David Whitehead, Pres. Gary Cowardin, Editor
4305 Cary Street Rd. 1404 Lorraine Ave.
Richmond, VA 23221 Richmond, VA 23227-3735
davidwhitehead1@comcast.net cowardin@juno.com
February 8, 2011 Program
Chris Calkins
"Thirty-six hours before Appomattox: April 6 and 7, 1865"
8:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 8, 2011, at the
First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA., 4602 Cary Street Road, 23226
A parking lot is available behind the church with an entrance off the
parking lot to the left and down a few stairs. (map in August's newsleter)
Chris Calkins is the Park Manager of Sailor's Creek Battlefield
Historical State Park. Prior to assuming this position, he served with
the National Park Service for 34 years, with duty at Appomattox Court
House and at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park before
concluding his federal career as Historian and Chief of Interpretation
at Petersburg National Battlefield.
He has authored several well-received books and numerous articles, and
spoken to many Civil War and preservation groups. He is the author of
the highly acclaimed "Lee's Retreat" driving tour, which is now being
used as a successful example of Heritage Tourism in the Commonwealth and
is the "grandfather" of Virginia Civil War Trails.
Active in battlefield preservation efforts, he served on the board of
directors for eight years with the Association for the Preservation of
Civil War Sites, Inc. (now merged with the Civil War Preservation
Trust) and helped broker the preservation of numerous battle areas
around Petersburg and Appomattox.
He has been interviewed on the History Channel, A & E, Discovery
Channel, HGTV and ITV in the UK. Calkins is a native of Detroit,
Michigan. He graduated from Longwood College (now University) in
Farmville and is married to the former Miss Sarah Brown of Appomattox.
They live in a restored home in Petersburg's Old Town Historic District.
He will discuss with us the desperate combat and extraordinary examples
of leadership that characterized the final stages of Lee's retreat,
which ended at Appomattox.
Be sure to come early to get a good seat.
Meeting Attendance: January 2011 = 42 (snow/ice)
NOTE: Please put on your NEW NAME BADGE on when you arrive for the meeting.
(They will be near the back or side of the room.)
A Word from Our President
Welcome all RCWRT members to our February meeting. Remember to bring a
friend, relative, or neighbor.
If there is a conference, tour, book, or meeting of interest, you can
post it on our bulletin board in the back of the room. Looks like a
good Round Table meeting this coming Tuesday.
Please note the questions below, we'll talk about them in meeting.
See you at the meeting,
David Whitehead, Pres. RCWRT
A question regarding the Richmond Civil War Round Table Annual dinner:
Are you in favor of having our annual dinner meeting in November?
If YES, Why? What about a different location?
If NO, Why?
(If we do not hold a dinner meeting in November, our monthly meeting
will be held as usual at 8:00 PM on the second Tuesday of the month at
First Presbyterian Church.)
Civil War Trust
For the latest CWT news visit: www.civilwar.org
Upcoming Events
Virginia Historical Society - See You in Class
The Nation Explodes...and War Begins in 1861 March 3 & 10, 2011, Time:5:30-7 pm
This two-part lecture by Brigadier General Jack Mountcastle, USA (Ret)
examines the dynamic changes that occurred in the year following the
election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States in 1860.
The first class session will focus upon the increasing tension after the
secession of the states of the Deep South including a discussion of the
reactions of Virginians to the firing upon Fort Sumter in April 1861,
and to Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers to put down the southern
insurrection.
Virginia's secession, its rush to arms, and initial steps to defend its
territory-including the seizure of federal military installations at
Harpers Ferry and Norfolk-will be addressed.
The battles of Big Bethel and First Manassas, the subsequent fighting in
Virginia's western counties, and the battle of Ball's Bluff and the men
who fought in them-will provide the focus for the second session.
Tuition is $50 for VHS members and $60 for nonmembers.
University of Richmond offers course on Civil War Cavalry
The U of R School of Continuing Studies will offer a course titled
"Crossed Sabers - Civil War Cavalry in Virginia" that meets 7:00 - 9:00
PM on four consecutive Monday nights, beginning on March 21, 2011.
This course explores the use of cavalry by both the Union and the
Confederacy and highlights the major cavalry battles fought in Virginia
between 1861 and 1865.
The instructor will publish a suggested reading list prior to this
course and will also provide additional information as take-home
material. On April 16th, a Saturday bus trip led by the instructor will
visit cavalry battlefields and fascinating museums at both Brandy
Station and Trevilian Station.
This course is led by Round Table member Jack Mountcastle, the U.S.
Army's former Chief of Military History. The cost of the non-credit
course is $199.
Call University of Richmond's School of Continuing Studies at 289-8133
or visit their website at www.richmond.edu. Click on "Continuing
Studies" and then select the Think Again Noncredit course catalog's
section on Personal Enrichment History Courses.
www.virginiacivilwar.org
Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
Visit The Museum of the Confederacy Online
www.moc.org
Visit The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar
www.tredegar.org
and their
Events Calendar
Pamplin Historical Park and
The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier
www.pamplinpark.org
and their
Special Events Calendar
RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2011
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your NAME and E-mail address. My E-mail address is: cowardin@juno.com
(Just click my E-mail address above)