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September 2005
rcwrt.org
Richard Forrester, President           Rob Monroe, Editor       
8008 Spottswood Road                   2416 Edenbrook Dr.       
Richmond, VA 23229                     Richmond, VA 23228-3040  
dforrester@verizon.net                 RMonroe500@comcast.net   

September 2005 PROGRAM Robert E.L. Krick "Brother Against Brother" 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 13, 2005, at the Boulevard United Methodist Church, 321 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA (corner of Boulevard and Stuart Ave.) Enter the basement door on the right side under the front steps. Robert E. L. Krick is in his fifteenth year as a member of the Richmond Civil War Round Table. He grew up in and around Fredericksburg, most notably on the Chancellorsville battlefield. He currently is historian on the staff at Richmond National Battlefield Park. Earlier duty included short stints at Custer Battlefield National Monument, Manassas National Battlefield, and a mercifully brief stay in Philadelphia at Independence National Historical Park. The University of North Carolina Press published Krick's book Staff Officers in Gray in 2003, and it became an alternate selection of the History Book Club. Krick will speak about the Terrill brothers, two native Virginians who chose opposite sides in 1861. Both men attended prestigious military schools, and both earned reputations as good soldiers. But neither survived the war. Their lives and deaths make an interesting story, tinged with mystery and pathos. They are perhaps the best example of "brother against brother" in the Civil War.
The Richmond Civil War Round Table was saddened to learn of the recent deaths of two highly regarded members, J. Ives Townsend and Michael P. Mason. Their friends in the RCWRT will sadly miss these gentlemen. The Round Table has made two donations to the Museum of the Confederacy in honor of Mr. Townsend and Mr. Mason
Summary of August Meeting Our August speaker, Gen. Josiah Bunting, drew a huge crowd to the RCWRT's monthly meeting. Suffice it to say there were more than a few VMI alums in attendance to hear their school's former president. "It's wonderful to be in Richmond and not have to ask for money," Bunting quipped. He joked that he was equally glad he had not been summoned to Richmond to explain why there are women at VMI. Bunting prefaced his talk by noting that the United States had been "deeply blessed" with great leaders during the American Revolution, the Civil War and World War II. One of those leaders, Bunting declared, was the subject of his talk -- U.S. Grant. Though Northerners regarded him as a hero after the capture of Vicksburg in 1863, only a year earlier Grant had been unfairly labeled a "butcher" after Shiloh. Bunting described this bloody battle as the most tragic in American history because it was fought between two inexperienced "gangs" of teenagers. Conversely, the meeting of Grant and Lee at Appomattox, Bunting affirmed, was America's most important hour. Though Grant revered Lee, he was not intimidated by him. Soon after the war, Grant told President Johnson he would resign his commission if Lee and Longstreet were tried for treason. Grant's own failings as president were for the same reasons he was successful as a general, Bunting observed. Grant trusted his subordinates, Bunting said, and that is a mistake when dealing with politicians. Grant was a good strategist, Bunting surmised, an average tactician, but an excellent general. Grant's success as a commander came in his ability to - as Napolean said -- receive information dispassionately. Grant's greatness, Bunting concluded, was the result of his unwillingness to be deflected from his objective.
RCWRT's Annual Dinner Scheduled for November The Richmond Civil War Round Table's annual dinner will be held on Tuesday evening, November 8 on the 24th floor of the SunTrust Bank, 919 E. Main in downtown Richmond. There is no charge for parking in the bank's Cary St. entrance and the high-rise building offers a spectacular view of the Capital City at night. If delicious food and a breathtaking view aren't enough to lure you downtown, we have an excellent speaker and program scheduled. Jeff Johnston, a marine biologist with the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, will present a discussion and slide show on the remarkable recovery and restoration of the legendary ironclad. The cost for this special dinner and presentation is $35. You may bring a check to the RCWRT's September 13 meeting and give to any officer, or mail to: Shep Parsons 107 Rose Hill Dr. Richmond, VA 23229
Lecture to Explore "The Confederacy in the 21st Century" "Rebel symbols fall one by one in the South," screamed the headlines of a recent Associated Press story. The article described how Southern states, localities, universities, and businesses have endeavored to quietly eradicate symbols and names associated with the Confederacy. Other recent news stories testify that the purging of Confederate symbols and names does not go unchallenged. The Tennessee State Court of Appeals ruled that Vanderbilt University could not change the name of Confederate Hall, which had been built in the 1930s with funds from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Southern heritage activists score occasional victories in defending students suspended for wearing Confederate battle flag clothing to school. And, while the Commonwealth of Virginia has declined in recent years to designate a Confederate History and Heritage Month, dozens of local governments throughout the south have done so. Many Americans are surprised to read that the Confederacy remains such a contentious subject in the 21st century, 140 years after its demise, and that so many individuals and groups rally to its defense. Scholars and commentators see in this a culturally significant struggle over the ownership of American history. The Museum of the Confederacy's tenth annual Elizabeth Roller Bottimore lecture will explore the place of the Confederacy on the landscape of 21st-century America. A panel consisting of historians and activists of different perspectives will discuss the ongoing controversies about Confederate heritage, their historical roots, and their cultural implications. The panelists include Brag Bowling, National Press Officer for the Sons of Confederate Veterans; W. Fitzhugh Brundage, Professor of History at the University of North Carolina and author of the forthcoming book, Remembering the Southern Past: A Clash of Race and Memory; and John Coski, Historian and Library Director at the Museum of the Confederacy and author of The Confederate Battle Flag: America's Most Embattled Emblem. Other panelists may be added to the lecture. Cosponsored by the University of Richmond History Department and the Museum of the Confederacy, the program will be held on Thursday, September 22 in the Keller Hall reception room on the University of Richmond campus. The program is free and open to the public. Because seating is limited, reservations are required. Please call (804) 649-1861, ext. 28 or email library@moc.org to reserve your place.
Fall Field Trip is Sold Out The "Battle of Hampton Roads" boat tour on October 1st is sold out! We will depart from the James River Bus Terminal promptly at 8am. There is ample parking at 915 N. Allen Avenue (between Broad and Leigh streets). Remember to pack a lunch and bring a photo ID. If you have questions, please contact Bernie Fisher at (804) 730-1785 or via email: bernard.fisher@comcast.net
RCWRT Announces Special Raffle Longtime RCWRT member Joe Monroe has kindly donated to the Round Table his set of an acclaimed series of books. About 20 volumes make up this full set from Time-Life's "Civil War" series. All of the books are in fine condition and would carry a hefty price tag if you were lucky enough to find the full set available at a used book store. The Round Table will hold a special raffle for this set of books. You may purchase $1 tickets at each of our monthly meetings through the end of the year. We will draw the lucky winner at the December meeting. In the meantime, don't forget to bring an extra dollar or two for Sam Craghead's regular monthly raffle. The Round Table would like to thank Joe again for this valuable donation!
Civil War Book Fair to Feature Over 20 Authors Over 20 nationally renowned Civil War authors will be in Richmond on Saturday, September 17. These historians, novelists and children's book writers will be taking part in a Civil War book fair hosted by the Museum of the Confederacy. All authors will have a dedicated table and will autograph their books, many of which will be on sale in the museum. The authors will present 20-minute talks throughout the day in the museum's lower level. The schedule of speakers will be posted at the museum that day. Authors scheduled to appear include RCWRT members Dan Balfour, Robert E.L. Krick and John Coski as well as Ed Ayers, John Quarstein, Thomas Lowry, DeAnne Blanton, Nelson Langford, Ervin L. Jordan, Jr., Edward Longacre, Anne Sarah Rubin, Greg Clemmer, David Bridges, John Burgwyn, Ann McMillan, Garry Fisher, George Kundahl, Fran Hawk, James A. Morgan, Laura Malone Elliott, Steven Newton, David Poyer and Rebecca Barbour Calcutt. A reduced admission fee of $7 will allow visitors to attend the book fair and tour the museum. This fee will be refunded if a book is purchased at that time. Museum members get free admission and 20% off book purchases. For more information, contact the museum at Info@moc.org or (804) 649-1861, ext. 53.
RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2005
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To facilitate the printing and timely distribution of the monthly newsletter, information for it should be submitted to the editor no later than the following dates: October newsletter, October 1 November newsletter, October 29 December newsletter, December 3 Information may be emailed to RMonroe500@comcast.net or Richmond Civil War Round Table Newsletter Rob Monroe, Editor 2416 Edenbrook Dr. Richmond, VA 23228-3040


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