Louisville Civil War Round Table

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

2011-10-26T22:45:00.000-04:00

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

New book on The Stones River and Tullahoma Campaigns is Coming

2011-10-15T16:53:00.000-04:00

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.

Davis and Stephens: A Marriage Made in Hell

2011-10-06T22:20:00.000-04:00

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?

The LCWRT Season has Begun

2011-10-03T22:20:00.000-04:00

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.

Bits and Pieces, July 4, 2011

2011-07-04T11:11:00.000-04:00

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

The LCWRT May Wrap up

2011-05-31T16:27:00.000-04:00

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)

LCWRT Participates at the Simpsonville Massacre Dedication

2011-04-17T10:57:00.000-04:00

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

Shelby County Historic Society Dedicates USCC 5th KY Cavalry Memorial

2011-04-11T11:59:00.001-04:00

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

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

2011-04-08T16:09:00.003-04:00

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”

LCWRT Loses Life Member Wolfe Scofield

2011-04-06T09:50:00.002-04:00

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."

Bits and Pieces, April 2011

2011-04-05T16:03:00.002-04:00

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?

George Rable: God's Amost Chosen People

2011-03-13T10:50:00.002-04:00

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.

Walmart Drops Wilderness Battlefield Development Plan

2011-01-26T12:12:00.004-05:00

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

Louisville Civil War Round Table Celebrates 50 Years

2011-01-24T16:01:00.002-05:00

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.

LCWRT featured in Courier -Journal

2011-01-21T10:49:00.002-05:00

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.

LCWRT to Celebrate 50 Years

2011-01-20T16:04:00.002-05:00

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 50^th Anniversary birthday cake and a champagne toast. Attendees will receive a 50^th anniversary pin and a history of the Round Table and will be invited to sign the 50^th 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 50^th 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.

Odyssey of a Border State. Dec. 4

2010-12-04T10:42:00.003-05:00

Saturday, Dec.4, 2010

Odyssey of a Border State: Antebellum Kentucky During the Sectional Crisis 1845 – 1860

The LCWRT will welcome Gary Matthews tonight to speak on Antebellum Kentucky. Gary R. Matthews is an independent historian and free lance writer who resides in Lexington, Kentucky.Mr. Matthews is a native of Virginia who has studied history at the University of Virginia and law and economics at the Pennsylvania State University.He is the author of Basil Wilson Duke, C.S.A.: The Right Man in the Right Place (University Press of Kentucky, 2005) and “Beleaguered Loyalties: Kentucky Unionism,” in Sister States Enemy States: The Civil War in Kentucky and Tennessee (University Press of Kentucky, 2009).Mr. Matthews is currently working on book length manuscript that is intended to be an in-depth examination of the topics that will be addressed in his December 4^th lecture.

2010-2011 Preservation Grant Awarded

The 2010 – 2011 Louisville Civil War Preservation Grant has been awarded to the Civil War Preservation Trust for the purchase of land at Perryville.A check for $1450.00 was sent to the CWPT and will be matched 4 to 1 and goes toward saving 357 acres of historic ground.Thanks to everyone who contributed and to Holly Jenkins-Evans who is the chairperson of our preservation committee.

50 for the 50th

In honor of its 50th Anniversary, the Louisville Civil War Roundtable selected what it considers the 50 Essential Books on the Civil War. These works are not necessarily the best books on the era, but rather are the basic resources necessary for anyone to understand the period 1861-1865. The list is divided by categories and touches as much of the war as possible; no effort was made to rank the books within each category, or to decide the relative merits of each type of book. All of these titles are available today. Taken as a whole, they represent the Civil War and its myriad facets.

Battles/Campaigns:

Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas by John Hennesey
The Gleam of Bayonets: The Battle of Antietam by James Murfin
The Campaign of Chancellorsville by John Bigelow
The Campaign of Gettysburg by Edward Coddington
The Vicksburg Campaign 3 Vols by Ed Bearss
This Terrible Sound: Chickamauga by Peter Cozzens
Wilderness/Spotsylvania by Gordon Rhea
Shiloh: Bloody April by Wiley Sword
Stonewall in the Valley by Robert Tanner
Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864 by Albert Castel

Biography:

RE Lee 4 vols by Douglas S. Freeman
The Edge of Glory: A Biography of General William S. Rosecrans by William Lamers
John Breckinridge by William C. Davis
The Young Napoleon by Stephen Sears
Rock of Chickamauga: The Life of General George H. Thomas by Freeman Cleaves
Lincoln by David Donald
Lee the Soldier edited by Gary Gallagher
Jefferson Davis by William Cooper
Lincoln and His Generals by T. Harry Williams
Stonewall Jackson by James I. Robertson

Fiction/Literature:

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Unit Histories:

Lee’s Lieutenants by Douglas S. Freeman
Mother May You Never See the Sights I have Seen: The 57th Massachusetts by Warren Wilkinson
The Union Cavalry in the Civil War by Stephen Starr
Two Great Rebel Armies by Richard McMurry
The Army of the Potomac 3 Vols by Bruce Catton
The Orphan Brigade by William C. Davis
Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee by Stephen Woodworth
Army of the Heartland and Autumn of Their Glory by Thomas Connelly
The Stonewall Brigade by Bud Robertson
Education in Violence: The Army of the Cumberland by Francis McKinney

General Histories:
Photographic History of the Civil War in Ten Volumes by Francis Miller
Battles & Leaders Century Magazine
The American Heritage History of the Civil War (Old Version Bruce Catton)
Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson
The Civil War 3 vols by Shelby Foote
Virginia at War 4 vols edited by William C. Davis and James I. Robertson

Memoir:
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant
Memoirs of William T. Sherman by William T. Sherman
The Civil War Papers of George McClellan by Stephen Sears
A Confederate War Clerk’s Diary by John B. Jones
Fighting for the Confederacy by E.P. Alexander
Memoirs of a Dutch Mudsill: The “War Memories” of John Henry Otto 21st Wisconsin
by John Henry Otto
Company Aytch by Sam Watkins
A Diary From Dixie by Mary Boykin Chestnut
Memoir of Service Afloat During the War Between the States by Raphael Semmes
The Children of Pride: A True Story of Georgia in the Civil War by Charles Babcock Jones edited by Robert Meyer

LCWRT Announces 2010 - 2011 Preservation Grant

2010-11-12T22:53:00.003-05:00

The Louisville Civil War Round Table is pleased in this 50th Anniversary Year to announce the award of our 2010 - 2011 Preservation Grant. This years $1450 grant will go to the Civil War Preservation Trust for their 2010 Kentucky Campaign. The CWPT’s aim is to protect 327 acres of Perryville Battlefield through a matching grant campaign at a 4 to 1 return. The total goal is $169,059. This $1450 grant will help protect almost three acres of battlefield land in the northeastern part of the field, where the right wing of Gen. Braxton Bragg’s army formed up and jumped off on their attack. This is a grand opportunity to directly save battlefield land in Kentucky.
With this gift, the LCWRT has now awarded over $13,000 in grants to protect and enhance Kentucky’s Civil War sites since the Preservation Grant was established in 2000. Past recipients include the Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation, the Middle Creek National Battlefield Foundation, the Tebbs Bend Battlefield Association, the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, the Rolling Fork Historic Preservation Association, the Friends of Fort Duffield, the Shelby County, KY Historical Society and Columbus-Belmont State Park.

We a re very proud to be part of the Civil War Preservation Trust’s ongoing effort to preserve this honored ground.

For more on the Battle of Perryville, the efforts to save land and the CWPT, please click here: CWPT

Fall Field Trip: Frankfort, KY

2010-10-19T17:59:00.009-04:00

An eighteen person strong contingent of the LCWRT traveled to Frankfort on the 17th for the Annual Fall Field Trip. Our tour guide was the able and intrepid Nicky Hughes of the Capitol City Museum. We were extremely fortunate to have a perfect day - cool in the morning and balmy in the afternoon. Meeting up early in Frankfort

The morning session included a detailed tour of the Civil War Forts at Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill. We carpooled to the Sullivan House, a c. 1810 clapboard covered log house, which serves as the visitors center and museum.

Exterior of the Sullivan House

Nicky then led us through Fort Boone, the earthworks fort built by the 103rd OH in 1863. This was the site of the June 10 - 11 1864 skirmish that successfully defended the state capitol of Ky during a raid by John Hunt Morgan’s men in June of 1864. While not important for the war as a whole, it is significant in KY history as a burned state capitol would have left state government in ruins and likely led to a movement to mode the capitol to Louisville, Lexington or other sites that had agitated for a change off and on over the years.

Fort Boone earthworks

The fort was manned by local militia, called in to action and led by Gov. Thomas Bramlette, one of, if not the only US Governor to actually man a weapon in defense of his capitol. Another well known defender was John Marshall Harlan, a future US Supreme Court justice.

View of Frankfort from Fort Hill

The views from the park are outstanding, with historic downtown Frankfort , the Old Capitol , the New 1910 Capitol and the Arsenal in view. The Fort Hill site contains well defined earthwork remains, original stone walls and at the later, 1864 New Redoubt , the original stone magazine. The earthworks here are unusual in containing a dry stone wall core under the tamped earth. An excellent lunch arranged by Nicky was followed by medical and artillery demonstrations. Some hardy souls volunteered to form the temporary LCWRT Artillery Battery, and were successful in firing a 10 lb Parrot. Well done.

LCWRT members assist our tour guides with the firing of a reproduction 10 lb Parrot

The afternoon continued with a walking tour of downtown Frankfort, where Nicky covered the 1862 occupation of Frankfort by Braxton Bragg’s forces and Bragg’s visit and sudden departure through the railroad tunnel, as well as local history , the assassination of Gov. William Goebel, and the extensive Civil War era homes in downtown. He included a visit to the Capital City Museum and we finished up at The Frankfort Cemetery, resting place of many KY Governors, Civil War veterans and of course, like good Kentuckians, we concluded at the grave of Daniel Boone.

Civil War era railrod tunnel in downtown

LCWRT members take a break during the walking tour

Links for further reading:

Capitol City Museum

Leslie Morris Park

Ky State Historical Society

Coming in October: The Fall Field Trip

2010-09-12T16:17:00.006-04:00

2010 Fall Field Trip: Frankfort Ky. Sunday October 17

The one-day Fall Field Trip to Frankfort is coming up soon - October 17th. This includes a walking tour of downtown to see sites associated with the secession crisis, the 1862 occupation of Frankfort by the Confederates including streets involved in skirmishing during their departure, Morgan's 1864 raid on the town, residences of notable personages from the Civil War era, and the Capital City Museum, which has a couple of interesting Civil War relics. We will also tour the Frankfort Cemetery, where we can see the graves of Simon Bolivar Buckner and many other Civil War soldiers and politicians, the Kentucky Military Monument, Confederate Circle, and of course Daniel Boone's grave. The high point of the day will be a tour of the Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill, which features an 1810 log house visitor center outfitted as a Civil War era tavern, two Civil War earthwork forts, the site of an 1864 Morgan's Last Raid skirmish, and a spectacular view of downtown Frankfort. Our guide will be Nicky Hughes who is an expert on Frankfort in the Civil War.
Remember, there is no charge for this trip except paying for your own transportation and lunch. We will be car-pooling to Frankfort. Look for more details in the October newsletter and a sign up sheet will once again be at the dinner meeting.

Civil War Guide and Historian David Hinze Passes Away

David C. Hinze, well known as a tour leader for the Civil War Education Association and other groups, passed away suddenly on August 18, 2010, at his home in Rolla, Missouri. He was 58. David had spoken to us three times in the last few years and was the guide on our Trans-Mississippi field trip. Our own Dick Skidmore offered these words on his passing, “The death of Hinze is one of those "unbelievable" deaths that happen only occasionally. It cannot be comprehended. The guy was so full of exuberance in every job he undertook. We knew him as a truly excellent Civil War guide, excited for the opportunity to explain it all in detail, but what a wonderful classroom teacher he must have been. There will be many tears shed for Dave. He will be missed, no doubt about it.”

Membership Renewals

It is now time to pay the annual membership fees of the Round Table. Remember any amount you give above the basic or family membership fee is tax-deductible since the Round Table has tax-exempt status as a 501 (c) (3) organization!

The Options:
Option One: Regular Membership $30 Basic membership.
Option Two: Family Membership $35 Allows spouse or family living in the same household to also join.
+$5 For each additional family member.
Option Three: Patron Membership $55+ Membership with financial gift to LCWRT.

The additional funds raised through Patron memberships allow the LCWRT to take an active role in Civil War Battlefield Preservation as well as help pay the costs of bringing the very best Civil War speakers to our meetings.
Please send your membership renewal to: LCWRT, 1028 Sarah Drive, Louisville, KY 40219-4923

2011 Field Trip: Return to Gettysburg

The LCWRT will be going back to Gettysburg on March 30 through April 3 for our 2011 field trip to study the biggest battle of the Civil War with guide Chris Kolakowski. There is a limit of 54 that can take the tour so sign up early and pay your deposit. A nonrefundable deposit of $200 will guarantee your reservation. The sign up sheet will be available at the dinner meetings and since 30+ members have already signed in, this trip may fill early.

LCWRT 2010 - 2011 Season due to Start

2010-09-05T19:44:00.004-04:00

The 2010 - 2011 Louisville Civil War Round Table season will start soon on Sept. 11, 2010 with our speaker Greg Mertz presenting “The Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse: Determining the Intent of the Enemy". Greg is already well known to member of the LCWRT as our Spring tour guide at both Chancellorsville in 2009 and The Wilderness/Spotsylvania Courthouse in 2000.

Greg Mertz was born and raised near St. Louis, Missouri and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri, and a master’s degree from Shippensburg University. He began his National Park Service career at Gettysburg National Military Park and obtained his first permanent job at the Eisenhower National Historic Site. For the last 26 years he has been at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park where he currently serves as the Supervisory Historian at Fredericksburg, selecting and training the permanent, seasonal, intern and volunteer employees that provide visitor services in the park. He has written four feature articles for Blue and Gray Magazine on the Battle of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. He is the 2002 recipient of the Jefferson Davis medal from the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House -- Determining the Intent of the Enemy

The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was fought from May 8 to 21, 1864 and was the second battle in the Fredericksburg area between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Though Union forces had been in the Fredericksburg vicinity for more than two years by that point, they had never penetrated so far into Spotsylvania County, so were in unfamiliar territory, and were further hampered by inaccurate maps. Learning about new territory, as well as keeping track of enemy movements and positions fell primarily to the cavalry. But through an interesting set of circumstances, Grant sent virtually all of his cavalry away on the second day of the battle. Lee had little choice but to dispatch a significant part of his own cavalry to counter the Union horsemen. This left both armies without their “eyes and ears.” One way of looking at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House is through the distorted lenses of the army commanders and how they sought to determine just what the other army was up to. We will see both commanders make some very logical conclusions regarding the enemy intent, only to find that though reasonable, they were wrong. Join us as we examine this battle by comparing what the generals thought was happening, with the actual situation.

A Message from Our New President: “Fifty Glorious Years”

Fifty years ago I was eleven years old living in Mattoon, Illinois about to start seventh grade with no interest in History of any type let alone The Civil War. College level History was my first introduction to the Civil War and from that point on I was hooked. I had wanted to join the Louisville Civil War Round Table since learning about it in the early 1980’s from a fellow physician, but as life goes I got around to joining in the fall of 1999. I went on my first field trip to Shiloh Battlefield a year later and I was besieged with information and loved it.

I am honored to be serving my second term as President of this prestigious organization as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary. As always this year’s list of speakers will more than fit the occasion, with James “Bud” Robertson marking the Birthday Celebration with what we know will be a first rate presentation.

The field trip this year will be to the “High Water” mark of the conflict Gettysburg, Pa. It promises to be a memorial event for all who choose to go.

There are plans to promote this special year of The Louisville Civil War Round Table through the local print media requesting a special article close to the date of the our Golden Anniversary.

The Civil War Round Table of Louisville is turning fifty and to mark that event we are requesting the sage and wise of all ages to contribute to our list of the “50” must read books to understand the event known as the “Civil War”.

Art Boerner, President

2010 – 2011 Meeting Dates

Saturday September 11 Greg Mertz “Spotsylvania Courthouse”

Saturday October 9 Richard McMurry “General Joe Johnston”

Saturday November 13 Thomas Mays “Cumberland Blood: Champ Ferguson”

Saturday December 4 Gary Matthews “Odyssey of a Border State: Antebellum Kentucky During the Sectional Crisis, 1845-1860 ”

Saturday January 22 Bud Robertson “TBA”

Saturday February 12 Ed Bearss “TBA”

Saturday March 12 George Rable “TBA”

Saturday April 9 John Marszalek “TBA”

Saturday May 14 Jeffrey Wert “Jeb Stuart”

2010 Fall Field Trip: Frankfort Ky. Sunday October 17

The LCWRT will be taking a one-day field trip to Frankfort October 17th. The day will include a walking tour of downtown to see sites associated with the secession crisis and Kentucky neutrality, the 1862 occupation of Frankfort by the Confederates including streets involved in skirmishing during their departure, Morgan's 1864 raid on the town, residences of notable personages from the Civil War era, and the Capital City Museum (which has a couple of interesting Civil War relics.) The day will also include a tour of the Frankfort Cemetery, with the graves of Simon Bolivar Buckner and many other Civil War soldiers and politicians, the Kentucky Military Monument, Confederate Circle, and of course Daniel Boone's grave. The high point of the day will be a tour of the Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill, which features an 1810 log house visitor center outfitted as a Civil War era tavern, two Civil War earthwork forts, the site of an 1864 Morgan's Last Raid skirmish, and a spectacular view of downtown Frankfort.

Our guide will be Nicky Hughes who is an expert on Frankfort in the Civil War. There is no charge for this trip except paying for your own transportation and lunch. We will be car-pooling to Frankfort. Look for more details in next month’s newsletter and a sign-up sheet at the meeting.

LCWRT Spring Field Trip: Stop at Hoover's Gap

2010-06-29T11:46:00.005-04:00

The LCWRT Spring Field Trip included a bonus stop at Hoover's Gap on our way to explore the early phases of the Atlanta Campaign. This small site in Tennessee contains Beech Grove Confederate Cemetery, artillery pieces, and handy explanatory information, as well as a plaque for 18th Indiana Battery and a monument to Stewart's Division. Getting to see the ground at this crucial point of the Tullahoma campaign where Wilder's Lightning Brigade earned their name was a real treat.

photos courtesy of LCWRT member Karl Stelly

Sneak Preveiw: A German Hurrah! Civil War Letters of Friedrich Bertsch & Wilhelm Stängel, 9th Ohio Infantry

2010-06-06T22:37:00.004-04:00

Long time LCWRT Member and Webmaster Joseph R. Reinhart' s latest book, A German Hurrah! Civil War Letters of Friedrich Bertsch and Wilhelm Stängel, 9th Ohio Infantry, can now be pre-ordered through Kent State Press.

From Kent State University Press:"Bertsch’s and Stängel’s letters from the battlefront were published in German American newspapers and are historically significant for several reasons: they are among the very rare collections of letters from soldiers in a German regiment; they fill a significant void of letters from Union fighting men describing the events in the rugged mountains and valleys of western Virginia during the North’s first campaign and subsequent service in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama; they provide a useful account of how the two German Americans viewed the war, American officers and enlisted men, other immigrant soldiers, and the enemy; they shed light on the ethnic dimensions of the war, especially ethnic identity, pride, and solidarity; and they reflect the overarching political climate in which the war was fought. Additionally, these contemporary letters are superior to accounts written years or decades after the events occurred.

A German Hurrah! makes Bertsch’s and Stängel’s letters available in English for the first time. It is a valuable addition to Civil War studies and will be welcomed by those interested in ethnicity and immigration.

Joseph R. Reinhart’s recent books include Two Germans in the Civil War: The Diary of John Daeuble and the Letters of Gottfried Rentschler, Sixth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry; A History of the 6th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry U.S: The Boys Who Feared No Noise, and August Willich’s Gallant Dutchmen: Civil War Letters from the 32nd Indiana Infantry (The Kent State University Press, 2006)."

To pre-order, click Here

Columbus-Belmont State Park Receives LCWRT Preservation Grant

2010-04-21T10:50:00.001-04:00

The Louisville Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce the winner of the 2010 LCWRT Preservation Grant. This grant is given annually to a Civil War site in the State of Kentucky. This years recipient is Columbus-Belmont State Park in Columbus, Ky., a 156-acre site of fortifications built by the Confederates and later occupied by Union forces. The 1861 Battle of Belmont, a raid fought to test the strength of this Confederate stronghold, marked the opening of the Union's Western Campaign. It was also Union General Ulysses S. Grant's first active engagement in the Civil War. Some of the artillery, which shelled the Union troops, and the six-ton anchor that held the great chain stretching across the river, are on display in the park. The $1000 Preservation Grant will be used to aid in the repair and restoration of a quarter mile length of original earth-works. These earth-works will be a featured attraction for both the 20th Anniversary of Civil War Days at Columbus-Belmont State Park as well as events for the coming Sesquicentennial of the Civil War in 2011. Columbus-Belmont State Park has approximately 100,000 visitors a year.

In the ten years since the LCWRT began funding a grant for preservation, we have given over $11,000 to organizations in the state. Previous recipients include Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation, Tebbs Bend Battlefield Association, Perryville Battlefield Association, Friends of Fort Duffield, and Middle Creek National Battlefield Foundation. Cindy Lynch, the Manager of Columbus-Belmont State Park, will receive the grant at the May 2010 regular meeting.

Park Day 2010

2010-04-07T09:19:00.003-04:00

From the Civil War Preservation Trust:

Volunteers needed for Park Day - April 10, 2010!

"Since 1996, the Civil War Preservation Trust has sponsored Park Day, an annual hands-on preservation event to help Civil War battlefields and historic sites take on maintenance projects large and small. Activities are chosen by each participating site to meet their own particular needs and can range from raking leaves and hauling trash to painting signs and trail building.

This year Park Day will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010. The nationwide effort is underwritten with a grant from History™, formerly The History Channel, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a “Take Pride in America” event."

For a full list of participating sites, please visit: http://www.civilwar.org/aboutus/events/park-day/

Civil War Sites in Kentucky that are participating:

Camp Wildcat

Northern Kentucky Civil War Fortification System: James A. Ramage Civil War Museum

Fort Boone Civil War Battle Site

Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site

Middle Creek National Battlefield

Fort Duffield

Battle of Richmond, Kentucky

Octagon Hall Museum

Columbus-Belmont State Park

Battle for the Bridge Historic Preserve

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site

Please consider participating. This is an excellent chance to get on the fields, meet people and make a difference.

CWPT: 2010 Battle in the Bluegrass – The Fight for Kentucky

2010-04-07T09:10:00.002-04:00

The Civil War Preservation Trust Conference in Lexington, KY

The nation’s leading Civil War battlefield preservation group, the Civil War Preservation Trust, will be in Lexington this June for their annual conference. You can join CWPT members and staff along with some of the nation’s best known historians for four days of fellowship and Civil War touring at the 2010 Battle in the Bluegrass – The Fight for Kentucky conference in Lexington, Kentucky on June 3 – 6, 2010.

Tours will include the: Battle of Mill Springs; Battle of Perryville; Battle of Richmond; Historic Homes…and more. Invited speakers and scholars include Edwin C. Bearss, Kent Masterson Brown, LCWRT' s Chris Kolakowski, Richard McMurray and Richard Sommers. Conference Registration Fee is $585 - a small discount is available for on-line registration. Conference fees include tours, tour guides, coaches, conference welcome packet, name tags, etc. Fee does not include hotel accommodations; you must make your own reservation. A special conference room rate of $129 is available at the Lexington Downtown Hotel and Conference Center - the conference location - until Tuesday, May 11, 2010. For the full ad and schedule or to register on-line visit their web site at:

www.civilwar.org/annualconference.

William C. Davis: Lincoln's Men

2010-04-05T18:50:00.003-04:00

William C. Davis

On Saturday, April 10, the LCWRT is pleased to welcome back one of the great Civil War Historians of modern times, William C. Davis. Jack Davis is a native of Independence, Missouri, was educated in northern California, and then spent twenty years in editorial management in the magazine and book publishing industry, before leaving in 1990 to spent the next decade working as a writer and consultant. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books in the fields of Civil War and Southern history, as well as numerous documentary screenplays. He was the on-camera senior consultant for 52 episodes of the Arts & Entertainment Network/History Channel series “Civil War Journal,” as well as a number of other productions on commercial and Public Television, for the BBC abroad, and has acted as historical consultant for several television and film productions, including The Blue and the Gray, George Washington, and The Perfect Tribute.

He has twice been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in History, and is the only three-time winner of the Jefferson Davis Award given for book-length works in Confederate History. His latest books are the Virginia at War series published by the University of Kentucky. Davis is currently at Virginia Tech as Director of Programs for the new Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, as well as serving as Professor of History.

2010 Fall Field Trip: Frankfort, Ky

We are planning on taking a one-day field trip to Frankfort October 17th, 2010 with a walking tour of downtown to see sites associated with the secession crisis, Kentucky neutrality, the 1862 occupation of Frankfort by the Confederates, Morgan's 1864 raid on the town, residences of notable personages from the Civil War era, and the Capital City Museum. Additionally, we will tour the Frankfort Cemetery, which contains the graves of Simon Bolivar Buckner, the Kentucky Military Monument, Confederate Circle, and Daniel Boone's grave. The high point of the day will be a tour of the Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill, which features an 1810 log house visitor center outfitted as a Civil War era tavern, two Civil War earthwork forts, the site of an 1864 Morgan's Last Raid skirmish, and a spectacular view of downtown Frankfort. Our guide will be Nicky Hughes who is an expert on Frankfort in the Civil War. There is no charge for this trip except paying for your own transportation and lunch. We will be car-pooling to Frankfort.

Future Speakers

Saturday May 8 Barton Meyers “General Augustus August Wild & U.S. Army Counter-Guerilla Warfare”

Saturday Sept.11 Greg Mertz “Spotsylvania Courthouse”

Saturday Oct. 9 Richard McMurry “General Joe Johnston”

Saturday Nov. 13 Thomas Mays “Cumberland Blood: Champ Ferguson”

Saturday Dec. 4 Gary Matthews Odyssey of a Border State: Antebellum Kentucky During the Sectional Crisis, 1845-1860 ”

Slandered Heroes: Deserters Who Didn’t

2010-03-13T15:04:00.002-05:00

This evening, March 13, the LCWRT welcomes Lawrence Hewitt, a native of Louisville, Kentucky. He received his B.A. from the University of Kentucky, where he studied under Charles P. Roland. Hewitt transferred to Louisiana State University in 1975 and completed his Ph.D. in 1984.
After serving as the Historic Site Manager of the Port Hudson (1978-82) and the Camp Moore State Commemorative Areas (1982-1986), he joined the faculty of Southeastern Louisiana University in 1985. He received that institution's highest honor in 1991, the President’s Award for Excellence in Research.

Professor Hewitt is a past president of the Baton Rouge Civil War Round Table, the 1991 recipient of the New Orleans Civil War Round Table’s Charles L. Dufour Award for "Outstanding Achievements in Preserving the Heritage of the American Civil War" and a life member of the Southern Historical Association and the Louisiana Historical Association.

Since relocating to Chicago, Hewitt served as Managing Editor (1997-1998) and Book Review Editor (1997-1999) for North & South, published numerous articles and book reviews, and addressed various organizations throughout the United States. He is a prolific author and editor, whose works include: Louisianians in the Civil War which he co edited with Arthur W. Bergeron, Kentuckians in Gray: Confederate Generals and Field Officers of the Bluegrass State, (2008) Port Hudson, Confederate Bastion on the Mississippi (1987), The Confederate High Command & Related Topics (1990), and Leadership During the Civil War (1992), Confederate Generals in the Western Theater: Volume 1, Classic Essays on America's Civil War,and Confederate Generals in the Western Theater: Volume 2, Essays on America's Civil War. He is currently working on Lee and His Generals: Essays in Honor of T. Harry Williams, America's Foremost Hispanic: David Glasgow Farragut, and The 14th Louisiana Infantry: the Fightingest Regiment in the Civil War.

Slandered Heroes: Deserters Who Didn’t

"Slandered Heroes: Deserters Who Didn't" deals with Civil War soldiers whose official service records conclude that they were absent without leave at the end of the war when in fact they either died in service or remained on duty. The vast majority of these were the result of bureaucratic procedures used by both sides that required soldiers who disappeared on the battlefield to be labeled as deserters on subsequent muster rolls. These same regulations enabled at least one massacre to be covered up by the North, while amendments to them in the fall of 1863 by the South required thousands of men who were present with their units to be listed as deserters. Union and Confederate soldiers representing the Eastern, Western, and Trans-Mississippi theaters are highlighted as examples of these bureaucratic injustices.

2010 Field Trip: Atlanta Campaign

Deposit Fees Are Due!
If you have signed up for the Atlanta field trip, you need to send your $125 nonrefundable deposit in now. We cannot guarantee you place on the trip if we do not have your deposit. If you have not signed up and would like to go we still have room for a few more. We will be going to Georgia April 14-18, 2010 to study the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 from its commencement south of Chattanooga until the crossing of the Chattahoochee River north of Atlanta. This will include several major battlefields and sites associated with this decisive military campaign. Our guide will be Greg Biggs who is an expert on the Atlanta Campaign. Please sign up at the meeting.

2010 Fall Field Trip: Frankfort Ky.
Sunday October 17, 2010
We are planning on taking a one-day field trip to Frankfort this coming October 17th. We will do a walking tour of downtown to see sites associated with the secession crisis and Kentucky neutrality, the 1862 occupation of Frankfort by the Confederates including streets involved in skirmishing during their departure, Morgan's 1864 raid on the town, residences of notable personages from the Civil War era, and the Capital City Museum, which has a couple of interesting Civil War relics. We will also tour the Frankfort Cemetery, where we can see the graves of Simon Bolivar Buckner and many other Civil War soldiers and politicians, the Kentucky Military Monument, Confederate Circle, and of course Daniel Boone's grave. The high point of the day will be a tour of the Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill, which features an 1810 log house visitor center outfitted as a Civil War era tavern, two Civil War earthwork forts, the site of an 1864 Morgan's Last Raid skirmish, and a spectacular view of downtown Frankfort. Our guide will be Nicky Hughes who is an expert on Frankfort in the Civil War. There is no charge for this trip except paying for your own transportation and lunch. We will be car pooling to Frankfort.

50th Anniversary: 50 Best Civil War Books

As part of our upcoming 50th Anniversary year celebration, the Board of Directors has appointed a committee to select the Round Table’s 50 best books on the Civil War. As part of the selection process we want every member who wishes to nominate their favorite Civil War books. The committee will use your favorites along with their own to come up with the 50 best books. The final list of the "Round Table’s 50 Best Books" will be published and distributed to the membership during our 50th anniversary year.

Future Speakers

Saturday April 10 William C. Davis "Lincoln’s Men"
Saturday May 8 Barton Meyers "General Augustus August Wild and U.S. Army Counter-Guerilla Warfare"
Saturday September 11 Greg Mertz "Spotsylvania Courthouse"
Saturday October 9 Richard McMurry "General Joe Johnston"
Saturday November 13 Thomas Mays "TBA"
Saturday December 4 Gary Matthews "TBA"
　
Civil War Preservation Trust Coming to Lexington

The nation’s leading Civil War battlefield preservation group, the Civil War Preservation Trust, will be in Lexington this June for their annual conference. You can join CWPT members and staff along with some of the nation’s best known historians for four days of fellowship and Civil War touring at the 2010 Battle in the Bluegrass – The Fight for Kentucky conference in Lexington, Kentucky on June 3 – 6, 2010. Tours will include the: Battle of Mill Springs; Battle of Perryville; Battle of Richmond; Historic Homes…and more! Invited speakers and scholars include Edwin C. Bearss, Kent Masterson Brown, our own Chris Kolakowski, Richard McMurray and Richard Sommers. For the full ad and schedule or to register on-line visit their web site at: www.civilwar.org/annualconference.

Mill Springs Print to be Auctioned at April Meeting
As part of our 2010 fund raising efforts, we will be auctioning off a donated print featuring the battle of Mill Springs. The print is entitled "Meeting at the Fence" and is a depiction of a critical moment in the battle. The artist is Robert Cull. It is a very nice print and the only modern painting done on the Battle of Mill Springs. Proceeds will go to fund the cost of bringing in speakers. You can preview the print at the March meeting.

February 2010 Quiz Answers:　

1. What governor accused President Lincoln of leading an "unholy crusade" against the South?
Claiborne Jackson of Missouri
　
2.　 What Confederate congressman took it upon himself to meet with President Lincoln to negotiate a peace settlement?

Henry Foote, Jefferson Davis' harshest critic.　 Lincoln refused to meet with Foote.

3. What city, angry at President Lincoln's call for troops, cut off its telegraph lines to Washington, D.C. and tore up rail tracks?
Baltimore, which was strongly pro-Southern.

4. What did President Lincoln plan to offer Louisiana planters who were willing to pledge loyalty to the Union?
The chance to sell cotton to the Union.　　

5. What phrase, used in a January 1865 letter from President Jefferson Davis to President Abraham Lincoln, made Lincoln shut down peace negotiations?

Davis used the phrase "two nations."　 From Lincoln's point of view, no peace could be had unless the Confederacy admitted that there was only one nation, the United States.

January 2010: The 49th Anniversary Meeting

2010-01-18T09:56:00.005-05:00

"'...have everything ready for an offensive movement...:' Thomas, the Army of
the Cumberland, and the Battle of Missionary Ridge"

This past Saturday the LCWRT was honored to have Jim Ogden as our 49th Anniverary speaker in memory of our founder Frank Rankin.

Jim Ogden has spoken to our Round Table on several occasions. He has also served as our guide on field trips to Chattanooga, Stone’s River, Franklin and Nashville, and most recently to Chickamauga in April 2008. Jim is a native of St. Mary's County, Maryland, and graduated with a degree in American History from Frostburg State College (now University), Frostburg, Maryland. Beginning work with the National Park Service in 1982, he has been stationed at Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, Russell Cave National Monument, and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. In November 1988, he returned to Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park as the Historian, the position he presently holds.

Jim has spoken to Civil War Round Tables, many conferences and seminars, and Historical Societies. He has taught a number of Civil War history courses for the Continuing Education Department of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has published a number of short articles, appeared in Greystone Communications/Arts and Entertainment Network's "Civil War Journal" episode on the Battles for Chattanooga and in the History Channel’s "Civil War Combat" program on Chickamauga, and sinnce 1986, he has instructed for over four hundred groups of officers of the U. S. Army conducting Staff Rides (an in-depth analysis of a historical military event) at Chickamauga and Chattanooga. He has regularly worked with groups from such Army Training and Doctrine Command schools as the now former Ordnance Officers Advance Course and the Armor Captains Career Course (formerly the Armor Officers Advance Course) and command staffs of active duty, Reserve, and National Guard units, organizations, and activities. For ten years, his Staff Ride clients included two to six hundred student-officers annually from the British Army’s Joint Services Command and Staff College.

Jion's presentaion this month was an excellent review of the Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga. The assault of General George H. Thomas' Army of the Cumberland against Missionary Ridge would one of the grand spectacles of the war and of all time. It was supposed to be a limited assault, a demonstration, but it turned out to be the blow that at last secured victory for the Union in the Campaign for Chattanooga. What had happened; why was it successful; why had a "demonstration" become the hammer blow, particularly when you look at the seemingly impregnable terrain? It is these questions and others that Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Historian Jim Ogden addressed in his talk "'...have everything ready for an offensive movement...:' Thomas, the Army of the Cumberland, and the Battle of Missionary Ridge."

1865 Civil War Map of Lousiville with Defenses Available Online

This is a grand little website with Civil War and other information plus a link to a downloadable 1865 map of Louisville with some of the major modern roads indentified. Here's the link:
http://sites.google.com/site/invisiblelouisvillehistory/louisville-during-the-civil-war

Another great source for local history information and links is the Resource page of the Louisville Historical Society at http://www.louisvillehistoricalleague.org/Resources.html

2010 Field Trip: Atlanta Campaign

"From Chattanooga to the Chattahoochee"
We will be going to Georgia April 14-18, 2010 to study the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 from its commencement south of Chattanooga until the crossing of the Chattahoochee River north of Atlanta. This will include several major battlefields and sites associated with this decisive military campaign. Our guide will be Gregg Biggs who is an expert on the Atlanta Campaign. Please sign up at the meeting. For those looking to read up on the Atlanta Campaign before the trip, Albert Castel’s "Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864" is far and away the best book available. For a general overview of the campaign, Richard McMurry’s "Atlanta 1864: Last Chance for the Confederacy" is a great book.

December 2009　Quiz Answers:
　　
1.　 In 1861, when did the Union and the Confederacy observe a day of Thanksgiving?
　 Union:　 Thursday, November 28,　 Confederacy:　 Sunday, July 28
2.　 In a telegram sent on December 22, 1864, General Sherman presented President Lincoln with what he called "a Christmas gift."　 What was it?
The City of Savannah with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.　
3.　 Encouraged by the Union victory at Chattanooga, President Lincoln decided the time was right to begin to look further into the future.　 What Proclamation did he issue on December 8?
The Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, which offered pardons and amnesty to all those who took an oath of allegiance to the United States and accepted its laws, including those concerning slavery.　
4.　 Who were not included in the Proclamation?
Confederate government officials and high-ranking members of the military(as well as members of the U.S. military who had joined the Confederacy) were not included.
5.　 What military governor of a Union-held Southern City did President Jefferson Davis call a felon and an enemy of mankind in the fourth week of December 1862 and why?　
General Benjamin Butler, USA, whose iron-heel treatment of the citizens of New Orleans continued to cause fury among Confederates.　 Davis went so far as to call for Butler's immediate execution if he were captured.

January 2010 Quiz:
　
1.　 Where is Robert E. Lee believed to have said, "It is well that war is so terrible; we should grow too fond of it"?
　2.　　What three high-ranking Confederate generals were born in January?　 When?　 Where?
　3.　 Why did General Lee sneered at the use of spies, saying "I have no confidence in any of them"?
　4.　 As president of Washington College, Robert E. Lee issued a graduation requirement that is still in effect today.　 What is it?
　5.　 Why was 1862 a year of great stress and sadness for the Lee family?

Battling for the Bluegrass: The Perryville Campaign

2009-12-09T19:10:00.004-05:00

The Louisville Civil War Round Table was delighted to host our speaker Chris Kolakwoski on Dec. 5. Chris returns to Louisville from a year's stay in Atlanta, and we were very happy to welcome him back to the Round Table and to Kentucky.

Christopher L. Kolakowski was born and raised in Fredericksburg, Va. He received his BA in History and Mass Communications from Emory & Henry College, and his MA in Public History from the State University of New York at Albany. Chris has spent his career interpreting and preserving American military history with the National Park Service, New York State government, the Rensselaer County (NY) Historical Society, the Civil War Preservation Trust, and Kentucky State Parks. He has written and spoken on the Civil War, American Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, and both World Wars. The Civil War at Perryville: Battling for the Bluegrass State is his first book and is now available in bookstores and through Amazon (click here) Chris just finished a year as Chief Curator of the National Museum of the Army Reserve in Fort McPherson, GA; on 25 October 2009 he became Director of the General George S. Patton Museum of Leadership in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

More links to information on the Battle of Perryville:

http://perryville.net/
http://battleofperryville.com/
http://perryvillereenactment.org/

2010 Field Trip: Atlanta Campaign“From Chattanooga to the Chattahoochee”

We will be going to Georgia April 14-18, 2010 to study the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 from its commencement south of Chattanooga until the crossing of the Chattahoochee River north of Atlanta. This will include several major battlefields and sites associated with this decisive military campaign. Our guide will be Gregg Biggs who is an expert on the Atlanta Campaign. For those looking to read up on the Atlanta Campaign before the trip, Albert Castel’s Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864 is far and away the best book available. For a general overview of the campaign, Richard McMurry’s Atlanta 1864: Last Chance for the Confederacy is a great book.

Bud Robertson Will Be Our 50th Anniversary Speaker
At the Novemebr meeting, we were happy to announce that Bud has accepted our invitation to be the speaker at our 50th anniversary meeting that will be held January 22, 2011. Go ahead and mark this date on your calendar, as it will be a very special celebration for our Round Table.

Preservation News:

Congress Approves $9 million to help Preserve Civil War Battlefields
(From the CWPT newsletter)
Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star (VA)
Last week, Congress approved a $32 billion appropriations bill for the Interior Department. Hard as it is to swallow that big megillah, in the middle is a sweet spot: about $9 million in matching funds to help preserve Civil War battlefields.
The Civil War Preservation Trust, just one of the groups fighting to rescue battlefields threatened by development, says it has saved over 28,000 acres in 20 states. Our own Central Virginia Battlefield Trust has preserved almost 900 acres. Their efforts, and others like them, have saved much more than land--they have preserved history and, in doing so, have honored the sacrifice of all who fought in that terrible struggle.

But much remains to be done. Preservationists assert that 30 acres of battlefield are lost each day. With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War hard upon us, this is the time to focus our efforts (and our dollars) toward keeping important battlefield land from the bulldozers.

Sen. Jim Webb was on the front lines of the effort to get the $9 million commitment in the Interior bill. Now it will be up to state and local governments and preservation groups to find the matching funds. When a battlefield is lost, it's lost for good. We have much to learn from the Civil War, and much yet to contemplate. There's no better place than a grassy field, ground hallowed by the sacrifice of those who fought there, to start that process.

December 2009 Quiz:

1. In 1861, when did the Union and the Confederacy observe a day of Thanksgiving?

2. In a telegram sent on December 22, 1864, General Sherman presented President Lincoln with what he called "a Christmas gift." What was it?

3. Encouraged by the Union victory at Chattanooga, President Lincoln decided the time was right to begin to look further into the future. What Proclamation did he issue on December 8?

4. Who were not included in the Proclamation?

5. What military governor of a Union-held Southern City did President Jefferson Davis call a felon and an enemy of mankind in the fourth week of December 1862 and why?

November 2009 Quiz Answers:

1. Near what city did about 16,000 Confederates keep about 72,000 Federals at bay in October 1862? Perryville, Kentucky (only about 20,000 Union troops were involved in the battle)

2. What was the size of the railroad trestles at Muldraugh's Hill, KY, destroyed by John Hunt Morgan,CSA during his Christmas Raid? They were eighty (80) feet tall and five hundred (500) feet long.

3. What city was the hub of every railroad linking Richmond, VA with the eastern Confederacy? Petersburg, Virginia

4. Who said, "Somewhat like the boy in Kentucky who stubbed his toe while running to see his sweetheart. The boy said he was too big to cry and far too badly hurt to laugh."? When? Why? Abraham Lincoln made the comment when asked how he felt about the results of the New York elections of November 1862.

5. Who supposedly said, "Major, we haven't taken Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like hell!"? When? According to CSA Major Henry Kyd Douglass, on July 12, 1864, Lieutenant General Jubal Early, CSA, made the comment to him after the Confederate raid on Washington, D.C.

Forgotten Elements of the Civil War

2009-11-04T10:02:00.002-05:00

Forgotten Elements of the Civil War

The LCWRT welcomes back James I. “Bud” Robertson, Jr. on November 15. His topic? Forgotten Elements of the Civil War. Dr. Robertson, a native of Danville, Virginia, is currently Alumni Distinguished Professor in history at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. 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 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 many books are available at Amazon.com - click here

New Book on Perryville is Released

LCWRT Member Chris Kolakowski's new book Perryville Battling for the Bluegrass has just been released by History Press. As the former Director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, Kolakowskit is in an admirable postion to write on the Perryville battle. The book was recently reviewed in the Courier-Journal by Ric Manning in which he described Chris as “a good storyteller” with an “engaging” style. The 190 page book will be the subject of Chris’s talk at the December 4 LCWRT meeting. After a stint in Atlanta with the National Museum of the Army Reserve, Chris has returned to Kentucky and is now the Director of the Patton Museum at Fort Knox.

And it's available here

LCWRT's New Web Site Address

The Round Table website has moved to louisvillecwrt.yolasite.com. Please visit and see the wealth of information about our Round Table including newsletters, history, schedules, field trips, and links to other Civil War sites of interest.

November 2009 Quiz:

1. Near what city did about 16,000 Confederates keep about 72,000 Federals at bay in October 1862?

2. What was the size of the railroad trestles at Muldraugh's Hill, KY, destroyed by John Hunt Morgan, CSA during his Christmas Raid?

3. What city was the hub of every railroad linking Richmond, VA with the eastern Confederacy?

4. Who said, "Somewhat like the boy in Kentucky who stubbed his toe while running to see his sweetheart. The boy said he was too big to cry and far too badly hurt to laugh."? When? Why?

5. Who supposedly said, "Major, we haven't taken Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like hell!"? When?

October Quiz Answers:

1. In May of 1863, Union forces under Generals McClernand and McPherson defeated General Pemberton's Confederate forces in what battle?
The Battle of Champion's Hill outside of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

2. At Front Royal on May 13, 1862, troops from the 1st Regiment (Union) and the 1st Regiment (Confederate) from the same state faced each other head on. Which state were they from?
Maryland

3. Six Confederate Major Generals were killed in action during the war (Cleburne, Ramseur, Rodes, Walker, Stuart and Pender). When and where was each killed or mortally wounded?
Patrick Cleburne: November 30, 1864 at the Battle of Franklin, TN.
Stephen Dodson Ramseur: October 19, 1864---Mortally wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek or Belle Grove, VA and died the next day.
Robert Emmett Rodes: September 19, 1864 at the Third Battle of Winchester, VA.
William Henry Talbot Walker: July 22, 1864 at the Battle of Atlanta, GA.
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart: May 11, 1864---Mortally wounded at the Battle of Yellow Tavern, VA and died the next day.
Dorsey Pender: July 2, 1863---Mortally wounded on the Second Day of the Battle of Gettysburg and died on July 18, 1863.

4. Early in 1862 President Lincoln declined the offer of what from the King of Siam?
He declined the offer of war elephants on February 3, 1862.

5. What were the first "Negro" nations to be diplomatically recognized by the United States, and how did this come about?
On June 5, 1862 President Lincoln signed a bill granting him authorization to appoint diplomatic representatives to Haiti and Liberia.

In Memoriam: LCWRT Life Member Ace Elmore

2009-10-15T17:16:00.003-04:00

LCWRT Life Member and Past President Fletcher L. "Ace " Elmore passed away Oct 13, 2009. The son of F. Leigh Elmore Sr. and Kathleen Prince Elmore, Ace was a decorated Navy combat aviator during World War II, a graduate of the Unversity of Richmond, a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Sons of the American Revolution, and a docent at Locust Grove. Ace was a past president of both the Louisville and St. Louis Civil War Round Tables and was awarded a Life Membership in the LCWRT. A member of the Filson Society, he also published the Civil War diary of his uncle, J.E. Whitehorne, a Confederate veteran.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mary Wheeler Elmore,four sons, F. Leigh Elmore (Lorraine), of Kansas City, Stuart H. Elmore (Barbara) of Columbia, MO, Jeffrey P. Elmore of Huntsville, AL and William H. Elmore, of Louisville; two grandsons, Andrew L. Elmore, of Kansas City and Patrick H. Elmore, of Atlanta; and a sister, Cora Sue Spruill, of Tappahannock, VA.

We enjoyed his presence, and Mary's, on many field trips and at many meeting over the years. He will be missed.

Wilson Greene Speaks at the LCWRT

2009-10-13T09:44:00.005-04:00

Wilson Greene

This past Saturday at the 449th Meeting of the LCWRT,the speaker was the excellent Will Greene on “Confederate Leadership in the Petersburg Campaign”. Mr. Greene broke down the leadership issues of the campaign, effectively running though the strengths and weaknesses of the Confederate generals.

Wilson Greene has spoken to us on a number of other occasions the last being in October 2005. He also served as our tour guide for the 1998 Petersburg field trip. He is a graduate of Florida State University and Louisiana State University with degrees in American history. He served for 17 years with the National Park Service at a variety of historic sites including Petersburg National Battlefield, Fredericksburg, Independence National Historical Park, and Gulf Islands National Seashore. In January of 1995, he became the Executive Director of Pamplin Historical Park and the Museum of the Civil War Soldier, which has become one of the premiere Civil War attractions in the country.

He was a founder and the first Executive Director of the Association for thePreservation of Civil War Sites (now the Civil War Preservation Trust) from 1990 to 1994, where he was instrumental in preserving numerous battlegrounds for future generations.

Wilson has authored five books and over 20 articles over the years. Among his books are Breaking the Backbone of the Rebellion: The Final Days of the Petersburg Campaign and Whatever You Resolve to Be: Essays on Stonewall Jackson which has recently been republished. His latest book is Civil War Petersburg: City in the Crucible of War. He is currently working on a 3-volume history of the Petersburg Campaign.

2010 Field Trip: Atlanta Campaign
From Chattanooga to the Chattahoochee
The LCWRT will be going to Georgia April 14-18, 2010 to study the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 from its commencement south of Chattanooga until the crossing of the Chattahoochee River north of Atlanta. This will include several major battlefields and sites associated with this decisive military campaign. Our guide will be Gregg Biggs who is an expert on the Atlanta Campaign. More details will to follow.

New Web Site Address!

The Round Table website has moved to http://louisvillecwrt.yolasite.com. Please visit and see the wealth of information about our Round Table including newsletters, history, schedules, field trips, and links to other Civil War sites of interest.

Researcher Seeking Information on Louisville Flag Maker

Greg Biggs is seeking any and all information regarding Louisville based flag maker Hugh Wilkins. Wilkins made flags for Union Kentucky regiments, some Ohio regiments and at least one Tennessee Union regiment.Biggs has copies of all of his papers from the Kentucky Archives in Frankfort for the flags he made for Kentucky units but there must be more out there somewhere. If you know of any sources please contact Greg Biggs, Clarksville, Tn CWRT at Biggsg@charter.net

2009 – 2010 Dates
Sunday November 15: Bud Robertson “Forgotten Elements of the Civil War”

Saturday December 5: Chris Kolakowski “Battling for the Bluegrass: The Perryville Campaign”

Saturday January 16: Jim Ogden “TBA”

Saturday February 13: Eric Wittenberg “Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart’s Controversial Ride to Gettysburg”

Saturday March 13: Lawrence Lee Hewitt “Civil War Deserters Who Didn’t: The Untold, Unknown Story”

Saturday April 10: William C. Davis “TBA”

Saturday May 8: Joe Reinhart “McCook’s Dutchmen: The 9th Ohio Infantry Regiment”

September 2009 Quiz Answers:

1. What was Abraham Lincoln's salary during his first term as president?
$25,000

2. When Lincoln was assassinated, what was found in his wallet?
He had a pencil, a Confederate five-dollar bill, and news clippings of unrest in the Confederate army, emancipation in Missouri, the Union party platform of 1864, and an article on the presidency by John Bright.

3. In the Lincoln White House were "Bob", "Jack", and "Jib". Who were they?
"Bob" was a cat, "Jack" was a turkey, and "Jib" was a dog.

4. What kind of legal will did Lincoln have?
Strangely enough for a lawyer, Lincoln died without drawing up a will. When he was killed, his son Robert asked family friend and Supreme Court Justice David Davis to take charge of the estate.

5. Lincoln was the only American president to have what?
A patent, No. 6469, for his invention of a device to lift boats over shoals without having to unload their cargoes. The patent was granted on May 22, 1849, but was never manufactured. His scale model is at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

October Quiz:
1. In May of 1863, Union forces under Generals McClernand and McPherson defeated General Pemberton's Confederate forces in what battle?

2. At Front Royal on May 13, 1862, troops from the 1st Regiment (Union) and the 1st Regiment (Confederate) from the same state faced each other head on. Which state were they from?

3. Six Confederate Major Generals were killed in action during the war (Cleburne, Ramseur, Rodes, Walker, Stuart and Pender). When and where was each killed or mortally wounded?

4. Early in 1862 President Lincoln declined the offer of what from the King of Siam?

5. What were the first "Negro" nations to be diplomatically recognized by the United States, and how did this come about?

Nathaniel Cheers Hughes: Sept. 12

2009-09-06T12:19:00.004-04:00

Sept. 12, 2009:

We welcome back our good friend Nathaniel Hughes to start our 49th year. A Marine Corps veteran, he has had two careers. One has been in preparatory school work, as a teacher, coach and headmaster. He also taught graduate and undergraduate classes at the University of Memphis.
His second career has been in writing history. Nat has published twenty-three books, the first, a biography of Confederate General William J. Hardee in 1965 and his latest, ‘Yale’s Confederates’ published in 2008 by the University of Tennessee. He received his BA from Yale, and his MA and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina.

Nathaniel Hughes’ topic for Saturday night will be "Private Secretary to the President, the Life of Burton Harrison."

Opportunity to Save Money on Dinner Buffet!!

This year we are offering members a chance to save $25.00 ($50.00 for a couple) on the buffet dinners at the meetings. Here is how it works: prepay in September or October for all nine meetings, and pay $200.00 per person instead of the $225.00 it would cost if you paid individually for all 9 meals. Obviously you must be reasonably certain you will attend all nine meetings to get the savings. There will be no refunds or exceptions made once the money is paid.

Membership Renewals

It is now time to pay the annual membership fees of the Round Table. Remember any amount you give above the basic or family membership fee is tax-deductible since the Round Table has tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) organization. The additional funds raised through Patron memberships allow the Round Table to take a more active role in the Preservation of Civil War battlefields and sites and help pay the costs of bringing the very best Civil War speakers to our meetings.

Please send your membership renewal to: LCWRT, 1028 Sarah Drive, Louisville, KY 40219-4923

2009 Fall Field Trip: Newburg, Indiana

The free Fall Trip will be to Newburg,Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 24th to tour the Civil War sites associated with Stovepipe Johnson’s famous raid on Newburg, Indiana. The guide will be Ray Mulesky. More details to follow in the newsletter and at the meetings.

We Have a New Web Site Address
Our Round Table website has moved to www.louisvillecwrt.yolasite.com. Please visit and see the wealth of information about our Round Table including newsletters, history, schedules, field trips, and links to other Civil War sites of interest.

A Message From Our New President, Tom Lively

It is my privilege to serve as your president for this year. For the next nine months you can spend three hours a month learning more about one of the most interesting wars our forefathers fought. I want to encourage all of you to attend all nine meetings. Recognition will be given in the May meeting in 2010 for those members who attend all nine meetings.

I would like to encourage all of you to talk about the LCWRT with your family, friends and associates. Many of them are not aware of what we do and how easy it is to join. Before I became a member, I thought there was an academic qualification to join. Most people do not understand that all they need is an interest in learning more about the Civil War.

It is now time to pay your annual dues. In these times of economic troubles, I know we have members who are concerned about the cost of the annual dues and particularly about fitting the cost of the meals in their monthly budget. The Board of Directors has voted not to raise the cost of the dues or the meals. I would like to ask that those of you who can afford to do so, to become a patron member. It is the additional funds that the patrons provide to the LCWRT that allows us to provide the quality of speakers, programs, meals and activities that we all enjoy.

Tom Lively, President

New Officers Elected for 2009-2010

President: Tom Lively
President-elect: Art Boerner
Secretary: Holly Jenkins-Evans
Treasurer: Harriette Weatherbee
Board:
Art Boerner,Leif Bunting,John Davis,Holly Jenkins-Evans,Lowell Griffin,Doug Krawczyk,
Charlie Moore,Don Meyer,Marc Oca,Tom Lively,Harriette Weatherbee,Bryan Winslow,Joe West

September 2009 Quiz:

1. What was Abraham Lincoln's salary during his first term as president?
2. When Lincoln was assassinated, what was found in his wallet?
3. In the Lincoln White House were "Bob", "Jack", and "Jib". Who were they?
4. What kind of legal will did Lincoln have?
5. Lincoln was the only American president to have what?

LCWRT Awards 2009 Preservation Grant

2009-07-01T14:04:00.004-04:00

We are pleased to announce the presentation of the LCWRT 2009 Preservation Grant to the Shelby County Historical Society for the "Simpsonville Slaughter Project". This grant will enable the SCHS to finish their work commemorating the site of the Jan. 25,1865 action in which 22 troopers of the 5th United States Colored Calvary were killed and 8 wounded. The Shelby County Historical Society has already completed studies to determine the location of the mass grave, installed a bronze state highway marker and has received a grant to create a paved shoulder area on Hwy US 60. The $1000 grant from the LCWRT will be used to pay for the final phase of the project, an adjacent area for 22 MIA 'In Memory of' markers from the Veterans Adminstration and a flag polewhich will fly both the black MIA and American flags.

The Hunley

2009-05-01T11:04:00.004-04:00

LCWRT May Speaker: Richard W. Hatcher

A native of Richmond, VA, Rick graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BA in U.S. History in 1973. He has worked for the National Park Service since 1970, working at Richmond National Battlefield, Colonial National Historical Park at Yorktown, VA, Kings Mountain National Military Park, SC, and Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, MO. Since 1992, Rick has served as the Historian at Fort Sumter National Monument, which includes Fort Moultrie, and Charles Pinckney National Historic Site.

Rick serves on the South Carolina Civil War Sesquicentennial Advisory Board, the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust Advisory Board, and is the Fort Sumter NM liaison officer with the Charleston Civil War Round Table. Plus, he is a member of the Southern Campaign of the Revolution Heritage Area Study team.

His publications include: co-author of This Hallowed Ground: Guides to Civil War Battlefields, Wilson’s Creek, Pea Ridge, and Prairie Grove (University of Nebraska Press, 2006), and Wilson’s Creek, The Second Major Battle of the Civil War and the Men Who Fought It (University of North Carolina Press, 2000). In 2000 it was a History Book Club alternate selection, and in 2001 it earned the Missouri State Historical Society, History Book of the Year Award.

The Hunley

In 1861, Horace L. Hunley, James McClintock, and Baxter Watson began building the first of three submarines to support the Confederate war effort. The first two were either scuttled or lost while under tow. Undaunted the men began building a third submarine and by mid-July 1863 a new "diving boat" was completed.

Shortly afterwards the "Fish Boat" was offered to Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard in defense of Charleston and in early August the submarine arrived in the city. Not long afterwards an accident occurred during which the submarine sank and five crew members drowned. After its recovery, Horace Hunley assumed command of the vessel and named it the H. L. Hunley. Then in October, during a test dive in Charleston Harbor a second accident resulted in his death and the deaths of the entire crew.

Recovered a second time, the Hunley was assigned to Lt. George E. Dixon who recruited and trained a new crew. On the night of February 17, 1864, they attacked and sank the USS Housatonic, and although the Hunley was lost, its successful mission marked the first sinking of an enemy ship by a submarine in combat in world history.

Located in 1995, the vessel was raised on August 8, 2000. From that time to the present the Hunley’s interior has undergone excavation. The remains of the eight crew members were recovered and subsequently buried on April 17, 2004. Hundred of artifacts were located within the sub and a wealth of information has been discovered not only about the submarine’s construction and operation, but also about the crew. Conservation efforts are ongoing with an eye toward complete preservation and eventual display of the boat in its own museum.

Books, Books, Books!
There will be copies of our speaker’s book, Wilson’s Creek for sale at the meeting. These will be hardback first editions that normally sell for $39.95 and we will have them for $20.00. Also Rick is planning to bring 25 reproductions of the famous "Dixon coin." This is the $20 gold piece Dixon had in his pocket when wounded at Shiloh, kept as a good luck charm that was recovered from his remains found on the Hunley. It sells for $10.00 and all proceeds go the Hunley conservation fund.

Book Donations
We are currently accepting book donations for our door prizes. If you have Civil War books you would like to donate, please bring them to one of the meetings and give them to Lowell Griffin our door prize coordinator. Thanks to everyone who can donate

2009 – 2010 Dates
Saturday May 9 Rick Hatcher "The Hunley"
Saturday September 9 ? "TBA"
Saturday October 10 Will Greene "Confederate Leadership in the Petersburg
Campaign"
Sunday November 14 Bud Robertson "TBA"
Saturday December 5 Chris Kolakowski "TBA"
Saturday January 16 Jim Ogden "TBA"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

MAY 2009 QUIZ:

1. A relative of President Lincoln was at Salem Church during and after the battles of Chancellorsville. Who was he and what was he doing?
2. On April 25, 1865, two young boys, nephews of the Confederate European agent James D. Bulloch, supposedly watched Lincoln's funeral procession in New York City. Who were they?
3. What were some of the military factors that led to Lincoln's reelection in 1864?
4. Who swore Abraham Lincoln in as the sixteenth president on March 4, 1861?
5. How did the youngest Lincoln son get his nickname?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
APRIL 2009 QUIZ ANSWERS:

1. In 1864 Abraham Lincoln ran for reelection as a member of what party?
It was the National Union Party, a coalition of Republicans and War Democrats.
2. The parents of Thomas Lincoln became concerned because he had not learned to read by what age?
He had not learned to read by nine (9) years of age.
3. What was the name Abraham Lincoln typically used to address his wife?
He addressed her as "Mother".
4. What were the tragic results of the fire in Lincoln's private stables, a brick building on the White House grounds between the mansion and the Treasury Department?
Lincoln's two horses, the two belonging to his secretaries, Tad's pony and the one that was considered Willie's pony even though Willie had died the previous year all perished on February 10, 1864.
5. What happened to Lincoln's personal copy of the Emancipation Proclamation?
It was donated to the Chicago Historical Society in 1864 and was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1871.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chancellorsville Field Trip

2009-04-30T13:44:00.008-04:00

Ellwood, where the grave of Stonewall Jackson's Arm is marked

Excellent weather, a fantastic tour guide in National Parks Historian Greg Mertz and a fascinatign site made the 2009 LWCRTl Spring Field trip as a resounding success. The tour focused on the Chancellorsville battlefield, plus extra trips to pertinent sites in Fredersicksburg, Old Salem Church, Ellwood in the Wilderness Battlefield Park and Guinea Station. While there has been a great deal of development in the area, the battlefield parks are a joy to visit.

A small sampler: On the field with the always gracious and well infomed Greg Mertz

Ellwood on Wilderness Battlefield, part of Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park

Roadside New Jersey Monument

LCWRT members at Old Salem Church

Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties

2009-04-04T10:06:00.004-04:00

Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties

On April 10, in recognition of the Bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the Round Table is pleased to welcome Frank J. Williams, the recently retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island and one of the country's most renowned experts on Abraham Lincoln. He is the author or editor of over thirteen books on Lincoln, and has lectured on the subject throughout the country. He has amassed an unsurpassed private library and archive that ranks among the nation's finest Lincoln collections. In 2000, the Chief Justice was appointed to the United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to plan events to commemorate the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln this year.

Since 1996, Chief Justice Williams has served as founding Chairman of The Lincoln Forum, a national assembly of Lincoln and Civil War devotees. For 9 years, he served as President of the Abraham Lincoln Association and, for 14 years, as President of The Lincoln Group of Boston. He is currently at work on an annotated bibliography of all the Lincoln titles published since 1865. His book of essays, Judging Lincoln, was published by Southern Illinois University Press in 2002. He, with Harold Holzer and Edna Greene Medford, has written The Emancipation Proclamation: Three Views, Social, Legal and Pictorial just published by Louisiana State University Press. His latest book, Lincoln Lessons: Reflections on America’s Greatest Leader, with William D. Pederson, was published by Southern Illinois University Press in 2009. He also serves as Literary Editor of the Lincoln Herald where his quarterly Lincolniana survey appears.

You will not want to miss this special evening as the Round Table celebrates the birth of fellow Kentuckian Abraham Lincoln.

Links to Mr. Williams' works on www.amazon.com:

Judging Lincoln
The Emancipation Proclamation: Three Views, Social, Legal and Pictorial
Lincoln Lessons: Reflections on America’s Greatest Leader

And click here for additional amazon.com listings for Frank J. Williams

2009 Field Trip: Chancellorsville Fees Are Due
If you have not paid your field trip fees in full, please do so now. They are now past due. You can mail your check made out to LCWRT with Field Trip on the memo line to Harriette Weatherbee, 1028 Sarah Dr., Louisville, Ky. 40219. The cost of the trip includes bus transportation, guide, hat, gift for guide, picture quiz, Saturday night meal and pizza/beer night. If you signed up for the field trip and are not going, please contact Harriette and let her know.

Book Donations
We are currently accepting book donations for our door prizes. If you have Civil War books you would like to donate, please bring them to one of the meetings and give them to Lowell Griffin our door prize coordinator.

MARCH 2009 QUIZ ANSWERS:

1. John Brown was sentenced to death by what authority and on what charge?
The Commonwealth of Virginia found him guilty of inciting insurrection and hung him. The United States Government did not charge him with treason or anything else.

2. What Southern state is believed to not have had troops fighting for both the North and the South?
Technically none. SOUTH CAROLINA did not have any white troops fighting on both sides, but it did have black troops fighting for the Union.

3. Name the six (or seven) Union officers who became President of the United States.
Ulysses S. Grant, Chester A. Arthur, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, Rutherford B. Hayes, and William McKinley. (Andrew Johnson was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and served as military governor of Tennessee during the war.)

4. Who was the freed black called "one of the highest placed and most productive espionage agent of the Civil War," and what position did this person hold for part of the war?

Mary Elizabeth Bowser was a spy in Richmond's Confederate White House. As a trusted domestic employee, she used her position to access top-secret information, which she passed on to Union operatives within the city. She worked closely with Elizabeth Van Lew, in whose family she had once been a slave.

5. By late 1864, who commanded what was probably the most experienced Union Army?
General William T. Sherman's army had many men who were reenlistments and had fought in many of the major battles in 1863 and 1864. Although the Union Army of the Potomac was larger, it had the higher percentage of new replacements.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

APRIL 2009 QUIZ:

1. In 1864 Abraham Lincoln ran for reelection as a member of what party?

2. The parents of Thomas Lincoln became concerned because he had not learned to read by what age?

3. What was the name Abraham Lincoln typically used to address his wife?

4. What were the tragic results of the fire in Lincoln's private stables, a brick building on the White House grounds between the mansion and the Treasury Department?

5. What happened to Lincoln's personal copy of the Emancipation Proclamation?

March Speaker: Michael Peake

2009-03-07T12:57:00.003-05:00

March 14 Meeting

The LCWRT will meet Saturday, March 14 and we ae pleased to welcome Michael Peake as our speaker. Mr. Peake is a Louisville native with fraternal ancestral Kentucky roots going back to the 1780s in the Nelson and Marion County regions of the State. He has researched the 32nd Indiana for over 14 years, and since retiring from Federal service in 1996, he has devoted his time to compiling the history of the regiment, and the Germans of both armies in the Civil War. He has published several articles and has released two books on the regiment’s December 1861 baptism of fire in central Kentucky. The Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis and the Indianapolis German Heritage Society has posted his second book, Indiana’s German Sons, Baptism of Fire: Rowlett’s Station 1861, online in its entirety at:

http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/kade/peake/

His March presentation will be "German Blood Shed In This War" and will provide an overview of German participation in the Civil War with the First German, Thirty-second Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry as the prime example of the more than 50 German infantry regiments that served the Union during the war. A unique aspect of the presentation will include the use of original war period artwork created by regiment officer Captain Adolph G. Metzner who fashioned a notable collection of over 120 sketches, drawings, and paintings during his period of service with the 32nd Indiana in the Western Theater from August 1861 until September 1864. Only a small portion of this historically significant Civil War art has ever been published, and the general public has viewed little of the collection.

at amazon .com: Blood Shed in This War: Civil War Illustrations by Captain Adolph Metzner, 32nd Indiana

The 2007-2008 Patron Members

The following members have given generously to help our Round Table continue to provide quality programs for our membership. Thank you!

Win Ahrens
Tom Lively & Susan Givan
Jerry & Sharon Armstrong
Brad &Miranda Luppino
John & Mary Bellucci
Thomas Mackey
Everett Bethune, Jr.
Bob & Linda Marrett
John & Faris Bilby
Janet Marshall
Art Boerner
Reed & Janice Martin, Jr.
Bob & Judy Bortner
Vivian McDonald
Bob & Barbara Braverman
Don & Peggy Meyer
Doug & Barbara Brown
Charlie Moore, Sr.
Leif & Anna Bunting
Sonny & Betty Neurath, Jr.
John & Joy Davis
Marc & Jill Oca
Dave Deatrick, Jr.
Howard & Joyce Patton
Ken & Melissa Draut
Sheldon Rein
Monty & Holly Jenkins Evans
Joe & Virginia Reinhart
Sean & Mary Fore
Kerry Short
Dale & Donna Gettelfinger
Kurtz Simmons
Len Gross & Emily Durrett
Jim & Carol Simpson, III
Bill & Rose Mary Hambleton
Dick & Wilda Skidmore
James Pryor Hancock
Thomas & Mary Lee Speckman
Doug & Bobbi Harper
Matthew & Lori Sweat
Dave & Sue Hoffmann
John Thomas
Jack & Virginia Holt, Jr.
Don Van Slyke
Gary & Jackie Hopkins
Harriette Weatherbee
Maurice Jeffries
Bob & Sandra West
Al & Janet Jozik
Bryan & Cindy Doyle Winslow
Chris Kolakowski
Doug & Margaret Krawczyk

February 2009 Quiz Answers:

1. When did Abraham Lincoln first meet his vice president, Hannibal Hamlin?
Election Day, 1860

2. What two cabinet members tried to force General McClellan's resignation while Lincoln still relied upon him?
Edwin M. Stanton and Salmon P. Chase

3. What political leader slipped into Washington by night in February 1861?
Abraham Lincoln

4. What did Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Samuel Clemens, Alexander Stephens and Ulysses S. Grant have in common?
They all suffered from bouts of depression (as did Sherman).

5. What did Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Nathan Bedford Forrest, James Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart and William T. Sherman have in common?
They lost children before and/or during the Civil War.

MARCH 2009 QUIZ:

1. John Brown was sentenced to death by what authority and on what charge?

2. What Southern state is believed to not have had troops fighting for both the North and the South?

3. Name the six (or seven) Union officers who became President of the United States.

4. Who was the freed black called "one of the highest placed and most productive espionage agent of the Civil War," and what position did this person hold for part of the war?

5. By late 1864, who commanded what was probably the most experienced and large Union Army?

Harold Holzer at Cincinnati Round Table May 21

The Cincinnati Civil War Round Table is extending an open invitation to area Round Tables to attend its May 21, 2009 meeting. One of the speakers in greatest demand in this the year of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday is the well-known Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer. The details required to make your reservation for this limited seating event are provided below. His talk will be, How Lincoln Became President --- In Ohio. The meeting will be held at the Drake Center, 151 West Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati. Ohio. The dinner begins at 6:30 and cost is $27.00. The speaker portion of the meeting begins at 7:30. You can attend the speaker only part of the meeting for $5.00. Reservation are required eight days in advance for both the dinner and the speaker only option by using the reservations link at http://www.cincinnaticwrt.org/; emailing homanfamily@fuse.net; or by calling 513-861-2057.

Feb 14th - Valentine's Day Meeting

2009-02-04T21:11:00.004-05:00

Dr. Charles Roland speaking in Albert Sydney Johnston, Jan. 2009

February Speaker: Greg Biggs
We welcome Greg Biggs on his first visit to our Round Table. He is a former Associate Editor of one of our favorite magazines, Blue and Gray Magazine and is the current President and Program Chair of the Clarkesville, Tennessee Roundtable. Greg is a member of the Advisory Board, Center for the Study of the Civil War in the West; Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, and he has been a flag consultant to various state museums including Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Alabama, North Carolina and the Texas Civil War Museum.

He has published many essays and articles in a variety of historical publications. Greg is the author/co-author of forthcoming books: Tattered Banners: Alabama’s Civil War Flags and I Go To Illustrate Georgia: Civil War Flags Of Georgia Troops, and he is currently writing the forthcoming book Volunteer Banners: Tennessee’s Civil War Flags for the Tennessee State Museum/University of Tennessee Press. He has led several tours of Civil War Battlefields including one of the Fort Donelson Campaign for the Filson Historical Society.

The Topic: Nathan Bedford Forrest: Napoleonic Cavalryman

Beginning with an analysis of how Napoleon fought battles using cavalry on a tactical basis as well as in the pursuit phase, this lecture details how most Civil War commanders failed to properly use cavalry in a Napoleonic sense. A brief history of American cavalry and its doctrine transits to how Gen. Forrest properly used cavalry both tactically and in pursuit during all phases of his military career. Napoleonic standards are applied to three of his battles. The lecture is designed to challenge conventional Civil War thought.

2009 Field Trip: Chancellorsville April 15-19

We will be going to Virginia in April 2009 to study the Campaign and Battle of Chancellorsville! National Park historian Greg Mertz will be our tour guide. The dates for this trip are April 15-19. We will be studying the entire campaign including cavalry raids, Second Fredericksburg, and Salem Church. The cost of the trip includes bus transportation, guide, hat, gift for guide, picture quiz, Saturday night meal and pizza/beer night.
Bus riders - $375.00
Car riders - $325.00
Non Tour - $60.00

Field Trip Hats for Sale

We have several different field trip hats of various colors for sale. These caps are top-quality and will be offered at the next meeting for the ridiculously low price of $10.

Book Donations
We are currently accepting book donations for our door prizes. If you have Civil War books you would like to donate, please bring them to one of the meetings and give them to Lowell Griffin, our door prize coordinator.

The Wilderness in Crisis!

Update on the Wilderness: From the Fredericksburg News…
The so-called "Wilderness Wal-Mart" in Orange County is catching grief from both North and South--and elected officials on both ends of the political spectrum.
U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, a conservative Republican from eastern Texas, has expressed to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott his "profound disappointment" about the giant retailer's plan to build a Supercenter beside the Civil War battlefield. In a letter written last week, he urges Scott to give the matter "immediate reconsideration."
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Vermont--a haven for independent-minded Democrats--are holding hearings on the issue. Vermont troops suffered their worst casualties of the war in the Battle of the Wilderness, turning back a Confederate attack that threatened to split the Union Army.
The Vermont Senate and House are considering whether to ask Wal-Mart to move the store farther from the entrance to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, according to Howard Coffin, a Civil War historian and author who lives in Montpelier, the state capital.
Wal-Mart is proposing to build a 139,000-square-foot store atop a ridge less than a quarter mile from the park, on commercially zoned land.
Nationally significant Civil War sites, "such as the tract of land for your proposed development, are not where commercial development needs to be in America," Poe wrote Scott. "They should be set aside and untouched for present and future generations of Americans to visit so as to never let them forget the past and the lessons they taught."
Poe noted that the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, established by Congress to study the historical significance of such places, "defined your proposed land for development as part of The Wilderness [battlefield]. There are countless other locations your company could look at for your development in this region."

January 2009 Quiz Answers:

1. Promoted at age thirty-four to major general after Fort Donelson, who was at that time the youngest of his rank in the entire Union army?
Major General Lew Wallace of Indiana
2. At the 1860 Democratic Convention in Charleston, South Carolina, what future Union general voted fifty-seven times to nominate Jefferson Davis for president of the United States?
Benjamin Butler of New Hampshire
3. Who wrote "The Bonnie Blue Flag" and when and where was it first performed?
English-born entertainer Harry McCarthy wrote the song in the spring of 1861 and performed it first in Jackson, Mississippi.
4. Jefferson Davis regarded what site in the state he called his home state as "the Gibraltar of the West"? Vicksburg, Mississippi
5.During the Confederate retreat to Appomattox, who fought a close range pistol duel at the Battle of High Bridge on April 6, 1865, and what was the result?
Union Colonel Theodore Read fought the duel with Confederate Lieutenant Colonel James Dearing. Read was killed and Dearing was mortally wounded, dying on April 22,1865.

February 2009 Quiz:

1. When did Abraham Lincoln first meet his vice president, Hannibal Hamlin?

2. What two cabinet members tried to force General McClellan's resignation while Lincoln still relied upon him?

3. What political leader slipped into Washington by night in February 1861?

4. What did Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Samuel Clemens, Alexander Stephens and Ulysses S. Grant have in common?

5. What did Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Nathan Bedford Forrest, James Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart and William T. Sherman have in common?

48th Anniversary Meeting - Jan 18

2009-01-10T11:16:00.003-05:00

Meet our Speaker: Charles Roland

On our 48th anniversary we are proud to welcome back a life member of the LCWRT, Charles Roland He has last visited us in January of 2005, and we are very excited to have him back. He is currently Emeritus Alumni Professor of History at the University of Kentucky. A native of western Tennessee, Charles Roland received his B.A. from Vanderbilt and his M.A. and Ph.D. from LSU. Dr. Roland was a combat Infantry captain serving in the European Theater in World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service and the Purple Heart for wounds received in action in the battle of the Ardennes.

Charles Roland has held many positions in his distinguished career. He has been a Historical Technician for the National Park Service, a history Instructor at LSU, Assistant to the Chief Historian of the United States Army and a visiting Professor of Military History at the United States Military Academy. He was a Professor of History at Tulane University from 1952 to 1967 and Chairman of the History Department from 1967 until 1970, when he became Alumni Professor of History at the University of Kentucky.

Among his published works are The Confederacy, 1960; Reflections on Lee: A Historian’s Assessment, 1995; A History of the South(co-authored with Francis Simkins), 1972; An American Iliad: The Story of the Civil War, revised edition 2002; and the definitive biography of Confederate icon A.S. Johnston, Albert Sidney Johnston: Soldier of Three Republics, new edition 2001. He is the general editor of the 13 volume New Perspectives on the South series published by the University of Kentucky and has published numerous other articles and essays on Civil War and American history. He recently completed My Odyssey Through History, Memoirs of War and Academe, which contains his account of his service in World War II and the Battle of the Bulge.

To find his available books at www.amazon.com click Here

2009 Field Trip: Chancellorsville April 15-19

The LCWRT Spring Field Trip to Virginia will study the Campaign and Battle of Chancellorsville. National Park historian Greg Mertz will be our tour guide. The dates for this trip are April 15-19. We will be studying the entire campaign including cavalry raids, Second Fredericksburg, Salem Church, and all related Stonewall Jackson sites.

The Wilderness in Crisis!

The never ending fight with rampant development gone wild continues as now the site of the Wilderness Battlefield is threatened by none other than corporate behemoth Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart execs have convinced the Orange County Board of Supervisors that controls development that it is a good idea to build a 141,000 square-foot-supercenter on 52 acres at one of the most historically significant crossroads in America, the intersection of the Orange Turnpike and the Germanna Road. This is directly adjacent to the Wilderness Battlefield and will open the door for the explosive building of strip-malls, fast food restaurants, gas stations and other stores. Already the Wilderness Crossing development that would pave 900 acres of the Wilderness countryside and rural landscapel is in the planning stages ready to move forward if Wal-Mart is successful.

Arrayed against the world’s largest company and the misguided county supervisors are 252 of America’s leading historians and preservationists who have recently sent a letter to the Wal-Mart executives. "The Wilderness is an indelible part of our history, its very ground hallowed by the American blood spilled there, and it cannot be moved," read the letter signed by James McPherson, James McCullough, Ed Bearss, Ken Burns and nearly every other historian you have heard of. According to McPherson, "Every one of these modern intrusions on the historic landscape degrades the value and experience of that landscape." And he added that a Wal-Mart development at the proposed site would take development in the area "a quantum leap higher." Wal-Mart plans to proceed even though there are four other Wal-Mart’s within 20 miles of the proposed site.

To learn more about the Wilderness crisis, visit www.wildernesswalmart.com and www.civilarwar.org and find out what you can do to help stop Wal-Mart.

Life Magazine Archive of Civil War Photos

2008-12-17T11:41:00.009-05:00

Google recently opend up the Life magazine archives of photographs, many never published in Life. It's searchable. The photos are large and good quality, and cover all variety of subjects. Portraits, landscapes,citiscapes, battle shots. Soldiers, Sailors, Workers, Officers.
Here's tiny sample:

Brig. Gen. William H. Lytle, who was killed in Civil War during Battle at Chickamauga.Location:US Date taken:1863

Soldier holding tattered flag of the Eighth PA Infantry, during Civil War.
Location:US Date taken: 1864

Mary Tippee, aka Tebe Vivandere, woman w. Collis Zouaves during Civil War, wearing medals as she poses. Location: Gettysburg, PA, US Date taken: 1863

Photographer: Charles J. Isaac G. Tyson

Head over and took a look:

http://images.google.com/images?q=1860s+US+Civil+War+source:life

Thunder From a Clear Sky

2008-11-27T09:34:00.004-05:00

Thunder From a Clear Sky: Stovepipe Johnson’s Raid on Newburgh, Indiana

Om December 6 the LCWRT will welcome Raymond Mulesky for the very first time. Ray Mulesky was born and raised in the bustling suburbs of Long Island, New York. He graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and took the opportunity to move to the Midwest in the 1980’s. Ray has since immersed himself in the fascinating Civil War history of Indiana and Kentucky.
Ray is a member of the Southwestern Indiana Civil War Round Table and specializes in the roles played by Indiana and Kentucky in the Civil War. He is now known as one of the nation’s experts on the 1862 Confederate Raid on Newburgh, Indiana, and is author of the 2006 release, Thunder from a Clear Sky: Stovepipe Johnson’s Confederate Raid on Newburgh, Indiana.
Ray is also co-author of the just released Kentuckians in Gray: Confederate Generals and Field Officers of the Bluegrass State. He is now working on his third book, tentatively titled, Your Son ‘til Death: The Civil War Letters of a Hoosier Volunteer. Ray lives in Evansville, Indiana, with his wife and son.

Available at amazon.com: Thunder from a Clear Sky

On July 18, 1862, an Indiana town of nearly 1,300 citizens, including almost 100 convalescing Union soldiers, was captured by a bold Confederate icon commanding only twenty-seven Kentucky rebels. The Confederate commander's name was Adam Rankin Johnson and the event was the first Confederate raid north of the Mason-Dixon Line in the American Civil War.
In this story of deception, betrayal, murder, and revenge, Adam Rankin Johnson - Kentucky legend, Texas hero, Confederate raider - conducts a traveling recruiting campaign through the hills of western Kentucky in the summer of 1862. Johnson's crowning effort, his foray onto Northern soil at Newburgh, has the unintended consequence of waking the sleeping giant.

November 2008 Quiz Answers:

1. What full general was disgruntled because he thought his U.S. Army rank should have transferred to the Confederate army, thus making him the senior general instead of the fourth in seniority?

Virginia born Joseph Eggleston Johnston.

2. What civilian was the first female casualty of all-out battle?

Mrs. Judith Henry, hit by a shell on July 21, 1861 at the battle of First Manassas or Bull Run.

3.What state provided the Union army with only about five hundred fighting men, who served in the Second Massachusetts?

California

4. What was the longest uninterrupted campaign of the entire Civil War conflict?

The Petersburg, Virginia, campaign, June 15, 1864 --- April 3, 1865.

5. What was the "white gold" the Confederate leaders hoped to use as a diplomatic bargaining tool with European Governments?

Cotton, but supplies from Egypt, India and Brazil soon replaced that from the Deep South in foreign markets.

December 2008 Quiz:

1. What small girl is generally credited with having persuaded Abraham Lincoln to grow a beard?
2. What Mexican War general and future president made futile objections to his daughter's marriage to Jefferson Davis?

3. After the election of 1864, the membership of what political group jumped by 70 percent?

4. What holder of high office was described by HARPER'S WEEKLY in December 1861 as being honest and shrewd but not a great leader?

5. What West Pointer, 21st of 39 in the class of 1843, was a better than passable artist, specializing in horses?

James I. “Bud” Robertson, Jr.: The Road to War: Reason vs Emotion

2008-11-10T22:47:00.004-05:00

The Road to War: Reason vs Emotion
We are happy to have back our longtime friend and life member of our Round Table, James I. ‘Bud’ Robertson, Jr. with us for our on Sunday, Nov. 16. He is without question one of the preeminent Civil War scholars and lecturers of our time. On so many occasions in the past he has edified our group with his lively and humorous talks.

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. A list of his accomplishments and awards would fill several newsletters! 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.

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. We look forward to hearing Dr. Robertson at what promises to be a very special evening.

2009 Field Trip: Chancellorsville April 15-19

We will be going to Virginia April 2009 to study the Campaign and Battle of Chancellorsville! National Park historian Greg Mertz will be our tour guide. The dates for this trip are April 15-19 so mark your calendars now. We will be studying the entire campaign including cavalry raids, Second Fredericksburg, Salem Church, and all related Stonewall Jackson sites.

Chris Kolakowski, PBPA Director, Resigns

The Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association (PBPA), a non-profit organization charged with preserving and interpreting Kentucky’s largest Civil War battleground, announced October 9th that Chris Kolakowski, its Executive Director, will be stepping down on 22 October. Since Chris has become a member and friend of our Round Table, this is particularly sad news. Chris is leaving the PBPA to become Chief Curator of the National Museum of the U.S. Army Reserve, located at Fort McPherson, Georgia. He will run the museum and assist the Army Reserve Historian with Army historical officers’ training and military staff rides.

Chris Kolakowski became the PBPA’s Executive Director in November 2005. Since that time Perryville has preserved 152 acres of additional battlefield land, hosted the 2006 National Civil War Reenactment, and embarked upon a variety of preservation, restoration, and interpretation projects at Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site and on Merchant’s Row. In 2007 the PBPA won the Sixth Annual Edwin C. Bearss Preservation Award, marking the organization as an elite preservation group in the United States.

"It has been a tremendous three years, and we have accomplished a lot. Perryville is now a nationally recognized historic site, and the PBPA has developed into a national-level preservation organization. Without our key partners on the local, state, and national levels, we would not have been able to accomplish all we have done. The crack PBPA staff has been a real asset, and I cannot say enough about our Board of Directors, and Chairman Don Kelly. There are some truly great people in the community who have been a pleasure to work with, too many to list. I look forward to hearing more successes from Perryville in the future," said Kolakowski.

November 2008 Quiz:

1. What full general was disgruntled because he thought his U.S. Army rank should have transferred to the Confederate army, thus making him the senior general instead of the fourth in seniority?

2. What civilian was the first female casualty of all-out battle?

3. What state provided the Union army with only about five hundred fighting men, who served in the Second Massachusetts?

4. What was the longest uninterrupted campaign of the entire Civil War conflict?

5. What was the "white gold" the Confederate leaders hoped to use as a diplomatic bargaining tool with European Governments?

Trek to Wildcat Mountain, Part Two

2008-11-01T10:17:00.009-04:00

Part Two. After exploring Hoosier Knob, we broke for lunch at the Gazebo. The weather continued to be prefct all day, warming up nicely for the afternoon walk along Infantry Ridge. One of the treats of Wildcat Mountain is that the park area also encompasses portions of the original Wilderness Road, the route through the Apapalachians into Kentucky for Boone, Harrod and so many others who came after. This is a new trail, so new the interpretive signs written by Chris Kolakowski aren't installed yet. Having seen Union infantry trenches (some of the earliest of the Civil War) and signs of Confederate burials on the Hoosier Knob trail, on this portion of the trail we visited artillery placements and 2 Union soldiers gravesites. The soldiers' identites are known today, but were lost at the time and both are now buried in unkwown graves at Crab Orchard. The heights of the Rockcastle Hills were stunning and indicative of the difficult terrain.

Chris did a great job of interpreting not only the troop movements, but also showing us the effect the difficult terrain had on the action, as well as the logistical significance of the location, and the part this small battle played in the larger scheme of the battle for KY.

After a productive afternoon, we adjourned to the gazebo with members of the Camp Wildcat Battelfield Preservation Assoc. for a social hour and the traditional post tour cigar for them that smokes 'em.

At the base of the Rockcastle Hills

On the Trail to Hoosier Knob

Chris on the Wilderness Road

End of the Infantry Ridge Trail

Social hour at the Gazebo

Chris Kolakowski and LCWRT Member John Davis enjoy a post tour cigar

For more information on Camp Wildcat and the Battle of Wildcat Mountain:

USDA Forest Service, London Distrct, 761 South Laurel Drive, London KY 40744, phone: 606-864-4163

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/districts/london/wildcat.shtml

http://www.kycivilwar.org/modules/smartpartner/partner.php?id=3
Mr. James Cass, Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation P.O. Box 1510 London, KY 40743

LCWRT Fall Field Trip: The Battle of Wildcat Mountain

2008-10-27T13:11:00.005-04:00

Part one of two parts:

Date: Oct. 26, 2008
Place - Camp Wildcat, outside London Ky
Guide: Chri Kolakowski
Hosts: Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation, Jim Cass President

After a beautiful early morning drive though Kentucky countryside to the seemingly remote location of Camp Wildcat, located not a far drive from I75, a small but devoted roup of LCWRT members met at the Laurel Home Guard Reservation, the site of CSA Gen. Felix Zollicoffer's camp. After a consult and then debriefing on the October 1861 situation in KY by our guide, the inimitable Chris Kolakwoski, the group drove up the mountain where we were joined by additional LCWRT members and Jim Cass and the hospitable folks of the Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation who had coffee and refreshments ready and waiting.

It was a grand day, the weather was perfect and Chris took us with several of our new cohorts on a fantatstic tour of the Hoosier Knob, plus the new trail of Infantry Ridge. So new the interpretive signs weren't up yet and we were the first group to take the walk. Chris filled us in on this small but important early Civil War battle, covering not only the imprtance of the first Union victory in KY, but also explaining the importance of the Wilderness Road and it's access to Lexington, Frankfort, Louisville, and even Cincinnati and beyond.

Laurel Home Guard Reservation at the foot of Wildcat Mountain

Morning Consultation

Chris Kolakowski gets us started

On the Way to Hoosier Knob

LCWRT members on the trail again

Double Honor: The Story of John and William Black

2008-10-09T20:25:00.004-04:00

The Louisville Civil War Round Table will welcome speaker Dave Hinze to our October meeting. Dave is a freelance tour guide and author focusing on the early portion of our country’s history. His company, Stars & Stripes Events, arranges tours for individuals and groups throughout the country featuring tours from the French & Indian War through Truman’s presidency. The co-author of The Battle of Carthage: Border War in Southwest Missouri,, July 5, 1861 and of additional numerous articles Dave also delivers several speeches a year to groups across the country. A retired American history teacher of 32 years Hinze no longer inflicts himself upon America’s teenagers. He remains busy at their blueberry farm and numerous other activities.

His tropic: Double Honor: The Story of John & William Black

There are only five sets of brothers to win The Congressional Medal of Honor in our Civil War. The Black brothers, from Danville, IL, are the only siblings to earn their medals west of the Mississippi River at the Battles of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Officers in the 37th Illinois, or the Fremont Rifles, the brothers became frustrated away from the main theaters of combat yet when tested on the battlefield they were determined to lead above and beyond the call of duty. The Black’s story is an amazing chronicle of the fighting in the Trans-Mississippi featuring gritty combat leadership with their exploits painted in blood.

On amazon.com: The Battle of Carthage: Border War in Southwest Missouri

Fall Field Trip to Camp Wildcat Set for Sunday, October 26

The LCWRT annual Fall Field trip will be to Camp Wildcat on Sunday, October 26. Chris Kolakowski will be our guide and will lead us up Wildcat Mountain to learn about the battle that took place there October 21, 1861. We will meet at the foot of Wildcat Mountain and walk the battlefield in about 4 hours. This will be one of our more active walking tours!

2009 Field Trip: Chancellorsville April 15-19

The LCWRT Spring Trip will be to Virginia in April 2009 to study the Campaign and Battle of Chancellorsville! National Park historian Greg Mertz will be the tour guide. The dates for this trip are April 15-19 so mark your calendars now. We will be studying the entire campaign including cavalry raids, Second Fredericksburg, Salem Church, and all related Stonewall Jackson sites.

Gettysburg Heroes with Glenn LaFantasie

2008-09-13T16:16:00.014-04:00

Glenn W. La Fantasie addresses the Louisville Civil War Round Table, Sept. 12, 2008

Last evening's opening meeting of the 2008 - 2009 season was a winner, with Glenn LaFantasie's excellent and engaging presentation Gettysburg and Its Many Heroes, focusing on James Longstreet, Frank Haskell, William C. Oates, and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Dr. LaFantasie used the Bruce Catton quote "feeling the echoes" as a recurring theme to emphasize the importance of walking the grounds of Gettysburg in order to appreciate the actions and sacrifices made there. He made his new book Gettysburg Heroes, Perfect Soldiers, Hallowed Ground ( Indiana University Press, 2008) available to LCWRT members at a great price, and graciously autographed copies.

On the preservation front, due to the generosity of our members, the LCWRT was able to raise $115 for the 2008 - 2009 Preservation Grant in our first fundraisng effort of the year.

Bryan Winlsow, President of the LCWRT, announced this year's Fall Field Trip will be Wildcat Mountain , near London. KY on Oct. 26. The field trip guide will be Chris Kolakowski who assured participants they will need their hiking boots and walking shoes.

John Davis, LCWRT Past President & Christopher Kolakowski, Chris Kolakowski, left, executive director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association and LCWRT member socialize before dinner.

For more information on the Louisville Civil War Round Table, its membership, meetings and preservation grant, please visit our home page at LCWRT .

The New Season Begins: Gettysburg in September

2008-09-01T16:30:00.008-04:00

To kickoff our new season, we welcome Glenn W. LaFantasie to our September 12 meeting. He will present Gettysburg and Its Many Heroes.

The Civil War generation saw its world in ways startlingly different from our own. In his upcoming talk, "Gettysburg Heroes, Glenn W. LaFantasie will focus on the lives and experiences of several key personalities who gained fame during the war and after. The battle of Gettysburg is the thread that ties these Civil War lives together. His presentation will explore the human drama of the war and show how a diverse group of individuals—including James Longstreet, Frank A. Haskell, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and William C. Oates endured or succumbed to the war and, willingly or unwillingly, influenced its outcome. At the same time, his talk will demonstrate how the war shaped the lives of these individuals, putting them through ordeals they never dreamed they would face or survive. His presentation is based on his most recent book, Gettysburg Heroes: Perfect Soldiers, Hallowed Ground, published by Indiana University Press.

Glenn received his Ph.D. in History from Brown University, and is the Richard Frockt Family Professor of Civil War History and the Director of the Center for the Study of the Civil War in the West at Western Kentucky University. He is the author of Twilight at Little Round Top (Wiley, 2005) and Gettysburg Requiem: The Life and Lost Causes of Confederate Colonel William C. Oates (Oxford University Press, 2006). His most recent book, Gettysburg Heroes: Perfect Soldiers, Hallowed Ground (Indiana University Press, 2008), is a collection of previously published essays on the Civil War’s most famous battle. He has previously taught at the University of Rhode Island, Gettysburg College, and the University of Maine at Farmington. His next book will examine the working partnership between Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.

You can find Glenn's books on Amazon.com:

Gettysburg Heros: Perfect Soldiers, Hallowed Ground

Gettysburg Requiem: The Life and Lost Causes of Confederate Colonel William C. Oates

Twilight at Little Round Top

Artillery Position at Gettysburg, courtesy LCWRT Member John Davis

Announcing our 2009 LCWRT Field Trip: Chancellorsville April 15-19

We will be going to Virginia April 2009 to study the Campaign and Battle of Chancellorsville! National Park historian Greg Mertz will be our tour guide. The dates for this trip are April 15-19 so mark your calendars now. We will be studying the entire campaign including cavalry raids, Second Fredericksburg, Salem Church, and all related Stonewall Jackson sites.

For more information on the Louisville Civil War Round Table, its membership, meetings and preservation grant, please visit our home page at LCWRT .

Inaugural Posting

2008-08-24T22:36:00.006-04:00

Welcome to the Inuagural post of Louisville Civil War Round Table Blog.

Our purpose is to study all aspects of the American Civil War and to promote the interchange of knowledge about it. Our members’ interests in the War between the States are varied and their knowledge ranges from elementary to expert.

Our activities include nine dinner meetings per year (September—May), a one-day Fall field trip, and a five-day Spring field trip. Our dinner meetings feature a speaker who discusses a Civil War topic. Our organization also makes an annual contribution to a Civil War preservation project.

Visit this space to keep up with our meetings, speakers and field trips. This season's speakers have been announced and will include: Glenn LaFantasie, David Hinze, Bud Robertson, David Mulesky, Greg Biggs, Jim Ogden, Frank Williams, and Rick Hatcher.

As to the field trips? More will be revealed in the coming months.

For more information on the Louisville Civil War Round Table, its membership, meetings and preservation grant, please visit our home page at LCWRT .

LCWRT members at beautiful Harper's Ferry with author and National Park Historian Dennis Frye