CLARKSVILLE, TN. – Professor of History at Austin Peay State University Dr. Minoa D. Uffelman, Dr. Ellen Kanervo and Phyllis Smith will speak at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 1 at Fort Defiance. Their lecture will feature their latest work, “The Civil War Letters of Sarah Kennedy - Life Under Occupation in the Upper South.”
The event titled, “Sarah, Nannie and Serepta: Three Stories of Occupied Clarksville” will take you on a journey of three women during Clarksville’s time under occupation. It features over fifty letters of Sarah Kennedy to her husband D. N. Kennedy, and the diaries of Nannie Haskins Willams and Serepta Jordan.
“We are excited to be one of the first stops to help promote this important book that offers a different perspective regarding Clarksville during the Civil War. The recently published "Civil War Letters of Sarah Kennedy'' along with other works in the Voices of the Civil War series are available in the Fort Defiance gift shop. The editors of the book will stay after the event to sign copies and answer questions. We look forward to learning new details about life in Clarksville during this important time in history” says Historical Interpreter Roxanne Jenkins.
For information about Fort Defiance visit ClarksvilleParkRec.com or call 931-645-7476.
About Fort Defiance
The Fort Defiance Civil War Park and Interpretive Center, 120 Duncan Street, is operated by the Clarksville Parks & Recreation Department. The fort, which overlooks the confluence of the Red and Cumberland rivers, was a cornerstone of the Confederate defense of the area and an important part of the Union occupation of Clarksville. In 1982, Judge and Mrs. Sam Boaz, donated the property to the City of Clarksville. In 2008, the City secured a $2.2 million federal grant that was combined with local funding to build the interpretive center and walking trails. The Center features exhibits about the local area and the fort during the Civil War.