Hello everyone,
It will soon be summer and time again for Civil War tours. We are hoping that these two tours being offered in Middle Tennessee in June will be of interest to your Civil War Roundtable and its members. We humbly request that you place this notice in your upcoming newsletter or send the information out by mass email to your membership so they can be informed about them. Even if your CWRT is not close to Tennessee some of your members might be in the area on business or vacation and might like to know. We are already hearing from CWRTs as far away as Chicago for these tours. We appreciate your support.
Here's the details for the tours:
1) Fort Donelson Campaign. Saturday, June 1, 2013
Join Clarksville, TN Civil War Roundtable president and experienced battle field guide Greg Biggs for a tour of the Fort Donelson Campaign. This critical operation opened the Tennessee and Cumberland River invasion route into Tennessee and Alabama and brought about the capture of the first Confederate state capital of the war, Nashville. The campaign also brought to prominence Union Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and confirmed the joint Army-Navy operations in the war. The strategic repercussions of the campaign were huge bringing about the complete collapse of the Confederate defense line in the West and setting up their strategy for the rest of the war, which was to retake Nashville and Tennessee. It is no wonder that historian Kendall Gott stated of the campaign that it was where, "the South lost the Civil War."
The tour will encompass where Fort Henry was originally sited, its current outer works and position under the Tennessee River as well as locating Fort Heiman. The tour then takes one of the Union Army approach marches towards Fort Donelson stopping where Lt. Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest clashed with the vanguard of Brig. Gen. John McClernand's Division. All of the sites in the national park will be seen including the water batteries and where Union Brig. Gen. C.F. Smith attacked the fort's outer works. Other sites include Grave's Battery, Buckner's attack point and the Dover Hotel where Brig. Gen. Simon Buckner surrendered to Grant on Feb. 16th, 1862. Most of the fighting took place outside of the park from Dudley's Hill and along the Wynn's Ferry Road and all of that will be covered in detail. The tour will conclude where Forrest escaped and Buckner surrendered to Grant. Most of the sites we will visit are not seen by most of the park's tourists.
The tour guide will include some map handouts but we will also be using the Fort Donelson issue of Blue & Gray magazine which has the best maps. This issue is sold at the park or copies can be provided for $6 each. Lunch will be on your own. The tour will be a vehicle caravan style and it is greatly urged that you carpool to get to Middle Tennessee and for the tour itself. This helps make sure that you will not get lost and helps save you gas costs getting here and back home.
The tour will base in Clarksville, TN and hotels are plentiful there. If you wish to stay in Dover, TN that is fine; they have two motels in town. The tour begins at 8:30 AM, Saturday June 1st at the park visitors center and moves out from there. We will return to the center during the tour.
The fee for the tour is $20 per person for payments made before May 16th, 2013. After that the fee will be $25 per person. Payments can be made out to and sent to Greg Biggs, 2600 W. Henderson Way, Clarksville, TN 37042. Please be sure to state "Fort Donelson tour" on the check and in the accompanying note how many people will be attending. I will also need to know how many copies of the Blue &Gray magazine you will need so I can get the right number ordered. Refunds for cancellations will be given up to May 24th; after that no refunds will be given for pre-bookings.
If you have any questions please call Greg at: (931)217-4265 or by email - Biggsg@charter.net
Greg Biggs has been leading Fort Donelson Campaign tours for a number of years for individuals, Civil War Roundtables as well as U.S. Army Staff Rides. A reading list to prepare for the tour can be provided.
2) Tullahoma Campaign, 150th Anniversary tour, June 22, 2013
Join noted Tennessee historian Dr. Michael Bradley, author of the first book on the Tullahoma Campaign, and Clarksville Civil War Roundtable president and guide Greg Biggs for a tour of the pivotal Tullahoma Campaign. Dr. Bradley and Mr. Biggs teamed up for a recent issue of Blue & Gray magazine on the campaign. The tour will encompass some of the most beautiful parts of Middle Tennessee.
This was the campaign that conquered Middle Tennessee for the Union and set up the capture of Chattanooga and the Battle of Chickamauga. The campaign began in late June and ended July 4, 1863 and was dwarfed by the events at Gettysburg and Vicksburg which were happening at the same time. Yet the Tullahoma Campaign was dwarfed only by Vicksburg for its importance and damage to the Confederate cause. This was a campaign of maneuver rather than bloody battles, although several engagements did occur. It showed the great skill of the Union Army of the Cumberland commander Gen. William S. Rosecrans versus the command and strategic problems of Confederate Army of Tennessee commander Gen. Braxton Bragg. Only the incessant rain saved Bragg from an even worse defeat than he suffered.
The tour will base out of Murfreesboro, TN. There's ample hotels available for all budget levels and tour participants can choose the hotel they are most comfortable with. A Friday evening get together will feature lectures to prepare for the tour and allow people to relax. The tour then leaves at 8 AM Saturday morning by bus. Key sites of the campaign will be visited including Hoover's Gap, where John Wilder's Lightning Brigade earned its nickname and proved the worth of the Spencer repeating rifle; Liberty Gap, where Pat Cleburne's division took on Alexander McCook's Corps; Guy's Gap and Shelbyville where Joe Wheeler's Confederate cavalry was defeated by a resurgent Federal cavalry corps as well as Winchester, Tullahoma (Bragg's headquarters during the campaign); the bridges at Estill Springs plus Decherd and Cowan. The tour will conclude on top of beautiful Sewanee Mountain, home of the University of the South, founded before the war by future Confederate general Leonidas Polk. After this the bus will return to Murfreesboro.
The fee for the tour is $68 per person if paid before June 12, 2013. After that payment will be $83 per person. The fee includes the tour guides, bus, a wonderful BBQ lunch, and the Blue & Gray magazine issue on Tullahoma (which has the best maps ever for the campaign). Any cancellations for refund must be in hand by June 16th or there will be no refund once the tour is booked.
To reserve your spot on the tour - and seating is limited to 48 attendees - please send payment to Greg Biggs, 2600 W. Henderson Way, Clarksville, TN 37042. Please make the check out to Greg Biggs. Please be sure to state how many are coming in your accompanying note. We need this for bus seat reservations as well as to make sure we have the right number of Blue & Gray magazines.
Dr. Bradley has been leading Tullahoma Campaign tours for years. Mr. Biggs has also done several campaign tours and both have done a joint tour of the campaign for the Filson Historical Society of Louisville, KY.
For any questions please call Greg Biggs at (931)217-4265 or email him at: Biggsg@charter.net
We hope to see you in Middle Tennessee for these tours. Thanks again for helping to get out the word to your members.
Greg Biggs
President
Clarksville, TN Civil War Roundtable