The Camp Griffin Gazette News and Information from the Green Mountain Civil War Round Table

Vol. XIX, No. 7– September 2011

Publicity/Founding Member: Jack Anderson - Treasurer: Gail Blake - Program Chair - Peter Sinclair

jwahist@comcast.net auntis@comcast.net Peter.R.Sinclair@Dartmouth.Edu

Newsletter Editor:: Ginny Gage - Membership Chairperson: - Video Maven : Alan Cheever

lewandginny1863@comcast.net Position Open URFINE@aol.com Our Web Site: http://www.vermontcivilwar.org/gmcwrt/index.html

September 2011 Camp Griffin Gazette Page 1

PETER SINCLAIR

POWER POINT PRESENTATION:

“WASHINGTON, DC REVISITED”

TUESDAY, SEPT. 13, 2011

HOTEL COOLIDGE

WHITE RIVER JCT., VT

6-6:30 P.M. Social Hour 6:30-7:00 Buffet Dinner

7:00 - 7:15 Business Meeting 7:15 Program, followed by discussion

Adjournment Guaranteed dinner reservations MUST BE MADE by 12 Noon, Sept. 12. Cost per person for the buffet dinner is $15.00. For the meeting and program only, there is a donation of $2.00 for members and $4.00 for non-members. For reservations please contact Gail Blake at 802-296-2919 or e-mail her at auntis@comcast.net.

MENU ASSORTED SANDWICHES

COLD SALAD - SOUP TOSSED SALAD

COFFEE/TEA COOKIES

Peter Sinclair

“Washington, DC Revisited”

Peter will present a power point program on the 2011 Round Table trip based in the Washington, DC area, including the Marines at Bull Run and Balls Bluff battle, Pensions Building, Lincoln's summer home, Fort Stevens, Frederick Douglass Home, Congressional Cemetery, etc.

Peter Sinclair has lived more than half of his life in the U.S. and much of that in Ryegate, VT, even if he doesn't sound like it because he grew up in Australia. He became interested in the Civil War after inviting Jack Anderson to speak at his local historical society. Ryegate is a granite town, and the town history said that many monuments at Gettysburg were made in Ryegate where there was a mill that could make round columns.

The Camp Griffin Gazette is the monthly newsletter of the Green Mountain Civil War Round Table. Editor: Ginny Gage. We encourage and welcome all contributions and suggestions. Send news and information to:

Ginny Gage 365 East Road Cornish, NH 03745 or E-mail: lewandginny1863@comcast.net

The deadline for the October newsletter is Sept. 26, 2011.

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2011-2012 Program Schedule

Peter Sinclair, Program Chair

October 11: Dan Murray - "Grand Army of the Republic – Union Veterans Association (G.A.R.) (Tues. evening) November 8: Dr. Leonard J. Nyberg - "The Diary of Civil War Private Richard Dodge 15th Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers" - (Tues. evening) December: Members’ Presentations – (Sat. afternoon) January 14: Rob Sullivan - "Fort Fisher – the last Confederate Fort that protected Wilmington, NC” - (Sat. afternoon) February 11: Undecided (Sat. afternoon – 1 p.m.) March 10: Tom Ledoux - "Navy" – (Tom is the webmaster for the Vermont in the Civil War web site and is moving to our area soon.) (Sat. afternoon) April 14: Robert May - "The Lemon Slave Law - 1859" – (Similar to the Dred Scott case, but with a different outcome.) (Sat. afternoon – 1 p.m.) May 8: Robert Bonner – Subject to be decided. Either Pre-Civil War History or Confederate Vice President Alexander Stevens - (Tues. evening) June 12 – Open (Tues. evening) Other Round Table Meetings and Happenings

Sons of Union Veterans Ripley Camp would like to invite all men to any of their monthly meetings at the Rutland American Legion on Washington Street on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 P.M. They are also looking for speakers for their winter/spring programs and would love anyone with a program they’d like to present to contact Jim Proctor at civilproctor@comcast.net Check out The Ripley Camp #4 web site at: www.ripleycamp.netfirms.com/

Sept. 8 – Major McKinley Camp #9 – Sons of Union Veterans Meeting – 7 p.m. – Soldiers Memorial Building, North Park Street, Lebanon, NH. Camp members, junior members, SUVCW Auxiliary members, and guests are welcome! For more information: http://www.geocities.com/suvcwlebanonnh/classic_blue.html

Sept. – NEKCWRT – “Fall Encampment” - Dinner at 6 p.m. at the Eastside Restaurant, meeting and program to follow. For more information, contact Joan Huguenin at poohbahtoo@hotmail.com Sept. 16 – NHCWRT - 6:45 p.m. – Epping Town Hall, 157 Main Street, Epping, NH – Dick Simpson – “Long Island Regiments in the Army of the James.” For information, email monocacyus@yahoo.com or check out their web site at: www.cwrt-nh.org/

Through September 2011 – “The American Ideal: Abraham Lincoln and the Second Inaugural” exhibit at Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, VT. Text from the speech & artifacts from the collections of Hildene and Brown University’s John Hay Library. For information, (802) 362-1788 or check out their web site at www.hildene.org On display at the Choate-Sias House, Danville, VT, Historical Society – Lt. Col. William H. Preston, Co. D, 1st VT Cavalry – his personal artifacts – Tuesday & Thursday afternoons from 12 noon to 7 p.m. For more information: http://danvillevthistorical.org To Oct. 10 – “Brothers in Arms” – Free, expanded exhibit focusing on the Civil War soldier and loved ones back home at New England Via Vermont, Alburgh Village. Displays on medicine, Underground Railroad, ladies, children, veterans, heroes, scoundrels, more. Open daily 10-5, Wednesday and Sunday by chance. For information, (802) 796-3665; www.newenglandviavermont.com (Above from the Civil War News.) Sept. 9 – 8 p.m. “Remember Me to All Good Folks: A Play of Vermont Voices from the Civil War,” an original Civil War Play, based on words from the letters, memoirs, journals and newspapers in the Henry Sheldon Museum archives. Town Hill Theater, Middlebury, VT. Sept. 10 – 2 and 8 p.m. “Remember Me to All Good Folks: A Play of Vermont Voices from the Civil War.” Please see above. Sept. 10 – 9 to 5 p.m. – Camp Johnson, Colchester, VT – 150th Anniversary Kickoff. Newly restored Cedar Creek painting; educational lectures; Vermont’s Fallen Heroes Memorial; Living History displays, all wars. Contact Walt Houghton, 802-338-3360. Sept. 18 – 2 and 7 p.m., FlynnSpace, Burlington, VT – “Remember Me to All Good Folks: A Play of Vermont Voices from the Civil War.” Please see above. Sept. 17-18 – Lunenburg, VT – Civil War Hemlocks Encampment. Sept. 21 – 10 a.m. (rain or shine) – Brattleboro Union High School – Recreation of the 1906 Program dedicating the monument honoring the men who passed through Brattleboro in service to the Union Cause. Sept. 24 – St. Albans/NW Vermont – Muster of the Fifth Vermont Infantry Sept. 29 – 2 p.m. – Peacham, VT – Peacham Historical Society Ghost Walk will feature readings

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from civil War letters and diaries. The program will start at 2 p.m. in front of the Peacham’s Soldiers monument with a brief introduction and then move to the nearby Peacham Cemetery. (Editor’s note: Many of these events are from Tom Ledoux’s great web site, so please check it out: http://www.vermontcivilwar.org/ In New Hampshire: Starting May 1, 2011 at 10 A.M. – Ending October 31, 2011 at 5 P.M. at Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth, NH - Fitz John Porter: Portsmouth's Civil War Hero or Coward? - This exhibit, open 7 days in the Museum’s Rowland Gallery, explores the General’s Civil War life and times through artifacts and documents explaining his political court martial and his 20-year effort to finally clear his name. Also Quartermaster’s Office at the museum’s Discover Center where kids can try on uniforms, handle “arms” and packs; review their enlistment papers; Civil War dispensary in the kitchen of the Goodwin Mansion, home to NH’s Civil War Governor to explore the aftermath of those injured during the War and their medical treatment on their return home. Daily walking tours Porter’s Portsmouth Boyhood 1822-1830. Tickets: Adults $15, Children aged 5-17 $10, kids 4 and under, free. Family rate (2 adults and all children under 17) $40. 603-433-1100, www.strawberybanke.org Sept. 13 – 4 to 5 p.m. – A New Look at NH During the Civil War Talk - Newbury Town Office, 937 Rte. 103, Newbury - NH Humanities Council & The Fells present Mike Pride, author of “A New Look at New Hampshire During the Civil War.” Free.

Exhibit until Oct. 29: Soldiers and Civilians: Local Stories of the Civil War – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Peterborough Historical Society, 19 Grove St., Peterborough, NH. www.PeterboroughHistory.org This exhibit that opened April 21, 2011 explores local people's experiences of the nation's most devastating war through artifacts, photographs and first-person accounts of the battlefield and the home front. Open Wed. – Sat. Admission: $3, 603.924.3235,

Also, if you know of any Civil War event coming up, please let me know. If there isn’t time to put it in the newsletter, I would be happy to e-mail it to those members on my e-mail list. There is so much going on, it’s difficult for me to keep up with all of them!

LAST CHANCE TO RENEW YOUR ROUNDTABLE MEMBERSHIP

If you have not already done so, it is time to renew your membership for the year. Membership runs from March through February. When completing the membership form,

please remember to include your email address. We are striving to send as many newsletters as possible by email, as printing and mailing costs consume a large portion of our treasury. Also, sending by email helps us to be able to get additional information that may come up between meetings to you quickly. If you have any questions about whether or not your dues are paid, please email or call Peter Sinclair (Peter.R.Sinclair@Dartmouth.Edu - 802- 584-3280) If your dues are NOT paid by the end of September, you will be dropped from our rolls. Thank you for supporting your Roundtable. And a big THANK YOU to Mary for her years as membership chairman. She did a GREAT JOB making sure we all paid our dues! LEARN ABOUT THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR THROUGH A COMMEMORATIVE WEBSITE FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTEzOTA3NzgmbWVzc2FnZWlkPVBSRC1CVUwtMTM5MDc3OCZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTEyNzY2NDUxNDMmZW1haWxpZD1kb25uYS5yaXhAZGhzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9ZG9ubmEucml4QGRocy5nb3YmZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&100&&&http://www.nps.gov/features/waso/cw150th/index.html You’ll find a timeline of events leading up to the war; a series of articles about issues surrounding the conflict; and a tool for looking up Civil War soldiers, regiments, battles, and more. (Thanks to RT member Pat Wheatley for sending this.)

NEWS FROM VERMONT NEWSPAPERS September 1861

St. Albans Messenger September 19, 1861 Fighting near Chain Bridge. The Vermont Third and Maine Sixth Regiments Engaged. Washington, Sept. 11. This afternoon the Vermont Third and the Maine Sixth Regiments were reconnoitering on the road leading from Chain Bridge to Falls Church, when they suddenly came upon a column of several thousand of the enemy, by whom they were nearly surrounded; but they managed to fall back on the pickets in good order. The artillery on both sides was engaged, and continued for an hour and a half to fire at long range. The following members of the Vt., 3d were wounded in the affair at Louisville yesterday: M. A. Parker, W. C.

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Carter, Lieut. Haveland, Serg’t. Farnham, and N. R. Kingsbury. VERMONT AND MAINE REGIMENTS.—A correspondent of the Boston Journal, writing from the camp of the 6th Maine, at Chain Bridge, says:

“The assembling of these Vermont and Maine Regiments, brought about a singular re-union. When the war broke out the Senior Class in Norwich University was entirely broken up, and the Juniors nearly so. When these Regiments came together, the entire Senior Class met, and many of the Juniors, all holding offices in the different Regiments. It was at once decided to hold the Commencement of the old N. U. on the banks of the Potomac this year. The orations were delivered by a graduate of Dartmouth. Degrees of P.B., G.C., H.Y., &c, were conferred on several worthies, and the exercises broke up. Music by the Regimental. We trust the Faculty of the old N.U. will appreciate the honor done them, and send along the A.B.’s.” Caledonian September 13, 1861

Pardoned. It will be noticed that Gen. McClellan has pardoned Wm. Scott of the Calais company, (Co. K) 3d Vt. Regiment; whose offense was sleeping upon his post while on guard. The news was received Monday that he was to be shot that day, having been found guilty by a court martial, and the next day the papers printed his pardon. There was a sense of relief throughout our community on the receipt of this news, for however, just this sentence was, it did seem hard. Scott was one of the measley ones left behind at this place, and who joined his regiment a month ago. We venture the prediction that there will be no more sleepy guards in the Vermont 3d.

“On to Richmond!” We had supposed that the spirit of croaking was subsiding, and that the well informed portion of the community were content to entrust to the properly constituted authorities the duty of raising and furnishing troops to quell the rebellion. We now and then, however, notice a renewal of the cry, “Why move so slowly?” “Why does not Vermont raise more troops?” etc. Vermont is already ahead of New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, and several other states. Her 4th and 5th regiments are in encampment, and all possible dispatch is being used to uniform and equip them. When this is done it may be seasonable to raise more troops. The difficulty is not in enlisting volunteers. Our Green Mountain boys are ready to rush into the service of the country by thousands. But unless they are to be sent forward without uniforms, arms and equipments, we see no wisdom in calling them into encampment. The government contracts for outfits for the army preclude the possibility of furnishing more Vermont troops at an

early day, and greatly retard the progress of fitting out the 4th and 5th regiments.

Uniforms and Tents.

We learn that Gen. Davis has been directed to procure the regulation army blue for uniforming the 4th and 5th Vermont regiments. Also the Sibley tent—the best known. Enfield rifles are already purchased, and if the governor’s instructions are complied with, our soldiers will have nothing left undone for their comfort and convenience, or their military efficiency and appearance.

Vermont Sharp-Shooters.

Capt. Weston has one hundred men at Randolph. His company will be organized at once and leave on Friday to join Col. Berdan at Washington. Judge Dana of this place was despatched to West Randolph by Governor Fairbanks on Thursday morning to organize and administer the oath to this company before it left the State.

Tents for the 4th and 5th.

Gov. Fairbanks gave directions to Gen. Davis to have the Sibley tent, the most approved army tent, procured for the 4th and 5th regiments; but when too late to be remedied he is informed that another kind has been purchased.

Regimental Bands. The band of the 4th--S.F. Merrill leader,--is in rehearsal at Bellows Falls. The band of the 5th--James Rice leader--is at Montpelier. Each band consists of 20 members, picked men, and temperance, as well as musical ability, is considered a necessary qualification for membership. A day or two since one of the 4th regiment band overestimated the amount of whiskey he could carry, but his style of marching betrayed him, and Mr. Merrill promptly dismissed him to join the Home Guard.

Executive Committee Meeting

August 25, 2011

Our annual meeting was held at the Hotel Coolidge with Gail Blake, Alan Cheever, Jeanette Cook, Mary Davis, Bill Estabrook, Lew and Ginny Gage, Peter Sinclair, and Joan Tomasi in attendance. Gail gave us a treasurer’s report. There’s approximately $2,600 in the checking account. The expenses for the past year are: $300 for speaker’s meals, $300-350 for newsletter costs, speaker’s gifts $100, and donations of $300-400 to Civil War causes. Gail thinks we have about $1,500 in expenses each year. After much discussion, it was decided to include a treasurer’s report in the newsletter each month. We made $385 on the Civil War print raffle that Jeanette

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has so graciously donated to our RT. Jeanette was asked if she would like that money to be donated anywhere specific, and she didn’t. We will look at the latest Civil War Trust plea for money and see where we should be donating. A huge THANK YOU to Jeanette for her generosity! Speaking of donations, it was also decided to assess our balance to see how our treasury is the end of February, and if there’s some “extra” in there, we can donate some money to a Civil War cause. We had quite a discussion on speaker costs. We decided not to have a maximal fee for any speaker at the moment. We encouraged Peter to reimburse speakers for mileage, within a reasonable amount, unless they decline. Jack has generously donated 10 pints of Vermont maple syrup to give as gifts for our speakers. Thank you! We discussed Saturday versus Tuesday evening meetings, and decided to split them up this year 50-50. Please check our program schedule to see which meetings will be on Saturday afternoons, and which ones will be on Tuesday evenings. For the most part, the Saturday meetings are in the winter months. Dave Briggs has asked us to have two of those Saturday meetings one hour later than we normally do. These time changes will be posted on our web site, on our Facebook page, as well as our newsletter. There was quite a discussion regarding the Coolidge charging non-meal folks for coffee/tea if they weren’t paying for a meal. Dave Briggs either asks after each meeting how many folks there were who took coffee/tea who hadn’t paid for a meal, or Gail e-mails him the figure. He charges $2.50 per cup for such people. We decided to leave things as they are, and not ask people not buying meals to pay extra for their coffee/tea. We decided not to send out another survey this year, but to ask members through this newsletter and at RT meetings, that if they have some concern, they should feel comfortable asking any member of the Executive Committee, or bringing it up a meeting. All questions/concerns regarding the Hotel Coolidge should be directed to Jack. The question was raised as to whether we need to have an “official” president. We decided things were working out quite well this past year without a president. Peter, Lew, Jack, Dave Curtin, and Whitney Maxfield have chaired meetings. If anyone else would like to do so, please let Peter know. Mary Davis indicated she would like to step down as membership chairman. (Mary has since stepped down from her position. If anyone is interested in taking over, please let one of the Executive Committee members know. Basically, the job entails keeping a list of members, their addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, the amount of their dues, and if they’ve paid or not. Dues have been either mailed to Mary, she posts their payment, and

then gives the money to Gail who deposits the money, or, Mary collects dues at our RT meetings. Any questions, please feel free to ask Mary.) Peter volunteered to contact members who haven’t paid their dues yet. We seem to have a few more people than usual who haven’t yet paid their dues. Everyone else on the Executive Committee was asked if they would like to continue with their positions. Jack has agreed to stay on as Publicity Chairman and Hotel Coolidge “envoy.” Gail will stay on as treasurer and Trip organizer, and Alan as video “maven.” Ginny would like to see someone take over as newsletter editor. She’s been doing this for 12 years! At the very least, it would be extremely helpful if folks would contribute articles and news items to her. For a number of years we had a couple of members who had columns in most issues. Perhaps someone would like to do that? Book reports would also be very welcome. Peter Sinclair would also like to hand over Program Chair to someone else. (Note: Peter has quite a number of people who have indicated they would like to speak to our RT.) Alan says we have 68 videos/DVD’s. He suggested bringing the latest 10-15 to our meetings along with the list of all the videos. He is willing to take orders and also mail DVD’s to folks wanting them. Jack has offered to lend his VCR to DVD converter to Alan. Editor’s note: We have a great selection of DVD’s! If you’ve never checked them out, you really should. There is no fee, and although we request that they be brought back the following month, there is no charge if you are not able to. Any questions, please see Alan or e-mail him. Peter went over his speaker list for the year 2011-2012. He hopes there will be volunteers among members for the December meeting as in the past. The February and June slots are not yet finalized.

Was the USS Cairo sunk at Vicksburg by a mine set off by an electronic device?

By Peter Sinclair Some friends who recently visited the Vicksburg battlefield told me about the remains of the USS Cairo, an iron clad gunboat. This boat was sunk near Vicksburg, MS, in December, 1862 by a mine (called a torpedo). The remains were discovered in the 1960’s by Ed Bearss and then raised in 3 sections. I had not heard of this before and looked it up, and was amazed to see that some sites claimed that this was “the first ship in history to be sunk by an electrically detonated torpedo (mine)". Could this have been set off by Confederates on the river bank? I was a bit skeptical that the technology of the time could support this, and looked up an 1864 physics textbook I had. This reinforced my skepticism. I then found on Amazon a book written on the subject in 1993: “Sinking of the USS Cairo” by John C. Wideman, and a review of that book by W. W. West in The Northern Mariner in 1994. West says: “Most wartime accounts concluded that the Cairo had been detonated electrically by galvanic batteries. Wideman, however,

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provides a detailed explanation of the construction and operation of the torpedoes, which were self detonating." I have ordered a copy of the book to find out more and report on this at the next RT meeting. The review says the book is mainly about one operative of the Confederate secret service, a Zere McDaniel, and his other strategies during the war. For more information and pictures of the Cairo see the National Park Service site: http://www.nps.gov/vick/forteachers/upload/Cairo%20Pamphlet.pdf. Ed Bearss wrote a book (1966, revised 1980) about the discovery and raising of the boat: “Hardluck Ironclad: The Sinking and Salvage of the Cairo.”

Civil War Weaponry

LeMat revolver: Many of the best Confederate handguns were imports from Europe, including the fearsome .40-caliber LeMat revolver. The LeMat featured a nine-shot cylinder for standard pistol rounds, which revolved around a .63-caliber shotgun barrel. This arm was said to be a favorite of the Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart and was considered the gun that packed the most firepower of any handgun in the war.

Green Mountain Civil War Round Table P.O. Box 982 White River Jct., VT 05001

Green Mountain Civil War Round Table

March 2011— March 2012 Membership Rates

Name:____________________________ Address: __________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ Home Phone _______________________ Work Phone________________________ E-mail address______________________________ __ Single $20.00 (includes newsletter) __ Student $10.00 (includes newsletter) __ Two Person $35.00 ( includes newsletter) __ Family $50.00 (includes newsletter) __ Newsletter subscription alone – ten issues $10.00 Is this a new membership ___ renewal ___ Dues are payable to: GMCWRT, P.O. Box 982, White River Jct., VT 05001