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November 16, 2004

November 16, 2004 "Reconstruction - Lincoln, Johnson, and the Radical Republicans" by David R. Wilkerson

According to many people the Civil War officially ended in 1865 when the last Confederate Army surrendered to Union forces in the Trans-Mississippi Region. Once the shooting stopped the conflict was over; and it was expected that the country would get back to "things as usual."  Unfortunately the former Confederates seemingly had other plans; and for the next twelve years (1865-1877) their actions forced the United States government to control them until they were officially reconstructed enough to rejoin the Union.

Others argue that since reunifying the Union was President Lincoln's initial war aim it was logical that reconstruction should start during the war and continue to successful completion. According to many historians, it was the Reconstruction Period that did greater damage to the country and that many of our current racial problems actually stem from this period and not from the war itself.

At our November meeting we will look at the Reconstruction Period (1863-1877) by reviewing the four re-unification plans, the agenda driving each plan, each plan's overall success, and how they may have or did affect the country.

Our speaker, David Wilkerson, M.A., is a founding member of the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table. He received his B.A. and M.A. in History from the University of California, Riverside, and is currently the Senior Archivist with Johnson Controls, Inc., a Department of Defense contractor. David is an adjunct faculty instructor at Chapman University's Moreno Valley campus, lecturing about various elements of American history and Western Civilization. He has also taught for Crafton Hills College, Chaffey College, Mt. San Jacinto College, and California State University, San Bernardino.

Come join us as we learn more about the battles waged long after the war had ceased.

October 19, 2004:

Baptism at Bull Run" by James R. Reger

America's brave soldiers are currently away from home and their loved ones, fighting in a far away land for the freedoms we Americans cherish. Just 150 years ago, however, American soldiers did not have to travel far to find war.  During the Civil War, America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict, our country was ripped apart in a struggle to define the ideals and standards that we
now so proudly defend across the globe.

On a hot summer day in 1861, Union and Confederate forces met on the banks of a small stream outside Manassas, Virginia, to settle their long-festering differences. Little did either side know that this "summer battle" would erupt into a long and bloody war, testing the will of both armies and the nation to survive.

In the tradition of Killer Angels and Gods and Generals, James P. Reger's "BAPTISM AT BULL RUN" (Harbor House, April 2004;
$24.95 hardcover) provides a moving portrait of the commanders and men on both sides who planned, fought, and died in this inaugural clash of arms. Combining a masterful knowledge of history with penetrating sights, sounds, and smells of battle, Reger brilliantly resurrects the naive dreams of glory and horrific realities that drove these farmboys and counting clerks and their confident
commanders forward to face their destiny.

In these pages we come face-to-face with many legends in blue and gray P.G.T. Beauregard, the ambitious and arrogant Confederate general at Fort Sumter; Thomas J. Jackson, an ungainly, eccentric descendant of mountaineers who will eventually become the Confederacy's savior in the saddle; William T. Sherman, nervous and brittle, the sole voice of reason in the Union ranks who would go on to become the most hated man in Dixie; and James Longstreet, who wrangles with cantankerous Colonel Jubal Early for credit on the Southern side.

Battling starts on July 18, 1861, at Blackburn's Ford of Bull Run, and people on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line are shocked by
the savage, three days of slaughter that follow as momentum on the blood-stained battlefield seesaws between Unionist surges and Confederate routs.  In the end, victory favors the Rebel army "as the out-maneuvered, out-fought" Union army retreats in what Reger terms an "all-out rout".

While the Northern states drop into a bleak depression of accusations and counter-accusations, the Southern states fall into an even more dangerous state of jubilation, at least to Robert E. Lee who observes the manic spectacle from his office window in Richmond. He wonders if all the South has done at the first Battle of Bull Run or First Battle of Manassas, as Southerners would call the fight is simply awaken a wintering beast.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  James P. Reger was born and raised in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a border area during the American Civil War owing allegiances to both sides of the conflict. Author of Generals of the Confederacy and other Civil War books, he lives in San Diego, California, where he teaches history. He makes regular pilgrimages back to the battlefield parks for research and inspiration and is nearing the completion of his second Civil War historical novel.


September 21, 2004

"Sacrifice at Chickamauga: A History of the 89th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment" by Bryan Weaver

This Civil War regimental history is a story of 1,001 men from the southwest Ohio counties of Brown, Clermont, Highland and Ross. They were subjected to a colonel who was eventually dismissed from service for incompetence, and after 13 months of duty without major combat, was thrown into the failing Union lines during the battle of Chickamauga to save the Army of the Cumberland from
complete defeat. The order to withdraw was never received by the 89th Ohio and their fate thus sealed.  

Very few of the estimated 350 soldiers who marched into battle "escaped“; 75 reported to duty the next day, 19 were killed, 48
wounded and the rest went to Confederate prisons. The 89th Ohio suffered the second highest number of deaths in prison by an Ohio Regiment - 108, of which, 56 are buried at Andersonville Prison, and 21 at Danville Prison.

The fate of these heroic men will be told through their letters, journals, diaries and pension records. For those who were not captured at Chickamauga, it would be a long 2,582-mile journey that would travel through 11 states - Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland and West Virginia.

Discussed will be the emotions from first-hand accounts of the siege of Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, the road to Atlanta, Jonesboro, Sherman's March to the Sea, through the Carolina's in pursuit of General Johnston, and their march through the streets of
Washington for the Grand Review of the victorious armies.

Bryan P. Weaver is a first time writer with a lifelong interest in the Civil War. He is a teacher at Chadwick School in Palos Verdes Peninsula, California and possesses a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Bryan founded US Masters Water Polo, and is currently the US Water Polo Masters Committee Chairman.  In June 2004 he will play in the FINA World Water Polo Championships in Italy.

August 17, 2004

"The Elon Farnsworth Charge on Day Three of Gettysburg" by IECWRT Member Alan Rockman

While much has been written about the Gettysburg Battle as a whole, and even much has been written about the engagement between Stuart and Custer on the right flank by the Rummel Farm just as Pickett's charge reached its climax, the doomed charge by Elon Farnsworth has received little coverage, and is an almost forgotten footnote of the Gettysburg battle.  Yet if Farnsworth had moved in conjunction with Merritt, and had the support of Sykes or Sedgwick, "the Confederate left flank might have been turned, and
the Rebs might have left the field in disarray rather than the orderly retreat beyond the Potomac."

For a time Merritt's movements actually did turn the left flank of the Rebel forces, but without proper support Merritt was forced to pull back. Judson Kilcavalry Kilpatrick then ordered Farnsworth to move against the heavily entrenched Confederates along the forest and rocky slopes of Big Round Top. The Confederates spearheaded by the same 15th Alabama under Oates that charged Chamberlain at the Little Round Top, were tired, exhausted and hungry and thirsty, yet they easily stopped Farnsworth.

Topics to be discussed are:

How significant was Merritt's charge on the Rebel left?
Was Kilpatrick right or wrong in ordering Farnsworth to ride to his doom?
Could cavalry have succeeded in moving on the rocky and woody terrain of the Round Tops?
What has the new research of Wittenberg, Trudeau, among others, brought to the table?
Does the Farnsworth-Merritt operations on South Cavalry Field merit more or less coverage?
What about the competency,or lack thereof, of the Union commanders?

Alan Rockman is the co-author of the McGraw-Hill Childrens Publishing\Good Apple book "Civil War': Garments, History, Legends And Lore". Born on the 4th of July in Scranton, Pennsylvania, only 100 miles from the Gettysburg battlefield, Alan attended college in Southern California and is currently a Reference Librarian with the Claremont Library in Claremont, California. Alan has lectured extensively in California and in Arizona at bookstores, libraries and schools about the Civil War, and is a member of the Inland Empire Civil War Roundtable.  He has in his possession a prized letter from General Alfred Pleasanton commending Major George Cram, who was wounded and captured in the bloody cavalry sideshow at Fairfield, Maryland on the last day of the Gettysburg battle,
among many Civil War artifacts and books.  He has also written the liner notes for the recent "Way Out West" California Country cd by former Byrds and Desert Rose Band member Chris Hillman and former Desert Rose Band member Herb Pedersen. Alan resides in Southern California

July 20, 2004

"100 Years Defending Our The Golden Shores, an interactive history presentation on the history of the coast artillery of California from the Civil War to the Cold War", Presented by Joe Janesic and Bruce Willis -- Fort MacArthur Museum

Very few people know about the vital role played by the coastal artillery units that guarded California's shoreline and skies from the 1860s until the 1970s. This time period spanned the Civil War, Spanish-American War, Word War One, World War Two, and the Cold War. Bruce Willis and Joe Janesic of the Fort MacArthur Museum will give an exciting presentation on this rich, but forgotten
piece of history. They will also show period uniforms, equipment, and weapons of the coastal artillerymen that were stationed in
Los Angeles and Orange County during the last one hundred years.  Many of you may have seen Joe and Bruce on the Huell Howser's PBS show recently when Huell visited Fort MacArthur to commemorate the L. A. Air Raid of 1942. Bruce and Joe will be displaying some of the unique weapons that were used by the coastal artillerymen on the West Coast.

Joe Janesic is the historical preservation and public relations director at Fort MacArthur. He is further Department of Defense
official and operates a very successful internet consulting firm in Long Beach. Joe is a virtual encyclopedia of coastal artillery. He can answer any question you have, he can even answer questions you can not even imagine.  

Bruce Willis is the World War Two Living History Program Director at Fort MacArthur and runs the highly successful 1941 Student Living History Program. Bruce Willis has a degree in American History and a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology. He has been a military historian since the day of his birth. He specializes in Eastern European and Middle Eastern military history and the
Arab-Israeli Wars in addition to Southeast Asian and Jewish history. Bruce teaches emotionally disturbed children in the inner
city with the Los Angeles Unified School District. He makes is home in Fountain Valley and Thailand.

June 15, 2004

"Collecting the Civil War" by Phil Roa, collector and CWRTOC member

Artifacts hold a unique place in history. They were, in a sense, eyewitnesses.  And though they cannot speak, they are still the things and stuff of history.

Civil War items are no different.  They bring to mind reminders of that awesome conflict.  And as such, a commonly asked question is: "Is it too late to start a Civil War collection?  The answer is NO!  Though prices have continually risen, with such items as flags, presentation swords, uniforms and weapons beyond the reach of many, a good quality collection of Civil War pieces is still within reach of many.

Questions such as:

How do I start collecting?
Where can I find Civil War items?
How should I collect?
How do I know the items are real or fakes or reproductions?
What is a fair market price for Civil War items?
-- Will be answered in the evening's presentation.

Phillip Roa is a graduate of Whittier College, and presently teaches instrumental music in Whittier. He is a member of the Society if Military Historians, the CWRTOC, and the American Civil War Society. His collection has been displayed at Southern Californian re-enactments

 

May 18, 2004

"Medicine and Battlefield Surgery During the Civil War." by Dr. Don Gelb - CWRTOC member

Civil War medicine was in a time before the doctors even knew about bacteriology and were ignorant of what caused disease. Doctors during the Civil War for the most part had two years of medical school, though some pursued higher amounts. We were woefully behind Europe. Harvard Medical School didn't even own a single stethoscope or microscope until after the war. Most Civil War surgeons had never treated a gun shot wound, many had never performed surgery. Medical boards let in many "quacks" who were not qualified. Yet, for the most part the Civil War doctor, as understaffed, sometimes underqualified, and very usually under supplied as he was, did the best he could, exploring through the so-called "medical middle ages." Some 10,000 surgeons served in the Union and about 4,000 served the Southern Confederacy. Each year, medicine advanced a little more. However, it was the tragedy of the era that medical knowledge of the 1860s had not yet encompassed the use of sterile dressings, antiseptics and antiseptic surgery, and the recognition of sanitation and hygiene was still inadequate and many died as a result from diseases such as typhoid or dysentery.

This evening's talk will review the surgicial and nonsurgical care that was available at the time and will discuss the care that was available in light of the knowledge available at the time.

Dr. Don Gelb is a geriatric medicine specialist and is associate professor at UCI and full professor of family medicie at Western University in Pamona. He has written books and many articles and have completed his military career with the California National Guard as a full Colonel assigned to the Discom 40th Inf. Division Mechanized. There he received the Legion of Merit.

 

April 20, 2004

"Evolution of Firearms Technology in the Civil War" by Mike Sorenson --SGVCWRT member

This presentation will address the rapid developments (and often failed experiments) of firearms technology on both sides during the war and how these advancements affected tactics, and indeed the outcome of the war. Examples of the arms, some extremely rare, for hands-on demonstration of the subject matter will be included.

Mr. Sorenson is a resident of Chino Hills and is a building contractor by profession. He's a member of the San Gabriel Valley Civil War Round Table. He is married with four children and has been an avid collector and student of the Civil War for many years. Items from his holdings have been exhibited periodically in Southern California.

 

March 16, 2004

"The Roswell Women" -- by Kathy Ralston CWRTOC member

Between the battle of Kennesaw Mountain and the battles for Atlanta, the millworkers of Roswell and New Manchester Georgia were arrested, charged with treason and shipped north of the Ohio River. These millworkers consisted mainly of women who were the Civil War equivalents of World War II's "Rosie the Riverters". Many of the women found themselves trapped in the north with no means of transportation back to Georgia when the war ended. The fate of these women remains a mystery to this day since many were unable to read or write, and never returned to Georgia.

Our speaker this month is our own Round Table member, Kathy Ralston, who stumbled onto this topic while visiting friends in Roswell, GA.. Kathy is responsible for the computer systems running at the Smart & Final stores. She has been working in the computer industry for 20 years and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Her interest in Civil War history began when she was visiting Revolutionary War battlefields in Virginia. She then found her great-great grandfather was part of the Stonewall Brigade. She is President of the Board of Directors of the Drum Barracks Society & Garrison, the support group for the Drum Barracks Civil War Museum in Wilmington, and also serves as the webmaster for two Civil War Round Tables.

Come join us as we follow the story of these amazing women through Nashville, Louisville and into the mists of history

 

February 17, 2004

"The Colors Will Not Be Taken: The Story of the 16th Maine at Gettysburg" by CWRTOC member David Gansen

On July 1st, 1863, two Union corps were hotly engaged, one to the North and one east, of the little town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They were being driven in towards the town by an onslaught of two Confederate Corps that outnumbered them two to one. At the very apex of the angle formed by these two corps was a tiny regiment numbering about 275 men, the 16th Maine Volunteer Infantry. As the order was sent up and down the line of the I Corps to withdraw to Cemetery Hill south of town this brave regiment from Maine was instead ordered forward! They were being sacrificed, sent forward against absurdly overwhelming numbers to slow the enemy advance so the remainder of their Brigade and Division could make it down off of Oak Ridge and safely on to Cemetery Ridge. As they marched unflinchingly back toward the Mummasburg Road every man among them knew that one of only two things were likely to happen: death or capture.

This is the story of the 16th Maine Infantry and their involvement in the Battle of Gettysburg. We'll travel along with the boys of the 16th from the day they muster in and their brief assignment along the Arlington Line. We'll explore how they acquired and grew to despise the moniker, "The Blanket Brigade," and what they did to shed the name at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Then we'll follow along as they march north toward Gettysburg and engage in the greatest battle of the war, and discover the circumstances that lead to one of the more dramatically defiant events of the entire battle.

The host of the evening's presentation, David Gansen, is Design Director at The Exhibit Shop in Anaheim and has been involved in the design and development of tradeshow exhibits and museum interiors for the past 17 years. He is a member of the Orange County Civil War Round Table and the Sedgwick/Granger Camp 17 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. A native Californian, his passion for the Civil War started nearly 20 years when he first picked up "John Ransom's Andersonville Diary," couldn't put it down, and he's been hopelessly hooked ever since.

 

January 20, 2004

"Agincourt and Gettysburg: Knights in Shining Armor and Tattered Rags" by Dr. Roy Heidicker

It is believed that next to the Bible the book most read in the antebellum South was Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. This story of a heroic knight battling against overwhelming odds was a favorite because many southerners saw themselves as modern day knights. Honor and chivalry were an essential part of being a southern gentleman. The great American writer, Mark Twain (a southerner himself), observed that through such romanticized medieval chivalry -- ideas that he called the "Walter Scott disease" and credited it with helping to bring on the Civil War. In his work "Life on the Mississippi," Twain accused Scott of doing "more real and lasting harm, perhaps, than any other individual that ever wrote."

At the battle of Agincourt in 1415 French knights upheld their honor while losing the battle. Over four hundred years later Confederate soldiers allowed their honor to impact strategy and tactics. By comparing these battles and by looking at the role of honor in the South and the Confederate Army, it will be seen that in many ways Rebel soldiers were indeed heroic knights in tattered rags.

Our evening's speaker, Roy Heidicker, received his Ph.D. at the University of Southern California. The topic of the evening's lecture is taken from the dissertion he wrote for his Ph.D. program. His dissertation explores how North and South, two distinctly different societies, produced distinctly different soldiers. Among the factors looked at are the free labor ideology of the North, and the importance of honor and chivalry to the South. Roy has worked as a research historian for a film production company. He has documented video interviews of W.W.II veterans for the Pomona College Oral History Project. Roy is anticipating the publishing of his dissertation.

 

November 18, 2003

"Personal Tour of the Western Theater Battlefields" by KABC radio talk show personality, Ira Fistell

KABC Radio Talk Show personality, Ira Fistell, will be our tour guide this evening, as he leads us on a "personal tour" of the less visited but no less impressive Western Theater battlefield's of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia. We will "walk" the ground with Ira at Shiloh where the losses were five times as great as at Manassas. Experience the battles around Atlanta, where Sherman would clash heads with Joe Johnston and John Bell Hood. Visit the towns and fields whose very names are redolent with the romance of American Civil War history: Forts Henry and Donelson, Murfreesboro, Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, and Corinth. Ms.

The beauty of this "personal tour" is that we don't need to pack our bags, deal with airport traffic, security and delays. All is required is for us to sit back and let Ira be our evening's guide.

Ira Fistell has been a radio talk show personality in the Los Angeles area since 1977. He is heard on Saturday evenings, 9:00 PM - Midnight on KABC Talk Radio 790 AM. His call-out for "anything you want to talk about" gives Southland listeners the opportunity to respond with questions regarding the day's news and events, economics, international affairs, philosophy, sports, unsolved mysteries in American history, politics and criminal law. Callers drive the show's direction and content which always makes for conversation that's eclectic, entertaining and informative. Ira Fistell possesses a wealth of knowledge and is often referred to as a "walking encyclopedia." He received his bachelor's and law degree at the University of Chicago. He also received his masters degree in History at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

 

October 21, 2003

"This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga" by Mike Presswood

Unaware that Confederate General Braxton Bragg is concentrating his men, and being resupplied and reinforced, Union General William Rosecrans continues to move towards his objective, the Western and Atlantic Railroad. With Union troops widely spread in mountainous territory, Rosecrans realizes that his skirmishers are running into major resistance, but not the rearguard action he expects. He orders his troops to meet at Chickamauga Creek, 12 miles south of Chattanooga, and some distance away from the main force of Confederates. Or so he thought. Bragg attacks the Union troops on September 19 and what ensues is the bloodiest two days in American History.

These series of events culminated in a battle whose outcome could have gone a long way toward erasing the trend of Southern reverses, and came within a few whiskers of pushing the Union Army out of Georgia and south-central Tennessee, all the way back to their base at Nashville. Unfortunately, those whiskers belonged to a senior commander who let personal pride get in the way of "the good of the cause".  We will explore these events and hear about what is not only the greatest battle of the West, but is also, for the numbers engaged, the bloodiest of the War.

The San Gabriel Civil War Round Table's Mike Presswood, is a self-declared Civil War "sponge". He regularly attends two Round Tables, is color sergeant in the Gen. John B. Hood Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and has recently enlisted as a reenactor with the Richmond Howitzers out of Fort Tejon. His interest in the War Between the States dates back to a pre-high school reading of Bruce Catton's "The American Heritage Book of the Civil War".  Born and raised in the L.A. area, Mike now lives in the Antelope Valley. He also serves on the Board of the A.V. Genealogical Society and the A.V. Astronomy Club. He is past president of the Riverside Tax Consultants Assn. Mike works at a Lancaster car rental agency as its "Debit-and-Credit-Dude".  He is the son of a WWII U.S. Navy vet, and great grandson of two (so far) Confederate veterans (at least one of whom was present at the Battle of Chickamauga). Mike is himself a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, and retired from the naval Reserve in 1989 as a First Class Petty Officer with 27 years of service.

 

September 16, 2003

"That Scoundrel Daniel Sickles" by blood-relative Jason Sickels.

In his pre- and post-Civil War careers, as well as during the conflict, Daniel E. Sickles proved to be one of the most controversial of Union corps commanders. Pre-war, the New York City native had already become the first man acquitted of a murder charge on the grounds of temporary insanity. Sickles, a congressman, shot down Philip Barton Key-the son of the composer of the "Star Spangled Banner"-in LaFayette Park, across the street from both Sickles' home and the White House.  Key had been having an affair with Sickles' wife, whom Sickles had married while serving as secretary of the U.S. legation in London.  Defense attorney Edwin M. Stanton gained the innovative verdict.  Sickles then publicly forgave his wife, outraging the public, which had applauded his role in the shooting, and apparently ending his political career, just then the Civil War broke out and he saw his chance to get a new start.

When authorized to raise a regiment he proceeded to recruit enough men for a brigade (The Excelsior Brigade) and was soon rewarded with a brigadier's star.  Always courageous on the field of battle, he was struck in the leg by a shell as his command was beginning its withdrawal.  The leg was amputated within half an hour. He donated his leg to an army medical museum and in later years is said to have visited it.

After the war he was appointed U.S. minister to Spain by Grant, he furthered his reputation as a ladies' man.  In the 1890s he served a term in Congress. For 26 years-until forced out in a financial scandal-he chaired the New York State Monuments Commission.

Jason Sickels is a founding member and currently the Business Development Manager for Merced Solutions an Educational Software and Consulting Corporation in Pasadena, California. Merced Solutions was founded in early 2002 in Orange County and has grown to meet the demands of the postsecondary institution industry.  His interest in the US Civil War stemmed from growing up in Virginia, the heart and soul of most of this nation's great history. Having front row seats to some of the most revered conflicts of the war, Jason frequented Manassas, Appomattox, Richmond, Lexington, and Arlington. Just a short drive away was the most impressive American National Park, Gettysburg, where Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous address.

Jason has traced his lineage to Sir Winston Churchill and Major General Daniel Sickles, proving that diplomacy and determination are the keys to success. He has read many publications on General Dan and will bring some insights to one of the most controversial figures in the Union Army. Currently, Jason is working on a side project entitled Pasadenacivilwar.com, a US Civil War web site that engages elementary and high school students and invites them to post information and content on the site.

 

August 19, 2003

"The CSS H. L. Hunley" by Kathy Ralston.

The Hunley has captured the hearts of both Confederate and Union Civil War enthusiasts, especially after it was recovered on August 8, 2000.  It is the story of David and Goliath – the underdog who successfully sank the USS Housatonic, one of the Union’s most formidable warships performing blockade duty in the Charleston Harbor.  Unfortunately, when the Hunley sank the Housatonic, it also disappeared, taking it’s many secrets to the bottom of the harbor, and becoming one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Civil War.

Our speaker this month is our own Round Table member, Kathy Ralston.  Her interest in Civil War history began when she was visiting Revolutionary War battlefields in Virginia, and later found her great-great grandfather was part of the Stonewall Brigade. She is President of the Board of Directors of the Drum Barracks Society & Garrison, the support group for the Drum Barracks Civil War Museum in Wilmington, and also serves as the webmaster for two Civil War Round Tables.  Kathy is responsible for the computer systems running at the Smart & Final stores. She has been working in the computer industry for over 20 years and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Come join us as we explore the amazing history of the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley. and the men who made her famous.

 

July 15, 2003

"Battle Between the Farm Lanes: Hancock's Second Corps Fight in the Plum Run at Gettysburg" by David Shultz.

This is the complete story of Hancock and his actions along Plum Run on July 2nd when he, with one aide, rallied and sent in over 2,400 troops, stopping the Confederate onslaught at the base of Cemetery Ridge.  More than just the 1st Minnesota, it took a combined force of over one dozen regiments to stop Barksdale, Wilcox, and Lang.  Hancock's disregard for his personal safey and a willingness to lead his men into Hell to saved the Army of the Potomac from defeat that day.

Dave Shultz was co-founder and first Preservation Officer for the CWRTOC. He is author of "Double Canister At Ten Yards: The Defense of Cemetery Ridge and the Repulse of Pickett's Charge" and co-authored "Guide to Pennyslvania Troops at Gettysburg." He has contributed numerous articles for Gettysburg and North and South Magazine. He is one of the leading experts on the Federal Artillery and the battle of Gettysburg. His talk will cover information from his book that is titled the same as the evenings' talk.

 

June 17, 2003

"SHERMAN SURRENDERS TO JOHNSTON: APRIL 1865 Or, Hampton Roads II, Or, What if McClellan HAD Won the Election?"

by Jim Stanbery

It is said that at the Hampton Roads Peace Conference in February, 1865, Lincoln wrote the two words "Reunion" and "Emancipation" on a blank sheet of paper and passed it to the Confederate commissioners, saying that if they wanted peace, they could fill in the rest. Eight weeks later, in North Carolina, Lee's army having surrendered to Grant's and Lincoln just having been assassinated, William T. Sherman faced the remaining Confederate army under Joseph E. Johnston. With the fleeing Confederate government nearby, Sherman in effect repeated Lincoln's offer; and this time the Confederates accepted. The resulting peace
plan, if approved by the new administration in Washington, would not only have stopped the fighting "from the Roanoke to the Rio Grande"; it might also have spared the nation the political agonies of the Reconstruction era yet to come. But the North's reaction was a firestorm of outrage, Sherman's critics charging that if his proposal were accepted, it would throw away the larger part of what the war had been about. The authorities in Washington angrily rejected the document, but the questions still remain: would the adoption of this peace plan have robbed the Civil War of much of its meaning, stunting the political future of the United States as a nation, and if so, how could Sherman have had so limited a grasp of what really was at stake in the war he'd done so much to win?

Jim Stanbery is a professor of political science at Harbor City College and serves as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Board of Directors at the Drum Barracks Civil War Museum.

 

May 20, 2003

"The Legacy of General James Longstreet" by Rob Istik

He was Lee's senior lieutenant and commander of the legendary first corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. Outranking even the renowned and revered "Stonewall" Jackson, James Longstreet is certainly among the most fascinating figures in American Civil War history. When viewed beyond the breadth of his lifetime through the historiographical looking-glass, this figure becomes perhaps the most controversial of the war. Contained within Civil War, Postbellum and American military histories are the paradox and irony of the man - seedlings which sprouted the controversial harvest now an inseparable part of his legacy.

This presentation will utilize two opposing philosophies of historical endeavor to offer a fresh look at the conception and development of the legacy as it is recognized today. Combining a historical survey of Longstreet the soldier with an investigation into the post-war creations of "The Lost Cause" and Longstreet's vilification creates a vantage point for insight into the politics of American culture as it influences the historical endeavor.

This month's speaker, Robert Istik, has been a member of the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table for eleven years. He has been a Civil War reenactor since 1989, and participated in the filming of the Turner Pictures film Gettysburg, Steven Spielberg's Amistad, and a Quantum Leap episode.

Rob is a Principal Engineering Technician for the County of Riverside, and endeavors in the Master's Degree Program in History at the University of California, Riverside.

April 15, 2003

"Zouaves:  The Red-Legged Devils"

Presented by Scott Harrington -- Captain of the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry reenactment unit of Southrn California.

Some of the most famous Civil War units, and those probably with the most distinctive uniforms, were the Zouaves. Many wore red baggy pants, white leggings, a jacket trimmed in red, and a tasseled red fez or turban. Their uniforms made them stand out on the battlefield, but many of these units also stood out because of their reputations as hard and steady fighters. The speaker, Scott Harrington's unit, the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry, "Duryée's Zouaves," was one of the most renowned fighting regiments of the American Civil War. Their colorful Zouave uniform, precise maneuvers, effectiveness in combat and steady bearing under fire, won them universal respect and recognition. "I doubt whether it had an equal," General George Sykes said of the 5th New York, "and
certainly no superior among all the regiments of the Army of the Potomac." Many observers considered the 5th New York to be the best-drilled volunteer unit in the Federal Army.

The presentation will review of the history of the Zouave units during the Civil War, their origins, uniforms, and their performance on the battlefield. A slide presentation will be offered to give the audience a visual sense about these units.

 

March 18, 2003

"Gauntlet of Fire - The Battle of Mobile Bay August 5, 1864" by Pedro Garcia

At the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama, David G. Farragut commanded a fleet of fourteen wooden ships and four ironclads. Running through a minefield and past Confederate forts Gaines, Morgan, and Powell, Farragut's fleet defeated a Confederate flotilla, including the Confederate ironclad Tennessee, and took one of the South's last major ports. The city of Mobile was taken in 1865.

This talk was first given at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine at Redlands for the 11th Annual Southern California Civil War Conference in 2002. This talk was meet with much enthusiasm. The December 2002 issue of Military Heritage Magazine published an article based on this talk on Union amphibious operations. Military Heritage Magazine also published his article for the May 2002 issue on the New Orleans Campaign. He is currently writing an article for Civil War Times Illustrated on the Civil War in Kentucky. He is a member of the San Diego Civil War Round Table and works for the San Diego School District. He attended college at CSU Northridge.

 

February 18, 2003

"Civil War Era Photography" by Wayne L. Pierce

Our evening's speaker will be discussing the history of nineteenth century tintype photography and how it was used documenting the Civil War. Mr. Schwartz will be dressed as a Civil War - era field photographer and will be bring to the meeting photographic samples, equipment, and a portable darkroom.

Wayne Schwartz is a fire truck driver who lives in the San Diego area. He has been involved with the hobby of photography since the ninth grade. He is seen at many of the reenactments in Southern California where he sets up "shop" to take Civil War like phtotographs. You can check out his website at companyphotographer.com that outlines his interest in period photography.

 

January 21, 2003

"I Seat Myself To Write You a Few Lines: A Personal History of the 1st Pa. Cavalry" Presented by Richard Ignatius

In August of 1861 Thomas Lucas answers his countries call to arms and leaves his pregnant wife and infant daughter to join the 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Cavalry. Through 380 letters written by, and written to, Thomas Lucas, follow his adventures, daily routines; eavesdrop on his deeply held religious convictions; observe the people and the countryside devastated by war; and feel his anguish at being separated from his family; his thoughts on the conduct of the war, the generals in command and "The Rail Splitter".

The 1st PA Cav was attached to the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia. From Virginia, to Maryland, to their native Pennsylvania, they participated in every major battle in the East following 1st Bull Run to Appomattox Court House. The Medal of Honor was awarded to two Company F soldiers.

Thomas Lucas is the Great Great Grandfather of OCCWRT member Diana Bayard Ignatius, wife of the speaker. Rich Ignatius, Enrolled Agent is a tax professional during the day and amateur historian else wise. He now lives in Norco with his wife, daughter Stephanie and son Peter, three dogs, and a cat. No they do not have a horse YET.

 

November 19, 2002

David Shultz and Carl Clink  "Death Charges of the Civil War: Pickett's Charge and the Battle of Franklin, TN."

Many students of the Civil War have "scratched their heads" wondering why the Confederate commanders at Gettysburg ( Robert E. Lee) and Franklin (John Bell Hood) could send their troops forward in infantry charges that would only produce death.

The infantry charge was a viable tactic available for a commander to use to maintain the initiative.To accomplish their goals The U.S. Principle of War state, " (He must) seize, attain, and exploit the initiative ... capitalize the initative, impose his will on the enemy, set the terms and select the place of confrontation or battle, exploit weakness ..." In both battle's Pickett's Charge and Franklin the intitative was utilitzed to exploit the weaknesses of their opponents. Dave Shultz (Gettysburg) and Carl Clink (Franklin) will be advocating their respective battles and discuss the issues involved why infantry charges were used.

Dave Shultz is author of "Double Canister at Ten Yards," and co-author of "Guide to Pennsylvania Troops at Gettysburg." He was written numerous articles about Gettysburg for Gettysburg and North and South Magazine. He is considered one of the leading experts on the Federal artillery. He is co-founder of the Civil War Round Table of Orange County and was its first Preservation Officer.

Carl Clink has worked on numerous movie projects, most recently Gods and Generals. He has done work for Greystone Productions on Civil War Journal, Tales of the Gun, and most recently on the Civil War Combat series. He has been involved in reenacting and living history for over 20 years. He is co-founder of the Civil War Round Table of Orange County, and was its president for three years.

 

October 15, 2002

UCLA Professor of History Joan Waugh: "The Pageantry of Woe: The Death and Funeral of U.S. Grant."

Recently seen on the PBS series, The American Experience, on U.S. Grant, Professor Joan Waugh will be discussing what she is currently writing a book on the memorialization of Ulysses S. Grant, who was a symbol of unionism and nationalism during and after the Civil War. The Grant book is a foundation for a larger project on the political culture of soldiers during the years 1861-1865.

Professor Waugh's research interests are in the nineteenth-century, and specializes in the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the Gilded Age; the social history of soldiers; politics and political culture; and the memorialization of the Civil War. My book, Unsentimental Reformer: The Life of Josephine Shaw Lowell (Harvard University Press, 1998) analyzes the life of a major, and controversial, figure in charity reform through the lens of gender, class, and ideology. Two essays on Lowell and the Shaw Family will be published shortly: "Give This Man Work!: Josephine Shaw Lowell, The Charity Organization Society of the City of New York, and the Depression of 1893," in Social Science History (Summer 2001) and "It was a Sacrifice We Owed: The Massachusetts 54th and the Shaw Family," in Hope and Glory: Essays on the Massachusetts 54th, University of Massachusetts Press, December, 2000.

September 17, 2002

Paul Gillette: "Life in Mr. Lincoln's Navy"

This talk will focus on one of the most neglected areas of Civil War studies, the day to day life of the Union Civil War sailor. Aspects such as training, pay, living conditions and combat experiences will be covered, as well as the enduring legacy of the 19th century sailor which is still found in the culture and language of today.

Paul Gillette is a Civil War researcher and author who has been active in the Civil War community of Southern California for the last ten years. Mr. Gillette was a founding member of the Civil War Round Table of Orange County and has served on the Board of that organization as Treasurer, as Graves Registration Officer, and is the current Preservation Officer. He is the co-author of the book " The Civil War Legacy in Santa Ana ", published by the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society. Mr. Gillette is employed by the U. S. Postal Service as well as serving as a Petty Officer in the U. S. Naval Reserve.

August 20, 2002

Dr Rowland King: "First With the Most: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest"

Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the military geniuses of American history, was born July 13, 1821, in Bedford County, the son of William and Marian Beck Forrest. Beginning as a farm laborer he became a horse and cattle trader, and later dealt in slaves and real estate, acquiring much money and land. He enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 as a private, raised and equipped a mounted battalion at his own expense, and was appointed lieutenant colonel. He served with distinction at Fort Donelson, opposed the decision to surrender it, and proved the error of the decision by cutting his way out with his men. He was a colonel in the Battle of Shiloh, was severely wounded in the retreat, and became brigadier general in July 1862. From then until the end of the war Forrest served mostly as an independent cavalry raider, operating on Union lines of communication and delivering surprise attacks on isolated Union garrisons. His Battle of Brice's Cross Roads has been called the "perfect" battle, and his campaigns were studied closely, before World War II, by the German field marshal, Erwin Rommel.

Dr. King is an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans: Holding the following positions currently: Commander of SCV Camp John B. Hood in LA; Historian for the SCV California Division; Historian for the SCV Army of the Trans-Mississippi; and Aide de Camp for the Commander-in-Chief of the SCV. He has degrees from Stanford University, University of Oregon and Arizona State University. His southern 'kin' come primarily from NE Mississippi, Southern Tennessee, and N Central Alabama.

 

July 16, 2002

Dr. Ed Franks:  "The CSA as a Command and Control Economy: Implications for the War Effort or Did the Southern Economy Really Collapse?"

There seems to be virtually universal agreement that the collapse of the southern economy contributed greatly to the failure of the war effort. Various explanations for the collapse of the economy have been offered over the years. Many point to the blockade playing some role of unknown impact, and everyone blames Jefferson Davis for overall bad economic and fiscal policy.

The problem with all of these theories is that there is considerable evidence to suggest -- despite the near bankruptcy of the Confederate government -- the southern economy did not collapse, and was quite robust, if not prosperous, right up to the bitter end. The objective of this presentation is to present evidence that it was Confederate procurement that collapsed, not the economy, and to consider how this contributed to military defeat, and what might have been done differently to avoid or delay the procurement collapse. Examined will be the CSA economic fiscal policy in some detail, focusing especially on impressments policy. What will be considered is how this policy differed from Northern policy, and why.

Before joining TCW in 1993, Dr. Franks was an Investment Management Consultant. From 1988 to 1991 he was Chief Investment Officer at Huntington Advisors, a mutual fund company based in Pasadena, California. He began his career in 1983 at Bank of America's Private Banking Investment Services Group, where he became Director of Investment Policy Research. Dr. Franks earned a B.A. in Chemistry summa cum laude from the University of California at San Diego; an M.S. in Biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. from RAND Graduate School for Public Policy Analysis.

June 18, 2002

George Ottot: "The Red Badge of Courage"

The Red Badge of Courage is an American masterpiece of literature written by Stephen Crane in 1895.  It is a perceptive depiction of warfare and more importantly a study in human character. The program will cover a definition of courage -- especially how those who became Civil War soldiers and that generation perceived it. It will cover a summary and analysis of the novel and the John Huston directed movie starring war hero Audie Murphy.

The speaker, George Otott, has worked in the oil and gas industry for 20 years as an engineer, geologist, and now Manager of Information Technology. A graduate of Cal State University, Long Beach. George is currently working on his Masters Thesis at Cal State Fullerton. For his thesis, George is studying the antebellum political, religious, and socioeconomic environment of the men that served in the 1st Texas Infantry. He had been active with the Long Beach CWRT and has given presentations for Civil War conferences.

 

May 21, 2002

Steve Bogdan: "Fort Yuma: The Bastille of the Colorado River"

President of the American Civil War Society, a parent organization for a group of reenactment units and member of the Imperial Valley and San Diego CWRT's, he is a local historian/researcher/writer who had devoted much of his time researching California and the West's involvement in the Civil War.  He will be discussing the history of Fort Yuma, on the Colorado River, and it's role during the war.  Civil War notables like George Thomas, Louis Armistead, Samuel Heitzelman, Thomas Sweeney and others spent their pre-Civil War careers in this desert garrison.

 

April 16, 2002

Steve Recker "Virtual Gettysburg - CD ROM Tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield"

Creator of Virtual Gettysburg, a cd-rom tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield with Licensed Park Guide Gary Kross. He will demonstrate his product for the meeting and take us on a tour of this "most famous of battlefields".  You can view his product at www.virtualgettysburg.com.  Steve lives in Southern California and is a member of the Sons of Union Veterans.

 

March 19, 2002

Doug Westfall "Capital Guard: The Dispatches of George Dauchy".

Educator, writer and publisher for the Paragon Agency. You can visit Doug's website at www.specialbooks.com. His talk will cover a first-person account of a Union soldier named George Dauchy, who was part of the system of defenses around Washington, D.C.  Doug will present the life of a Civil War soldier - who spent a lot of time bored beyond belief, and longing for something to happen more interesting than what they call "history" turned out to be.

 February 19, 2002

 Vern Padgett "Black Southerners in Gray"

 

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