Lt. Palmer H. Olson, Lt. Robert M. Williams, St. Nazaire,
France, 1919 Tennessee earned the nickname “the Volunteer State”
by sending 2,000 willing soldiers to fight in the War of 1812.
Now a new exhibit at the Tennessee State Library and Archives
chronicles the exploits of those soldiers – as well as other
Tennesseans who have served in the military before and since.
This new exhibit, titled The Volunteer State Goes to War: A
Salute to Tennessee Veterans, covers everything from the
veterans of the Revolutionary War who helped found our state to
Tennessee men and women serving in the military today. The
exhibit showcases the experiences of the state’s veterans and
tells the stories of how ordinary men and women made America a
better place through their courage and perseverance. Featured
items include the World War I photographs of Luke Lea, a former
U.S. Senator and founder of the Tennessean newspaper; a letter
from George Washington to future Tennessean Colonel Meigs; and a
resolution commemorating the firin