Wednesday, October 26, 2011

150th Anniversary of U.S. Civil War at Fort Duffield Nov. 6, 2011

From our Friends at Fort Duffield in West Point, KY: 

This year marks the 150th Anniversary of the construction of U.S. Civil War Fort Duffield. On Sunday, November 6, 2011, a special commemoration program will take place as part of the four year long Civil War Sesquicentennial taking place across the country.

Fort Duffield was built in the fall of 1861 to protect Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's supply base in West Point at the confluence of the Salt and Ohio Rivers.

Re-enactors will set up camp on the hallowed grounds of Kentucky's largest and best-preserved Civil War earthen fortification which sits 300 feet above the small river town of West Point, in Northern Hardin County, Kentucky just across the Jefferson County line off U.S. Hwy 31W/Dixie Hwy.

The sounds of muskets and cannon will once again echo across the hills and across the Ohio River into Southern Indiana.

Events will open at noon with the posting of the colors by the 9th Michigan Vol Inf Re-enactors.

Local Historian Richard Briggs and members of the Fort Duffield Heritage Committee will share the rich history of this nearly forgotten Civil War site. Visitors will learn about the construction of the fort, the 61 soldiers who died at West Point and how the Civil War impacted the people of this small river town.

This intimate living history event offers visitors a unique opportunity to talk with re-enactors and local historians."

150th Anniversary of U.S. Civil War Fort Duffield
Sunday, November 6, 2011
12 Noon - 4 PM

Schedule:
12 Noon - Opening Ceremonies
1 PM - Skirmish
1:30 - 2:30
Commemorative Program
3 PM - Skirmish

$3.00 per person or $7.00 per family (parents and all children under age 18)


Fort Duffield is an all volunteer historic site and park with no paid staff.
All proceeds benefit the continuing restoration, maintenance and interpretation of Fort Duffield.

Directions:
The entrance to Fort Duffield is on Dixie Highway (U.S. 31W) at Salt River Dr. just 7.5 miles south of the Gene Snyder Freeway (Hwy 841) and 9 miles north of the main entrance to Fort Knox.

Shuttle service is available for those unable to walk the 1/4 mile trail to the fort.

Take a virtual tour of Fort Duffield on line at www.fortduffield.com

For information or to arrange group tours, contact: Fort Duffield Heritage Committee (502) 922-4574 or FortDuffield@insightbb.com  

Visit historic West Point, Kentucky on line at www.westpointky.org

Saturday, October 15, 2011

New book on The Stones River and Tullahoma Campaigns is Coming


A heads up for those of you who want to read up on the Army of the Cumberland, William Rosecranz, and the Civil War in Tennessee. We are pleased to note that current LCWRT President Chris Kolakwoski's second  book, The Stones River and Tullahoma Campaigns: This Army Does Not Retreat is now available for pre order on Amazon.com. 

From alibris.com: " After the Battle of Perryville in October 1862, the focus of the Civil War in the West shifted back to Tennessee. The Union Army of the Cumberland regrouped in Nashville, while the Confederate Army of Tennessee camped 30 miles away in Murfreesboro. On December 26 the Federals marched southward and fought a three-day brawl at Stones River with their Confederate counterparts. The Confederates withdrew, and both armies spent the winter and spring harassing each other and regrouping for the next round. In the Confederate camp, dissention corroded the army's high command. The book will use letters, reports, memoirs, and other primary sources to tell the story of the battles for Middle Tennessee in late 1862 and 1863. The critical engagement at Stones River (by percentage of loss the Civil War's bloodiest battle) and the masterful Tullahoma operation will receive detailed attention "

Chris currently the Director at General George Patton Museum, and formerly the Chief Curator at National Museum of the Army Reserve,Executive Director at Perryville Enhancement Project and Policy & Transportation Coordinator at Civil War Preservation Trust.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Davis and Stephens: A Marriage Made in Hell



Saturday, October 8 :Thomas Schott

The LCWRT welcomes Thomas E. Schott October 8. He was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi and raised in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned a Ph.D in American History from Louisiana State University where he studied under famed historian T. Harry Williams.  He has written a prize winning biography of Alexander H. Stephens, and is co-editor of two upcoming publications: Confederate Generals in the Trans-Mississippi, vol. 2  & Robert E. Lee and His Generals: Essays in Honor of T. Harry Williams, both future publications of the University of Tennessee Press.
He recently retired from a long career as a historian for various Air Force organizations and the U.S. Operations Command. He lives in Norman, Oklahoma, where his grandkids are.

                 Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens: A Marriage Made in Hell

Political expediency dictated the selection of Alexander H. Stephens as vice president of the Confederacy. A former Whig from Georgia, a  state which could not be ignored for top offices in the new nation, he vehemently opposed secession right up until passage of the secession ordinance. Jefferson Davis was his political opposite: a Democrat who favored secession. The two men did share some personality traits, but this only served to exacerbate the differences between them. The period of cooperation between them after their election lasted only a few months. Thereafter, Stephens stayed mostly at his home in Georgia and away from Richmond.

For Stephens, the war was about "constitutional liberty" above all else. Therefore he opposed virtually everything the Davis administration did in its efforts to win the war: conscription, impressment, financial policy, and especially suspension of writ of habeas corpus. In 1864, the vice president delivered a speech to the Georgia legislature publicly attacking the administration's policies. He actively supported various peace plans being proposed in the South in the latter stages of the war. He was probably the worst possible choice for the office he held in the Confederacy.

 The 149th Commemoration of the Battle of Perryville

The Battle of Perryville was fought 149 years ago on October 8, 1862. The battle was significant nationally as the CSA defeat at Perryville helped Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation.  During the summer of 1862, five Confederate armies began an offensive that would eventually end at Perryville, Kentucky. Never again would the Confederate military forces be able to launch such an offensive. The Confederate defeats at Corinth, Antietam and the stalemate at Perryville gave Abraham Lincoln the political clout he needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Battle of Perryville was Kentucky’s largest and bloodiest Civil War battle.  Over 40,000 men engaged in a desperate struggle that raged throughout the day of October 8, 1862. The battle left in its wake 7,500 men killed and wounded, a countryside ravaged by war and a civilian population in serious distress with a tremendous lack of food and water.  Today the preservation efforts at Perryville Battlefield are a great success. The park has over 750 preserved acres and the Civil War Trust recently entered into an agreement with several local land owners to purchase 248 more acres. The annual Commemoration of the Battle of Perryville will occur this year on October 1-2, 2011 and will feature numerous activities that can be enjoyed by both families and serious Civil War historians and enthusiasts. You can find more at www.perryvillebattlefield.org for more information.

 
October 2011 Quiz:

1.  During October 1861, Jefferson Davis was besieged by requests from unhappy Confederate soldiers.  What did they want?

2.  CSA General Thomas Jackson's map maker was a native of what state?

3.  In what battle did the charging troops of Winfield Scott Featherstone, CSA, push their foes back so that they fell to their deaths over a steep cliff?

4.  Why, after the above battle, were neither USA Brigadier General Charles P. Stone nor CSA Brigadier General Nathan G. "Shanks" Evans promoted?

5.  This Georgia politician served as a U.S. Representative both before the Civil War and after Reconstruction.  Who was he and what did he do during the Civil War?

Monday, October 3, 2011

The LCWRT Season has Begun

Sept. 10, 2011: Joe Reinhart

September 10, the LCWRT welcomed author and LCWRT member Joe Reinhart. Joe has been actively researching and writing about the Civil War for the past 17 years. He is the author of a history of the Union’s 6th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and the translator and editor of three books containing letters from German-born soldiers fighting for the Union. His most recent book, A German Hurrah!: Civil War Letters of Friedrich Bertsch and Wilhelm Stängel, 9th Ohio Infantry, was the runner up for the Museum of the Confederacy’s 2010 Founder’s Award for outstanding editing of primary source documents. Joe is a Louisville native, a retired C.P.A. and has degrees from Bellarmine College and Indiana University.

Joe discussed the 1861 Union invasion  of Western Virginia, with a focus on the 9th Ohio Infantry, aka McCook’s "Dutchmen", including the battles of Phillipi, Rich Mountain, and Carnifex Ferry. The presentation will also include some of the experiences of the in western Virginia. The 9th Ohio was a German regiment organized in Cincinnati, and is credited with being the first three-year regiment organized in the West.



Many of Joe's books are available at Amazon.com


Fall Field Trip: Lexington October 23

We will be traveling to Lexington for our annual one-day Fall Field Trip on Sunday October 23.  We will meet our guide, Sam Flora, at 9:30 at the gates to the Lexington Cemetery at 833 West Main St.  From there we will begin our tour  which will include stops at the John Hunt Morgan House, Lexington History Museum, the Fayette County Courthouse, Ashland, and a few other interesting places.  Plan on car pooling and bring money for lunch and house tours.

Spring Field Trip: April 25-29,2012

We will be going to Shiloh April 25- 29 for our Spring Field Trip.  Our tour guide will be Tim Smith, historian at Shiloh Military Park.  More details will be announced soon. 

2011 – 2012 Meeting Dates

Oct. 8      Thomas Schott  “Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens:A Marriage Made in Hell”

Nov. 12   Glenn LaFantasie    “The Rise of U.S. Grant in 1862”

Dec. 3      Sam Elliot        “Tennessee Governor Isham Harris”

Jan. 21     Saxton’s Cornett Band    “Civil War Music”

Feb. 11    Michael Bradley    “TBA”

Mar.10     Gary Gallagher  “The Real Lost Cause: Union in the Memory of the Civil War”
                                  
Apr. 14    Ari Hoogenboom    “Gustavas Fox of the Union Navy”

May 12    Brian McKnight     “Contested Borderland”

Help the Civil War Trust Save 141 Acres at Perryville

The Civil War Trust has launched a campaign to save 141 acres of core battlefield at Perryville.  Here is the scoop from Trust President James Lighthizer:
  "Today, you and I have the chance to save 141 absolutely crucial acres that go a long way toward completing this tremendously significant battlefield. 
This ground saw horrific fighting during the afternoon of October 8, 1862, with hundreds of casualties occurring on this land.  This property surrounds on three sides the historic Bottom House, and contains the site of Henry Bottom’s Barn which burned during the battle, killing many wounded men who had crawled in there for shelter.
By the end of the day, both sides would suffer a total of approximately 7,400 casualties, and local experts on the battle estimate that about 500 of those occurred in just a few afternoon hours of fighting on the 141 acres we are working to save. If we can raise $181,250, we can save this critically important land valued at $725,000 – that’s a $4-to-$1 match of your donation dollar". 

Follow this link to donate: Civilwar.org

Contributions may be mailed to:
Civil War Trust, P.O. Box 1477, Hagerstown, MD 21741-1477.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Bits and Pieces, July 4, 2011

A few bits and pieces on this July 4, the 235th anniversay of the Declaration of Independence, the 148th anniversay of the battles of Gettysbiurg and Vicksburg, and the 185th anniversary of the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. 

A highly recommended read: From the Civil War, Family Unity? by Pam Platt in the July 3, Courier Journal

From Junction City, KS, a impressive Civil War Monument in Heritage Park at the intersection of 6th and Washington St.  Not bad for a town with a population of  2684 in 1880.


 And as ever:

 The New York Times Ongoing series: Disunion

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The LCWRT May Wrap up

Jeffery Wert

The  LCWRT welcomed back acclaimed Civil War historian and author Jeffrey Wert for our May meeting. His excellent presentation: He Stood Out on the Great War Canvas: Jeb Stuart, focused on Jeb Stuart's leadership skills, relationships with subordinates, his friendship with Stonewall Jackson, and the controversies with his generalship.  Of course, there was an emphasis on his famous "ride" during the Gettysburg Campaign. This was a  fitting wrap up to our 2010-2011 season.

 A graduate of Penn State University, with a Master of Arts in History, Jeffery has  retired from teaching, and has concentrated on writing several excellent Civil War books: Mosby’s Rangers, 1990; General James Longstreet: The Confederacy’s Most Controversial Soldier, 1993; Custer: The Controversial Life of George Armstrong Custer; A Brotherhood Of Valor: The Common Soldiers of the Stonewall Brigade, C.S.A., and the Iron Brigade, U.S.A., 1999;  The Sword of Lincoln, 2005, A Biography of J.E. B. Stuart, 2008, and just published, A Glorious Army: Robert E. Lee's Triump 1862-1863, 2011.  Each of his books has been either a main or alternate selection of the History Book Club and Book-of-the-Month Club.  Gettysburg: Day Three,2001, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award.

He has also written more than one hundred articles, essays, and columns for various magazines, including Civil War Times Illustrated, American History Illustrated, America’s Civil War, Blue & Gray Magazine, Virginia Cavalcade, and Pennsylvania History.   He has also appeared on numerous television programs such as C-Span 2, Pennsylvania Cable Network, the History Channel, and A & E.  Jeffrey is also an honorary member of the Civil War Trust.

Follow the Civil War Sesquicentennial On-line

If you have access to the Internet, you can follow the events each day of what happened 150 years ago in both the New York Times and the Washington Post.  Both of the papers are offering great articles on the Civil War and these are absolutely free.  The New York Times web site is Nytimes.com and just click on Opinion then Opinionator and Disunion and you will find a listing of the articles.  The Washington Post address is washingtonpost.com and then go to house-divided.

April 2011 Quiz Answers:

1.  In response to the Confederate demand to surrender Fort Sumter, U.S. Major Robert Anderson said he would evacuate the fort at noon on April 15th as long as he did not receive further orders, supplies and/or reinforcements.  Why was this unacceptable to the Confederate government?
 They wanted immediate evacuation because they knew supplies and maybe reinforcements and more importantly orders were on the way.

2.  What was the difference between Fort Sumter and Confederate Charleston in terms of troops and guns?
 Fort Sumter:  48 guns, 85 officers and men plus 43 workmen employed by the fort. Confederate Charleston:  more than 70 guns and over 4,000 officers and men.

3.  Even as the bombardment of Fort Sumter was taking place, the Union navy secured an ultimately more important prize.  What was it?
The forces sent to relieve Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island in Pensacola Bay, Florida landed successfully.

4.  Confederate President Jefferson Davis termed U.S.President Abraham Lincoln's proclamation of April 15, 1861 a declaration of war.  What three steps did Lincoln take in his proclamation?
1) Declared that an insurrection existed.  2) Called for 75,000 militia. 3) Convened Congress in special session on July 4th

5.  What was the Baltimore Riot?
Federal troops coming to Washington by rail had to detrain in Baltimore and march between stations to the Washington one.  On April 19, 1861, the Sixth Massachusetts was marching through Baltimore when they were surrounded by a pro-Confederate crowd.  Words were exchanged, stones were thrown, and finally shots were fired by both sides.  At least four soldiers and twelve civilians were killed, with numerous soldiers and civilians being wounded.  This is also known as the Pratt Street Riot.

May 2011 Quiz:

 1.  What was the Department of the Ohio and who was placed in charge?
 2.  Which two states had both Union and Confederate governments?
 3.  Who was Colonel Elmer Ellsworth?
 4.  Who was James Jackson?
 5.  When three runaway slaves sought freedom at Fort Monroe near Hampton, Virginia in May 1861, General Benjamin Butler's classification of them as "contraband of war" and his refusal to return them resulted in what Federal policy? 

(The Quiz is prepared by Harriette Weatherbee)

Sunday, April 17, 2011

LCWRT Participates at the Simpsonville Massacre Dedication

We have more from the April 10, 2011, the Shelby County Historical Society dedication.  This is the completed memorial to the 22 USCC soldiers killed by Confederate guerrillas near Simpsonville, Ky in Jan. 1865. As a  recipient of the LCWRT 2009 Preservation Grant, we were happy to participate on the ceremony. The memorial, on U.S. 60 west of Simpsonville, features 22 memorial headstones, a dry stone sitting wall, flag pole and a historical marker.

Honor Guard from the 12th USCHA -Reactivated
 Dr. Art Boerner, LCWRT President, makes his remarks, with Jerry T. Miller, Shelby County Historical Society Project Manager ( and LCWRT member) on left

 Bronze Dedication plaque
Round Table members in attendance: L. to R. Chris Kolakowski, Art Boerner, Holly Jenkins-Evans, John Davis, Monty Evans

Monday, April 11, 2011

Shelby County Historic Society Dedicates USCC 5th KY Cavalry Memorial

On April 10, 2011, the Shelby County Historical Society dedicated a new memorial to the 22 USCC soldiers killed by Confederate guerrillas near Simpsonville, Ky in Jan. 1865. This project was the recipient of the LCWRT 2009 Preservation Grant. The memorial, on U.S. 60 west of Simpsonville, features 22 memorial headstones, a sitting wall, flag  pole and a historical marker. LCWRT President Dr. Art Boerner was asked to participate in the dedication along with Shelby County Judge Executive Rob Rothenberger, Dr. J. Blaine Hudson, Chairman of the Ky. African American Heritage Commission and Kent Whitworth, Executive Director of the Ky. Historical Society and an Honor Guard from the 12th USCHA -Reactivated.

The LCWRT would like to thank Jerry T. Miller, project manager for the Shelby County Historical Society for bringing this project to our attention and allowing the LCWRT another opportunity to continue our  mission to preserve Ky. Civil War Battlefield sites.

For more on the story and photos, Click here

Friday, April 8, 2011

"U.S. Grant Returns to Mississippi" with John Marszalek

Meet our Speaker: Dr. John Marszalek

An alumnus of Buffalo's Canisius College and the University of Notre Dame, Dr. John F. Marszalek taught at Gannon University in Erie, PA. before going to Mississippi State University in 1973 where he became a W. L. Giles Distinguished Professor of History in 1994, and retired as Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus in 2002. A specialist in the U. S. Civil War, the Jacksonian Period, and race relations, he is the author or editor of thirteen books and over 300 articles and book reviews. He has lectured widely throughout the nation and has appeared on all the major broadcast and cable networks, as well as radio stations throughout the nation. He is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the Richard Wright Literary Award for life-time achievement by a Mississippi author and the B.L.C. Wailes Award for national distinction in history.

Dr. Marszalek is the executive director and managing editor of the Ulysses S. Grant Association, co-executive director of the Historians of the Civil War Western Theater, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Lincoln Forum, the Lincoln Prize, and the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. From 2007-2008, he served as president of the Mississippi Historical Society.

He is best known for his award winning books:
Sherman, A Soldier's Passion for Order , a finalist for the Lincoln Prize and a History Book Club selection,The Petticoat Affair: Manners, Mutiny, and Sex in Andrew Jackson's White House, also a History Book Club selection,The Diary of Miss Emma Holmes, 1861-1866, Sherman’s Other War: The General and the Civil War Press, Commander of All Lincoln's Armies, A Life of General Henry W. Halleck
a History Book Club selection and a finalist for the 2005 Peter Seaborg Award for Civil War Scholarship, Sherman's March to the Sea, A Black Congressman in the Age of Jim Crow, South Carolina's George Washington Murray, and he co-edited The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African-American Civil Rights'

A U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, Dr. Marszalek is married to the former Jeanne Kozmer, and they are the parents of three grown sons and have four grandchildren.

Follow the Civil War Sesquicentennial On-line

If you have access to the Internet, you can follow the events each day of what happened 150 years ago in both the New York Times and the Washington Post. Both of the papers are offering great articles on the Civil War and these are absolutely free. The New York Times web site is Nytimes.com and just click on Opinion then Opinionator and Disunion and you will find a listing of the articles. The Washington Post address is washingtonpost.com and then go to house-divided.

Kentucky Sesquicentennial Events

April 8-9: Civil War Seminar, Winchester.

April 10: Gravestone dedication, United States Colored Troops, Simpsonville.

September 1-4: Cornets and Cannons Civil War Sesquicentennial Music Festival, Frankfort.

Cornets and Cannons Civil War Sesquicentennial Music Festival

The City of Frankfort, Kentucky, will host a unique observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The Cornets and Cannons Civil War Sesquicentennial Music Festival will celebrate the music of the War Between the States. Outstanding ensembles and solo performers from across the eastern United States will be in Kentucky’s capital city for this event on September 1-4, 2011.
The Festival will begin on the evening of Thursday, September 1 with an opening ceremony and a program about the history of Civil War era music at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Festival concerts will begin on Friday with a performance on the lawn of the Old State Capitol by the Wildcat Band from Pennsylvania. On Friday evening, Saxton’s Cornet Band – Frankfort’s hometown Civil War ensemble – will perform in the Grand Theatre. Performances will continue Saturday and Sunday with a “battle of the bands” as the climax of the event on Sunday afternoon. This joint performance will be at Frankfort’s new Ward Oates Amphitheatre overlooking the Kentucky River. Cannons will join the horns, fifes, and drums in a dramatic – and loud – closing concert.

All Cornets and Cannons events will be free. Details about the performers, presenting scholars, and venues are at the event website – www.cornetsandcannons.com.

Silent Auction of Fort Sumter Flag at April Meeting

We will conclude the silent auction of a flag that has flown over Fort Sumter and was donated by National Park Historian Rick Hatcher. This is a reproduction of the first Confederate flag that flew over the fort after the surrender on April 13, 1861. This flag will be won just three days from the 150th anniversary of the firing on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.

2010 – 2011 Dates

Saturday April 9 John Marszalek “Grant Returns to Mississippi”

Saturday May 14 Jeffrey Wert “Jeb Stuart”

Saturday September 7 Joe Reinhart “ McCook’s Dutchmen: The 9th Ohio Infantry”

Saturday October 8 Larry Hewitt “Bragg and His Calvary”

Saturday November 12 Glenn LaFantasie “The Rise of U.S. Grant”

Saturday December 3 Sam Elliot “Tennessee Governor Isham Harris”

Saturday February 11 Michael Bradley “TBA”

Saturday March 10 Gary Gallagher “TBA”

Saturday April 14 Ari Hoogenboom “TBA”

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

LCWRT Loses Life Member Wolfe Scofield

The Louisville Civil War Round table is saddened by the death of Dr. Wolfe Scofield on April 3, 2011 after a long illness. Wolfe was a Past President and former board member and dedicated to the welfare of the Round Table. He was honored with our Life Membership in 2008. He and Tiffany were a fixture on our Spring Field Trips.

He will be missed. We extend deep sympathies to Tiffany and their son Ted.

From the Courier Journal:

"A lifelong Louisvillian, Wolfe was a graduate of Atherton High School, the University of Louisville and U of L's School of Medicine. He was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award and Alumni Service Award from the College of Arts & Sciences, and the Irvin S. Abell Sr. Award from the School of Medicine. Wolfe completed his surgical training at the Mayo Clinic and served as president of the Jefferson County Medical Society, chief of staff and chief of surgery of Audubon Hospital as well as numerous other medical staffs. He was very active in the community, serving as president and life member of the Louisville Civil War Round Table, president of the Innominate Society and the Woodcock Society, and leading many other local organizations. He was a member of St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church and especially enjoyed going on mission trips."

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Bits and Pieces, April 2011

Springfield Ohio Civil War Symposium, May 7

A Civil War symposium will be held in Springfield, Ohio on May 7 at the Heritage Center, 117 South Fountain Ave. The symposium will start at 9:00 and include 3 speakers before lunch at 12:00. Following lunch will be two more speakers and a panel discussion on "Was the Civil War Inevitable?" Speakers include Fergus Bodewich, Mark Grimsley, Ethan Rafuse, and Nicole Etcheson. The cost is $25.00 and there is limited seating.

There will also be a bookshop and book signings and Andy Turner of the Morningside Book Store the publisher of the "Gettysburg Magazine" will be there. The symposium will end at 5:00. Reservations are required and the deadline is April 30, 2011. You can call the Springfield Heritage Center for tickets at 937-324-0697.

For Pennsylvania Casino, a Civics Lesson from Wal-Mart

By James Lighthizer and Tom Kiernan of the Civil War Trust

"Wal-Mart recently made the responsible and welcome decision to abandon its plan to build a supercenter on the Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County, Va. Just as its permit to build on the Civil War site was about to go to trial, and after enduring what one media outlet called "withering opposition," the nation's largest retailer explained that it "just felt it was the right thing to do." But other historic sites are not so lucky. As well-intentioned as it may be, the proposed Mason-Dixon Casino near Pennsylvania's Gettysburg Battlefield could similarly compromise the integrity of some of the most hallowed ground in our country - ground soaked with the blood of tens of thousands of our ancestors, and further consecrated by the words of Abraham Lincoln as he set the nation on a path toward "a new birth of freedom." If approved, the proposal would allow a casino to operate at the battlefield's edge, just a half-mile from the boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park.

Four years ago, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board decided that an application for a gaming hall twice as far from the battlefield was inappropriate. But the controversy continues as another proposal is considered.

America is poised to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War this year. From coast to coast, communities are preparing to pay tribute to its staggering consequences and its role in shaping the country we know today. Now is not the time for division. Rather, let us use this occasion to put controversies behind us.

As the newly inaugurated president of a nation on the brink of a mass fratricide, Abraham Lincoln told his fellow citizens, "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot's grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when touched again, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

Today, too, we must remember that we are not enemies, but fellow citizens of a country shaped by the men who fell at Gettysburg, Wilderness, and thousands of other battlefields before, during, and since the Civil War. If Wal-Mart can change its mind and subjugate financial gain to respect for our national heritage in the case of Wilderness, will Mason-Dixon's investors not consider a similar act of corporate and social responsibility for Gettysburg? "

March 2011 Quiz:

1. One of President-elect Lincoln's cabinet appointees tried to withdraw prior to the inauguration. Who was he?

2. How many reinforcements did Major Robert Anderson say he needed in order to hold Fort Sumter?

3. What was the last Major public act of Sam Houston, the deposed governor of Texas?

4. The Confederacy sent three commissioners to negotiate with the Lincoln administration. Who
were they?

5. What Supreme Court Justice served as a go-between for the Confederate commissioners with what Lincoln cabinet member? What were the results of these dealings?

Sunday, March 13, 2011

George Rable: God's Amost Chosen People

Speaker: George Rable

Last night, the LCWRT was pleased to welcome George C. Rable as its speaker. Dr. Rable is the Charles G. Summersell Chair in Southern History at the University of Alabama. A native of Lima, Ohio, he received his B.A from Bluffton College (1972), his M.A from Louisiana State University (1973), and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University (1978). From 2004-2008, he served as the President of the Society of Civil War Historians.

His many books include: Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg! (University of North Carolina Press, 2002), which won the Lincoln Prize, the Society for Military History Distinguished Book Award in American Military History, the Jefferson Davis Award, the Douglas Southall Freeman History Award and was a History Book Club selection; The Confederate Republic: A Revolution Against Politics (University of North Carolina Press, 1994), which was a History Book Club selection; Civil Wars: Women and the Crisis of Southern Nationalism (University of Illinois Press, 1989), which won the Julia Cherry Spruill Prize and the Jefferson Davis Award; and But There Was No Peace: The Role of Violence in the Politics of Reconstruction. (University of Georgia Press, 1984). His latest book is God’s Almost Chosen Peoples: A Religious History Summary. This talk examines how Americans--Union and Confederate alike--used their religious faith to interpret the causes, course, and consequences of the American Civil War.

Follow the Civil War Sesquicentennial On-line

If you have access to the Internet, you can follow the events each day of what happened 150 years ago in both the New York Times and the Washington Post. The New York Times web site is Nytimes.com and just click on Opinion then Opinionator and Disunion and you will find a listing of the articles. The Washington Post address is washingtonpost.com and then go to house-divided.

Kentucky Sesquicentennial Events

Here is a brief list of upcoming Sesquicentennial happenings in the Bluegrass:
April 8-9: Civil War seminar, Winchester.
April 10: Gravestone dedication, United States Colored Troops, Simpsonville.

Suggested Reading for the Gettysburg Field Trip

Here are some suggested readings to prepare you for the Gettysburg Field Trip. The best book on Gettysburg is Edwin Coddington's The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command. The three books of essays edited by Gary Gallagher are excellent as is Gettysburg, A Journey in Time by William Fascinato. A shorter book written by Shelby Foote, Stars in Their Courses is a great read. Stephen Sears, Andre Trudeau, and Harry Phanz all have great books out on the battle. Earl Hess has the latest book out on Pickett's Charge and not to be forgotten is the Time Life book on Gettysburg with excellent maps and pictures.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Walmart Drops Wilderness Battlefield Development Plan

Walmart Drops Wilderness Plan

Good News in Battlefield Preservation From The Civil War Trust:

"In an unexpected development on the day that a trial was scheduled to begin in the case, Walmart announced that it has abandoned plans to pursue a special use permit previously awarded to the retail giant for construction of a super center on the Wilderness Battlefield.

“We are pleased with Walmart’s decision to abandon plans to build a super center on the Wilderness battlefield,” remarked James Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Trust. “We have long believed that Walmart would ultimately recognize that it is in the best interests of all concerned to move their intended store away from the battlefield. We applaud Walmart officials for putting the interests of historic preservation first. Sam Walton would be proud of this decision.”

For more information: CWT website

Monday, January 24, 2011

Louisville Civil War Round Table Celebrates 50 Years

Jan 22, 2011, the Louisville Civil War Round Table celebrated our 50th Anniversary with a special dinner and speaker at our home of many years, Big Springs Country Club. It was a grand evening, with many guests, long time and brand new members, and including 2 Life Members and 19 Present and Past Presidents. We were particularly honored to have Tom Speckman, and original Charter member with us. Dr. James I. "Bud" Robertson gave an excellent presentation on history and work of the Civil War Centennial Commission and its lesson for the Sesquicentennial.



Our speaker, distinguished scholar, author and LWCRT Life Member James I. Robertson



LCWRT Past Presidents in attendance: Back Row: Leif Bunting, Marc Oca, William Gist, Bob Bortner, Dave Dietrich, Doug Krawcyk, Lowell Griffin, Thomas Speckman, John Davis, Gordon Snyder, John Belluci (hidden,Bryan Winslow,John Thomas, Rusty Brown. Front row: Holly Jenkins-Evans ,Don Meyer, Tom Lively. Art Boerner and Dick Skidmore not shown.

Friday, January 21, 2011

LCWRT featured in Courier -Journal

Four members of the Louisville Civil War Round Table sat down with Dale Moss of the Courier Journal recently and had a lively lunch at the August Moon on Lexington Rd. in Louisville. Here's the result:

Local Round Table cannot stop learning about the Civil War



Members of the Louisville Civil War Round Table include Mark Oca, John Davis, Holly Jenkins-Evans and Dr. Art Boerner. (photo by Dale Moss)

To learn more about the Civil War Round Table, visit www.louisvillecwrt.yolasite.com or call John Davis at (502) 560-2201.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

LCWRT to Celebrate 50 Years

Anniversary Meeting, January 22nd, 2011, What the Civil War Centennial Taught Us

This will be a night to commemorate our first 50 years and to honor those whose leadership and sacrifices made it possible. We celebrate with a special menu, a 50th Anniversary birthday cake and a champagne toast. Attendees will receive a 50th anniversary pin and a history of the Round Table and will be invited to sign the 50th Roll Call. Former chaplain Rev. Bruce Michard will be in attendance and he has graciously consented to offer the prayer at the start of the meeting.

Meet Our Speaker – James I. “Bud” Robertson, Jr.

We are happy to have back our longtime friend and life member of our Round Table, James I. ‘Bud’ Robertson, Jr. for our 50th anniversary meeting. He is without question one of the preeminent Civil War scholars and lecturers of our time. He has written and edited over 20 books and countless articles and reviews. His latest book is a collection of essays co-edited with William C. Davis, Virginia at War, 1863.Among his other books are The Stonewall Brigade, General A. P. Hill, Soldiers Blue and Gray, Civil War Sites in Virginia, and of course his award winning Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend. He appears regularly in Civil War programs on the History Channel and he also served as chief historical consultant for the movie Gods and Generals.

James I. Robertson, Jr. is a native of Danville, Virginia and a great-grandson of a Confederate veteran. He received his B. A. and Litt.D. degrees from Randolph-Macon College and M. A. and Ph.D degree from Emory University, where he studied under famous Civil War historian Bell I. Wiley. He served as Executive Director of the U. S. Civil War Centennial Commission and has been honored with several major awards including the 1987 Fletcher Pratt Award, the 1988 Jefferson Davis Medal and the Freeman-Nevins Award. His biography of Stonewall Jackson has won eight national awards.

Dr. Robertson is currently Alumni Distinguished Professor in history at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Since our founding, Bud Robertson has been one of our favorite speakers and has visited us frequently since the early 1960’s.

To see all of Dr. Robertson' works on amazon.con, click here

Follow the Civil War Sesquicentennial On-line

You can follow the events each day of what happened 150 years ago in both the New York Times and the Washington Post. Both of the papers are offering great articles on the Civil War and these are absolutely free. At the New Times : click here Disunion and you will find a listing of the articles. At the Washington Post: House Divided

Silent Auction Begins at January Meeting

We begin a silent auction in January with a bust of Robert E. Lee and a set of Douglas Southall Freeman’s R.E. Lee.These were donated by Dick Skidmore from Wilda Skidmore’s Lee collection. There will also be a flag that flew over Fort Sumter unitl it was retired in 2008. This was donated by National Park Historian Rick Hatcher. This is a reproduction of the first Confederate flag that flew over the fort after the surrender in April 1861.

2011 Field Trip: Return to Gettysburg

There are 48 people signed up for the Gettysburg field trip and 34 of these are guaranteed one of the 54 seats on the tour bus. Remember, signing up alone will not guarantee your reservation. Only the paid deposit will. We will be going to Gettysburg to study the biggest battle of the Civil War. The dates will be March 30 – April 3. Our guide will be Chris Kolakowski.