Looking Back: Stories from the Civil War in Tennessee

As communities throughout the state of Tennessee commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War (2011-2015), the Tennessee State Library and Archives is sending teams of archivists and conservators to these communities across all 95 of Tennessee's counties in search of Civil War artifacts and memorabilia.

The goal of this program, "Looking Back: The Civil War in Tennessee," is to digitally document the history of Civil War related material held in private hands, and to provide guidance on proper conservation and preservation practices, so that those items will survive the ravages of time.

To date, hundreds of items such as letters, photographs, diaries, weapons, military passes and discharges, hand-drawn maps and sketches, uniforms, and other Civil War related material have been scanned, photographed, and digitally preserved for future reference and scholarship. More significantly, the stories that each item tells us bring to life the hardships and challenges of warfare, and bring families closer to a loved one who fought in the Civil War.

During a recent "Looking Back" event in Dandridge, Tennessee, archivists from TSLA interviewed three gentlemen, each with an interesting item and a fascinating story to tell...

From left to right: Robert Jarnagin, Jimmy O'Quinn, and Ernest Hedges proudly display their Civil War artifacts during a recent "Looking Back" event in Dandridge, Tennessee.

Robert Jarnagin came to us with a quite rare item -- a Confederate wooden canteen. Inscribed with the name of "A. M. Jarnigan Co. G. 43rd TN" this company with men from Mossy Creek in Jefferson County, Tennessee, and members of this unit fought at Bull's Gap and Morristown. The canteen has metal bands and a wooden stopper and spout. It's truly remarkable that this canteen has survived the test of time, but Mr. Jarnagin's family has treasured this artifact for generations, and we're grateful to him for sharing it with us in Dandridge, Tennessee.


Ernest Hedges beams with pride as he displays his Contract .58 caliber musket. Mr. Hedges relates this story of how he came into possession of this historic artifact:

"When I was 17 I was delivering groceries to one of my neighbors. We were living in Suitland, Maryland at the time. He was in his garage when I approached him with his groceries. He told me that he would have to go into his house to get his money for the groceries. While he was in the house I looked up into the rafters of his garage and saw this musket. When he returned I asked him if the musket was his and he said, 'yes.' I asked him if he would be willing to sell it and he said he would. I pulled out my wallet and all I had was $1.50 and he said he would let me have the musket for that amount. It is not really a collectors piece since his sons had cut off the stock and lost the ramrod. They had used the musket for hunting."

This contract musket was likely manufactured by Parkers' Snow & Company of Connecticut, and was likely manufactured sometime between 1863 and 1864 for use in the Civil War.


Jimmy O'Quinn brought in his .44 caliber Remington model 1858 pistol. The pistol has an inspector's cartouche, meaning that it was government-owned and used during the Civil War. While the Union Army preferred the Colt 1860 Army firearm, a fire at the Colt factory in 1864 led to an increase in the manufacture and use of the Remington revolver among Union soldiers. Large numbers of the Remington revolver like the one seen here were ordered by the U.S. government as a substitute for the Army Colt. It was a revolver known for its durability and ability to be quickly reloaded by switching to another pre-loaded cylinder. This model not only saw use during the Civil War, it was also used in the American West, and around the world.


In the state of Tennessee, reminders of the Civil War can be found throughout the landscape, and Civil War artifacts can be found in attics, closets, and display cases, passed on through many generations of Tennessee families. As Tennessee commemorates the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, we encourage you to consider bringing your Civil War heirloom to a "Looking Back" event near you. The next event is in Chattanooga during Tennessee's Civil War Signature Event there on Oct. 9-12. TSLA will be on site for the first two days of the Signature Event on Oct. 9-10. Persons interested in attending a scheduled event are encouraged to contact project staff by phone at (615) 741-1883 or email civilwar.tsla@tn.gov.

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.

Johnny Majors Collection at State Library and Archives Doubles in Size

In 1986, the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team pulled one of the school’s most shocking upsets by beating the University of Miami in the Sugar Bowl. For longtime Vols fans who would like to know the inside story of how their team accomplished that feat, details are now available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Johnny Majors, a star football player at UT before becoming one of the school’s most successful coaches, has donated more of his personal papers to the State Library and Archives - more than doubling the amount of information that had previously been available.

Coach Majors entertained a large crowd with recollections of his coaching days at the University of Tennessee during a press conference at the Tennessee State Library and Archives on Monday, August 12th. Several media members, former players, and dignitaries were on hand for the event.

Coach Majors originally donated some of the papers documenting his life and career to the State Library and Archives in 2004. However, the new addition increases the amount of materials included in the collection from about 30 cubic feet to more than 67 cubic feet. That material is available for the public to inspect during the library’s regular operating hours.

The addition includes many of Coach Majors' game plans, letters to and from fans, personal calendars, photographs, scrapbooks, game programs, media guides, newspaper clippings and other game day materials.

The John T. Majors Collection is available for review at the library building, which is located at 403 Seventh Avenue North, directly west of the State Capitol in downtown Nashville.

Portions of Coach Majors’ collection are also available in an online exhibit at: http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/majors/exhibit_majors.htm.

Read more from the Secretary of State's Press Release announcing the collection addition.

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State. 

TSLA Hosts Workshop on Group Affiliations from the Civil War Era

Americans have long sought out groups of like-minded people with whom they can share their interests, goals, and achievements. That was true during the Civil War era and in the years following the war. And finding records from some of those groups can provide important clues about how people back then lived, thought and felt.

With that in mind, the Tennessee State Library and Archives is hosting the latest in its series of workshops, titled "Remembering the Civil War: Civil War Veterans and Friends." The workshop, which is free and open to the public, will be held August 10 from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the State Library and Archives building in downtown Nashville.

Professional genealogist J. Mark Lowe will lead the session, which will highlight some of the membership records, letters, photographs and other documents that researchers can use to learn about people who lived during that time period.

In his long career as a researcher, Lowe has specialized primarily in original records and manuscripts found throughout the South. In addition to being a teacher and author, he is a former officer and board member in the Federation of Genealogical Societies and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. His work has also been featured television programs such as "African American Lives 2," "Faces of America,” and “Who Do You Think You Are?"

Please visit our press release for more information. Although the workshop is free, advance registration is required due to limited seating in the State Library and Archives auditorium. To register or get more information about the workshop, please call (615) 741-2764 or e-mail: workshop.tsla@tn.gov.

The State Library and Archives building is located at 403 Seventh Avenue North in downtown Nashville, just west of the State Capitol building. Parking is available in front, on the side and behind the building.

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State. 

Dr. Carroll Van West appointed State Historian

In May, we delivered the sad news that Tennessee's State Historian, Walter Durham, had passed away at the age 88. He served with honor and distinction as our state's historian since his appointment to that position in 2002. Today, we are pleased to report that Governor Haslam has appointed Dr. Carroll Van West to succeed Mr. Durham as Tennessee State Historian.

Dr. West has taught as a professor in the Middle Tennessee State University history department since 1985. He currently serves as a co-chair of the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission and as a Tennessee representative on the National Board of Advisors of National Trust for Historic Preservation. West also sits on the Executive Board of Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc. and on the Advisory Board of Teaching with Primary Sources, Library of Congress.

"Governor Haslam has made an excellent choice in appointing Dr. Carroll Van West as Tennessee’s new State Historian," Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. "Dr. West has worked with our staff at the State Library and Archives on the Civil War Sesquicentennial and other public history projects, and we look forward to working with him in the future as he takes on this new role. Dr. West has been published extensively on Tennessee history and has done much to preserve the physical heritage of our state’s past. He has served admirably as the editor of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly and as the managing editor of the Encyclopedia of Tennessee History and Culture."

  

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State. 

July 12 - A Big Day for an Infamous Tennessean

Here’s a quick trivia question: Can you name five Tennesseans who became president?

If you’re a good student of the state’s history, you probably won’t have any trouble naming former U.S. presidents Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson or James K. Polk. But a fourth or fifth?

It’s a trick question, because there were also Tennesseans who later became presidents of foreign countries, such as Sam Houston, who led the briefly-independent Republic of Texas, and William Walker, who was inaugurated as president of Nicaragua on this date in 1856.

Walker’s life is highlighted in one of the Tennessee State Library and Archives’ online exhibits. The exhibit can be found at http://tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/walker/index.htm.

Walker isn’t as famous as some Tennesseans chronicled at the State Library and Archives, but in his day, he was quite infamous for his efforts to colonize Central America.

Known as the "Grey-eyed Man of Destiny, " Nashville-born President of Nicaragua, William Walker was executed by the Honduran government at Truxillo, Honduras on September 12, 1860. In this studio portrait, Walker is seated with props symbolizing his expansionist vision: a telescoping spyglass and map. Library Collection Photo.

Three years before he became president of Nicaragua, the Nashvillian led a group of 45 men who landed in Baja California, Mexico. Walker declared the land to be the Republic of Lower California and proclaimed himself to be the new country’s president. Mexican forces soon threw him and his troops out of the country and he was tried (but acquitted) for violating U.S. neutrality laws when he returned.

Walker then led a group of 57 soldiers into Nicaragua. After fighting a number of battles and eventually becoming president, he launched a plan to “Americanize” the country by declaring English the official language and encouraging U.S. residents to immigrate there. He was later ousted by the combined forces of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. After unsuccessfully attempting to regain the presidency of Nicaragua, he was eventually captured and turned over to the Honduran government, which executed him for piracy.

“The story of William Walker is one of thousands that can be found at the Tennessee State Library and Archives,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “Because his life is chronicled in one of our online exhibits, it is accessible to Tennesseans free of charge, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. I encourage people to visit our web site and learn more about the resources that are just a few mouse clicks away.”

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.

For Many Tennesseans, Historical Research is in Their Genes

Did you know that July is Tennessee Genealogy Month? That designation was created last year through an act of the state’s General Assembly. It’s a fitting time to recognize that genealogy – that is, family history research – attracts surprisingly large numbers of people.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) gets about 10,000 visits to its offices in Nashville every year – plus millions more on TSLA’s section of the Secretary of State’s web site. Most of those visitors are genealogists.

TSLA houses the collections of some of the state’s well-known genealogists of the past. When these researchers donate their files to TSLA, they become available for others to mine for facts and details about Tennessee families.

If someone in your family has left behind a mass of family folders, consider donating them to TSLA where they can benefit not only your family, but others as well.

To read more about family history research at TSLA, please see the following article: http://tnsos.org/Press/story.php?item=561.

We also invite you to visit us at our location next door to the State Capitol at 403 Seventh Avenue North in Nashville from Tuesday – Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. If you cannot make it Nashville, or if you’re doing research on a holiday like July 4th, you can visit us online at www.tn.gov/tsla. You can also contact our Public Services staff by email at reference.tsla@tn.gov.

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.

Secretary of State Premieres Tennessee State Capitol Documentary

It has endured an army occupation, the interment of two of its founding fathers, and a car cruising through its hallways. Not to mention its role as the site of many of the most important events in Tennessee's history. The Tennessee State Capitol building has many great stories to tell - and some of those stories were revealed in a documentary about the building that premiered last week. In attendance were state legislators, department commissioners, representatives from preservation groups and others.

State Capitol during the dedication of the Andrew Jackson statue. A crowd has gathered on the hill, the street and the roof of the Capitol building.

The documentary was created by the staff of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. It is the first part of a project that will eventually include a virtual tour of the Capitol building and its grounds, and feature stories about the building and influential people in Tennessee history.

When completed, the entire project will be burned onto DVDs that will be distributed to schools throughout the state. The project is a result of the Tennessee General Assembly's approval of Public Chapter No. 557, sponsored by Representative Jim Coley and Senator Ken Yager.

For more information, we encourage you to read the entire press release of this story, where you will find a link to the documentary and historic images of the Capitol on our website. The documentary and information on the images used in the film are available at www.capitol.tnsos.net. Additionally, the virtual tour, mini-features, and fun stories about the Tennessee State Capitol will be available soon.

Tennessee State Capitol: Grounded in Tradition from Tennessee Department of State on Vimeo.

  

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.