(Directions to the Sports and Activity Center-Enter the McCallie School campus off of Dodds Avenue opposite the end of Bailey Avenue. Take the main drive into the campus; ahead of you and to your left front is a large multi-story building. This is the Sports and Activity Center. Park either in the first parking lot on the left or in the larger one on the right. Walk up to the main ground level entrance to the building and enter; go across the entrance lobby and through the doors on the other side. The Hospitality Room will be just ahead of you on the right.)

Of the conclusion of the fight at Hoover's Gap, James A. Connolly, Major of the 123rd Illinois, in a letter to his wife wrote, "...We held our ground with continual fighting until 7 o'clock in the evening, when we discovered a battery coming up in our support as fast as the horses could run, and such a cheer as was sent up does one good to hear. In a few minutes our new battery was opened and we all felt better. We were nearly exhausted with the rapid march since before daylight in the morning, the continual rain, the half day's fighting, and nothing to eat since about two o'clock in the morning, yet the prospect of assistance nerved the men to maintain the unequal conflict a little longer. About half past seven in the evening along came a weary, jaded regiment of infantry, trying to double quick, but it was all they could do to march at all; we greeted them with such lusty cheers as seemed to inspire them with new vigor, and they were soon in position; then came two more regiments of infantry, weary and footsore, but hurrying the best they could to the dance of death; then just at dark came our Division Commander, with his staff, and riding along our lines gave words of cheer to his brigade that had fought so long and well. In a few minutes up came General Thomas, our corps commander, his grave face beaming with delight as he grasped our brigade commander by the hand and said: 'You have saved the lives of a thousand men by your gallant conduct today. I didn't expect to get this Gap for three days...'" But George Thomas hadn't reckoned on the man that would one day be Chattanooga's Yankee General.

There are four items again this month for the Speaker's Fund. The first is a copy of The Battle of New Market by William C. Davis, a history of the Shenandoah Valley battle of 141 years ago this month. The Virginia Military Institute's Corps of Cadets charge makes this battle even more noteworthy than otherwise. "Jack" Davis does his normal great job in telling that story. The second item is a copy of Nat and Bucky Hughes's Quiet Places: The Burial Sites of Civil War Generals in Tennessee, on pages 123-124 of which you'll find the subject of our talk this month, John T. Wilder, right here in Chattanooga. The third item is all six issues of America's Civil War magazine for 1997, with such articles as "Stonewall Jackson & A. P. Hill: Confederates in Conflict," "The Athens Double-barreled Cannon," "Lightning Brigade Strikes at Hoover's Gap" (an article right in keeping with our talk tonight), "Grant's Attempt to Outflank Vicksburg," and "Confederate Invasion of Kentucky." The final item is a cassette tape of Civil War music, "A Hard Road to Travel" from the Rose of El-a-noy Minstrels. All of the items this month were donated to the Round Table to support the Speaker's Fund. To those donors go our thanks. Proceeds from the Speaker's Fund go toward bringing speakers in from outside the area. Your support of the Speaker's Fund is appreciated.

On Sunday, May 22, 2005, at 8 PM, the History channel will present a program entitled "The Most Daring Mission of the Civil War." This ninety minute feature explores the story and short life of the Confederate ironclad the CSS Albemarle and the bold Union venture that sank it. The story is certainly good and there's a lot of interesting material to work with, and, as I'm informed, they filmed for 75 hours so we can hope its good. Tune in and watch and bring a report to the June meeting.

June 21, 2005 - Bill Scaife, "Joe Brown's Pets: The Georgia Militia"
July 19, 2005 - To be announced
August 16, 2005 - Timothy B. Smith, Shiloh National Military Park, "Champion Hill"
September 20, 2005 - To be announced
October 18, 2005 - Dr. Kit Rushing, "Civil War Memoirist Fanny Andrews' A Family Secret"
November 15, 2005 - Harvey Scarborough, "Thomas' Demonstration Takes Orchard Knob"
December 20, 2005 - To be announced

November 10-12, 2005--13th Annual Symposium on the 19th Century Press, the Civil War, and Free Expression, sponsored by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Department of Communications; more details later

[Webmaster's Note: The above hyperlink displays the letter that is shown below.]

Murfreesboro, Tenn. March 11th, 1863

Dear Pet
Not getting any letters from you. I conclude to write again. There is nothing of importance to write. Our Division took a trip to Woodbury, 20 miles east of here last week and routed Morgan's gang. The 17th took a Lieut. & 18 men prisoners, and had one man wounded. About half of the army is on the move, I think, to Franklin, or Columbia. It seems as if our authorities would never wake up to the fact, that all troops put under Gen. Gilbert are so many men thrown away. His conduct at Munfordville, Perryville, and Lebanon, Ky. and this last outrageous blunder at Franklin, Tenn. ought to send him to an asylum for Idiots, for a greater Imbecile in uniform does not exist. How long Gov. Morton will allow Ind. Soldiers to be placed under his control, to be butchered up and then thrown away, seems yet to be found out.

John T. Wilder

P.S. I sent in my resignation last week, and Gen. Rosecran's sent for me, and gave me a scolding, winding up by complimenting me very highly, and refusing to accept it.

The John T. Wilder Letters at the Lupton Library