Grant and Lee: the Generals Nobody Knows

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1 Circular Memorandum #461 louisvillecwrt.yolasite.com September, 2014 Announcing Our 494th Meeting Grant and Lee: the Generals Nobody Knows Will be Presented by William C. Davis DATE: Saturday, September 13 COCKTAILS: 6:00 P.M. Location: Big Spring Country Club DINNER ($25.00): 7:00 P.M. PROGRAM: 8:00 P.M. Meet Our Speaker William C. Davis We welcome back longtime friend William C. Jack Davis to the Round Table for our September meeting. Jack Davis is one of the most prominent historians and prolific authors in the Civil War field. He earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts (History, 1969) degrees from Sonoma State University. For many years he was editor and publisher of Civil War Times Illustrated and lived in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He retired in 2013 after serving 13 years as the Director of Virginia Tech s Center for Civil War Studies. An expert on the American Civil War, Davis has twice been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize (for Breckinridge: Statesman, Soldier, Symbol and Battle at Bull Run). He has written or edited more than 50 books on the war and other aspects of early Southern U.S. history. He is the only three-time winner of the Jefferson Davis Prize for Confederate history and was awarded the Jules F. Landry Award for Southern history. His book Lone Star Rising has been called "the best one-volume history of the Texas revolution yet written". His latest book is Crucible of Command: Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee The War They Fought, the Peace They Forged and will be available in January. Grant and Lee: the Generals Nobody Knows Jack s talk is titled "Grant and Lee, the Generals Nobody Knows." It deals with little-known or forgotten aspects of their characters often overwhelmed by the myths surrounding them. What influences shaped their characters and personalities? How did those things and their life's experiences mold their generalship once the war came? Did Grant really have a drinking problem? Was he really a failure before the war? Did Lee really oppose slavery? Was he really magnanimous in defeat and a willing participant in the reconstruction era that followed? These issues and more will be discussed in light of the research for my just completed book Crucible of Command: Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, the War They Fought, the Peace They Forged.

2 The Adjutant s Call 2 September, It is Time for Membership Renewals **** Patron Memberships Are a Major Boost to the Round Table **** The annual membership fees of the Round Table are now due and there is good news! Once again we are not raising any of our membership fees. And even more good news, 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! Following is a description of three membership options from which you can choose. Please read carefully the following explanations so that you will understand what your choices are. First, you may choose a single membership. Your membership dues will be $30 and this will allow you and your spouse to attend all Round Table meetings and events. The second option is a family membership for $35. Under this option, you may choose to add a spouse, son or daughter as a member. For each family member, the cost will be an additional $5. For example, the cost for three family members would be $40. A family is defined as anyone living in the same household. Thus, two brothers who live in the same house can join on a family membership. By choosing this option, the spouse or family member will be recognized as a member of the Round Table, will be eligible to be elected to the Board of Directors, can serve on committees appointed by the President, and will receive a name tag to wear at the meetings. The third option is a special category of membership called Patron, which was introduced in 1998 and has been a big success. This option allows members who so desire to make a contribution with their membership dues to the Round Table above the usual cost of membership. This is for members who want to make a financial gift because they believe the Round Table is a worthy organization and they wish to show their appreciation and insure its ongoing success. Patron memberships start at $55 and can include a family membership. Of course you can contribute more if you wish. Patron memberships provide no additional benefits to members but simply give the individuals the satisfaction of supporting our Round Table with a financial gift. The additional funds raised through this option will allow the Round Table to take a more active role in the Preservation of Civil War battlefields and sites and also help pay the costs of bringing the very best Civil War speakers to our meetings. Note: Please send your renewal check made out to LCWRT directly to Louisville Civil War Round Table, Indian Legends Drive Apt-203, Louisville, Ky., Thanks. To Summarize the Options: Option One: Regular Membership $30 Basic membership. Option Two: Family Membership $35 A spouse or family member living at the same address can also join +$5 for each additional family member. Option Three: Patron Membership $55+ Membership with tax-deductible financial gift to LCWRT. * The following members were left off the Patron list recently published in the summer newsletter. We apologize for this mistake. - Michaeleen Peck & Kevin Clark - Suzanne Givan & Tom Lively - Paul Mollmann - Kurtz Simmons - Noel C. Walker & Jack Walker - Dianna & Robert Webb - Carl Moore,Jr

3 The Adjutant s Call 3 September, 2014 From the New President Welcome back everyone to our 54 th year! I hope you had a great summer and are ready for an exciting year of great speakers, good food and fellowship, and some exciting events we have planned for our members. We get things underway at the September meeting with a legend among Civil War historians returning, Jack Davis who will talk to us about some unknown facets of the lives of Generals Grant and Lee. In January, we will be treated to an evening of Civil War era music by one of the best, if not the best, string ensemble The 97 th Regimental String Band. They have performed all over the country and feature stringed instruments and great harmonies as they present authentic songs of the Civil War Era. Next April we will go to Antietam to walk the sacred ground of one of the pivotal campaigns and battles of the Civil War. Our guide will be Dennis Frye who has dedicated his life to the study and interpretation of the Antietam campaign. I expect the reservation list to fill up very fast so make your plans and sign up early. Next summer, we will hold our 4 th annual Bourbon and BBQ fundraiser and it will be bigger and better than ever. We are going to feature premium bourbons for the tasting and we will once again have bourbon historian Mike Veach talk to us about the interesting characters and events in the evolution of bourbon. For those who do not know me, let me tell you what I am most excited about when it comes to the Civil War and our Round Table and that is the tremendous work we have done in the last 15 years in helping preserve Kentucky s Civil War sites. This year we are raising our Preservation Grant to $2000 and I invite you to add to that total with a personal donation. I will be talking about preserving these places and victories that have been won and encouraging you to join in and help. I am looking forward to another great year and hope you will make every effort to attend our meetings and hear some of these great speakers we have scheduled for you. - John Davis Round Table Member Joe Reinhart Wins First Annual Immigrants Civil War Award Article by Patrick Young. As I began the fifth year of researching and writing The Immigrants Civil War I wanted to institute an annual award for an academic, author, public historian, scholar, or artist who has contributed to our understanding of immigrants during the Civil War Era. It is tough to honor just one person each year because so many people are laboring to tell the long-ignored stories of immigrants in the mid-1800s. Our first annual award goes to someone who has been working tirelessly for more than two decades to uncover and translate the writings of immigrant soldiers who served in the Civil War. Joseph Reinhart was not trained as an historian. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, he is a retired Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Reinhart is the author of five books about German soldiers in the Union army. The books include extensive collections of letters and other materials written by immigrants in the 1860s that Mr. Reinhart has rescued from obscurity and translated into English. The books he has authored or co-authored are A German Hurrah!: Civil War Letters of Friedrich Bertsch and Wilhelm Stangel 9th Ohio Infantry; A History of the 6th Kentucky Volunteer Infanty U.S.: The Boys Who Feared No Noise; August Willich s Gallant Dutchmen: Civil War Letters from the 32nd Indiana Infantry; Two Germans In The Civil War; and most

4 The Adjutant s Call 4 September, 2014 recently Yankee Dutchmen Under Fire: Civil War Letters from the 82nd Illinois Infantry. Before he published them, these vital primary sources were virtually unknown to English-speaking researchers. Mr. Reinhart gives a voice to the long-dead immigrants of the Civil War Era. Their reasons for risking their lives to preserve the United States, their experiences of discrimination, and their hopes for the future all come through in the books of Mr. Reinhart. In addition, Joseph Reinhart maintains a web presence which looks at Know Nothing violence in Kentucky in the 1850s. Joe also maintains the Round Table s website. For his scholarship in a neglected field, the first ever The Immigrants Civil War Award is presented to Joseph Reinhart. Antietam is Destination for Spring 2015 Field Trip Mark your calendars for the spring 2015 field trip. We are going to ANTIETAM! We will leave on Wednesday, April 15 and return on Sunday the 19 th. Our guide will be Antietam expert and current Haprer s Ferry historian Dennis Frye. As many of you know, Dennis grew up near the Antietam battlefield and has spent his life studying and interpreting this fascinating campaign and battle. We could not have a better guide than Dennis. The tour will include Harpers Ferry, the battles on South Mountain, and Antietam. The sign-up sheet will be available at the September meeting. The $200 deposit is due by the December meeting and will be refundable until January 1, Demand will be high so sign up early. * Schedule Saturday September 13 Jack Davis Grant and Lee, the Generals Nobody Knows Saturday October 11 Jeffrey Wert TBA Sunday November 16 Bud Robertson TBA Saturday December 6 Robert Girardi The Murder of General Bull Nelson Saturday January th Regimental Band Civil War Music Saturday February 14 Phil Seyfrit The Battle of Richmond (Kentucky) Saturday March 14 Jim Lewis TBA Saturday April 11 TBA TBA Saturday May 9 Richard McMurry TBA

5 The Adjutant s Call 5 September, 2014 The 97 th Regimental String Band is Coming! a Musical Time Machine We are planning a celebration of the music of the American Civil War in our January meeting. We are happy to bring you the 97 th Regimental String Band! Based on the existence of an actual string band of the Civil War Era, the 97 th performs 19 th Century American popular music. They will bring the old-time songs to life at our January meeting by singing and playing them just like soldiers, sailors and civilians enjoyed them 150 years ago. These familiar songs of America's musical heritage. The music is acoustic: guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, bass fiddle and harmonica sung in three-part harmony, accompanied with snappy patter and very strong on audience participation. The concert presents a variety of song and story and presents the songs of the Civil War soldier - patriotic, comic, and sentimental songs of both sides. You will not want to miss this performance. You can visit the 97 th s website at to learn more about them. Civil War Symposium Sept Lancaster, Ohio The Fairfield Heritage Association is presenting a Civil War symposium in Lancaster, Ohio on September Speakers include: John Marszaleck, Frank Williams, Mark Grimsley, Chris Evans, and Frank Bullock. Early registration is by September 5, after that prices will increase. The Price includes meals, book signings, and tours. You visit their website at to register and to see a detailed agenda and schedule. We Need a Few Good Books!! If you have some Civil War books you no longer have room for or just wish to give away, please consider donating them to the Round Table for use as door prizes. Our inventory of door prizes has dwindled and we would appreciate any books you can give us. Contact Lowell Griffin at one of our meetings or call him at Summer 2014 Quiz Answers: 1. What was the pay of Union chaplains? They were paid at the rank of Captain of Cavalry, which was $100 per month and $18 for rations. They were provided a tent and forage for one horse, which they had to provide for themselves. Most chaplains in the Confederate Army received no pay.

6 The Adjutant s Call 6 September, Who was the last surviving corps commander on either side at the Battle of Gettysburg? It was Major General Daniel Sickles, who died on May 3, Who said, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance," and what was the occasion? Union Major General John Sedgwick said this moments before he was killed by a sniper's bullet at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia on May 9, Who was the highest-ranking U.S. Army officer to resign his commission and join the Confederate Army? It was Joseph Eggleston Johnston. 5. What was the largest single surrender of troops during the Civil War? It happened when CSA General Joseph Johnston formally surrendered the Army of Tennessee and all remaining forces under his command in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida to U.S. General William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865 at Bennett Place outside Durham, North Carolina. It is believed over 89,270 soldiers were surrendered. September 2014 Quiz: 1. Where and when was the first permanent Confederate monument in the entire former Confederacy dedicated? 2. What was the most interesting or unusual element of this monument? 3. When Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States, five former presidents were still alive. Who were they? 4. Who was the first Union general killed during the Civil War? 5. Who said, "Get down you damn fool" and what were the circumstances? (The Quiz is prepared by Harriette Weatherbee) Attest: John Davis Adjutant