American Civil War Monuments
Andrews Raiders 
Chattanooga National Cemetery 
Chattanooga, TN 
1890 

Photos courtesy of LCWRT Member John Davis, 

and text courtesy of LCWRT Member, Holly Jenkins-Evans

Monument Inscription: Ohio's Tribute to the Andrews Raiders 1862 Erected 1890 

Tombstone: James J. Andrews Civilian June 7 1862

Because I can't say it better my self, I bring you this from the National Park Service website @ https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/national_cemeteries/tennessee/chattanooga_national_cemetery.html:   

"The Andrews’ Raiders Monument, dedicated by the State of Ohio in 1890, honors Union spy James J. Andrews of Ohio, and 24 of his men who snuck deep into Confederate territory on a mission to cut rail and communication lines. On April 12, 1862, the men boarded “The General,” a wood-burning locomotive, at Marietta, Georgia, while the passengers and conductor enjoyed breakfast. The raiders took off in the engine, heading north, cutting telegraph lines and tearing up the rail tracks along their way. The train’s conductor and others gave chase, commandeering two other trains as they encountered broken tracks. When the raiders reached Ringgold, Georgia, 80 miles northwest of Marietta, they jumped from the train, scattering in the forest. Andrews was captured and eventually hanged in Atlanta. He and eight others from the mission are buried in Section H of the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Four of Andrews' Raiders buried here received the Medal of Honor, although Andrews, as a civilian, was ineligible. The monument to these daring raiders is also located in Section H of the cemetery and consists of a granite pedestal topped with a bronze replica of "The General." 

American Civil War Monuments
79th PA Vol. Infantry 
Battle Line Rd 
Chickamauga National Battlefield Park
1894, George H. Mitchell, Architect 

 Photos courtesy of LCWRT Member John Davis, 

and text courtesy of LCWRT Member Holly Jenkins-Evans

At 18' high, this monument has a two level base and a pedestal with inscribed panels. The bronze sculpture is of two infantrymen carrying a flag. 

The 79th PA was organized in Lancaster, Pa. and therefore also known as the Lancaster Rifles. They mustered in on September 19, 1861 under Col. Henry A. Hambright and re-enlisted as Veteran Volunteers at Chattanooga, TN in 1864. 

Their many actions as part of the 14th Corps and later the Ar
my of the Cumberland included Perryville, Stones River, the Tullahoma Campaign, Hoovers Gap, Chickamauga September, Siege and Battle of Chattanooga. After their re-enlistment, they participated in the Atlanta Campaign from Rocky Faced Ridge through to the Siege of Atlanta. Then Utoy Creek, Jonesboro and the March to the Sea. Then the Campaign of the Carolinas and the Battle of Bentonville, the Surrender of Johnston and his army. And finally on to the March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., for the Grand Review of the Armies May 24. They mustered out in July, 1865. 

During the war, the regiment lost a total of 268 men during service; 4 officers and 118 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, while 1 officer and 145 enlisted men died of disease. Of the 390 men engaged at the Battle of Chickamauga, 137 were killed, wounded or missing. 

Inscriptions: 
79th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry 
2nd. Brigade, (Starkweather) 1st. Division, (Baird) 14th. Corps, (Thomas) 
Colonel Henry A. Hambright, Commanding 

On rear: 
This Regiment Held This Position From Early Sunday Morning September 20th, 
Until Evening When Ordered to Retire 

American Civil War Monuments 
Camden, Maine 
Soldiers Monument 

 Photo and text courtesy of LCWRT Member, Holly Jenkins-Evans

 Located in Harbor Park, Camden, Maine, this granite monument was dedicated May 30, 1899. The base was by Thomas J. Lyons of Vinalhaven, Maine and the statue by the Hallowell Granite Co. Both were purchased for $1400 by the Camden Soldiers Monument Association. The monument has an enlisted soldier in frock style coat on a high pedestal, with the following inscription: 

"Erected in 1899 by the Camden Solders Monument Association in honor 

of the brave men of Camden who gave their lives in defense of their country 

during the Great Rebellion 1861 – 65." 

 On two sides of the base are listed the 22 Honored Dead from the 24th ME, 4 ME, 6th ME Battery, 17th US, 30th US , 19th ME, 26th ME, 15th ME and the US Navy. The Maine regiments were organized in several locations: Augusta, Rockland, Bath, and Bangor. On the third are those 14 veterans who died since 1865.

American Civil War Monuments 
Castine, Maine 
Soldiers and Sailors Monument 

Located in the town common of Castine, Maine, this monument was dedicated May 30, 1887 and paid for by the town of Castine and provided by the Hallowell Granite Company.

It has a classic infantry soldier, with the following inscription: 

 In Memory of the Soldiers and Sailors from Castine, 
 Who offered their lives in the War for the Preservation of the Union 1861-1865 

 With a Great Sum Obtained We This Freedom 

 Photos and text courtesy of LCWRT Member, Holly Jenkins-Evans

American Civil War Monuments
Sturbridge, Massachusetts 
Soldier's Monument 
Built 1871 
rededicated 2002 

Erected by the Town This very simple monument stands in the Commons of Sturbridge, Mass. The sentiment is simple; it's a Soldier's Monument. No lists of battles or lofty sentiments, just the names of soldiers from the area, members of different regiments, now carved on the sides. And it was erected not by a generous donor, or the state, and no name gets credit, but simply by the town to honor their own. 

Honor Roll: 
 A.M. Bullard, J. B. Blodget, J. Brigham 
J.B. Cooper, J. A. Johnson, G. C McMaster 
I.G. Plimpton, R. Sharruck, C. M. Whittemore 

P. Gavin, W. J. Allen, C. H. Brown 
W. Carter, T. O'Hare, H. Smith 
W.J. Stone, D. Wilson, N. Wright 

A.F. Child, W. H. Clarke, W. S. Fuller 
W.D. Marsh, J. F. Moore, A. L. Russell
H.H. Ransom, N. L. Stone, A. Walker

A Perfect Hell of Blood: The Battle of the Crater

Announcing Our 530th Meeting

DATE: Friday, September 7                       

A Perfect Hell of Blood: The Battle of the Crater

Presented by A. Wilson Greene

         

We welcome back our friend Will Greene to the September meeting. Will recently completed a 44-year career in public history as a park historian, battlefield preservationist, and museum director.  Greene holds degrees in history from Florida State University and Louisiana State University, where he did his graduate work under the legendary T. Harry Williams.  He worked for the National Park Service for sixteen years, was the first executive director of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites (now the Civil War Trust) and is the founding executive director of Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier.   

He is the author of six books and more than 20 published articles on Civil War history, Greene's latest publication is A Campaign of Giants: The Petersburg Campaign from the Crossing of the James to the Battle of the Crater.  

Greene lives in Walden, Tennessee with his wife, Maggie, and his cat, Ozzie Guillen.  Will was our guide in and 2013 and will be our guide on next spring’s field trip to cover Jackson’s 1862 Shenandoah campaign.

“A Perfect Hell of Blood: The Battle of the Crater”

The Petersburg Campaign lasted 292 days, but the one Petersburg event that stands out for most students of the Civil War is the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864.  The basic facts about this infamous engagement that Ulysses S. Grant called "the saddest affair I have witnessed in the war" are well known.  A Pennsylvania regiment, full of former coal miners, dug a mine shaft in which they packed 8,000 pounds of black powder under a prominent Confederate fort.  The explosion blasted a huge hole in the ground, but the Union attackers, instead of going around the crater, stopped and sought shelter.  Confederate counterattacks regained the lost ground in some of the war's most brutal close-quarters combat.  Will Greene discovered in the course of his research new information, some of which runs counter to the standard Crater narrative.  His illustrated talk, "A Perfect Hell of Blood," will reveal some of those findings and in the process remind listeners how war can transform men into remorseless killers.

As Summer Ends, a New Season Arrives for LCWRT

The LCWRT will open its 57th year this September with our guest speaker, Will Green on the Battle of the Crater.  This year will will host both new and repeat guest speakers, including Jeffrey Wert, Bud Robertson, Clay Stuckey, Brian Steele Wills, Michael Murphy , Stephen Davis and Chris Mackowski.

And as for our 2019 Spring Field Trip? 

We will be heading to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where we will study the famous 1862 Valley Campaign of Stonewall Jackson.  The dates for the trip are April 24-28, 2019 and our guide will be Will Greene.  Will is one of the best guides we have ever had and we are looking forward to having him interpret Stonewall Jackson’s epic valley campaign of 1862. We will be headquartered in Harrisonburg from which we will traverse up and down the Valley visiting all the major sites of the campaign.  It has been 25 years since the Round Table took a field trip to study this important operation.

And from the Summer Issue of the LCWRT Adjutant's Call: 

"Seventh Annual Bourbon and BBQ a Big Success!

On the beautiful afternoon of Saturday of June 23rd, some sixty-five members and guests gathered at the lovely home of Art Boerner on the Ohio in southern Indiana for a wonderful afternoon of fun, food, and fellowship! We want to thank everyone who attended and donated time and money to this event. Our theme for this year was Irish Whiskey and how it contrasted with Bourbon.  Once again Bourbon historian Mike Veach served as master of ceremonies and conducted the auction. Chris Zaborowski a veteran of the beverage alcohol business and current owner of Westport Whiskey & Wine in Louisville led the tasting of three Irish whiskeys and three bourbons. I think Kentucky bourbon was the clear favorite! This was followed by a BBQ feast with fantastic ribs prepared by Art Boerner and scrumptious pulled pork slow cooked and smoked by Marc Oca with all the side dishes and desserts one could hope for including peach and blackberry cobbler prepared by Cindy Winslow.  Everyone had a great time and no one left hungry!"

2018 LCWRT Bourbon & Barbecue on the River