Civil War Roundtable presents one-man show on Confederate cavalry

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October 15, 2012

Civil War Roundtable presents one-man show on Confederate cavalry

Charles Oliver charlesoliver@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Mon Oct 15, 2012, 09:01 AM EDT

Capt. Howard Trollinger entered Dalton in the winter of 1863 with the Confederate Army of Tennessee without many of the men he’d commanded during the past two years. He’d watched as their numbers were whittled away in battle. And he entered not knowing the fate of his son.

“He was severely wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga and sent home to Tennessee to recuperate,” said Capt. Trollinger, a character who was created and is portrayed by Dalton resident Jerry Trollinger.

Jerry Trollinger said he based the character on relatives from Middle Tennessee who fought for the Confederacy.

“I portray a captain in the cavalry. I chose the cavalry because that was what my ancestors were involved with,” Trollinger said.

Trollinger, who is retired and serves as a volunteer at the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, says he began developing the character about seven years ago.

“I’ve been to many symposiums, many meetings, and I’ve heard a lot of speakers. They will talk about the politics and the economics, and for someone who doesn’t know much about the Civil War that’s boring as heck,” he said. “I’m a hands-on person. I felt like I had more to offer that way, by letting people know what it was like for someone who was more or less an average soldier.”

Trollinger has developed a presentation that he has done for schools, historical societies and civic organizations that follows Howard Trollinger from the time he joined the Confederate Army to his coming to Dalton after the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga.

“It’s all in the first person. I, as Howard, talk about what it was like and what my experiences were. It takes about 35 to 40 minutes, and then I open it up for questions,” he said.

He’ll be doing the presentation, in a period cavalry officer’s uniform, at the next meeting of the Dalton Civil War Roundtable this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Whitfield-Murray History Center and Archives at 715 Chattanooga Ave. in Dalton.

“It’s really interesting to see that change that comes over you when you are talking.” said roundtable program director Mike White to Trollinger during a recent meeting. “It’s very easy to tell when you are Jerry and when you are talking as Howard.”

“We have different speakers come to our meeting and talk about different topics, and when I heard about Jerry I thought it would be really interesting to have him speak,” White said.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

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Civil War Roundtable presents one-man show on Confederate cavalry

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