There were no big battles. There was no great loss of life. As a result, what is usually called the Tullahoma or Middle Tennessee Campaign is often overlooked. But it shouldn’t be. If you’d asked Union General William S. Rosecrans as the operations in Middle Tennessee began in late June, he would have told you that it was his initiation of his Campaign for Chattanooga. As he initiated it, he would have told you that he planned it as the decisive operation to win control of the “Gateway to the Deep South” and that he hoped, expected, that it would be conducted so successfully that he would destroy Bragg’s Army of Tennessee and gain Chattanooga and free East Tennessee and put on to or toward Atlanta. Those were Rosecrans’ hopes, plans, expectations. But we know things didn’t work out that way. In the end, because Rosecrans wasn’t able to bring Bragg to battle in the greater Tullahoma region, and was only able to “force” Bragg back on Chattanooga, the late June and early July, 1863, Middle Tennessee events do look like a separate campaign, and, probably, because those events lack a big, bloody battle, fewer people spend much time looking at what, in the end, should be seen as an early phase of Rosecrans’ Campaign for Chattanooga.

But, there were some small battles. And, for the Western Theater, one of the larger all cavalry battles takes place during it, partly in the streets of Shelbyville. Fake right; fake right; fake right; fake right enough times and the enemy will believe it. And, that happened in late June, 1863. Rosecrans used the bulk of his cavalry under his hand-picked cavalry chief David Stanley, to create the impression that he would strike with his right against the Confederate left. As a result, Confederate Army of Tennessee cavalry commander Joe Wheeler concentrated the main body of his cavalry in front of Shelbyville. This set up the clash of the horse mounted arms on June 27. The result probably wasn’t expected. The Union horsemen were coming into their own and that was clear by the end of the day. Come out and hear the Union side of this unique cavalry fight that is part of our larger Campaign for Chattanooga.

Our speaker is Historian and author Greg Biggs. Greg is a founding member of the Clarksville Civil War Round Table, is a previous speaker to our Round Table. He is also a principal in the fine www.confederateflags.org website.

There are four items this month for the Speaker’s Fund. The first is a copy of The Saber Regiment: History of the 7th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Cavalry, 1861-1865 by William B. Sipes. The 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry was one of the regiment engaged in the fight that is the subject of our talk this month. The second item is a copy of a book for a campaign, the bulk of which, occurred this month 145 years ago, Jackson’s Valley Campaign—Stonewall in the Valley: Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Spring 1862 by Robert G. Tanner. The third item is another of the compilations of individual chapters from the original Battles and Leaders series, this one being Battles and Leaders of the Civil War with chapters on such subjects as 2nd Manassas, Chancellorsville, and Atlanta. The fourth item is a copy of Avery O. Craven’s Civil War in the Making, 1815-1860. Three of the four 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.

Did any one attend the Confederate Memorial Day program in Kingston on the 29th or the symposium at Kennesaw State University on May 4 & 5? If so, and you make it to the May meeting, make us a report if you will.

The second of five issues covering the campaign leading up to the Battle of Chickamauga and the battle itself of Blue & Gray Magazine is now on the street. If you subscribe, you should have your copy. Blue & Gray can be found on selected newsstands. The second issue in the five part series picks up where the first left off, the Confederate abandonment of Chattanooga and it’s occupation by the Federals on September 9, 1863. Part two begins with coverage of the decision to dispatch Longstreet’s troops from Virginia and then resumes the coverage of the on the ground movements late on September 9. The bulk of the issue covers Bragg’s efforts to strike Rosecrans in McLemore’s Cove and ends with Bragg’s frustrated withdrawal on the night of the 11th. The publisher has sent me a few issues to sell directly for those who do not subscribe and I’ll have them at the meeting for anyone who is interested.

June 19, 2007 - To be announced.
July 17, 2007 - IN THE FIELD --
August 13, 2007 - Dr. Glenn LaFantasie, Western Kentucky University, author of Gettysburg Requiem: The Life and Lost Causes of Confederate Colonel William C. Oates (Oxford University Press, 2006), “William C. Oates in War and Peace.” NOTE THE SPECIAL DATE--THE MONDAY BEFORE THE SECOND TUESDAY; this rare change in date is being made to accommodate our speaker’s schedule and to share costs with the Knoxville Civil War Round Table
September 18, 2007 - "Wilder and Walker Fight for Alexander’s Bridge,” an evening walking tour on the Chickamauga Battlefield on the evening of the 144th anniversary of those events; more details later.
October 16, 2007 - Timothy B. Smith, Author, Historian, & Professor of History, University of Tennessee—Martin, “Via the Yazoo Pass?: Grant Strikes, Again, for Vicksburg”
November and December 2007 - To be announced.

NEW ENTRIES:
June 16-17, 2007—“Politics from the Piedmont Porch,” Longstreet Society Seminar featuring address by Dr. Keith Bohannon, tour of Gainesville, Georgia, Longstreet sites, a visit to the Atlanta History Center to see Longstreet artifacts, and other activities; for more information call 1-770-530-5504 or write to The Longstreet Society, P. O. Box 191, Gainesville, Georgia, 30503, or see www.longstreet.org
August 18, 2007—Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association’s “Two Flags” recognition of Wilder’s August 21, 1863 bombardment of Chattanooga; details soon, probably at Ross’s Landing; for more information email tcwpacontact@aol.com or see www.tcwpa.org
November 5, 2007—Retired National Park Service Chief Historian Edwin C. Bearss presents final lecture in the Friends of Moccasin Bend National Park’s Second Annual Vital Speakers Series; topic and details to be announced later.
November 18, 2007—Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association’s “Two Flags” recognition of the Battle of Missionary Ridge, 3 PM, Bragg Reservation, Missionary Ridge; includes walking tour of portion of the Missionary Ridge Battlefield; for more information email tcwpacontact@aol.com or see www.tcwpa.org
December 1-2, 2007—Nashville Civil War Show, Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville; for details see www.mikekentshows.net
February 2-3, 2008—Chickamauga Civil War Show, Northwest Georgia Trade Center, Dalton; for more information see www.mikekentshows.net
March 14-16, 2008—Chickamauga Study Group 2008 “Seminar in the Woods;” two days of half day walking tours of individual phases of the Battle of Chickamauga with a possible optional half day tour on the final morning; specific phases to be studied in the 2008 Seminar are under consideration presently and will be announced soon; for more information in a couple of months, contact David Powell, Dpowell334@aol.com. [See Study Group 2007 for this year's event.]

PREVIOUS ENTRIES:
May 19-20, 2007 -- Battle of Resaca Re-enactment, 25th annual, more information available at www.georgiadivision.org or from Battle of Resaca, P. O. Box 919, Resaca, Georgia 30735-0919 or csgrizly@bellsouth.net; some proceeds support the preservation efforts of the Friends of Resaca Battlefield, www.resacabattlefield.org
May 28, 2007--Torchlight Tour of the Civil War Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga National Cemetery, Holtzclaw Avenue, 8:30 PM; more details later [see 2006 Torchlight Tour for last year's event]
June 21-24, 2007 -- “Why Franklin Matters! Exploring the Preservation and Interpretation of Franklin’s Civil War Story,” a conference on the preservation of the Franklin Battlefield, tours, lectures, workshops, and presentations, for more information and registration, contact Franklin’s Charge at 615-595-0636 or info@franklinscharge.com or 604 West Main Street, Franklin, Tennessee 37064
September 8-9, 2007--Battle of Tunnel Hill Reenactment, Tunnel Hill, Georgia; for more information, see www.tunnelhillheritagecenter.com or call 706-876-1571
September 11, 2007--National Park Service Chief Historian emeritus Ed Bearss speaks to the Knoxville CWRT, subject TBA; Bearden Banquet Hall, 5809 Kingston Pike, next to Buddy’s BBQ, Knoxville; dinner at 7, talk at 8; call 865-828-8752 or 865-671-9001 for dinner reservations by the Friday before the meeting.
September 15, 2007--War Between the States day, City of Chickamauga, Georgia
October 9, 2007--Dr. Mark Bradley, U. S. Army Center for Military History, speaks to the Knoxville CWRT on “Sherman’s Carolina Campaign and the Battle of Bentonville;” Bearden Banquet Hall, 5809 Kingston Pike, next to Buddy’s BBQ, Knoxville; dinner at 7, talk at 8; call 865-828-8752 or 865-671-9001 for dinner reservations by the Friday before the meeting.
November 8-10, 2007--15th 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.
November 13, 2007--Historian and author Dr. Richard McMurry speaks to the Knoxville CWRT on “General in a Jar;” Bearden Banquet Hall, 5809 Kingston Pike, next to Buddy’s BBQ, Knoxville; dinner at 7, talk at 8; call 865-828-8752 or 865-671-9001 for dinner reservations by the Friday before the meeting.

[Note from the webmaster: a chart with the appropriate dues can be found at: Membership Dues. An application can be found at: application]