newsletter


				

			
				
			
					

			


		

		
January 18th, 2012 – Our 94th  Meeting!   


The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, January 18th at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital.  This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall.  The meeting begins at 7:00 pm and is always open to the public.  Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed. 


OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC:    “How Dover Tennessee Failed Public History and How Public History Failed Dover”


The purpose of public history is not just simply preservation.  Historians interpret and tell stories of American history that form the foundations of communities and the nation and shape us as a people.   America is full of buildings that are of historical, cultural and architectural importance that should be saved so they can continue to contribute to American society, culturally and economically.


This presentation will examine the challenges that the small town of Dover, Tennessee encountered when confronted with issues of preserving and restoring local historical structures and the many failures they incurred and why.  The program will also address how public history organizations (in this instance the park service) do not always make the best decisions in regards to preserving or restoring historical structures.  With so few structures from the Civil War era remaining, thanks to much of the town being burned in August 1862, the challenge for buildings of that era is even greater.  The Dover area was the site of three Civil War battles (February 1862, August 1862 and February 1863) in addition to numerous skirmishes in the region.  Fewer small towns from the war suffered so much and the ultimate challenge is to preserve what remains.


Our speaker is Teresa Prober from Austin Peay State University where she is an instructor in history.  She earned a BA in History from University of North Carolina at Pembroke and an MA in History from American Military University.  She taught High School Social Studies for 9 years in North Carolina.  She has also designed public history programs for Pennyroyal Area History Museum in Hopkinsville, KY; was an archivist who cleaned and preserved historic documents Stewart County TN and assisted in redesigning school programs for Fort Donelson National Battlefield.  She has done extensive research on the Dover Hotel where CS General Simon Buckner surrendered the Fort Donelson garrison to Union Gen. U.S. Grant.  She is currently working with University of Tennessee Press to publish the book, “ The Dover Hotel a Silent Witness to History in Tragedy and Triumph.”


Please join us for Teresa Prober and her program on Dover, Tennessee.


LAST MONTH’S MEETING


John Marler, of the Battle of Franklin Trust, presented an outstanding program offering an overview of the Petersburg Campaign, the longest campaign of the Civil War.  From the time where the first defenses were built around the city through the first (and best opportunity) Union attempt to take the city when it was barely defended in June 1864, Marler wove a tale of mistakes, battles, leaders and much more.  Generals who had been good before were found wanting on both sides while others rose to the occasion.  Petersburg, Marler correctly argued, was the real key to taking Richmond, something that U.S. Grant figured out when he marched his Army of the Potomac across the James River.  From June 1864 through the final battles of April 1865, Petersburg was a tough nut to break but Union persistence won the city after a sustained campaign of moving to the south and west side of the city taking out the vital railroads that supplied it.  Marler’s style of presentation offers a full command of the facts delivered with humor at times.  This is not only an excellent but an enjoyable program.  The years that Marler worked for the national park there and ran his own guide service were more than evident.


Thanks John for coming to see us.   


FUTURE PROGRAMS:


February 2012 – Greg Biggs, Clarksville CWRT – “Nashville – Siren’s Song of the Confederacy”


March 2012 – Ltc. Harold Knudsen – “General James Longstreet – Modern General”


April 2012 – Mark Christ, Arkansas Historical Commission – “Arkansas 1863”


May 2012 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”


June 2012 – Gordon and Traci Belt, authors – “Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion in the Army of Tennessee”


July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss!  Topic TBA.


August 2012 – Jack Hurst, author/historian – “Grant and Forrest: Extraordinary Ordinary Americans.”


September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)


October 2012 – Brian Wills, author/historian – “General George Thomas”


November 2012 – Ruth Hill McAllister, author/historian – “The Memoirs Of Sam Watkins, Company Aytch”


December 2012 – Krista Castillo, Fort Negley Park – “Christmas In The Civil War”


January 2013 – Rick Warwick, historian/author – Topic TBA (tentative)


April 2013 – William C. Davis, VA Tech University, author/historian – Topic TBA


MEMBERS AND DUES: – Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues.  If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting!  Thank you if you have already done so.


Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow.  We would love to have you join us!  If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along.  July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due.  If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so.  Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation.  Annual dues are as follows:


Ö         Student – $10


Ö         Single membership – $20


Ö         Family – $30


Ö         Military – Active duty and veterans – $15


Ö         Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25


CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS


Online Civil War Program At The US Army Heritage And Education Center, Carlisle, Pennsylvania (From the Kankakee Valley CWRT newsletter in Illinois)


If you are looking for some good online Civil War lectures you cannot do wrong by visiting www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/.  A search through their Media Galleries will lead you to their lecture series. Some of their presentations do have a bit of static, and some even have some distortion and focus issues.  However, the material presented is of very high quality.  Here’s the list of what’s currently online and expect more topics to become available as the Civil War Sesquicentennial moves along.


Devils Own Work-CW Draft Riots and the Fight  to Reconstruct America   Barnet Scheter     73 mins


Virginia Campaign-May-June 1864   Mark Grimsley     60 mins                


Harp and Eagle  Irish-American Volunteers and the Union Army, 1861-1865   Dr. Susannah J. Ural    64 mins


Role of the Constitution in the CW  Mark Neely, Jr.         73 mins.


From Engineer Lieutenant to Corps Commander-The Civil War Career of Godfrey Weitzel Dr. Arthur W. Bergeron Jr. 61 mins


Generalship of Ulysses S. Grant and the American CW  Dr. Richard  J. Somners  81 mins


West Pointers in the Civil War Dr. Wayne Hsieh   69 mins


Other online topics range from the militia men in King Philips War through Magnificent Desolation: The Long Road Home from the Moon with Dr. Buzz Aldrin, former Apollo astronaut.


Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Signature Event:  Invasions By Rail and River, April 4-5 2012


The next series of Tennessee Sesquicentennial Civil War events will be held on April 4-5, 2012 at Pickwick Landing State Park.  This site is not far from Shiloh National Military Park. Part of the festivities will include – Looking Back:The Civil War In Tennessee digitization project, where people can bring their letters, diaries, photos, weapons and much more to the event so that they can be documented by the state archives.  Other programs include living history demonstrations; special exhibits from the Tennessee State Museum and Tennessee State Library and Archives plus musical performances and lectures by noted Civil War historians.  These speakers include Larry Daniel, Wiley Sword, Stacy Allen, Tim Smith, James McDonough, John Marszalek Carroll Van West and others. 


For more details on the location please visit www.tn.gov/environment/parks/PickwickLanding/. The hotel at Pickwick Landing is offering a special sesquicentennial rate of $75 per night and to secure that rate please call 800-250-8615. For more details on the event please call 615-741-2159 or email vionne.williams@tn.gov


Shiloh National Military Park Sesquicentennial Events – April 6-7, 2012   


If you stay in the Pickwick Landing area a couple more days you can attend the additional sesquicentennial events hosted by Shiloh National Military Park just down the road.  These include special extended tours of the battlefield and a grand illumination of the Shiloh National Battlefield with 23,746 luminaries, one for each American soldier killed, wounded or missing at Shiloh.  If that isn’t enough, two amazing locally sponsored living history reenactments featuring 6,000+ re-enactors and hundreds of cannons will be held on March 29 through April 1st in Hardin and McNairy counties to commemorate the 150th Battle of Shiloh. 


For more information on these locally organized events visit www.nps.gov/shil/. 


Fort Donelson National Battlefield Sets Their 150th Anniversary Programs


Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Dover, Tennessee, will be having a number of events for their upcoming 150th Anniversary.  Not all of the programs have been filled as yet but several known authors including Ed Bearss, Kendall Gott, Jack Hurst and Myron Smith have all been tabbed to make appearances at the park, most of them during the February events.  Smith is an expert on the naval war in the west with several books to his credit while Hurst and Gott have both written books on the Fort Donelson Campaign.  Ed Bearss is…well… Ed Bearss!  Most of the events will be around the date of the battle, February 12-16, 1862, but there will also be events for the fall of Fort Henry and Fort Heiman around February 4-6, 2012.  Many of the programs will be led by park rangers but there will also be living historians and their encampments to add luster to the affair. 


For more information on all of the events please visit the park’s web site at: www.nps.gov/fodo


150th Anniversary Fort Donelson Reenactment – March 2-4. 2012 To Be Held At Cumberland City, Tennessee 


This 2012 national event will be held 20 miles south of the actual battlefield on the Stewart-Houston County line in an industrial park.  The event will feature loads of cannons, thousands of troops as well as civilian events like a ladies tea.  The whole affair is sponsored by Porter’s Tennessee Battery (www.portersbattery.com) and the Armies of Tennessee (www.armiesoftennessee.com). 


For more details about attending either as a spectator or reenactor please visit the event web site at – www.FortDonelson.org. This is an approved state of Tennessee Sesquicentennial event – visit www.tnvacation.com for details of all of their Civil War events.


Battle of Franklin Blog and Emailed Newsletter


Kraig McNutt, a historian residing in Franklin, Tennessee, writes a fine blog on the Battle of Franklin as well as an emailed newsletter that will offer updates, information and much

more.  To get to the blog please go to – www.BattleofFranklin.net – and be prepared for a lot of information.  If you wish to receive his emailed newsletter simply send your email address

 to – BattleofFranklin@yahoo.com.  


Kraig also offers a site dedicated to the descendants of those men who fought at Franklin on November 30, 1864.  Please visit –                   


http://franklindescendants.wordpress.com/


Kentucky Historical Society Gives Award to Phil Seyfrit of Battle of Richmond, Kentucky (From the Civil War News)


The Kentucky Historical Society recently presented its 2011 Frank R. Levstik Award given for professional service to Phillip Seyfrit.  Seyfrit is the superintendent of the Battle of Richmond

 Battlefield in Kentucky.  He began working at the park in 2007 and guided most of the projects aimed to making it a viable resource and tourist destination including the new visitor

center which opened in 2008.  His official title is Madison County Historic Properties Director.


In addition to running the battlefield park, Seyfrit is a member of the Kentucky Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission (appointed in 2010 by Governor Steve Breshear), as well as the

program chair for the Madison County Civil War Roundtable.  He is also an officer of the Central Kentucky World War Two Roundtable.  He also won a previous award, the Pinnacle

Award, given by the Kentucky Museum and Heritage Alliance.  


Our heartiest congratulations to one of our past speakers!

			

	
	



				
					


	

		
Clarksville CWRT Meeting Notice and Newsletter


				

			
				
			
					

			


		

		
December 21st, 2011 – Our 93rd  Meeting!   


The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, December 21st at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital.  This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall.  The meeting begins at 7:00 pm and is always open to the public.  Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed. 


OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC:                                                                                     “The Petersburg Campaign”


Petersburg, located below the James River south of Richmond, Virginia, was an important Confederate supply center and railroad junction.  All of the supplies sent to Richmond from the Deep South passed through the city during the war.  Accordingly, it became a military target for the Union Army.  Defense lines were built, local defense troops raised and industry expanded.  In 1864, the Union military targeted both Richmond and Petersburg with a massive offensive.  Union General Ulysses S. Grant used a two-fisted approach to go after these cities; his right hook was aimed at Richmond via the Overland Campaign while the left hook was the Army of the James starting with the Bermuda Hundred attack and subsequent crossing of the James River by Grant’s forces.  Petersburg was first attacked in June along the Dimmock Line east of the city, held by Bushrod Johnson’s Tennesseans, among others.  As the Union Army gained strength, they probed south and west seeking to cut the railroads into Petersburg and thus Richmond.  With these gone, the Confederates would have to abandon both.  Battles at Ream’s Station, Weldon Railroad, the Crater, Fort Stedman and Jerusalem Plank Road were critical fights to maintain the Confederate hold on the cities.  Finally, with Union troops west of Petersburg, the Battle of Five Forks, followed by the massive attack along Hatcher’s Run on April 2, 1865, shattered the Petersburg defenses.  The Confederates were forced to retreat to the west which ended at Appomattox Court House on April 9.


Petersburg was the longest continuous campaign of the Civil War and its conclusion set up the immediate defeat of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the loss of Richmond.  Some of the biggest names, north and south, fought in the campaign which caused massive casualties.  The huge trench systems built by both sides presaged what would happen in World War I in 1916.  Despite the size of the campaign, few books have been written on it. 


Fortunately for us, we have John Marler, former Petersburg National Battlefield ranger and now Operations Assistant for the Battle of Franklin Trust, coming to tell us the story of all that happened.  John’s program will focus entirely on what happened south of the James River, Grant’s left hook.  John, in addition to working for the National Park Service at Petersburg, also ran the Appomattox Touring Company which lead tours of the campaign.   Since 2009, John has been working at Carnton and the Battle of Franklin Trust rising from a part time employee to his current position.


Please join us for John Marler and his program on the Petersburg Campaign.


LAST MONTH’S MEETING


We were blessed with a terrific program by Eric Jacobson, director of the Battle of Franklin Trust.  Based on his new book, Baptism Of Fire, about the three green Union regiments whose first engagement was the Battle of Franklin, the 44th Missouri, 175th and 183rd Ohio Infantry were crucial to stopping the Confederate breakthrough in the Union center.  Jacobson’s program detailed the formation of these units, where their men came from and how they ended up in Middle Tennessee just in time to partake in Hood’s Tennessee Campaign of November-December 1864.  Jacobson argued that these three regiments were more critical in stopping the Confederates than Emerson Opdycke’s Brigade, who typically gets much more credit.  Not only was this program filled with outstanding battle details, but it also contained very powerful human interest accounts.  Jacobson has become a master of melding the two styles together which takes real talent as a historian.  All of this was delivered with full knowledge of the topic and with grace and some humor.  This is simply an outstanding program!  Civil War Roundtables across the country would do VERY well in getting this program!


Thanks Eric for coming to see us.   


FUTURE PROGRAMS:


January 2012 – Teresa Prober, Austin Peay State University, “The Dover Hotel and Dover, Tennessee in the Civil War”


February 2012 – Myron Smith, historian and author, Tusculum College, “Union Navy City Class Ironclads on the Western Rivers” (tentative)


March 2012 – Ltc. Harold Knudsen – “General James Longstreet – Modern General”


April 2012 – Mark Christ, Arkansas Historical Commission – “Arkansas 1863” (tentative)


May 2012 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”


June 2012 – Gordon and Traci Belt, authors – “Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion in the Army of Tennessee”


July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss!  Topic TBA.


August 2012 – TBA


September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)


TBA –  Kraig McNutt, historian and author – “The Civil War Letters of Addison Lee Ewing, 63rd Indiana Infantry, Late Summer 1864-January 1865”


MEMBERS AND DUES: – Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues.  If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting!  Thank you if you have already done so.


Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow.  We would love to have you join us!  If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along.  July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due.  If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so.  Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation.  Annual dues are as follows:


Ö         Student – $10


Ö         Single membership – $20


Ö         Family – $30


Ö         Military – Active duty and veterans – $15


Ö         Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25


CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS


Civil War Trust to Save 267 Acres at Fallen Timbers in Tennessee – Shiloh’s Aftermath


As the defeated Confederate Army of the Mississippi fell back from Shiloh on April 8, 1862, they were pursued by William T. Sherman’s infantry division.  Their objective was the

Confederate hospital area but he was not aware that this was being protected by Confederate cavalry under Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest.  As Sherman’s men marched down the

Ridge Road and began to deploy, Forrest, with but 300 men, charged.  His troopers broke the Union skirmish line and moved towards the main line.  The Federals fired a volley that

dropped a number of Forrest’s men.  Forrest himself was badly wounded.  The Confederates turned and moved away to the west.  Sherman’s troops then captured the hospital site.

Sherman later stated, “I am sure that had he not emptied his pistols as he passed the skirmish line, my career would have ended right there.”  Imagine, indeed, what would the war

have been like had Sherman or Forrest been killed at Fallen Timbers?


Now the Civil War Trust is stepping forward to save 267 acres and they are having a fundraising campaign that will be matched $3.50 for every dollar donated.  If you wish to contribute

please visit the Civil War Trust web site at www.civilwar.org and click on the Fallen Timbers section.  There you can find the history of the fight and a terrific color map showing the action

as well as the field being sought.  This will protect about 75 per cent of the battlefield if successful.


More Civil War Trust Western Battlefield Campaigns


In addition to Fallen Timbers, Civil War Trust is also raising funds to add more land to Parker’s Crossroads Battlefield in West Tennessee and Perryville in Kentucky.  The land at Parker’s Crossroads, another battle that involved Nathan Bedford Forrest, is right along the north side of I-40 just east of Exit 108.  In this area two of Forrest’s regiments and most of his artillery were deployed.  As Forrest was taking the surrender of the Union brigade commanded by Cyrus Dunham, another Union brigade under John Fuller advanced on his rear.  This caused Forrest to order his men to, “charge both ways!”


The land at Perryville, fought on October 8, 1862, is along Doctor’s Creek in the southern end of the field that surrounds the Bottom Hose.  These 141 acres are where the Confederate brigades of Bushrod Johnson, Patrick Cleburne and Daniel Adams crossed the creek and advanced on the Federal line held by Lovell Rousseau’s Division.  The Trust is only $10,000 shy of their goal so please visit the Trust’s web site at www.civilwar.org and see how you can help secure this great piece of history.


Just recently, the Trust announced the saving of some acreage for “Walthall’s Advance” at the Battle of Franklin.  This important land being saved will add to the story of how that important battle played out.  This 5 acre parcel of land is just west of the Carnton Plantation.  So far the fine efforts of the Civil War Trust and the generosity of the American people have combined to save 30,000 acres of Civil War land preserving these acres for future generations.


Fort Donelson National Battlefield Sets Their 150th Anniversary Programs


Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Dover, Tennessee, will be having a number of events for their upcoming 150th Anniversary.  Not all of the programs have been filled as yet but several known authors including Ed Bearss, Kendall Gott, Benjamin F. Cooling and Myron Smith have all been tabbed to make appearances at the park.  Smith is an expert on the naval war in the west with several books to his credit while Cooling and Gott have both written books on the Fort Donelson Campaign.  Ed Bearss is…well… Ed Bearss!  Most of the events will be around the date of the battle, February 12-16, 1862, but there will also be events for the fall of Fort Henry and Fort Heiman around February 4-6, 2012.  Many of the programs will be led by park rangers but there will also be living historians and their encampments to add luster to the affair. 


For more information on all of the events please visit the park’s web site at: www.nps.gov/fodo


New Monument to General Patrick Cleburne Recently Dedicated in Wartrace, Tennessee


A new monument to Irish-born Confederate General Patrick Cleburne’s Division was dedicated on December 10, 2011 in Wartrace, Tennessee.  This marker is part of the memorial park in Wartrace and it lies just west of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad tracks (now run by CSX Transportation).  The park is across the road from the Chockley Tavern, which served as Cleburne’s headquarters in the Tullahoma Campaign.  Within this park, in addition to the monument remembering the fight at Liberty Gap north of town by Cleburne’s Division in June 1863, are also markers for the dead Arkansas soldiers killed in the fighting.  General St. John Liddell’s Brigade, part of Cleburne’s Division, held off a powerful Union infantry attack on June 24-25, 1863.  This all-Arkansas command fought tenaciously until finally forced to the southern end of the gap by superior numbers. 


This is the second monument raised in recent years to General Cleburne or his men.  A monument of the general was placed at Ringgold gap in Ringgold, Georgia a few years ago to honor the stand his crack division made against Joseph Hooker’s Corps in late November 1863.  This stand allowed the defeated Army of Tennessee, shattered at Missionary Ridge, to retreat safely back to Dalton, Georgia.  Cleburne won the thanks of the Confederate Congress and became known as the “Stonewall of the West.”


Battle of Nashville Commemoration at Fort Negley – Saturday, December 17, 2011


The critical Battle of Nashville, fought on December 15-16, 1864, was the only Civil War battle in which a major army was nearly destroyed on the battlefield.  The two day hammer

blows of Union General George Thomas, smashed the Confederate left flank forcing them from one line of defense to a second.  Then Thomas smashed the flank again this time with

his cavalry encircling the Confederate left forcing a rout.  The Confederate retreat was aggressively pursued and hundreds of prisoners were captured as rear guard actions sought to

stem the Federal tide.


On Saturday, December 17, 2011, the Fort Negley Park in Nashville, will play host to a Union living history encampment featuring the 13th and 44th United States Colored Troops.  The

event begins at 9 Am and continues until 4 PM.  At 2 PM, the Fallen Drummer Boy ceremony will take place to honor all fallen American soldiers in all of our wars.  Other events include

children’s programs, civilian living history events and more.  Lastly, President Abraham Lincoln, and Generals Ulysses S. Grant and George Thomas will also be in attendance.

Everything is free to the public.


The event is hosted by the Fort Negley Visitors Center, the 13th USCT and the Living History Association & Ladies Auxiliary.


New Blue & Gray Magazine Features Cover Article by Our Own Mike Manning!


The new issue of Blue & Gray magazine is now out and the cover article was written by our own Mike Manning.  Mike is Chief Ranger at Fort Donelson National Battlefield.  The feature

is about the Civil War in the Indian Territory and if you attend Mike’s program at our CWRT some months ago you already know his depth of knowledge on this topic.  The current issue

is Part One with a later issue covering the conclusion of the war it what is now Oklahoma.  Mike also collaborated with the tour with the B & G editors and that is covered with the usual

excellent maps, photos and directions on how to see everything should you be in the neighborhood.  Congratulations Mike – very well done!


A future issue will be a revisit to Fort Donelson written by park historian Jimmy Jobe which promises to be excellent if you know Jimmy.  Another issue on the war in and around

Clarksville is also in the works written by Greg Biggs.

			

	
	



				
					


	

		
November Meeting Notice and Newsletter


				

			
				
			
					

			


		

		
November 16th, 2011 – Our 92nd  Meeting!   


The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, November 16th at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital.  This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall.  The meeting begins at 7:00 pm and is always open to the public.  Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed. 


OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC:           “Baptism of Fire: The Role of Federal Recruits at the Battle of Franklin”


The Battle of Franklin has been considered the five most violent hours of the Civil War.  Charge after charge of Confederate infantry threw themselves at Union entrenchments with the only success, albeit temporarily, coming in the center along the Columbia Pike.  Here, the Union line broke, thanks to attacking Confederates intermingling with retreating Union forces from an advance line.  As has been commonly reported, the Union brigade commanded by Emerson Opdycke, posted below the brow of Carter’s Hill, rose up and counterattacked, sealing the Union line which continued to resist further attacks well into the darkness.


But was it just Opdycke’s Brigade that saved the day?  Historian Eric Jacobson, in his new book, Baptism Of Fire: The Role of Federal Recruits at the Battle of Franklin, examines the role of three green Union regiments who, in their first battle, also contributed greatly to the eventual saving of the Union line.  The program will focus on the roles of the 44th Missouri, 175th Ohio, and 183rd Ohio, all three of which found themselves involved in some of the worst fighting at the Battle of Franklin.  These three regiments played crucial roles in determining the battle’s final outcome and until now their roles have been virtually unknown.  The program will show conclusively that Opdycke’s Brigade alone did not save the Federal army at Franklin.


Eric A. Jacobson has been studying the American Civil War for nearly 25 years.  A Minnesota native, Eric lived in Arizona for over a decade before relocating to Middle Tennessee in 2005.  He is the author of For Cause & For Country: A Study of the Affair at Spring Hill and the Battle of Franklin, a project which encompassed nearly 10 years.  Published in March 2006 the book is considered by some to be one of the most important books ever written about the 1864 Tennessee Campaign.


Eric’s second book, The McGavock Confederate Cemetery, was published in April 2007.  He is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Historian for the Battle of Franklin Trust, which manages the Carter House and Carnton.  His third book, entitled Baptism of Fire, which details the roles of three Federal regiments at the Battle of Franklin, was released in September 2011.


Eric lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife, Nancy, and their two daughters.


LAST MONTH’S MEETING


Phil Seyfrit, Historic Properties Director of Madison County, KY, regaled us with a fine program on the overlooked Battle of Richmond, KY.  Fought on August 29, 1862 between Union troops commanded by Gen. William “Bull” Nelson versus the Confederate army led by Edmund Kirby Smith, Smith ended the day shattering the Union command, arguably the closest it ever came during the Civil War of an army being destroyed on the field.  The resulting victory left Cincinnati, Ohio, Lexington, KY and other places wide open to attack and gave a boost to the early stages of the Confederate invasion of the Blue Grass State.  As Seyfirt operates the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center, his knowledge of the battle is immense and the program as delivered with style and humor.  Often dwarfed by the bigger fight at Perryville, this battle had huge consequences and great possibilities.  Thanks Phil for the fine program!


FUTURE PROGRAMS:


December 2011 – John Marler, Battle of Franklin Trust – “The Siege of Petersburg”


January 2012 – Teresa Prober, Austin Peay State University, “The Dover Hotel and Dover, Tennessee in the Civil War”


February 2012 – Myron Smith, historian and author, Tusculum College, “Union Navy City Class Ironclads on the Western Rivers”


March 2012 – Ltc. Harold Knudsen – “General James Longstreet – Modern General”


April 2012 – Mark Christ, Arkansas Historical Commission – “Arkansas 1863” (tentative)


May 2012 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”


June 2012 – TBA


July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss!  Topic TBA.


August 2012 – TBA


September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)


TBA –  Kraig McNutt, historian and author – “The Civil War Letters of Addison Lee Ewing, 63rd Indiana Infantry, Late Summer 1864-January 1865”


MEMBERS AND DUES: – Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues.  If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting!  Thank you if you have already done so.


Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow.  We would love to have you join us!  If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along.  July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due.  If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so.  Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation.  Annual dues are as follows:


Ö         Student – $10


Ö         Single membership – $20


Ö         Family – $30


Ö         Military – Active duty and veterans – $15


Ö         Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25


CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS:


Battle of Nashville Preservation Society Civil War Seminar – November 11-12, 2011


The Battle of Nashville Preservation Society (BONPS) joins with Belmont Mansion and the Lotz House to bring a significant Sesquicentennial symposium on the Civil War to Middle Tennessee on November 11 and 12 to further commemorate and explore the 150th anniversary of the start of the War.  The symposium will launch with an opening night reception at the Lotz House in Franklin, Tennessee on Friday, November 11. The reception will be hosted by BONPS President Phillip Duer and Thomas Flagel, author of “The History Buff’s Guide” book series. The formal Symposium will begin the following day at Belmont Mansion at 8:00 a.m. Speakers include:


Thomas Cartwright– Franklin-based historian, one of the nation’s leading authorities on the Battle of Franklin


Tim Johnson, professor of history at David Lipscomb University, who has appeared on the History Channel,C-SPAN and NPT.


Carole Bucy, professor of History at Vol State Community College and the newly appointed Metro Historian.


James McDonough, noted author of Five Tragic Hours and Nashville: The Western Confederacy’s Final Gamble.


Doug Richardson, Park Ranger and Chief of Interpretation at Fort Donelson.


Dr. Bobby Lovett, long-time professor of history at Tennessee State University and author


The event fee is $75.00 and includes the reception, symposium and other items.  This event is being sponsored by Wade and Egbert Insurance Partners and Kay, Griffin, Enkema and Kolbert.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available.  Contact jtt@lotzhouse.com for more information.  For more information including tickets, contact Mark Brown at Belmont University at mark.brown@belmont.edu, or Ellen McClanahan at the Lotz House by email at ellen@lotzhouse.com or phone at 615-804-5068.


Tennessee Historical Society Reissues Civil War Articles From the Tennesseee Historical Quarterly In A New Book Series


The Tennessee Historical Society has just launched the 12-volume series Tennessee in the Civil War. The first and namesake volume appeared in October 2011 and new releases will take place through March 2015.  The series is an official legacy project of the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission. Planning was done in partnership with the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.  Carroll Van West, PhD, is the series editor, and title editors are specialists on their subjects. Each book features a selection of articles related to the topic along with an introductory essay.


The series examines great battles, controversial leaders, first hand accounts, occupation, experiences on the homefront, women’s roles, the triumph of African Americans, and the legacy of the Civil War. The content of the volumes is drawn from the Tennessee Historical Quarterly, now in its 70th year. The THQ has published almost 400 articles since 1942 on the Civil War in the Volunteer State. The best of these pieces — by noted Civil War historians such as James L. McDonough, B. F. Cooling, Stephen Ash, Bobby Lovett, Stanley F. Horn, Edwin C. Bearss, and many more – will be included.


Volume 1, Tennessee in the Civil War, is now available, and Volume 2, The Civil War in Appalachia, will come out in late November 2011.  The books in the series are trade-quality paperbacks of approximately 230 pages in length, with maps, illustrations, and index, printed on acid-free paper.  Titles in the series include:


 ·     Tennessee in the Civil War (October 2011): Title editor, Carroll Van West, PhD


 ·     The Civil War in Appalachia (November 2011): Spurgeon King, PhD


·      The Battle of Shiloh (March 2012): Timothy Smith, PhD


·      Forrest and the West Tennessee Cavalry Campaigns (August 2012): Myers Brown


·      The Battle of Stones River (November 2012)


·      Emancipation and the Fight for Freedom: African Americans in the Civil War (March 2013)


·      The Battles for Chattanooga (August 2013)


·      Tennessee Women in the Civil War (November 2013): Antoinette van Zelm, PhD


·      Fort Pillow (March 2014)                             


·      Eyewitness to the War: A Collection of First Hand Accounts (August 2014): Ann Toplovich      


·      Hood’s Campaign: Franklin and Nashville (November 2014): James L. McDonough, PhD


·      After the War: Reconstruction (March 2015)


The books retail for $25 each (shipping and sales tax extra). Members of the Tennessee Historical Society receive a 20% discount.   For more information and to order, please go to http://www.tennesseehistory.org/TennesseeintheCivilWar.htm.


 Please also note that book shops and historical sites may purchase 10 or more copies at a 50% wholesale discount — $12.50, plus shipping. (No sales tax if a tax number is provided.)


Filson Historical Society Civil War Lecture Series – November 20, 2011


The Filson Historical Society of Louisville, Kentucky offers a Civil War lecture series that will continue through the sesquicentennial.  The next program will be on Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 5 PM EST.  It will be held at Ballard High School, 6000 Brownsboro Road, Louisville, KY.


This month’s program features Adam Goodheart, author of the recent pivotal book 1861: The Civil War Awakening, a gripping original account of how the war began that has garnered rave reviews.  Adam Goodheart is a historian, journalist, and travel writer. His articles have appeared in National Geographic, Outside, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, and The New York Times Magazine, among others, and he is a regular columnist for the Times’ acclaimed Civil War series, “Disunion.”


This event is free for members and $10 for non-members.  Please call The Filson or visit us online to make your reservation.  Send ticket requests to The Filson Historical Society, GPBL Tickets, 1310 S. Third Street, Louisville, KY 40208.  Reservations are required, please go to this web site to make them –  http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2333389230


Fort Donelson CWRT November 17th, 2011 Program


The new CWRT in Dover, TN will have Greg Biggs of the Clarksville CWRT speaking on Volunteer Banners: The Civil War Flags of Tennessee.  The meeting begins at 7 PM at the Stewart County Visitors Center, located on US Hwy. 79 right across from the entrance to Fort Donelson National Battlefield.  Guests are always welcome.  Visit www.ftdonelsoncwrt.org for more details.


Historian Randy Bishop to speak at the Franklin Civil War Round Table’s November 13th, 2011 Meeting


Author, teacher and historian, Randy Bishop, is the featured speaker for the November edition of the Franklin Civil War Round Table.  He has written extensively on Tennessee regiments, especially those that served in the Army of Northern Virginia, and his 2010 release, The Tennessee Brigade, has been well received.  This work follows these Tennesseans from the Wars beginning to their dramatic last days at Appomattox in 1865.  In a review of this book, Lt. Colonel Robert Lynn wrote, “This is a superb account…..Civil War unit history doesn’t get any better than this.”  Bishop has also written Tennessee’s Civil War Battlefields and Mississippi’s Civil War Battlefields.


An accomplished educator, Bishop has been named as Teacher of the Year at Middleton High School and has served as adjunct for Jackson State Community College.  His wife, Sharon, is also an educator.  If you are interested in hearing about the average Tennessee soldier in some of the harshest fighting of the Civil War, you will not want to miss this Round Table event.  The date is November 13th, Franklin Police Headquarters Community Room.   The meeting begins at 3:00 PM.


Clarksville CWRT to present check to the Clarksville Parks & Recreation Department for a new picnic table for Fort Defiance


At this month’s meeting, the Clarksville CWRT will present a check to the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department for the purchase of the first picnic table for the Fort Defiance Interpretive Center.  The check is the result of several months of fund raising and the funds will purchase a durable table that will serve the public for years to come.  The picnic table will enhance the visitor’s experience when they come to one of the most scenic places in Clarksville.  Parks Director Mark Tummons will receive the check at this month’s meeting.

			

	
	



				
					


	

		
October Newsletter and Meeting Notice


				

			
				
			
					

			


		

		
October 19th, 2011 – Our 91st  Meeting!   


The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, October 19th at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital.  This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall.  The meeting begins at 7:00 pm and is always open to the public.  Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed. 


OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC:           “Kirby Smith’s Invasion of Kentucky and the Battle of Richmond”


In late August 1862, the Confederate forces in Tennessee under General Edmund Kirby Smith, along with the Army of the Mississippi under General Braxton Bragg, began an invasion

of Kentucky.  A third column under General Humphrey Marshall, moved from Virginia into Kentucky. The plan was to recover most of Middle Tennessee and eastern Tennessee and

force the Union armies back to defend the Ohio River line.  Kirby Smith and Bragg, although trying to coordinate their separate movements, operated in an uncoordinated manner.

Neither officer was placed in authority over the other.


Smith drew first blood south of Richmond, Kentucky on August 29, 1862 but the battle at Richmond, fought on the next day, proved critical to Confederate hopes.  Smith’s Army of

Kentucky, reinforced by two brigades from Bragg’s army (Preston Smith’s and Patrick Cleburne’s) attacked the Union army under General William “Bull” Nelson and after a time

shattered their lines in coordinated assaults.  The pursuit and battle virtually annihilated the Union army on the field – the only Civil War battle where a defeated army suffered such

damage.  The road to Cincinnati was wide open!  And yet the engagement remains almost unknown even to students of the war in the West.


This month’s speaker is Phil Seyfrit, Historic Properties Director of Madison County, Kentucky and site manager of the Richmond Battlefield.  He is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky

University and the Mid-America College of Funeral Service.  After working in the funeral industry, Phil changed direction and took charge of the historic sites of the county where he

resides today. He has been widely published on the Battle of Richmond in various periodicals and has been appointed to the Kentucky State Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.

Mr. Seyfrit also reenacts and tours and helps to preserve Civil War sites across the country.


Please join us for this program about a very overlooked part of the Kentucky Campaign of 1862.


LAST MONTH’S MEETING


Ross Massey, historian for the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society, gave us a fine program on the role of the Confederate cavalry division commanded by General James Chalmers in the Battle of Nashville.  Deployed on the Confederate left and initially cut off by the Union attacks of December 16, 1864, Chalmers brought his division out of this hazardous position and deployed them on the Granny White Pike.  This new position enabled Chalmers to form the first rear guard action of Hood’s defeated army as they fell back from their shattered lines, an act that, it can be argued, saved Hood’s troops from a more crushing defeat by the aggressive Union pursuit.  This was a well presented program delivered in the down-home style of Ross Massey who has full command of all of the details.  This program would be a great addition for any Civil War Roundtable.  Thanks Ross!


FUTURE PROGRAMS:


November 2011 – Eric Jacobson, Battle of Franklin Trust – “Baptism of Fire: The Role of Federal Recruits at the Battle of Franklin”


December 2011 – John Marler, Battle of Franklin Trust – “The Siege of Petersburg”


January 2012 – Teresa Prober, Austin Peay State University, “The Dover Hotel and Dover, Tennessee in the Civil War”


February 2012 – Myron Smith, historian and author, Tusculum College, “Union Navy City Class Ironclads on the Western Rivers”


March 2012 – Ltc. Harold Knudsen – “General James Longstreet – Modern General”


April 2012 – Mark Christ, Arkansas Historical Commission – “Arkansas 1863” (tentative)


May 2012 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”


TBA –  Kraig McNutt, historian and author – “The Civil War Letters of Addison Lee Ewing, 63rd Indiana Infantry, Late Summer 1864-January 1865”


July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss!  Topic TBA.


September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)


MEMBERS AND DUES: – Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues.  If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting!  Thank you if you have already done so.


Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow.  We would love to have you join us!  If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along.  July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due.  If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so.  Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation.  Annual dues are as follows:


Ö         Student – $10


Ö         Single membership – $20


Ö         Family – $30


Ö         Military – Active duty and veterans – $15


Ö         Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25


CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS:


The Battle of Stones River 150 Years Later Symposium – October 26-27, 2011


By the end of October 1862, Murfreesboro, Tennessee became more than the geographic center of the state.  It was the center of attention in the Western Theater of the Civil War.  By the end of the year, 81,000 soldiers would clash in one of the most significant and bloody battles of the conflict.  Join us for a two day symposium that examines how the Battle of Stones River shaped the outcome of the war, changed the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, and still impacts our lives 150 years later.


Friday October 26, 2012


Keynote Speaker – Larry Daniel


Saturday October 27, 2012


Speakers include: Earl J. Hess, Richard McMurry, Jim Lewis, Antionette Van Zelm.  Keynote Speaker – Dwight Pitcaithley, Former NPS Chief Historian


Special battlefield programs will be offered Saturday afternoon.  The admission fee is only $20 and includes lunch.  Contact the park at (615) 893-9501 for more information.


Filson Historical Society Civil War Tour – The Tullahoma Campaign of Middle Tennessee, November 3-5, 2011


This Fall The Filson Civil War Field Institute will visit the visually stunning Middle Tennessee to explore a campaign that is only just becoming appreciated by Civil War historians as an important campaign that achieved vital goals with very few casualties on either side.  The campaign began in late June and ended on July 4, 1863, the same day that Vicksburg surrendered and Lee began to retreat from his defeat at Gettysburg.  Tullahoma is overshadowed to a great degree by these other Union victories, however strategically it is in the same category as both.  It is still taught at the Military Academies and Service schools as a great example of Maneuver Warfare.


Tour guides and speakers will be Dr. Michael Bradley, who will be the keynote speaker and co-tour guide alongside Greg Biggs.  Sites to be visited include Fortress Rosecrans, Hoover’s Gap, Liberty Gap, Guy’s Gap, Shelbyville, TN, Oaklands Historic House Museum, The Cowan Railroad Museum and Chockley Tavern.  Dr.  Bradley will speak on Thursday night.


Fieldtrip Fee – $280 for Filson members; $330 Non-members.  This includes all admission fees to museums and parks, Chartered Bus, Two lunches, a reception and one dinner (Thursday evening).  To reserve your place, a non-refundable deposit of $50 (Due by 9/23/11) per person is required at time of registration and balance is due to the Filson by October 21, 2011.  Space is limited.  The first 25 participants that register will receive an issue of Blue & Gray Magazine (Vol. XXVII, #1) featuring the main article about the Tullahoma campaign written by Michael Bradley including comprehensive maps for the campaign. This issue also includes a two page side bar on the rise of the Union cavalry by Greg Biggs. Issue will be mailed to you by request.  To reserve your space or if you have any questions please email Scott Scarboro at – sscarboro@filsonhistorical.org – or you can visit the Filson web site at – www.filsonhistorical.org – and register and pay online.


Battle of Nashville Preservation Society Civil War Seminar – November 11-12, 2011


The Battle of Nashville Preservation Society (BONPS) joins with Belmont Mansion and the Lotz House to bring a significant Sesquicentennial symposium on the Civil War to Middle Tennessee on November 11 and 12 to further commemorate and explore the 150th anniversary of the start of the War.  The symposium will launch with an opening night reception at the Lotz House in Franklin, Tennessee on Friday, November 11. The reception will be hosted by BONPS President Phillip Duer and Thomas Flagel, author of “The History Buff’s Guide” book series. The formal Symposium will begin the following day at Belmont Mansion at 8:00 a.m. Speakers include:


Thomas Cartwright– Franklin-based historian, one of the nation’s leading authorities on the Battle of Franklin


Tim Johnson, professor of history at David Lipscomb University, who has appeared on the History Channel,C-SPAN and NPT.


Carole Bucy, professor of History at Vol State Community College and the newly appointed Metro Historian.


James McDonough, noted author of Five Tragic Hours and Nashville: The Western Confederacy’s Final Gamble.


Doug Richardson, Park Ranger and Chief of Interpretation at Fort Donelson.


Dr. Bobby Lovett, long-time professor of history at Tennessee State University and author


The event fee is $75.00 and includes the reception, symposium and other items.  This event is being sponsored by Wade and Egbert Insurance Partners and Kay, Griffin, Enkema and Kolbert.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available.  Contact jtt@lotzhouse.com for more information.  For more information including tickets, contact Mark Brown at Belmont University at mark.brown@belmont.edu, or Ellen McClanahan at the Lotz House by email at ellen@lotzhouse.com or phone at 615-804-5068.


 Civil War Events in Kentucky – Be Sure to Visit and Support Our Fine Neighbors


Civil War: My Brother, My Enemy – Exhibit Opening, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, KY – Opens October 15.  This exhibit will feature more than 100 artifacts that examines Kentucky’s divided families and more.  For information:  http://www.fraziermuseum.org/exhibitions/temporary-exhibits/upcoming-2/civil-war/


“Embattled Capitol: the Civil War in Frankfort” – Paul Sawyier Public Library Community Room, Frankfort, KY.  October 17, 6:30 p.m.  Presentation by James Prichard, KY State Archives, KY Humanities Council Speaker.  For information, contact Diane Dehoney at diane@pspl.org.


“United We Stand, Divided We Fall” – Exhibit, Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY.  Opens October 21


This exhibit will be free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  For information, visit www.filsonhistorical.org, or call 502-635-5083.


In addition, the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) has been working with the Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism and the Kentucky Heritage Council on a new Kentucky Civil War Heritage Trail.  The website for this trail has just been launched, and can be accessed at www.kentuckycivilwartrails.org.  This site includes information about the trail sites, blog postings, travel itineraries, and more. 


14th Louisiana Infantry Battle Flag Returned To Memorial Hall in New Orleans


A rare battle flag of the 14th Louisiana Infantry was stolen from Confederate Memorial hall in the early 1980s by a former volunteer.  After years of search, the flag was located in private hands in Virginia.  The collector bought the flag in 2004 and when informed by the FBI unit that specializes in artifacts and art of its theft years ago, turned the flag over to them.  The flag was returned to Memorial Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana on Friday, October 7th.  Besides seeing a lot of combat action, the banner also laid over former Confederate president Jefferson Davis’ coffin after his death.  The museum will raise funds for its conservation and eventual display.  If you care to donate please contact Memorial Hall at Memhall@aol.com for details.  The 14th Louisiana Infantry contained many members of the Polish community of New Orleans.


Fort Donelson CWRT October 20th,  2011 Speaker


The next meeting of the new Fort Donelson CWRT will be Dr. Michael Bradley on his new book:  “Forrest’s Fighting Preacher: David Campbell Kelley of Tennessee.”   The meetings begin at 7 PM in the Stewart County Visitors Center in Dover, TN.  This is located on Highway 79 right across from the entrance to Fort Donelson National Battlefield.  Visitors are always welcome.  Dr. Bradley will have copies of this new book for sale at the event along with his past books.  Don’t miss this fine speaker!

			

	
	



				
					


	

		
Clarksville CWRT Newsletter and Meeting Notice for September


				

			
				
			
					

			


		

		


September 21st, 2011 – Our 90th  Meeting!

The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, September 21st at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital.  This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall.  The meeting begins at7:00 pm and is always open to the public.  Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.




OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC:           “General James Chalmers and His Cavalry Division in the Battle of Nashville”






Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers was a veteran infantry and cavalry commander and commanding one of the divisions of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cavalry Corps.  Chalmers and his escort made Belle Meade Plantation their headquarters in the days before the December 1864 Battle of Nashville.  His escort provided a violinist and Selene Harding played piano to make their nights “heavenly.”  The good times ended sometime after 2:00 AM on December 15th when a courier had Chalmers awakened to learn of the impending attack by the Union army of George Thomas.  With Biffle’s Brigade detached on the far right, Chalmers only had Rucker’s Brigade in hand to fight off the Union cavalry and the U.S. Navy on the Cumberland River.  He battled both to a stalemate that day.  On December 16th, Chalmers, totally cut off from the infantry line, pulled off a perfect withdrawal and covered Hood’s retreat from the city.  His stand on Granny White Pike prevented the Union cavalry from cutting off General John Bell Hood’s retreat as it moved down the Franklin Pike thus saving Hood’s army from being trapped.  It was one of the highlights of this under-appreciated cavalry commander.


 


Our speaker this month is Ross Massey, historian for the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society and Nashville CWRT member.  He is the author of a guide to sites of the Battle of Nashville and has appeared on Civil War TV shows as well as lectured around the country.  Ross will be bringing his vast knowledge of this battle to this month’s meeting of our roundtable.  For those that were here when we began, he was the first speaker of the Clarksville CWRT!  This program will be an important addition to our understanding of this pivotal battle as the cavalry operations often get left out.

Please join us for this program about a very overlooked part of the Battle of Nashville.




LAST MONTH’S MEETING

Ross Hudgins, editor of the journal of Nashville’s Maggie Vaulx, gave us a wonderful program with great insights into the mindset of a young Nashville lady who, living with her parents, went through the displacement of the war when occupying Union troops came to town in late February 1862.  Moving with the family further out from their home, Maggie still continued her studies and her dedication to her education never waned.  Nor did her piety; she relied greatly on her religious upbringing to get her through this trying time of her life.  Lastly, her dedication to pleasing her parents in all that she did also dominates her writings.  Thankfully, these journals were saved by Mr. Hudgins who carefully edited them into his wonderful book.  If you are looking for a different program for your CWRT you would do very well in getting Ross Hudgins, whose knowledge of Maggie Vaulx and enthusiasm for the topic comes shining through in his presentation.  Thanks Ross for coming to see us!




FUTURE PROGRAMS: 




October 2011 – Phil Seyfrit, Richmond, KY Battlefield – “The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky“


November 2011 – Eric Jacobson, Battle of Franklin Trust – “Baptism of Fire: The Role of Federal Recruits at the Battle of Franklin”


December 2011 – John Marler, Battle of Franklin Trust – “The Siege of Petersburg”


January 2012 – Teresa Prober, Austin Peay State University, “The Dover Hotel and Dover, Tennessee in the Civil War”


February 2012 – Myron Smith, historian and author, Tusculum College, “Union Navy City Class Ironclads on the Western Rivers”


March 2012 – Ltc. Harold Knudsen – “General James Longstreet – Modern General”


April 2012 – Mark Christ, Arkansas Historical Commission – “Arkansas 1863” (tentative)


May 2012 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Staff and Escort of Nathan Bedford Forrest”


TBA –  Kraig McNutt, historian and author – “The Civil War Letters of Addison Lee Ewing, 63rd Indiana Infantry, Late Summer 1864-January 1865”


July 2012 – The one and only Ed Bearss!  Topic TBA.


September 2012 – Martin Stewart, historian/author – “The 71st Ohio Infantry” (based on his revised unit history)




MEMBERS AND DUES: - Your name badge will have a ribbon and a star if you are current with your dues.  If it has neither please pay your dues at this meeting!  Thank you if you have already done so.

Thanks to all of you, the Clarksville CWRT continues to grow.  We would love to have you join us!  If you have friends interested in the Civil War, please bring them along.  July is our fiscal year when dues for the current campaign were due.  If you haven’t paid your dues for this season yet please do so.  Our dues help us get great speakers and for historical preservation.  Annual dues are as follows:


Ö         Student – $10


Ö         Single membership – $20


Ö         Family – $30


Ö         Military – Active duty and veterans – $15


Ö         Military family – Active duty, veterans, and family – $25




CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS:


 Living History and Skirmish presented by the Friends of Fort Negley, Metro Parks and Fort Negley Visitors Center







On September 24, 2011, a Civil War skirmish and living history will be held on the grounds of Nashville’s historic Fort Negley.  There will be lots of hands-on activities for kids, military
 and civilian reenactor encampments, a miniature train ride, guest speakers and a skirmish!  Events begin at 9 AM and conclude at 5 PM.  Admission is $5 with children under age 5 
getting in free.  Fun for the whole family!  Please park and enter at the Greer Stadium parking lot from Chestnut Street.  The proceeds go for Fort Negley projects.  Last year’s event 
drew nearly 1000 people so plan on making this year’s event even bigger!

Please support this excellent local event that helps raise money for this historic site!  They are also looking for volunteers to help run the event – please call Fort Negley and let Krista know if you can help.







Atlanta Campaign Tour Led by Greg Biggs – October 21-23, 2011 – Final Call!







If you are planning on going on this tour you need to get your checks in to the Tennessee Valley CWRT of Huntsville, Alabama as soon as possible.  The tour bus is filling up and space is getting tighter every day.  This is the final call for this tour which will cover from Ringgold Gap to Kennesaw Mountain.  Please contact Kent Wright at – kdwrt@netzero.net.  The tour fee includes hotels, bus, guide, park fees and much more.


 


Filson Historical Society Civil War Tour – The Tullahoma Campaign of Middle Tennessee, November 3-5, 2011







This Fall The Filson Civil War Field Institute will visit the visually stunning Middle Tennessee to explore a campaign that is only just becoming appreciated by Civil War historians as an important campaign that achieved vital goals with very few casualties on either side.  The campaign began in late June and ended on July 4, 1863, the same day that Vicksburg surrendered and Lee began to retreat from his defeat at Gettysburg.  Tullahoma is overshadowed to a great degree by these other Union victories, however strategically it is in the same category as both.  It is still taught at the Military Academies and Service schools as a great example of Maneuver Warfare.


 


Tour guides and speakers will be Dr. Michael, who will be our Keynote speaker, and co-tour guide alongside Greg Biggs.  Sites to be visited include Fortress Rosecrans, Hoover’s Gap, Liberty Gap, Guy’s Gap, Shelbyville, TN, Oaklands Historic House Museum, The Cowan Railroad Museum and Chockley Tavern.  Dr.  Bradley will speak on Thursday night.


 


Fieldtrip Fee – $280 for Filson members; $330 Non-members.  This includes all admission fees to museums and parks, Chartered Bus, Two lunches, a reception and one dinner (Thursday evening).  To reserve your place, a non-refundable deposit of $50 (Due by 9/23/11) per person is required at time of registration and balance is due to the Filson by October 21, 2011.  Space is limited.  The first 25 participants that register will receive an issue of Blue & Gray Magazine (Vol. XXVII, #1) featuring the main article about the Tullahoma campaign written by Michael Bradley including comprehensive maps for the campaign. This issue also includes a two page side bar on the rise of the Union cavalry by Greg Biggs. Issue will be mailed to you by request.


 


To reserve your space or if you have any questions please email Scott Scarboro at – sscarboro@filsonhistorical.org – or you can visit the Filson web site at – www.filsonhistorical.org – and register and pay online.


 


All participants are responsible for their travel arrangements to and from Murfreesboro, TN and making their own hotel accommodations and dinner on Friday evening.  During the fieldtrip we will travel by chartered bus as a group.  The tour will be staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Murfreesboro, 175 Chaffin Place, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37129 – Phone: 615-849-1150 or 800-228-2800.  Rooms are $94+tax a night – Mention FHS for a special group rate.







Battle of Nashville Preservation Society Civil War Seminar – November 11-12, 2011







The Battle of Nashville Preservation Society (BONPS) joins with Belmont Mansion and the Lotz House to bring a significant Sesquicentennial symposium on the Civil War to Middle Tennessee on November 11 and 12 to further commemorate and explore the 150th anniversary of the start of the War.


 


The symposium will launch with an opening night reception at the Lotz House in Franklin, Tennessee on Friday, November 11. The reception will be hosted by BONPS President Phillip Duer and Thomas Flagel, author of “The History Buff’s Guide” book series. Attendees will be able to tour the historic Lotz House Museum, meet each of the symposium speakers, and enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres.  The formal Symposium will begin the following day at Belmont Mansion at 8:00 a.m.  Five guest speakers will focus on unique perspectives regarding the Battle of Nashville, Ft. Donelson and Shiloh. The event will be moderated by Thomas Flagel, assistant professor of American History at Columbia State Community College and serves on the boards of Franklin’s Charge, the Carter House Museum, the Franklin Battlefield Preservation Commission, and the Executive Committee for the Franklin Civil War Round Table. Panelists will include:


 


Thomas Cartwright– Franklin-based historian, one of the nation’s leading authorities on the Battle of Franklin


Tim Johnson, professor of history at David Lipscomb University, who has appeared on the History Channel,C-SPAN and NPT.


Carole Bucy, professor of History at Vol State Community College and the newly appointed Metro Historian.


James McDonough, noted author of Five Tragic Hours and Nashville: The Western Confederacy’s Final Gamble.


Doug Richardson, Park Ranger and Chief of Interpretation at Fort Donelson.


Dr. Bobby Lovett, long-time professor of history at Tennessee State University and author


 


A snack with coffee will be served in the morning and a lunch will be provided in the afternoon. Following lunch, visitors will take a guided tour of the Belmont Mansion.  Guests will also be able to videotape their comments regarding the Civil War as it relates to the Battle of Nashville, Ft. Donelson and Shiloh.  This video will be uploaded and available on various websites following the event.  An exhibit will be set up depicting Ft. Donelson, and guest speakers will be available to sign their books during this time.


 


Tickets are $75.00 and include the reception, the symposium, Sesquicentennial commemorative Hatch Show Print, Minie ball, and BONPS Guide to Civil War Nashville autographed by author Mark Zimmerman. This event is being sponsored by Wade and Egbert Insurance Partners and Kay, Griffin, Enkema and Kolbert.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available.  Contact jtt@lotzhouse.com for more information.  For more information including tickets, contact Mark Brown at Belmont University at mark.brown@belmont.edu, or Ellen McClanahan at the Lotz House by email at ellen@lotzhouse.com or phone at 615-804-5068.




More of Historian Bobby Krick’s Army of Northern Virginia Staff Officer Book Suggestions







We conclude the list of books from Bobby Krick written by staff officers of this famous army for your further education into their jobs and their wartime experiences.  As follows with his short reviews of each:


 


McHenry Howard, Recollections of a Maryland Confederate Soldier.  Another classic.  He was on the staff of several 2nd Corps generals.

Armistead L. Long, Memoirs of Robert E. Lee.  The deceptive title suggests that Lee wrote this; in fact, it Long’s memoirs of serving with R. E. Lee.

Charles Marshall, Lee’s Aide-de-Camp.  Another fine book by one of Lee’s staff officers.

G. Moxley Sorrel, Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer.  James Longstreet’s chief of staff who is quite well known.

Walter H. Taylor.  Lee’s Adjutant:  The Wartime Letters of…. (1995); Four Years with General Lee (1878); General Lee, 1861 – 1865 (1906).  Taylor was the most important staff officer in Lee’s  army.  He wrote two books during his lifetime, and his wartime letters were published in 1995.:


There are at least 20 others that I have omitted, including books by  William Allan (Jackson), H. B. McClellan (Stuart), T. J. Goree

(Longstreet), Heros von Borcke (Stuart), Francis Dawson (Longstreet), Robert L. Dabney (Jackson), John Esten Cooke (Stuart), Joseph Brent (John Magruder), J. W. Ratchford (D.H. Hill), and Walter Harrison (Pickett), and etc.