Announcing Our 535th Meeting
Saturday, February 9,2019

The Kimberlins Go to War: A Union Family in Copperhead Country 

Presented by Michael B. Murphy 

Michael B. Murphy is an American historian based in Indianapolis, Indiana. He served in the Indiana General Assembly for 16 years. His book, The Kimberlins Go to War: A Union Family in Copperhead Country, was published by the Indiana Historical Society. Murphy earned his B.A. in American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and his M.A. in American History from Indiana University. He participated in the Commandant’s National Security Program at the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA. Murphy is currently researching a biography of William English, a 19th century Congressman who was the Democratic nominee for Vice-President in 1880. 

 The Kimberlins Go to War: A Union Family in Copperhead Country 

 The Kimberlins Go to War tells the story of the Kimberlin family from Scott County, Indiana, that sent 33 fathers and sons, brothers and cousins, to fight for the Union during the Civil War. Ten family members were killed, wounded or died of battlefield disease, a 30-percent casualty rate that is unmatched in recorded Scott County history. Their feelings about the war come from 40 letters to and from the battlefield that have survived. We will have copies of Michael B. Murphy’s book “The Kimberlins Go to War: A Union Family in Copperhead Country” available at the meeting for sale.

American Civil War Battlefields
McPherson Farm 
Chambersburg Pike 
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 

Edward McPherson’s farm was located a half mile west of Gettysburg on the ridge that now bears his name. On the first day of the battle, July 1, 1863, it was the scene of intense fighting as Brigadier General Henry Heth’s division of Confederate soldiers attacked along the Chambersburg Pike. This position was first held by Brigadier General John Buford’s Union cavalry division who were able to hold until Major John Reynolds arrived with troops from his First Corps to relieve Buford’s men. The day ended later in a complete Confederate victory.

                                        Photo and text courtesy of LCWRT Member Charlie Moore

The barn and farmhouse were used during and after the fighting as a field hospital for troops of both sides. After the war McPherson applied to the Federal Government for compensation for his ruined crops, damaged buildings, and supplies taken during the battle. He received nothing. He sold the farm in 1868. The farm house burned in 1895 but in 1904 the property was bought by the Federal Government. An extensive renovation of the barn was completed in 1978. The barn is currently used by a local farmer who leases the McPherson fields.

Announcing Our 534th Meeting
Saturday, January 19, 2019

Inglorious Passages 

 Presented by Brian Steel Wills 

We are pleased to welcome back to our Round Table Brian Steel Wills. He is the director of the Center for the Study of the Civil War Era and Professor of History at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. He is the author of numerous works relating to the American Civil War, including a new volume – The River Was Dyed with Blood: Nathan Bedford Forrest and Fort Pillow. His other titles include: A Battle From the Start: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest (reprinted as: The Confederacy’s Greatest Cavalryman: Nathan Bedford Forrest). This work was chosen as both a History Book Club selection and a Book of the Month Club selection. He also authored The War in Southeastern Virginia and No Ordinary College: A History of The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, both by the University Press of Virginia. Gone with the Glory: The Civil War in Cinema appeared in 2006. And in 2012 and 2013, Brian authored George Henry Thomas: As True as Steel and Confederate General William Dorsey Pender: The Hope of Glory. In 2000, Dr. Wills received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the state of Virginia, one of eleven recipients from all faculty members at public and private institutions across the state. He was named Kenneth Asbury Professor of History and won both the Teaching award and the Research and Publication award from UVA-Wise.  

Inglorious Passages 

"Inglorious Passages received the Harwell Award at the Atlanta Civil War Roundtable for the best book of 2017, and it was a finalist for the 2017 Emerging Civil War Book Award. In my talk, I will try to shine a light on those stories of individuals that went to war and didn’t come home and try to understand the full element of what those stories involved. I think back on a Georgia recruit who’s spelling was challenged, but he would talk about the “vakants” in the ranks, and he said that those folks would not be able to rejoin the circle of friends—and he couldn’t spell “circle” either—or be around the fireside. Those places would never be filled. That made me think that those individuals need not be forgotten."

American Civil War Battlefields 

Lookout Mountain  and Brown's Ferry 

Hamilton County, TN 

View of Lookout Mountain from Browns Ferry, courtesy LCWRT Member John Davis, text by LCWRT Member Holly Jenkins-Evans

This photo neatly encapsulates two historic battlefields: Lookout Mountain, and Brown's Ferry. 

Brown's Ferry was a small action, but crucial to ending the siege of Chattanooga. On Oct 27, 1863, portions of the Union Army of the Cumberland made the move. While Brig. Gen. John B. Turchin's brigade marched to and occupied the east bank of the Tennessee river at Brown's Ferry, Union troops under the command of Brig. Gen. William B. Hazen ferried down the river, passing beneath the Confederate guns on Lookout Mountain before landing on the west side, pushing the CSA pickets back and, after engaging Col. William Oats' men , establishing a bridgehead for the Union supply line. Despite Longstreet's attack on the Union troops two days later at Wauhatchie, the supply line was established, effectively ending the siege of Chattanooga. 

One month later, resupplied and reinforced,  Gen. Ulysses Grant starts the process of breaking out of Chattanooga.  After the taking of Orchard Knob on November 23, 1863 by the Army of the Cumberland under Gen. George H. Thomas, Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg took troops from the base of Lookout Mountain to shore up his center line on Missionary Ridge, thus weakening his line at the base of the Lookout. Under Grant's command, Gen. Joseph Hooker made a demonstration against the Confederate left on the 24th. On the morning of Nov. 24, with the Twelfth Corps in the lead, Hooker’s men crossed the creek and formed a line of battle up the slope of Lookout Mountain. Hidden by a heavy fog, Union troops swept in, captured a Confederate picket post, pushed past the Confederates at the Cravens House and resisted a Confederate counterattack around 1:00PM. By 2:00 PM, the Union flag was flying over Lookout Mountain.

View from Point Park at Lookout Mountain, courtesy LCWRT Member John Davis