FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday,January 17th, 2011, 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 and Greer Stadium. The meeting begins at 7:00 pm and is always open to the public. There is no charge to attend.

OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC

“The Civil War of Nashville’s Maggie Vaulx, April, 1861-March, 1862”

In 1862, a 17 year old girl growing up during a time of great national strife spoke these words, “that I may be in after years an ornament to society and the delight of my dear parents.” Margaret Nichol Vaulx came of age during the American Civil War and left writings which are that very ornament which she so prophetically spoke of. Margaret, also known as Maggie was indeed the delight of her dear parents. Maggie’s journals have been described as both national and state treasures and as one Belmont University literary professor said, “she can be compared to a civil war Anne Frank.” Even though Maggie identified her journals as private, their emphasis is on a difficult 3 week period known in Nashville as "the Panic." Nashville came under Federal control in February 1862 and remained occupied by the Union army throughout the rest of the war. Great hardships were placed upon the citizens of the city including the children. Maggie began her journals 2 week after the war began and she continued to write well beyond the surrender.

Our own Ross Hudgins will bring Maggie’s story to life at this month’s meeting. There is a fascinating story as to how he came to find these journals that he will share with us this month but the main event will be Maggie and her perceptions of what was going on around her. Ross Hudgins is a military veteran as well as a former Tennessee Valley Authority employee. He will offer a Power Point with his presentation. Please join us for the story of Nashville’s Maggie Vaulx at this month’s meeting of the Nashville Civil War Roundtable.

We hope you will join us for the January meeting of the Nashville Civil War Roundtable.

The Nashville Civil War Roundtable is made possible by Nashville Metro Parks and the Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Military History.