Round Table
Little Round Table
In the cold that followed the Battle of Stone’s River, where the two sides suffered greatly to no certain gain, the Federals licked their wounds in Nashville and the Confederates in the lands to the south…
Thompson’s Station: Now, imagine. An un-blooded Federal brigade arriving at Nashville and within a day being ordered to conduct a reconnaissance in force. It is augmented with units whose officers have never met. Where authority relies only on rank because there has been no time to build trust before combat. What transpired was an operation where the commander of the operation had never seen the terrain, one that saw gallantry in a meeting engagement, and was graced by the brilliance of Nathan Bedford Forrest. In this story, there is insubordination, a withdrawal against orders stopped by the commander and then resumed as soon as the commander rode away. There was a capitulation, a hellish march to prison, and let’s not forget two courts martial. This is Thompson’s Station.
Spring Hill: After the melodrama of Thompson’s Station, it seems proper to visit Spring Hill where, a couple of years later, Hood’s army inexplicably allowed twenty-thousand Federals and eight-hundred wagons to withdraw up a major road within easy earshot of Confederate positions. Hood attempts to block the retreat but every attempt that day fails. The Confederates ultimately stop just short of the road and beds down, listening to the Federal army pass by. Many Federals, straying from the road, are captured while approaching Confederate campfires to light their pipes. That army of escaping Federals would go on to fortify Franklin by the next morning, setting the stage for one of the great slaughters of the War and guaranteeing the end of Confederate aspirations in Tennessee. Why? How did it happen?
General John Scales (USA, Ret) will present these battles on our 24 October 2026 staff ride hosted by the Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table. The trip will be by luxury motor coach. General Scales will provide context during the drive to Thompson’s Station and Spring Hill. We will examine the ground to provide a true sense of the battles.
This is a one-day trip. Price per ticket is $110.00 if paying in person at our monthly meetings. Tickets are $114 each when buying here online because of the added handling fees. We have a 55-passenger motor coach. We will depart from the parking lot of the Starbucks at Mid-City (1085 Mid City Drive, Huntsville). Departure time is 7 AM sharp. Participants should pack a lunch as there will be limited time and little opportunity to purchase anything. The Round Table will make water available on the bus.
Purchase your seat on the bus now by clicking here.
One of our members, Richard Blanton Jr., recently appeared on WAAY 31 TV being interviewed for their feature story on the 1st Alabama Cavalry. Please take the time to enjoy the short video below. Great job, Richard!
Upcoming Round Tables
- Sep-10 General John Hunt Morgan and the Tullahoma Campaign presented by George McGlothin
- Oct-08 Ghosts in the Civil War presented by Jacque Reeves
- Nov-12 Cease Firing: Life and Death at the Swope Manor presented by Kelly Gormly
Who We Are
The Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table (TVCWRT), was founded as a not-for-profit organization in 1993 to provide a forum for non-partisan study, education, and discussions concerning the American Civil War, and to support the preservation of Civil War battlefields, and related activities. We are a certified as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and membership dues are used for preservation and educational efforts throughout the Tennessee Valley region.
We meet the second Thursday of every month starting at 6:30 PM, except for December. Our meetings are physically held at:
Huntsville Elks Lodge
725 Franklin St. SE
Huntsville, AL
The program will always feature a nationally or regionally known speaker, and we are well known for covering a wide variety of Civil War topics. Annual membership dues are $30 per household, which includes up to two members per household. Free memberships are offered to full-time students (elementary through undergraduate). The Little Round Table (LRT) Discussion Group is our second monthly forum where a smaller group of interested members and guests enjoy an in-depth discussion of a Civil War topic. The LRT meets at the Elks Lodge at 6:30 PM, the fourth Thursday of every month except November (the last meeting of the year takes place the second Thursday of December, in place of a general meeting).
For questions about the TVCWRT, call (256) 278-5533. We also have a Facebook page.
Our mailing address is:
Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table
P.O. Box 2872
Huntsville, Alabama 35804
E-mail: tvcwroundtable@gmail.com
President’s Welcome
Welcome! We are the Tennessee Valley Civil War Roundtable. We are dedicated to the non-partisan, factual, even-handed study of the Civil War. We meet monthly for presentations from people with special expertise on interesting aspects of the War. Authors, teachers, average citizens with in-depth knowledge. If you have an interest in the Civil War, you should certainly visit. Any age. Any background. No prior knowledge of the Civil War necessary. Visit once and you will come back.
Meetings. Please join us the second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 725 Franklin St. SE, Huntsville, AL 35801. Visitors are welcome. Also, the Elks Lodge graciously opens it buffet and bar to our visitors for a minimal fee, so come early.
We have two types of monthly meetings:
— The ‘Big Round Table’, a general presentation by an expert in lecture format with Q&A, (2nd Thursdays) and
— The ‘Little Round Table, which dives deeply into a variety of narrower topics and where each attendee contributes. (4th Thursdays)
Learning in the Field. TVCWRT conducts an annual field trip to a location that has great historical interest during the civil war. These field trips are led and guided by scholars with expertise in the area in the tour. Past tours include Chickamauga, Shiloh, Franklin Battlefields, and touring an axis of advance of a major civil war military movement. TVCWRT members receive priority but generally these tours do have seats open to the public.
We also have private members that are happy to support presentations at schools or meetings. If you are interested in talking with one of them, we will be happy to put you in contact.
Preservation. During the course of our 32 years, we have raised over $25,000 from our ‘Battlefield Bucket’ to support historical preservation efforts. We are a non-partisan nonprofit 501(c)(3). We are all about education and the preservation of American Civil War History in a non-partisan, factual, even-handed way.
The Round Table has donated to the American Battlefield Trust, General Joe Wheeler Home Foundation, Sultana Disaster Museum, Ft. Blakeley, AL, Artist Preservation Group, the Huntsville veterans museum Civil War display, and more. We will continue this effort which positively impacts local communities. If you would like to support the preservation of Civil War history, we accept books on the Civil War, memorabilia, and direct donations.
We hope to see you at our next meeting. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Richard (Rick) Caniglia
President Pro Tem
Check out the latest episode of Civil War Rarities hosted by our treasurer, Michael Acosta, and past president, Bill Goss. Step back in time and uncover the rare, fun, and little‑known stories from the American Civil War — the people, battles, inventions, and untold details that shaped U.S. history. Whether you’re a dedicated historian, a Civil War buff, or just curious about the fascinating moments that textbooks skip, this channel is your new favorite place for Civil War history, obscure facts, and amazing trivia. Be sure to like and subscribe.
Upcoming Events and Educational Opportunities
