The Year AheadI am excited and delighted to be elected as Commander, Sons of Union Veterans, Lincoln-Cushing Camp No. 2 Washington, DC and thank you for your vote of con-fidence. Together, our team, with your help, will make this a banner year for our camp.

Our stated mission is:• To preserve the memory of the GAR and our

ancestors who fought to preserve the Union;• To assist in every practical way in the preservation

and the making available of research documents; • To cooperate in doing honor to all who have

patriotically served our country in any way; and• To teach patriotism and duties of citizenship,

the true history of our country and the love and honor of our flag.

With each of these principles in mind, we ask each of you to make a special effort in making this, the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, one that will stand out in the history of our camp.

Our administration will strive for an ongoing and open communication with the mem-bership. We need your ideas and encourage you to communicate with our team. Our team is willing and able to answer your questions and consider your suggestions. We are building our website to improve our public image and information sharing. We are a part of social networking and invite you to join us on Facebook.

Our camp has so many ways for you to participate. We have Camp Meetings, Memorial Day Programs in Washington, DC and at Arlington Cemetery, and more. By participat-ing, you will further honor the principles of our mission as stated above, to say nothing of the camaraderie and friendship with Brothers in the camp. Upcoming events and programs, as well Camp Meetings, will be posted on our website. (Continued on Page 4)

LincoLn-cushing, camp no. 2, sons of the union Veterans of the ciViL War

the neWs WaLkerVoLume 15, number 1 spring edition 2013

 

38th Commander, Charles “Ben” Hawley

Inside This Issue

C a l e n d a r f o r t h e Y e a r 2 0 1 3

9 March Lincoln-Cushing Camp, Meeting 1130-1430 Gadsby’s Tavern, Alexandria, VA 4 May Dept. of the Chesapeake Encampment Various Hilton Garden Inn, Solomons, Md30 May Decoration Day Ceremony TBD Arlington National Cemetery30 May Lincoln-Cushing Camp Meeting 1800-2030 TBD27 July Lincoln-Cushing Camp Picnic TBD Fort Ward Park, Alexandria, VA8-11 August National Encampment Various Milwaukee, WI 7 September Lincoln-Cushing Camp Meeting 1130-1430 TBD23 November Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony Various Gettysburg, PA 9 December Lincoln-Cushing Camp Meeting 1130-1430 TBD

2 Winter Camp Meeting Highlights

3 2013 Remembrance Day Gettysburg, 23 Nov.

3 2013 Officers and Appointments

4 Spielberg’s Lincoln gets Two Thumbs Up5 First Annual Edward Baker Day Dinner

6 Next Camp Meeting Announcement

F r o m T h e C o m m A n d e r

Charles“Ben”hawley

Please mark these dates on your calendar and watch for any missing location information in future issues of The News Walker.

DATE EVENT TIME LOCATION

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Busy Winter Camp meeting Concludes with new Camp officers and Four new BrothersCharles “Ben” Hawley Elected 2013 Camp Commander A very well attended winter Camp meeting took place at Spates Hall located at Meyer/Henderson Joint Military Base in Arlington, Virginia on 8 December, 2012. Commander Charles Nalls opened the meeting with a review of the significant Camp activity over the past few months.

With a packed agenda that included the elec-tion of new Camp Officers and the induction of four new brothers, the Camp went about accomplishing a great deal of business in a rather short period of time. Brother Charles “Ben” Hawley was unani-mously elected as the new Camp Command-er. Commander Hawley’s list of activities and involvment in SUVCW is long and dis-tinguished. Brother Hawley had previously served as Senior Vice Commander of the Camp. Brother Richard Griffin was elected to the post of Senior Vice Commander, he previously served as the Junior Vice Com-mander. Brother Brin Lewis was elected as the new Junior Vice Commander, he was previously the Patriotic Instructor. In addi-

tion, Brother Charles Nalls, PCC, was elected to serve the three-year term as a member of the Camp Council, joining Brothers Robert Pollock, PCC, and Calvin Zon, PCC, on the Council. Scott Stephens was appointed to serve as the Camp’s new Patriotic Instructor. It was an honor for the Camp to have Past Department Commander Keith Young perform the installation of the new officers.

Another highlight of the meet-ing was the induction of four new Camp members. Induct-ees included Brothers Curtis Hoagland, Keith Rossmiller, James Perry and Peter Gregson. Welcome to Lincoln-Cushing Camp 2, gentlemen.

Also in attendance was Brother Ricardo Johnson, who was present with several family members to celebrate his 81st birthday. Brother Johnson is the grandson of Private Alonzo Johnson, who was assigned to Company F, 45th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment.

The meeting concluded with newly installed Camp Commander Ben Hawley giving a presentation, in full period uniform, on the life of a typical soldier in the U.S. Colored troops. Included was a display and explanation of the equipment a soldier would carry into battle and a demonstration of the Manual of Arms.

Father Charles Nalls, PCC, inducts new members

New Brothers Curtis Hoagland, Keith Rossmiller, James Perry and Peter Gregson at their induction into SUVCW

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2013 officers and Appointments | Lincoln-Cushing Camp, Camp no. 2

Commander: Charles “Ben” Hawley29thconn@comcast.net

Senior Vice Commander: Richard Griffinhoplite@earthlink.com

Junior Vice Commander: Brin Lewisblewis@thrivevents.com

Secretary and Treasurer: Lee Stone, PDCstoneld@aol.com

Patriotic Instructor: Scott Stephensscottbricestephens@yahoo.com

members of the Camp Council: Fr. Charles Nalls, PCC; Robert Pollock, PCC; Calvin Zon, PCC

2013 remembrance day in Gettysburg to be held 23 novemberby Brother Lee Stone, PdC

Anyone who has interest in the American Civil War, the battle at Gettysburg, PA in July of 1863, and Abraham Lincoln’s subsequent visit to Gettysburg on 19 November 1863 to speak at the dedication of the cemetery laid out to accommodate the Union dead from the battle, should attend Remembrance Day.  Held each year on a No-vember Saturday close to the 19th, this series of events brings to mind the events of 1863.  Over many years, the events of Remembrance Day have taken the particular shape they again assumed this past November 17th.

A number of Civil War commemorative orga-nizations--such as the Sons of Union Veterans and their Auxiliary, the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Woman’s Relief Corps, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and many others--have meetings this weekend or make appearances at these events.  Saturday begins with the Sons of Veterans Reserve Breakfast at the hotel serving as headquar-ters.  There is a late-morning ceremony at the Albert Woolson Monument, where the SUVCW remembers the GAR, personified by Woolson, the last known Union veteran. A grand parade through the streets of Gettysburg follows, with Civil War re-enactment units

and others who commemorate people and events of that time.  This parade includes several thousand marchers each year.  During the afternoon, time is available for attendees to visit their favorite battlefield locations, or to hold private ceremonies dedicated to units or individu-als who were involved in the battle.  In the early evening

the headquarters hotel offers a banquet, sponsored by the Past Commanders and Past Presidents Association of the Pennsylvania Department, SUVCW and its Auxiliary.  This is followed by a Civil War Ball, with music and a dance master reminiscent of the era; nearly everyone is in period dress at this event. 

The money collected for tickets to this ball, over that required for its costs, is donated to the National Park Service for Gettysburg monument preserva-tion, between $4000 and $5000 each year.

Tickets for the ball can be purchased by contacting Brigadier General Henry E. Shaw, Jr., Deputy Command-er of the SVR. (Continued on Page 7)

The 2nd Mil. District and Lee Stone at Gettysburg, 2012.

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Commander hawley - The Year Ahead (Continued from Page 1)

Last, but not least, we want to acknowledge the fine caliber of new members recently recruited into our camp. Each and every Brother of the Order, whether he is a Member, Junior, or Associate, can be a recruiter. Imagine if each of us were to recruit just one new Brother a year, our membership would immediately double and thereafter multiply. There is much to be done and membership growth assures that these efforts will be maintained and improved upon.

Looking forward to a great year.

Spielberg’s Lincoln gets Two Thumbs Up from Brothers Griffin and Stephens review by SVCC richard Griffin

When Steven Spielberg’s film, Lincoln, was released last year, I knew it would be a must-see film. Ostensibly partly based on Doris Kerns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, the movie treats Lincoln’s efforts in January 1865 to get the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the House of Repre-sentatives. The amendment, which was passed on the last day of January 1865 and ratified by the states on 6 December, 1865, prohibits slavery in the United States. In contrast, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, issued on 1 January, 1863, was a war measure that freed the slaves in those states then in rebellion against the United States, but did not touch slavery outside of those areas. Thus, the need for the Lincoln administration to get the 13th amendment passed.

The first thing to say about the movie is that Daniel Day-Lewis delivers a powerful and nuanced portrayal of our 16th President. Sally Field (who is said to have gained weight specifi-cally for this film) does a good job as Mary Todd Lincoln. The supporting cast also delivers uniformly strong performances, and the scenes that fo-cus on the debates and horse-trading in the House of Representatives are gripping and especially good.

Before I saw the movie, I was con-cerned that Spielberg’s treatment would “improve” the history of the period in a typical Hollywood politi-cally correct manner. By and large; however, I think Spielberg avoided that pitfall. Nevertheless, the sub-ject is so large and complex that a movie treatment lasting two and a

half hours must necessarily simplify the story and pare it down to a few key dramatic themes. Thus, it fol-lows that the moviegoer will not be viewing a true history of the period. Some of what has been left out is very significant. For example, it has been justly said that, by the period covered in the movie, slavery was actually in its death throes, despite what was happening in Washington. Part of this situation was due to the success of Union arms that left fewer and fewer areas under Confederate control where slavery could exist. It can be argued that a very large part of the death of slavery was thanks to the actions of hundreds of thousands of slaves, ex-slaves, and free blacks who did everything in their power to both destroy the institution from within and fight the Confederacy as Union

soldiers and sailors. In my view, the movie ascribes too much significance to the Confederate “peace initiative” and exaggerates the divisions within the ranks of the House Republicans concerning the 13th Amendment. By 1865 the mood had changed from that of 1863, when the Confederacy was still potent and Lincoln had to be very careful with border state sensibilities. The issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation funda-mentally changed Union war aims. Before, the overriding goal was to save the Union. After the Emancipa-tion Proclamation, its aim was to save the Union and create a “new birth of freedom.”

Despite the above caveats, I give the movie two thumbs up. Go see it, if you haven’t already.

review by Brother Scott Stephens

Earlier this year a far less reverent movie was released with Abraham Lincoln playing the staring role, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer. However, much to our delight, and I’m sure that of President Lincoln’s, Steven Spielberg also produced a movie in a more documentary style; the name of the movie captures our camp’s namesake, Lincoln. (Continued on Page 6)

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The Friends of Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Announce the First Annual edward Baker day dinner The Friends of Ball’s Bluff Battlefield announced that they will be holding the first annual Edward Baker Day Dinner on 24 February at the Woodlands, Algonkian Regional Park located in Sterling, Virginia.

The Battle of Balls Bluff was fought on 21 October 1861 in Loudoun County, Virginia and in that year was the second largest battle of the Eastern Theater. The battle was a stunning defeat for the Union with a total of 223 Federals killed, 226 wounded, and 553 captured along the banks of the Potomac.

Edward Dickinson Baker, serving as a U.S. Army colonel, was one of the unlucky ones. Colonel Baker was hit with a flurry of bullets striking him in the heart and brain, killing him instantly. At the time of his death, Col. Baker was also a sitting U. S. senator from Oregon, making him the first and only sitting U. S. senator to die in combat. A long-time friend of Abraham Lincoln, Baker was afforded the privilege of riding with Lincoln in his carriage during the trip from the White House to the Capitol for Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration. Of interest-ing note, Baker initially became aquainted with Lincoln while living in Illinois where Baker served in the Illinois House and Senate. While living in Springfield, Illinois he ran against and defeated Lincoln for the Whig Party nomination in the 7th U. S. Congressional district. Baker went on to win that seat becoming a U. S. Congressman.

The Edward Baker Day dinner will feature Dr. Robert Sutton, Chief

Historian of the National Park Service (NPS,) as the keynote speaker. Dr. Sutton has a BA in history from Portland State University and PhD in history from Washington State University. He worked for the Oregon Historical Society and Oregon state park system before joining NPS in 1981. Most recently, Dr. Sutton served as superintendent of the Manassas National Battlefield.

The event begins at 6:00 with a social hour, dinner will be served at 6:30 and Dr. Sutton’s remarks will be made at 7:15 with questions following.

If you would like to be a part of what will surely be an interesting and entertaining evening, please contact Ms. Dale Hook by email at dhook@nvrpa.org or by calling her at (703) 352-5900.

Call for Articles and Photos for The News Walker

All Camp members are encouraged to submit articles and/or photos to be included in The News Walker. Submissions can be made at any time by sending them to Brin Lewis using the following email address:

newswalker@thrivevents.com 2013 news Walker editorial deadlines: Summer Editorial Deadline: 29 April Fall Editorial Deadline: 26 July Winter Editorial Deadline: 29 October

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next camp meetingo F T h e L I n C o L n - C U S h I n G C A m P n o . 2

our next Lincoln-Cushing Camp meeting will be held at 11:30 am on 9 march at Gadsby’s Tavern, 138 north royal Street, old Town Alexandria, VA, phone (703) 548-1288.

All members of the Camp, Auxiliary, and their guests are welcome.

We hope to see you there!

Cost for the meal is just $29 per person. Checks should be made out to Lincoln-Cushing, Camp 2 and sent to Secretary/Treasurer Lee Stone, PDC at the following address: Lee Stone, PdC 536 Wordsworth Circle Purcellville, VA 20132 Please mail your check in time to arrive by 1 March, 2013, so that an accurate count can be given to the establishment. If you can’t get your check in by 1 March, please call Brother Lee at 540-338-5831 or 571-217-0160 and let him know you plan to attend and will bring your check with you to the lunch. Please see the back page for the reservation form.

our special guest speaker, Brother don Bishop, will talk about Colonel Charles russell Lowell and his wife, Josephine Shaw Lowell, who were residents of this area. The lecture is entitled “The Colonel and his Lady in her Little Gum Boots.”

Brother Donald M. Bishop is a retired Foreign Service Officer who served in Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, China, and Afghanistan.  Earlier he was an Air Force officer with tours in Vietnam, Korea, and on the faculty of the Air Force Academy. Mr. Bishop holds a master’s degree in military history from Ohio State University.

Lincoln, Two Thumbs Up! (Continued from Page 4)

The movie begins following the battle of Gettysburg and after the emancipation proclamation has been approved by the Senate. It takes us through the Republican Party’s struggle, spearheaded by Abraham Lincoln, to pass the proclamation in the House of Representatives. Spielberg provides us with a window into the back door, arm twisting and horse trading, clandestinely lead by Secretary of State William H. Seward on behalf of the president. Seward was aided by a trio of roguish lob-byists, played brilliantly by James Spader, John Hawkins and Tim Blake Nelson, who resort to any means to acquire the votes required to pass

the proclamation in the House. The pro-slavery Democrats, alerted to a conspiracy to get the bill passed, attempt to entrap Thaddeus Stevens, a belligerent abolitionist, into his abolitionist fervor in an effort to derail the vote. Stevens for the first time swallows his pride and does not allow himself to be baited. The vote occurs, Lincoln proceeds to the the-ater where his immortality is forever sealed and the nation weeps, suffer-ing its greatest loss since the death of George Washington. Daniel Day-Lewis bears an uncanny resemblance to Lincoln; so much so that it appears Lewis has brought

Lincoln back. Lewis delivers an excellent performance, capturing Lincoln’s complexity, authoritative-ness, humor, dedication to country and his ability as a grand commu-nicator. Tommy Lee Jones’ perfor-mance as Thaddeus Stevens is a no nonsense, get it done at all cost with the stubbornness of sticking to one’s principals without compromise that provides an antagonist to the Democrats and a minor road block to the Republicans because he refuses to soften his views. David Strathairn plays Secretary of State, William Seward. He delivers a strong perfor-mance and provides the stitching that ties the story together.

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Those who wish to attend the SVR Breakfast, the evening banquet, or the Civil War Ball must register and pay in advance.  Units wishing to take part in the parade must reg-ister with the SVR, the sponsoring organization.  If you as an individual wear a period uniform or civilian attire, you can almost certainly find someone with whom to march.  Other events are free and available to the public.  You need not don period dress to enjoy the events and sights of Remembrance Day in Gettysburg, but if you do wear your 19th-century uniform, or your hoop skirt, you will discover that you fit right in.  Those who might need

items of dress or use from the mid-19th century should be aware that Remembrance Day at Gettysburg attracts purveyors of such items from all over the country.

Those who have never attended Remembrance Day should be aware that, as this is a large series of events, Gettysburg is full to bursting during that weekend.  Plans must be carefully made well in advance, particularly if attendees wish to stay overnight in or near Gettysburg.  You may find, even weeks or months before the event, that there are no available rooms in town for that weekend.  There

will be rooms available somewhat further away, for example at Chambersburg, PA, Dillsburg, PA, or Thurmont, MD.

In 2013, Remembrance Day will be held on 23 November.  The head-quarters hotel has changed to the Wyndham, 95 Presidential Circle, near the intersection of Bypass US Route 15 with US Route 30, with spillover to the Courtyard Mar-riott next door.  If you wish further details, please contact any officer of Lincoln-Cushing Camp.  If you have never attended Remembrance Day, make this year your initial visit.  You will be impressed.

2013 remembrance day (Continued from Page 3)

4 May, SoloMonS, Maryland • Hilton-Garden Hotel

To receive our discounted group rate, make sure to mention you are withthe SUVCW, Department of Chesapeake when making your reservation.

Make plans now to attend the 2013 Department of Chesapeake Encampment on 4 May.

Special room rates are available at the Hilton-Garden Hotel, 13100 Dowell Road,

Dowell, Maryland, 20629.

Contact Beverly Brown, our hotel representative, at 410-326-0303.

2013 departMent of CHeSapeake enCaMpMent

r e S e r VA T I o n F o r m

Yes, I, __________________________will be attending the meeting and am bringing __________________________ as my guest, and

__________________________ as a potential candidate for membership.

Enclosed is my check for $________ ($29.00/ per person).

No, I, __________________________ regret that I will not be able

to attend, however, enclosed is a donation to our Camp’s charitable

works for $_______.

Please detach and mail to: mr. Lee d. Stone, PdC 536 Wordsworth Circle Purcellville, VA 20132

You do not need to buy a lunch to participate in the meeting.

Spring Camp meetingof the

Lincoln-Cushing Camp no. 2

Date: 9 March, 2013

Time: 11:30 am (Social Hour)

Lunch: 12:30 pm

Location: Gadsby’s Tavern 138 North Royal Street Old Town Alexandria, VA

Lunch Selections:

Monte Cristo Sandwich Chicken Salad Ale-Battered Cod Fish

Cost: $29 per person (Cash Bar)

SonS oF UnIon VeTerAnSoF The CIVIL WAr

Brin Lewis, editor

3504 Wilson StreetCity of Fairfax, VA 22030-2936

return Service requested

dC SUVCWSInCe 1887

STATemenT oF PUBLICATIon: ThI S neWSLeTTer IS The oFFICIAL hoUSe orGAn oF The LInCoLn-CUShInG CAmP no. 2 , dePArTmenT oF The CheSAPeAKe, SonS oF UnIon VeTerAnS oF The CIVIL WAr. Published in the City of Washington, DC, United States of America. News Walker (c) 2013 to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. All Rights Reserved. Brin Lewis, Editor. News Walker is distributed via Post and email to SUVCW members and friends. SUVCW, its officers or members accept no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or quality of any material forwarded to and published in the NewsWalker or any referrals or links to the content. There is no intent to use any verifiable copyright protected material. We accept no responsibility for any loss or damage suffered by any person relying directly or indirectly on any information from the News Walker. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, enter into a database, display, perform, modify, create derivative works, transmit, or in any way exploit any part of the News Walker, except for your own personal use.