Indianapolis
Civil War Round Table

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	What:	Wilder's Lightning Brigade
	Who:	Scott Diezman
	When:	Monday May 12 at 6:45 P.M.
	Where:	MCL Cafeteria - Township Line (2370 West 86th Street)
Colonel John Wilder was among the most forward-thinking and aggressive Union brigade commanders. His men, the hardy farmer-outdoorsmen who became rugged soldiers and determined fighters, were a vital component of the brigade’s battlefield success. Col Wilder recognized the shortcomings of the Union Army’s ability to thwart vastly superior Confederate cavalry and was disappointed that current battlefield tactics were obsolete with the more modern weapons of the day. He took the initiative to create his own style of fighting. First, he procured the Spencer 7-shot Repeating Rifle and incorporated new tactics to maximize its effects. Then he obtained horses for his brigade to give them speed and maneuverability. His horse soldiers were highly mobile and able to move rapidly from point to point, but they deployed and fought as infantry – with one very important difference – their breechloading Spencers enabled them to fight prone or from behind cover, without undue exposure in loading compared to the typical soldier with the standard percussion muzzleloading rifle. This combination of excellent leadership, supremely confident and capable soldiers, superior firepower, speed and maneuverability, and creative tactics gave Wilder’s Lightning Brigade an enormous advantage over their conventionally armed and tactically outmoded opponents. A Civil War enthusiast since childhood, Scott’s enthusiasm was bolstered upon discovery that his great-great grandfather served in the 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and has since focused his research on the Army of the Cumberland. Scott retired after 20 years of service as a Lt. Col. in the Air Force where he was a satellite engineer/program manager for multiple space systems and served a tour of duty in Iraq. He then served for a decade as the Subject Matter Expert on Space-based Intelligence Systems, and currently serves as Satellite Engineer and Program Management Advisor at the National Reconnaissance Office in Chantilly, VA. Scott and his wife, Susan, reside in Centreville, VA, where he spends time conducting research at the National Archives in Washington D.C. In his spare time, he provides Civil War presentations to multiple Civil War Round Tables, schools, and history day events. He also leads tours of the Chickamauga Battlefield and Chattanooga area.

2024-2025 Program Schedule