April Meeting Highlights and Photos

The April 2nd CWRT meeting featured an interesting presentation by Leon Reed about the preparation and the responses to the attack on Fort Sumter. Reed noted that with rumblings for months, the attack was not unexpected, and some positions around the nation had been strengthened, while others left undermanned on purpose. He noted that the entire country only had a 16,000 man army prior to the split.

Reed, a former US Senate aide, defense consultant, and US History teacher, lives in Gettysburg and is the author of several books on Gettysburg monuments and two on the secession crisis and transition to Civil war, including the soon to be published, “Fort Sumter’s Long Shadow: Mr. Lincoln Calls for an Army, the Northern States Respond, and the Border States Rethink Their Status”.

Claire updated us on the GAR Museum tour coming up on April 27th - see upcoming. events for info.

We also had our usual book raffle for preservation. Winners pictured below.

From the Brigade Commander ~ April 2024

By now, I hope the Internet fairy has successfully delivered news to your inboxes about an upcoming field trip to the G.A.R. Civil War Museum & Library (Saturday, April 27 in Philadelphia); The museum has agreed to open its doors to our group on a day otherwise closed to the public. You’ll find a repeat notice on page 5 of our April Newsletter and on our Round Table website.

Speaking of website, don’t forget that our webmaster, Paul Bartlett, regularly combs the internet and other sources for Civil War news to post and share with our members.

Our ever-curious newsletter editor picked up on Alan Lowcher’s reference to the “story-in-itself” Sibley stove (on Newsletter page 3) and went looking for tidbits to share about the inventor and the invention. Sibley was a failure as a military commander but, during his life, he contributed bigly to the U.S. military. You’ll find this nugget inside, on page 7.

Also on page 3 of the April Newsletter, you’ll find a sneak preview about a special Civil War display that will be set up, inside our hotel meeting room, for our May 7, 2024, meeting. Come early to get a good look.

Finally, pages 4 and 5 share details of two shooting events, both using period-accurate Civil War weaponry, being hosted this spring in Springtown, Pa. (Bucks County) by the North-South Skirmish Association. The first event offers a chance to hold, load, and fire a Civil War rifle; the other event offers a chance to watch an “against the clock” competition that will involve the use of multiple pieces of weaponry. Admission to both events is free!

Barry

April 2nd Program Details Announced

Fort Sumter’s Long Shadow: Mr. Lincoln Calls for an Army, and the States Respond

In response to the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, President Lincoln made a speech requesting a 75,000 man army to suppress the rebellion. This talk discusses the two things that happened in direct response to Lincoln’s speech.  First of all, a country with a 16,000 man army that was in the process of splitting in two, an atrophied militia system, and no general staff or mobilization plan actually produced that army, in very short order.  He describes the pivotal role of the New York Militia and the under appreciated contributions of individuals such as Joseph Holt, General John Wool, and John Dix.

Secondly, seven slave states that, until then, had remained loyal, reconsidered their commitment to the Union. In the end, four of these states (VA, NC, AR, TN) departed while three (MO, KY, MD) remained under varying degrees of duress. This is a high stakes drama with larger than life characters, dirty tricks, and some questionably legal actions by the Lincoln administration. Arguably, the outcome of the war hinged on these decisions.

  Leon Reed is a former US Senate aide, defense consultant, and US History teacher. He lives in Gettysburg and is the author of several books on Gettysburg monuments and two on the secession crisis and transition to Civil war, including, most recently, “Fort Sumter’s Long Shadow: Mr. Lincoln Calls for an Army, the Northern States Respond, and the Border States Rethink Their Status”. He is a regular contributor to Civil War News and is the editor of the quarterly magazine of the Battle of the Bulge Association.

Mr. Reed has been studying these topics for five years. If interested, his book will be available for sale or preorder.  

April 27th Field Trip the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library

JUST ANNOUNCED - Saturday April 27, 2024    11:00 a.m.

Field Trip the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library

The GAR moved recently, and is now housed in the historic Lewis- Pattison House at 8110 Frankford Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19136

We will meet at the Delta Hotel (back parking lot) at 9:30 a.m.

Please note, I am told this is all on one floor for those of you with ambulation concerns.

Tour by Walt Lafty, Well Known Civil War Speaker

Cost: $15.00 (You can always give more if you wish). 

Please note we will receive a private tour. After the tour and questions, we will have lunch at a nearby restaurant. So come prepared. Walt has promised to field all questions pertaining to the Civil War.

 Please contact clkuk@ptd.net for questions or reservations. We’re hoping to see you on the trip.

Special thanks to Ed Root for getting us a private Saturday tour. Currently, they will only give Tuesday tours. Thankfully Ed has connections, and we were able to obtain reservations for Saturday. Awesome!

Regards,

Claire Kukielka and Diane French, co-chairs

March Meeting Highlights and Photos

Women Combat Soldiers in the Cicil War was the topic presented by Prof. James R. Hedtke of Cabrini University.

Even though we had heard about this topic, Prof Hedtke presented a more thorough lecture than many of us had ever heard. Sharing names, dates and circumstances of these women soldiers, it was a fascinating examination of the topic. Often their identities were only discovered by accident of injury, observation or imprisonment.

Their very existence was frequently denied by government officials, but careful digging even show at least one pension record!

Our preservation book raffles had winner in person, and in the form of our support of our preservation efforts, March winners pictured at right..

From the Brigade Commander - March

During March, like every other month, Americans will recognize a plethora of holidays and other special events, health awareness reminder days and, in some cases, downright nonsense, like Cheese Doodle Day.

Similarly, historians have created their own (no-nonsense) lists. But most of the items on their lists never make it to a square on a calendar page. Take, for example, March 2, the day Texas Governor Samuel Houston was forced to resign his post, and Texas formally joined the Confederacy. Which is too bad, because Houston is a unique character in American history and remains widely respected, warts and all. You’ll find a synopsis of his life’s story inside.

According to the American Battlefield Trust, more contemporary scholars and historians argue that women did fight in the Civil War, and the women who fought shared the same motivations as their male companions. Our March meeting speaker, Professor James R. Hedtke, will share his extensive research on the subject.

You’ll find a preview of his talk inside on page 2 of the March Newsletter, as well as how (and by when) to sign up to attend the dinner that will precede the talk.

Planning work continues for a spring field trip; we expect to be able to share those details soon.

Barry

March Meeting Details Announced - Women Combat Soldiers in the CW

WOMEN COMBAT SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR

 James R. Hedtke, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, History and Political Science, Cabrini University

In the Civil War, over 2,100,000 men fought for the Union, but you never hear of any women, other than that they were nurses or maintained their homes. In the Victorian era of prudery, these women discussed in this lecture pretended to be men, took a male name, enlisted in the army and then fought like demons!!  The question of participation has been argued by historians; Prof. Hedtke will answer these questions head on in his forceful analysis of what the reality is. This program is especially relevant today.

Prof. James R. Hedtke earned a B.S.  from Saint Joseph's University, a MA in from Villanova University, and a Ph.D.  from Temple University. He has taught history and political science at Cabrini University for 50 years.

Allentown's Civil War Monument Stays as Part of 7th and Hamilton "Peninsula"

Published in the Morning Call February 8, 2024

By CHRISTOPHER DORNBLASER | cdornblaser@mcall.com | The Morning Call

Allentown unveiled its final Center Square redesign plans Wednesday, with an anticipated completion date of 2025, and it’s already generating attention online.

  The $6.5 million project would change the intersection at Seventh and Hamilton streets, creating a plaza-type space around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument that can be used for events. Seventh Street will be reduced to two lanes, and a bike lane will be added.

  Construction is expected to begin in the fall.

  The city shared the new design on its Facebook page, highlighting some additional improvements, such as enhanced paving, new trees, green spaces and public art.

The post generated a lot of attention, gaining nearly 300 shares and more than 300 comments in less than a day. Many pointed out that they liked the design, however the issue of traffic came up as a concern.

  With the intersection being right outside the PPL Center, it’s already one of the busier areas of the city.

  Genesis Ortega, the city’s communications director, said Thursday that consultants have conducted an intersection capacity analysis as part of the project planning process.

They determined that the proposed redesign will meet traffic standards set forth by PennDOT, according to Ortega.

Ron Young, a PennDOT spokesman, said the proposed changes at the intersection will need a Highway Occupancy Permit from PennDOT. The city has submitted an application for one.

PennDOT typically issues them to property owners, developers, utility companies, municipalities and municipal authorities, and other interested parties who desire access to the state’s right-of-way, Young said.

He said PennDOT has no oversight on the land use, but does have responsibility to accommodate access onto state roads.

  Initial plans for the overhaul of the busy intersection were presented last June. Those plans made it clear the Soldiers and Sailors Monument would stay in the square, after some feared it could be moved as part of the redesign.

  The landmark, which honors the 47th Pennsylvania Volunteers who served during the Civil War, was dedicated in 1899 and has been the focal point of the square ever since.

Read a similar story on WFMZ - click here.

February Meeting Highlights and Photos

Steve Knowlton presented "Thirteen Months in Dixie, or the Adventures of a Federal Prisoner in Texas."

It was a fascinating story of a Union soldier Oscar Federhen who gets left behind by a troop ship and is sent to and escaped from POW Camp Ford, the largest Confederate-run prison west of the Mississippi. His autobiographical story is written down in a journal, re-written and then passed down through the family until it finds the light of day again. Steve researches the story and finds it is plausible (at least “80%”) and edits it into the book recently published.

Steve is a Librarian for History and African American Studies at Princeton University.  His historical research has been published in many peer-reviewed journals. He is the recipient of the annual William Marshall Wingfield Award from the West Tennessee Historical Society and has twice won the Justin Winsor Library History Essay Award.

Winners of our monthly Book Raffle for Preservation are pictured below.

From the Brigade Commander ~ February 2024

From the Brigade Commander

With the holiday season behind us, most folks have hunkered down for the worst of the winter season. These are the days when it’s hard to trade a warm, well-lit home for a cold car and a dimly- lit walk from the parking lot into the hotel. But we hope you’ll decide that our February lecture subject, and, of course, the chance to catch up with friends and acquaintances, will be too tempting to pass up. We look forward to seeing you.

In the February Newsletter, as always, you’ll find a summary of our February lecture and information about our guest speaker.

It may still be winter, as we’ve been reminded in the last week or so—twice, in fact! But spring is already in the air as work on this campaign year’s field trip is well underway. We’ll share details once the planning is further along.

Finally, some of you may remember “Love is a Battlefield,” a song recorded by rocker Pat Benatar. In honor of Valentine’s Day (another important reminder to add to your February planning calendar, by the way), in the February Newsletter we share a few stories and tidbits about the search for love in the Civil War era.

Barry