Pulitzer Prize Nominated Author is Knoxville Civil War Roundtable Speaker

KNOXVILLE -- Lester V. Horwitz, author-historian will be the guest speaker at the Knoxville Civil War Roundtable on Tuesday, July 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Bearden Banquet Hall, 5804 Kingston Pike. He will present the true story of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan's Great Raid into the North in July 1863.

As the author of The Longest Raid of the Civil War, Horwitz has written the definitive text on Morgan's famous raid that chronicles the human events, civilian and military confrontations that unfolded as General John Hunt Morgan led 2,500 Confederate cavalry through Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio on a raid that would cover more than 1,000 miles. It began in mid-June ending a month later on July 26, 1863. This was the northernmost penetration of the Confederate army ending just nine miles from Pennsylvania and seventy miles south of Lake Erie, a one day's horseback ride! Morgan was known as "The Thunderbolt of the Confederacy" and commanded a cavalry division in the Army of Tennessee.

Dr. James A. Ramage, author of Rebel Raider, said "The book is outstanding! It reads like a novel." Edwin C. Bearss, historian emeritus of the National Park Service and one of America's most renowned Civil War historians said, "Horwitz takes the reader on one of the great adventures of the Civil War."

The Longest Raid was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for History.

Interest in Morgan's Great Raid was kindled when Horwitz and his wife, Florence, purchased an old farmhouse built in 1840. His research revealed that the home had been raided on July 14, 1863 by Morgan's cavalry. Two horses were stolen from the barn and the owner was reimbursed $155.

As part of Horwitz's presentation, there will be a large map showing the route through Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio taken by Morgan's men. How Horwitz went about uncovering the hundreds of true stories, verifying their authenticity and collecting over two hundred historic photos, is a story unto itself.

Horwitz was the first civil war author to be filmed and broadcast nationwide on C-SPAN. He is currently writing a new Civil War book, After the Raid, and has completed a musical drama, The Rebels Are Coming! adapted from his book. It's Morgan's Raid in music! For more information about the book and the musical play, visit the web at www.LongestRaid.com.

Published June 16, 2012