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

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?