Fall Field Trip: Frankfort, KY

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 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.

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?

Trek to Wildcat Mountain, Part Two

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