The Nashville Civil War Roundtable announces it February 2018 program and speaker. The meeting is always open to interested members of the public.
February 20th, 2018 – Our 106th meeting!! We continue our seventh year. We now meet on the THIRD TUESDAY of each month!
The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on TUESDAY, February 20th, 2018, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum.
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 - "Equipping the Confederate Cavalryman."
The Confederate (and for that matter the Union) cavalryman dealt with a lot more equipment than the infantryman of both sides. This of course had to do with the fact that he rode to battle and often fought mounted as well as dismounted. As such, his equipment contained a lot more for him to care for, replace when damaged or lost than the foot soldiers.
We had weapons like pistols, shotguns, muskets or carbines (compared to the foot soldier with their muskets, either rifled or smoothbore) to supply and care for. Then the same materials as the infantry: haversacks, cartridge boxes for ammunition, bedrolls, shoes, uniforms, shirts, socks and underwear.
But the horse trooper had tack for the horse; saddles, bridles and blankets which, if lost or damaged, rendered him useless until re-equipped. And of course there was the horse, which he had to take great care of especially since most Confederate cavalrymen brought horses from their homes. If killed or rendered lame or wounded, until the Confederacy began to supply horses, the trooper had to go back home and get a new one.
Our speaker this month is Myers Brown, of the Tennessee State Library and Archives, and an acknowledged expert on the cavalry not to mention an accomplished horseman.
Using accurate reproductions, Myers will explore the varieties of horse equipage available to and used by the Confederate cavalrymen. Additionally, he will also look briefly at the weapons and clothing of these hard riding horse soldiers. A very nice display will be set up to showcase this equipment so you can see it up close and personal.
Myers Brown is a native of Old Hickory, Tennessee. He received his B.A. in history from Oglethorpe University and his M.A. in public history from Middle Tennessee State University. He is a Fellow and a former Governor of the Company of Military Historians and is on the advisory boards for the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association, and the Tennessee Great War Commission.
Currently, Myers is employed as an archivist at the Tennessee State Library and Archives and works with the Archives Development Program. Prior to joining the Tennessee State Library and Archives, he served as a curator with the Tennessee State Museum, the Alabama Historical Commission, and as Curator of Military History at the Atlanta History Center. He also served as the chairman of the Tennessee War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.
He is the author of two books: Images of Tennessee’s Union Cavalrymen was published in December 2008, and Images of Tennessee Confederates in April 2011. He served as editor of the Best of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Volume 5, Nathan Bedford Forrest and the Confederate Cavalry in West Tennessee, published in April 2013.
He is an adjunct professor at Goodpasture Christian School and has also taught at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Cumberland University in Lebanon, and Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin.
Myers is married to Angie and they have a daughter named Morgan. They reside in Old Hickory, Tennessee.