The Chattanooga Area Historical Association and the History Department of the Public Library are sponsoring a presentation on Streight's Raid. The event will be at the downtown Public Library on Monday, August 13, at 6:00pm.
The speaker will be Henry E. Simpson, Chairman of the Board of the Civil War Trust (the National Civil War Preservation Group whose function is to save and teach Civil War History).
Mr. Simpson is a practicing attorney is Birmingham, Alabama. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where he played on their football team in the 1950’s.
He received his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School.
In addition to his historical acumen, he is also a crackerjack Gin Rummy player.
Mr. Simpson will speak on:
STREIGHT’S RAID
A Union raid in April, 1863 across northern Alabama with the object of cutting Bragg’s supply line by disrupting the Atlanta & Western Railroad which supplied Chattanooga.
Streight and his Union troopers were pursued by Nathan Bedford Forrest. (A similar attempt disrupt the Western & Atlantic one year earlier had resulted in the Great Locomotive Chase.)
The event is open to the public, and there is no charge.