Presented by Ed Bearss, Historian Emeritus, National Park Service
Location: Training Room (3rd Floor) Whitley Penn Building, 1400 W. 7th Street (Corner of 7th Street and Summit Avenue)
Time: Program begins at 7 PM
Question: How big should a National Battlefield Park be?
Answer: Big enough to accurately and completely explain the battle that took place there.
At least that is the premise Ed Bearss took into the fray over the creation of the Battlefield Parks at Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge. The result of his efforts is represented by the fact that these two sites are unique in the NPS in that they encompass almost all of the terrain of the battles. The story of how this was accomplished will the subject of Ed's talk on February 9th. Somehow he was able to persuade the U.S. Congress that this was a good idea and at the same time show it would not be an economic threat to the home areas of the parks. Several years ago Ed gave us a presentation on the personality, strategy and tactics of Civil War Generals. It will be just as interesting to hear him talk on the personalities, strategy and tactics of the mid twentieth Century. Ed's friend (and our friend), Pete Brown, will be the moderator.
Many thanks to long-time FW CWRT member, Mark Topel, for his thoughtful suggestion to have this meeting in the Training Room of his firm. This room is ideal. It is big enough to hold our group comfortably. Obviously, it is designed for presentations. And . . . there is plenty of parking. (Enter on 7th and park on the Summit Ave. side.) This evening with Ed Bearss is a not to be missed event of living history. Any future visits to these parks will be immeasurably enhanced by knowing the story of how they were created. See you on the 9th!!
Presented by Jack Waugh, Historian and Author
Location: Ol' South Pancake House, University Drive
Dinner begins at 6PM Program starts at 7PM
Jack Waugh is truly master with the English language. When I read one of his books or listen to him speak there are times I am in absolute awe of his ability to capture the essence of an event or of a person in just a few words. We are pleased to have Jack with us for the January program talking on the very interesting and often analyzed Civil War confrontation between President Abraham Lincoln and General George B. McClellan. The Civil War has its relationships that worked and those that didn’t. One that should have and could have, but didn’t, was the teaming up of Lincoln and McClellan in the first year of the war. It was a cultural and social mismatch. Lincoln was a rough-hewn prairie lawyer elevated to the highest office in the land in the greatest crisis in the young nation’s history. The other was young member of Philadelphia society elevated to the highest military rank in the Union. One was a political comet, the other a military comet. It was critical that somehow their relationship work out for the good of the Union. This talk will explore that relationship, show its great promise, follow its arc through that first dramatic year of the war, take it through the day the president sacked the general and then the general ran for president against the president. It was a dramatic relationship played out in the full public spotlight at the highest level. It made for great drama. We will try to recapture it. Don't miss this great program on the 12th!
Plus a Presentation by the recipient on the Civil War experiences of James Throckmorton
Location: Ol' South Pancake House (on University Drive)
Dinner at 6 PM Program starts at 7 PM
The Pate Award Committee of the Fort Worth Civil War Round Table is proud to announce that The Seventh Star of the Confederacy: Texas During the Civil War edited by Kenneth Howell has been awarded the Pate Award for 2009. This anthology with 18 contributing authors incorporates the latest scholarly research on how Texans experienced the War. Chapters cover topics from how Texas entered the War to what Texans were confronted with in combat and on the homefront. Also explored are well-known battles that took place in or near Texas, such as the Battle of Galveston, the Battle of Nueces, the Battle of Sabine Pass and the Red River Campaign. It was the feeling of the Committee that this book represented the very essence of the original research that the Award is intended to encourage.
Andrew Wagenhofer of Civil War Books and Authors had this to say of the book: "This is the best Texas essay compilation I have ever read. It is really one of the best anthologies on any Civil War subject in recent years. It is broad and detailed with no real weaknesses among the chapters."
Kenneth Howell is an Assistant Professor at Prairie View A&M. He received his PhD from Texas A&M and is the author of numerous books and articles including Texas Confederate, Reconstruction Governor: James Webb Throckmorton. His presentation will be on Throckmorton’s Civil War experiences. Please join me for this special event on the 8th!
Presented by Dr. Craig Symonds, Professor Emeritus, U.S. Naval Academy
Location: Ol' South Pancake House (on University Drive)
Dinner at 6PM Program begins at 7PM
At the outset of his presidency, Abraham Lincoln admitted that he knew "little about ships." In spite of this he soon commanded the largest national armada in U.S. history up to that time. As with the army strategy Lincoln learned as the war progressed. But unlike his experience with Union Army generals that was often rocky due to incompetence, political infighting and personal jealousies, his relationship with his admirals was much more productive. Admirals such as David Glasgow Farrugut and David Dixon Porter were both competent and aggressive. Just as importantly they understood the strategic importance of naval power both on the high seas and on the "black water" rivers. While Lincoln's relationship with his Admirals was not trouble-free, the Union Navy produced results from early in the war. Important Union victories at Fort Henry and New Orleans were largely Naval actions. Ultimately, the dominance of inland waterways and the strangling blockade played a large role in the outcome of the war. There is no better person to relate the story of Lincoln and his admirals than Dr. Craig Symonds, Professor Emeritus of the U.S. Naval Academy. Craig is now the chief historian for the USS Monitor Center at the Mariner's Museum in Newport News, Virginia. He is also the author of eleven books including biographies of Joe Johnston and Patrick Cleburne, The American Heritage History of the Battle of Gettysburg, Decision at Sea: Five Naval Battles that Shaped American History and his most recent book with the same title as his talk. We have ordered books that will be available for purchase (at a discounted price) and author signing at Craig's presentation. See you on the 10th!
Presented by Patrick Falci, Historian/Actor
Location: Ol' South Pancake House (on University Drive)
Dinner at 6PM Program begins at 7PM
We are in for a treat on October 13th at our monthly meeting. We have brought back the Actor/Historian, Patrick Falci, for a return engagement. Some of you may remember his very popular program on A. P. Hill several years ago. (He also played the part of A. P. Hill in the movie Gettysburg.) This time he will be extolling the virtues of Robert E. Lee in a presentation entitled "Cause, Country and All."
Like many of us Patrick Falci is a life-long student of the Civil War. He was the historical advisor for Ron Maxwell for the movies "Gods and Generals" and "Gettysburg." He has also served as historical advisor for Jeff Shaara's books and John Jakes's books "On Secret Service" and "Charleston." He has also served as President of the New York Civil War Round Table on three different occasions.
Unlike many of us he is also a trained actor. He graduated from Abilene Christian University so he has some Texas roots. But his presentation is universal in appeal. As one audience member stated after his presentation on Robert E. Lee at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia: "I had some doubts about the wisdom of bringing a Yankee down to talk about Lee but by the time he was finished and all 90 of us in attendance gave him a standing ovation my qualms had vanished."
This should be a fun, entertaining and enlightening evening. See you on the 13th!
Presented by Dr. Gary Joiner, Associate Professor, LSU-Shreveport
In the continuing effort to promote the study, research and preservation of the Civil War in the Trans-Mississippi the Fort Worth Civil War Round Table is proud to announce the establishment of a new award - The A.M. Pate, Jr. Distinguished Service Award. The recipient of our first award is Dr. Gary Joiner of LSU-Shreveport.
Gary is a past recipient of the Pate Award for the best book on the Trans-Mississippi for 2005. He is a prolific writer with many other books and articles to his credit including - Mr. Lincoln's Brown Water Navy - the Runner-Up in our Pate Award competition for 2008. In addition, he is strong advocate for Civil War Battlefield preservation and has played an important role in the preservation of the battlefield at Mansfield.
Gary is also a cartographer. He once told me he "has given up sleep for maps." He has used his training and talents to map the important battles in the Trans-Mississippi. But he has also volunteered his time and expertise to the mapping of endangered Civil War battlefield sites - both on a regional and a national level. His efforts also resulted in the impressive GPS guide system used in Vicksburg National Military Park.
Finally, he has dedicated his time, efforts and talents to the development of other scholars interested in the research of the Trans-Mississippi. The 2007 Pate Award winner - Steven Mayeux - gives a lot of credit to the encouragement and support of Gary. Many others have also benefited from his efforts.
Please join me on September 8th for our first meeting of the year to congratulate Gary and to hear him speak on:
Defending the Lone Star State: The Texas Cavalry in the Red River Campaign
British Lt. Col. Arthur Freemantle said it best about mid nineteenth century Texans: “It was found to be very difficult to raise infantry in Texas, as no Texan walks a yard if he can help it.” Most Texas recruits during the Civil War signed up to be in the Cavalry. Many of the units wound up being converted to infantry or as some were called “dismounted cavalry.” Nonetheless, Texas still produced more cavalry regiments than any other Southern state. Texas cavalry units fought in many states but they played a particularly important role during the Red River Campaign in Louisiana. Led by the popular and aggressive Tom Green the Texas Cavalry was instrumental in slowing the advance of the Union troops under Nathaniel Banks and the Union Navy under David Porter. This helped Gen. Richard Taylor in the repulse of the Union invasion at Mansfield. After the Battle of Mansfield the Texas Cavalry pursued the retreating Union forces causing many casualties. Unfortunately, Green was killed during one of the engagements.
Gary Joiner is the ideal person to tell this exciting story. He is an excellent speaker and no one has a better grasp of the action in Northern Louisiana. Please join us on the 8th!
Presented by Dr. Steven Woodworth, Professor, Texas Christian University
Presented by Dr. Richard McCaslin, Professor, University of North Texas
Presented by Dr. Anne Bailey: Georgia State College and University