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Newsletter of the Ray Fawcett Chapter of The Central Ohio Civil War Roundtable
The WarCorres ondent
General-in-Chief's ReportBy
Tim Maurice
Hello, everyone. It wasgreat to see such a large turnoutat our last meeting. I trust every-one enjoyed Howard's talkconcerning the Trent Affair. Iknow I did.
A big thanks to Howardfor stepping in at the last minuteand providing us with such aknowledgeable and informativetalk.
I'd like also to take thisopportunity to say a big thank-youto our one and only Patty Barker.If you look at the list of roundtableofficers only one persons name islisted twice, Patty's. WithoutPatty we wouldn't have anewsletter and she will now bekeeping our organizations fin-ances in good order. Thank youvery much Patty. I would also liketo thank her predecessor GaryMilligan for keeping the financesin good order for the past twoyears.
One more thing, weraised $2,350.00 in our SlaughterPen Farm campaign. That'sawesome! Thanks to everyonewho helped, especially KenRamsey and his match offer.Ken, what are you gonna do foran encore?
See you August 9th.
Your Obedient Servant,Tim Maurice
August 2006
Answer to JulyPuzzler
When did the telegramannouncing the Federal victoryat Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July4, 1863, actually reach Washing-ton?
On July 7.
August Puzzler
What change in ambu-lance design instituted by theSurgeon General, Charles S.Tripier, after First Bull Runimproved ambulance servicesomewhat?
New Members
Please welcome thefollowing new members:
Richard & Jane SuttonDoug & Elizabeth RankinHenry Berns
Historian General'sReport
ByPete Zuhars
Our speaker for theAugust 9th meeting will be MarkGrimsley his topic will be: Howto Read a Civil War Battlefield.
Mark Grimsley is aprofessor of history at The Ohio
Vol. 16,No.2
State University and a specialistin military history.
His first book, The HardHand of War: Union Military:Policy Toward SouthernCivilians, 1861-1865, receivedthe Lincoln Prize in 1996.
Other works include:And Keep Moving on: TheVirginia Campaign, May-June,1864, The Collapse of theConfederacy (co-edited withBooks D. Simpson), and TheUnion Must Stand: The Civil WarDiary of John Qunicy AdamsCampbell (co-edited with ToddD. Miller). Together with BrooksD. Simpson and Steven E.Woodworth, Mark edits a seriesof battlefield guides published byUniversity of Nebraska Press.Gettysburg: A Batt/efield Guide(co-written with Books D. Simp-son) is widely regarded as thebest guide to that battlefield.Shiloh: A Batt/efield Guide (co-written with Steven E. Wood-worth) was published in March ofthis year.
In addition to hisresearch and writing, Mark hasreceived three teaching awards,including the Alumni Distinguish-ed Teaching Award, Ohio State'shighest honor for excellence inthe classroom.
Along with his topic hewill discuss some of the issueshe faced with is co-authors whenwriting their guides (Chicka-mauga, Gettysburg and Shiloh).
Continued on page 2
Adjutant General'sReport
July 12, 2006 MeetingBy
Rory Mcintyre
Esteemed roundtablemember Howard Strouse spokeon the Trent Affair at our Julymeeting.
Though the Trent Affair,as it came to be called, is littleknown today, it was a veryserious crisis at the time andcame close to igniting the thirdwar between the US and theUnited Kingdom.
In 1861, the oddsagainst the Confederacy werestaggering. They needed foreignrecognition and intervention tooffset the many advantages heldby the North. The Confederategovernment decided to send twoenvoys, James Mason and JohnSlidell, who were authorized tonegotiate a diplomatic agree-ment, with England. They slip-ped out of Charleston Harbor onOctober 1ih, 1861, and steamedto the port of Havana. Thoughtheir mission was well publicized,their travel details were secret.
The USS San Jacinto,Charles Wilkes commanding,came into Havana on November17'h, 1861. The 2nd in Commandof the San Jacinto, Lt. Fairfax, afriend of Mason's, found out thatthe men were set to sail on themail ship HMS Trent. On hisown authority, Wilkes chaseddown the Trent with the idea ofarresting Mason and Slidell andseizing the ship as a prize ofwar. When the San Jacintointercepted the Trent, Wilkessent Fairfax over to conclude justthat business. Fairfax, a farmore reasonable man than hiscaptain, arrested Mason andSlidell but did not take the ship,nor did he search the mail holdfor any Confederate documents.Fairfax returned to the San
Jacinto with his prisoners andWilkes allowed the Trent tocontinue her journey. Whennews of the event reached north-ern shores, the Union celebrat-ed, proclaiming Wilkes a hero.Wisely, President Lincoln andPostmaster Montgomery Blairsuspected that England wouldresent this encroachment on oneof Her Majesty's neutral mailships.
Indeed, England re-sponded angrily. Parliamentdemanded the return of Masonand Slidell as well as an apologyfrom the US government andrestitution. On December 4th
,
Queen Victoria even decreed theend of munitions exports as theBritish fleet prepared for full-scale war.
Tempers cooled, though,due to the efforts of men likeCharles Francis Adams, thenliving in England, and GeneralWinfield Scott, highly respectedby the English, who issued aconciliatory statement fromFrance. Also, members ofParliament spoke in support ofmoderation. On December 19th
,
Lord Lyons issued a demand foran apology and release of themen. Lincoln's administrationagreed to the release but issuedno apology, stating that Wilkeshad not acted with the authorityof the government.
Could the Union havefought a war with England andsurvived? Not likely. The Britisharmy, though smaller than thefederal force, was made up ofveteran troops. The Englishnavy was, of course, second tonone. With the benefit of hind-sight, historians feel that warwould never have happened.However, the UK consideredsurgical strikes on New York Cityand Washington, D.C., as well asfortifying the Canadian border inpreparation for a possible USannexation attempt. Had thisconflict broken out into full-scale
war, the US government wouldalmost certainly have beendestroyed; if not, it would havebeen too crippled to engage theConfederacy, thus giving themindependence.
We all thank Howard forenlightening us on a lesser-known event of the war.
Dues
It is that time of year torenew your membership in theCentral Ohio Civil War Round-table.
Individual - 25.00Family - 35.00Student - 15.00
Please make checkspayable to the: Central Ohio CivilWar Roundtable. They can bebrought to the meetings ormailed to: Central Ohio Civil WarRoundtable, P.O. Box 471, LewisCenter, OH 43035-0471.
If you have paid yourdues since January 2006 you arepaid for the year.
CSS Neuse
There was an article inthe June newsletter that wasreceived from Greg Biggswanting other roundtables towrite to the two state representa-tive's from North Carolina urgingthem to save the ConfederateIronclad CSS Neuse.
Our roundtable memberEd Chapdelaine sent a e-mail toSenator Charlie Albertson givinghis thoughts on why the ironcladshould be saved and even madesome suggestions on ways toraise funds.
The Senator thanked Edfor his interest and let him knowthat he had introduced legislation
Continued on page 3
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to appropriate funds for thisproject; however, he was unableto obtain them in the lastsession. But the Senatorassured Ed that he would contin-ue to pursue funding of theproject when the next sessionconvened in January 2007.
Ed's interest stems fromhis daughter having lived inKinston, NC for 3 years and hewas able to visit the site onnumerous occasions.
Thanks Ed for yourinterest.
Civil War Days atLakeside
On July 24-26 inLakeside, Ohio (the Chautauquaon Lake Erie) will present aseries of seminars on the CivilWar.
Monday, July 24 - 10:30am, Bob Bridges will speak on"Grant Takes Vicksburg: TheCivil War in the West."
1:30 pm, Tom Edwardswill speak on 'The Last OhioCivil War Regiment. "
3:30 pm - John Faziowill speak on "Intrepid Mariners:The USS Kearsage vs. The CSSAlabama."
Tuesday, July 2510:30 am, Bob Bridges willspeak on "Hollywood TakesAtlanta: The Lost Cause andReconstruction. "
1:30 pm - Tom Koba willpresent "Stories from Johnson'sIsland. "
3:30 pm - Elixir willpresent "Music of the Civil War. "
Wednesday, July 26 -10:30 am, Bob Bridges willspeak on "Lincoln TakesWashington: Politicians and
Bureaucrats at War. "
1:30 pm - Dr. ShermanJackson will speak on 'The CivilWar: A Constitutional Crisis."
3:30 pm - Dr. JohnKleberg will speak on "JayCooke: Financing the War for theUnion.
About the speakers:Bob Bridges is a Screen Writerand Historian; Tom Edwards isan historian author, and pastpresident of the South CarolinaArcheological Society; JohnFazio is an historian and vice-president of the Cleveland CivilWar Round Table; Tom Koba isa documentary film maker; Dr.Sherman Jackson is a professorof American ConstitutionalHistory and Law at MiamiUniversity; and Dr. John Klebergis a retired assistant vice-president of The Ohio StateUniversity.
There is no specialregistration required.Participation in all events whichare part of the LakesideChautauqua program is includedwith the gate pass.
Gate and auto passes:Gate/Adult: $14.50/day;$87/week. AutoNehicle: $5/day;$35/week
For further information,contact: Barbara E. Stephens-Rich. Toll free: 1-866-952-5374ext 239; [email protected].
The LakesideAssociation, 236 Walnut Ave.,Lakeside, Ohio 43440-1463;phone 419-798-4461; e-mailwww.lakesideohio.com
Civil War EducationAssociation
Below are listed someupcoming tours:
• The B & 0 Railroad in
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the Civil War: ASeminar & Field Tour.August 24-26, 2006, withWilliam Glenn Robert-son, Art Candenquistand others TBA.Thursday, 8:00 pmthrough Saturday 5:00pm. The cost is $325,which includes 2lunches.
2nd Annual AntietamConference & Tour.September 7-9, 2006,with John M. Priest,Gary Ecelbarger andDavid Hinze. Thursday8:00 pm throughSaturday 5:00 pm. Thecost is $325, whichincludes 2 breakfasts, 2lunches and Fridaydinner.
The Wilderness: AWalking Tour.September 14-16, 2006,with Robert K. Krick.Thursday 8:00 pmthrough Saturday 4:30pm. The cost is $325,which includes 2lunches.
Valor at Gettysburg: AWalking Tour.September 16, 2006 withJay Jorgensen.Saturday 8:45 am - 4:30pm. The cost is $135,which includes lunch.
Barksdale's Brigade: AWalking Tour.September 17, 2006,with Robert L. Baker.Sunday 8:30 am - 4:00pm. The cost is $135,which includes lunch.
For more informationcontact CWEA, Box 478,Winchester, VA 22604,www.cwea.net or call800-298-1861.
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The War CorrespondentPatty Barker, Editor
Roundtable OfficersTim MauriceGeneral-in-Chief
614-818-9175 [email protected] BarkerInspector General
614-985 -3353 patricia. [email protected] Mc1ntryeAdjutant General
614-261-7179 [email protected] PetersHistorian General
614-866-6766 npeters [email protected] BarkerChief of Signal Corps
614-985-3353War Council MembersBrian HallWar Council CommanderRobert HattonWendy PetersJack EnvinWilliam Barr
THE WAR CORRESPONDENTNewsletter of The Ray FawcettChapter of The Central Ohio Civil War Roundtable
P. O. Box471Lewis Center, OH 43035-0471
CALENDAR OF COMING EVENTS
Wednesday, August 9, 2006 - The speakerwill be Mark Grimsley on How to read a CivilWar battlefield. The meeting will held at theWesterville Electric Company, 139 E.Broadway, Westerville, OH 43081.
Future Meetings:
September 13, 2006 - James Gillum, SpringHillOctober 11, 2006 - Jim Epperson, Five ForksNovember 8, 2006 - TBADecember - no meetingDates are subject to chanl!e
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