Clarksville, TN – Our 230th meeting. We continue our twenty first year!!!
The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, September 17th, 2025, at Fort Defiance Interpretive Center, our new home, 120 Duncan Street, off New Providence Boulevard. Turn onto Walker Street off New Providence Boulevard and then onto Duncan Street. There are site markers on New Providence Boulevard above and below the park.
This month’s program – “Captain William S. Cain, 12th United States Colored Troops and His Civil War”
The 12th United States Colored Troops was raised in Middle Tennessee in mid-1863 with many of the men in their ranks being former laborers who built the fortifications around Nashville. After forming and drilling, one of the regiment’s first jobs, along with the 13th USCT, was to help build the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad heading to Johnsonville on the Tennessee River from Kingston Springs just west of Nashville.
The 12th’s first major combat action was in the Battle of Nashville as part of Cruft’s Provisional Division which attacked Overton Hill. While not successful, their bravery in the assault elicited notices from troops and officers of both sides. This month’s program will provide an inside look at this regiment from one of its officers, Captain William S. Cain.
In 1908, Captain William S. Cain, Company C, 12th USCT, decided to write a brief autobiography on himself and several relatives for his family posterity. The advent of the Civil War drew William and his brothers into the side of the Union. He enrolled in the 8th Kansas Infantry on September 10th, 1861. He was promoted as 1st Lieutenant, 1st Regiment USCT Infantry, under Colonel Charles Thompson, as Adjutant, and in 1863 was appointed Captain of Company C, 12th USCT, July 5th, 1864, at Nashville.
Later, as an officer of U.S. Colored troops, he wrote, “My association with the officers was very pleasant. They were all men of more than average culture, all had to pass a rigid examination before a board of generals in the school of the soldier, company, and battalion. Our Chaplain was a Christian churchman, and a good educator for our ignorant soldiers – all ex-slaves.”
This brief, intriguing missive from Captain William S. Cain led to more detailed research in looking for any references to this brave regiment that played a part in the Battle of Nashville. The result opens the door to, hopefully, more research.
Our speaker this month is Howard Mann. Howard is a longtime student of the war and is the past president of the Kansas City CWRT and the current president of the Nashville CWRT. He has spoken to us before and offers very well-researched programs.
