HARDTACK
A Publication
of the Indianapolis Civil War Round Table – April 2002
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President – Dave
Sutherland Secretary – Dr. Betty Enloe
Vice President – Dr.
Lloyd Hunter Treasurer – Doug Wagner
Hardtack Editor – Debby Chestnut
Distribution
Managers – Dorothy Jones & Peg Bertelli Quiz Master – Tony Trimble
April 8, 2002
Monday – 7:30 p.m. at
the Indiana Historical Society
450 W. Ohio St.
(Parking in lot north
of the Society off New York St. – Please enter via Northeast Door)
Lee’s Search for the Battle
Of Annihilation
Presented by Peter
S. Carmichael
Historians have long pondered why General Robert E. Lee
remained so devoted to the offensive even when it was clear that such
aggressive tactics drained the Army of Northern Virginia of precious
manpower. Many scholars have attributed
Lee’s audacity to the Virginian’s naturally combative instincts. But Peter Carmichael disagrees with that
seemingly timeless argument, claiming that it does not adequately take into
account the general’s rationale for attacking and how it changed over time. According to Carmichael, many factors motivated
Lee to assume the offensive at different stages of the war, but the overridding
spur was the general’s desire for a decisive battle of annihilation. Because Lee believed that the Confederacy
could not prevail in a protracted conflict, he sought to deliver the final coup de grace to the Army of the
Potomac, even after the devastating loss at Gettysburg. Furthermore, Lee came to believe that the
Southern people craved aggressive action from their generals, an assumption
that, Carmichael says, may have been true in l862 but was no longer correct by
l864. When Peter brings this
controversial appraisal of Lee’s generalship to our Round Table, you will not
want to miss it.
About the
Speaker: A
graduate of IUPUI, Peter S. Carmichael began his career as a Civil War scholar
while a teenager in our Round Table.
After completing his history degree in Indianapolis, he studied under
Gary W. Gallagher at Pennsylvania State University, receiving his Ph.D. in
l996. He has taught at Penn State,
Virginia Commonwealth University, and Western Carolina University, and now is
Assistant Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro. Peter’s scholarly
contributions are impressive for a young historian. The author of Lee’s Young
Artillerist: William R.J. Pegram (l995), he has also published articles and
other contributions in historical journals and some fourteen books, including The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War
History, edited by Gary W. Gallagher and Alan T. Nolan. He presently serves as the Book Review
editor of Civil War History.
Be sure and
invite a friend to hear our speaker.
DINNER
AT SHAPIRO’S
ALL MEMBERS AND GUESTS ARE INVITED TO SHAPIRO’S DELI AT 5:30
P.M.
TO ENJOY DINNER
AND FELLOWSHIP PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
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President
The
Round Table is still looking for volunteer authors to help research and write
our 50th (l955-2005) anniversary history booklet plus an article for
the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana newspapers. Nikki Schofield has
agreed to assist in this effort. If you are interested, please contact Jim
Bishop at 248-8100.
Also looking for volunteers to
assist Robert Dorn in greeting current members and recruiting new Round Table
members. If interested, see Dave
Sutherland.
Hardtack Editor
Please
send book reviews, interesting articles, etc. to place in the Hardtack to me at
the following: Debby Chestnut, 441 S. Catherwood Ave., Indianapolis, 46219;
E-Mail: dchad@indy.net or chestnud@mail.ips.k12.in.us. Phone:
356-5117 (home) or 226-4101 (work):Fax: 226-3444. Deadline for May Hardtack: April 26.
Treasurer
.
We still plan to deliver the Hardtack via E-mail for as many members as
possible. Our goal is to reduce the
costs as much as possible so that funds can be used for other purposes. Please make your E-mail address available to
Dorothy Jones (joejones@iquest.net) and Doug Wagner
CIVIL WAR QUIZ
By Tony Trimble
Identify
the Civil War figures associated with each of the nicknames below:
1. “Maryland”
2. “The Hero of Fort Sumter” (2)
3. “The Flying Dutchman”
4. “The Pathfinder”
5. “Russian Thunderbolt”
Answers to March Quiz: 1) : Shot through both thighs; 2) John S. Mosby; 3)
Braxton Bragg; 4) Emancipation of Slaves; 5) Mayor of Washington, D.C.
Colonel Arthur Freemantle
In the middle of the Civil War, Colonel
Arthur Fremantle traveled with Confederate forces for three months and later
wrote a best-selling book about the experience.
Fremantle’s distant cousin, Tom
Fremantle, 35, of Oxford, England, is now retracing his steps with a 2,500 mile
walk that brought him the week of March 17 to Gettysburg, where Arthur
Fremantle watched the pivotal battle and wrote glowingly about Robert E. Lee
and his generals.
Tom Fremantle began his trek across
the southern United States on September 1 in Progresso, Mexico, just south of
Brownsville, Texas, where the earlier Fremantle began his trip in April
l863. Fremantle planned to rest in
Gettysburg for a few days before heading on to Lancaster and New York.
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UPCOMING
EVENTS
¨
ICWRT’s 2002 Tour: Confederate Invasion of Kentucky and Indiana
– June 24 to June 28. Tour will include
Battle of Richmond, Ky., talk on “Shakers of Pleasant Hill in the Civil War”.
Perryville Battlefield, Battle of Mumfordville, Civil War Museum at Bardstown,
Stephen Foster Musical in Bardstown, John Hunt Morgan’s Raid in southern
Indiana and many other exciting events. Update: New Cost: $264.00, payable in two
installment, first payment of $100.00 due April 8 and second payment of $164.00
due May 13. You may send your payment to:
Nikki Schofield, 7929 Hunters Path, Indianapolis, IN 46214. If you have any question please
contact Nikki at 328-8782 or e-mail at: nlschofield@aol.com. There is still room for
anyone interested in going. Please
let Nikki know.
¨
Annual Midwest Civil War Round Table
Conference: Hosted by the Chicago and Milwaukee CWRT’s-
April 19-21 at Lisle, Illinois, 20 miles west of Chicago. For additional
information check the Chicago Civil War Round Table or Milwaukee Civil War
Round Table websites. Update: Cost of conference:
$125.00, which includes reception on Friday night, lunch and dinner on
Saturday, breaks, and the entire program on Friday and Saturday. There will be
many good speakers including Dr. John Marszalek, author of Sherman’s Other War; Craig Symonds, author of Stonewall of the West, Patrick Cleburne; and Dr. James Robertson
will be keynote speaker on Stonewall Jackson. Please contact Lance Herdegen,
Institute for Civil War Studies at 262-524-7198 for a complete agenda and
registration form.
¨
Book Discussion Series at Danville Public
Library – April 11 - Killer Angels
by Michael Shaara. Presented by history teacher, Christ Cavanaugh; May 1 – Last Full Measure by Jeff Shaara. Presented by Civil War buff, bill Corbitt. The programs begin at
7:00 p.m. There is no charge but
registration is requested. To register,
visit the Adult Dept. of the library or call (317)745-2604.
¨
Gettysburg Trip – May 22, 2002 – Offered by Ambassadair
to club members, however if there is a minimum of 10 persons, they will allow
travel with a $25 per person limited member fee as long as one traveler is an
Ambassadair member. Cost is $259 per person and includes non-stop air fair from
Indianapolis, coach transfers, and itinerary. Arrive Harrisburg and transfer
via motorcoach and arrive Gettysburg about 11:30 a.m. Cost includes: Soup and Salad Buffet at historic Herr
Tavern, visit and highlighted commentary of Cyclorama, guided 25 mile tour of
Gettysburg Battlefield, A. Lincoln Speaks, a 45 minute first person
interpreter, Lantern Walk-discussion on effects of battle on the local
residents. Depart Gettysburg at 7:30
p.m. If interested contact Joyce Duvall
at 317-240-7519 or e-mail at joyce.duvall@iflyata.com
Indiana
Centennial Celebration
May 10-12
The event is being co-sponsored
by the Indiana War Memorial Commission along with the Monument Centennial
committee. Friday: Living history all day for students followed
by a welcome reception and soiree on the Canal, hosted in conjunction with the
Indiana Historical Society Museum. Saturday:
Military parade to the monument and the recreation of the original May 15,
l902 “Dedication to the Silent Victors” of the soldiers and sailors
monument. Saturday evening a Grand
Military Ball will be held in the Indiana State House Rotunda. Carriage rides available during event at a
small charge. All Union and GAR
impressions are invited. Time for
scheduled events are still in the process of being set up. For information, contact the Monument
Centennial committee, 7636 West County
Road South, Connersville, IN 47331 or call the Indiana War Memorial at
233-8505.
Looking for Information
Linda Balough is in the process of writing a book on Eddie
Black, the youngest drummer boy in the Civil War, enlisting at the age of eight
years and two months. She is searching
for any information anyone may have on Eddie.
Linda can be contacted through her e-mail address:
New
Visitor Center at Gettysburg
A proposed visitor center and museum
for the Gettysburg National Military Park has been designed to resemble the
elegant old farmsteads that surround the historic battlefield. The center and museum would be housed in a
cluster of stone and wooden structures that look like barns and other farm buildings. Construction of the
3
139,000
square-foot, $95 million facility is expected to begin in early 2004. The visitor center would open in 2006.
The proposed museum would tell the
story of the Battle of Gettysburg in the context of the Civil War and American
history in general; feature artifacts that are in the present museum;
accommodate 2,500 people per hour; provide shuttle buses to take visitors to
and from the Eisenhower National Historic Site and downtown Gettysburg; include
an outdoor amphitheater; and feature a museum shop and bookstore and 250 seat
limited service cafeteria.
About $5 million in federal money
would be used for the project, but the bulk of the project would be paid for
with private money. The Gettysburg
National Battlefield Museum Foundation will build the facility in partnership
with the National Park Service and has raised $10 million so far. After completion of the new visitor center,
the old center would be demolished and that portion of the battlefield would be
restored to its condition at the time of the battle.
Some
Civil War Humor
General Sherman hated newspaper men so much that he said
if he killed them all there
would
be news from Hell before breakfast.
INDIANAPOLIS CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE
Campaign
2001-2002 Presenter’s & Speakers
MEETING DATES PRESENTER SUBJECT
September 10, 2001 Nikki
Schofield The
Confederate Secret
Service
in Canada
October 8, 2001 Bill Anderson The 19th Michigan
November 12, 2001 David Fraley The Battle of
Franklin, TN
December 10, 2001 Dale Phillips Ben Butler and the
Occupation
of New Orleans
January 14, 2002 Dan Mitchell The Mississippi
February 11, 2002 Steve Jackson My Boys in Blue: A Tribute
March 11, 2002 Dick
Skidmore John Hunt
Morgan: Then and Now
April
8, 2002 Peter
Carmichael Lee and the
Search for the
Battle of Annihilation
May 13, 2002 Gary Ecelbarger Frederick W. Lander: The
Great
Natural American Soldier
June 10, 2002** Richard
Beringer Varina Howell
Davis
**This is a change in
our June speaker. Herman Hattaway will
be
speaking to the ICWTR in September.
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