first call - Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston

FIRST CALL
Joshua L. Chamberlain
Civil war round table
P.O. Box 1046, Brunswick, ME 04011
April 2015
Volume XXX, No 8
KEVIN LEVIN, our April 9th Speaker
“Remembering the Battle of the Crater”
On July 30, 1864 the Army of
the Potomac exploded 8,000
pounds of explosives under a Confederate salient outside of Petersburg, Virginia. The subsequent assault resulted in a decisive defeat
for the Union army, but it was the
presence of an entire division of
United States Colored Troops that
constituted the battle’s salient element. Confederates massacred
large numbers of black soldiers in
what they argued was the suppression of a slave rebellion.
White Union forces also
were forced to
come to terms
with the presence
of black men on
the firing line.
Many
whites
pointed the finger at their black comrades for their
defeat. This talk will explore why
white Union soldiers responded the
way they did and how their views
slowly evolved by the end of the
war and into the postwar years.
Kevin M. Levin teaches
American history at Gann Academy
near Boston. Over the past few
years he has published extensively
in magazines, newspapers and academic journals. In 2012 the University Press of Kentucky published his
first book, Remembering the Battle
of the Crater: War as Murder, and
he is currently at work on a new
book, tentatively titled, Searching
For Black Confederate Soldiers in
History and Memory. You can find
him online at his website/blog, Civil
War Memory.
[http://cwmemory.com]
In this issue:
Speaker:
Kevin Levin
1
Debris of Battle
Book Review
By Art Banner
2,3
The Final Hours
By Mike Bell
3
The Joshua
Chamberlain
Society
By Jay Stencil
4
The End of the
War
4
Announcements
/FYI
5
Membership Info
6
Next meeting info:
Thursday,
7:00 pm
April 9, 2015
Morrell Room
Curtis Memorial
Library, Brunswick
Speaker:
Kevin Levin
Weather
Cancellation:
Kevin Levin
1
If driving conditions are
dangerous, the meeting
will be cancelled.
Watch Channels 6, 8,
and 13 for a meeting
cancellation.
FIRST CALL
April 2015
Volume XXX, No 8
Debris of Battle: The Wounded of Gettysburg, by Gerard A Patterson
Book Review by Art Banner
Kierkegaard said that we live life going forward,
but only understand it looking backward. In other words,
the manner that we live often impacts on the future in
unpredictable and unknowable ways. This compelling and
informative book by Gerard Patterson shows the truth of
this assertion. He illustrates in a masterful fashion how
governments are good at planning and executing battles,
but often fail in the management of the aftermath.
flaged the failure of the government to do its duty. What
is surprising was the role of women. Some were members
of charitable organizations, while others were relatives
and still others saw themselves as substitutes for mothers
or sisters who could not be with their men who were
wounded or dying. The author sharply compares the
heart-felt motives of these women with the apparent uncaring appearance of the federal and state governments.
Patterson provides an almost day-by-day account
of the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg. We skip the
glory and excitement of the battle itself and are left to
linger over the gore, the dead and wounded, the debris of
battle. The author provides the raw data but leaves it up
to us to find the meaning in these events.
However, the author makes clear that it was not
heartlessness that accounts for the lack of governmental
action, but rather an unfamiliarity with what was expected
of them. It just never occurred to them that they were in
fact responsible for their men, whether the men were
fighting, were wounded, or were dead. For example,
there was much discussion of Jonathan Letterman, the
doctor in charge of the wounded, who in confusion over
divided responsibility, elected to accompany Mead in pursuit of Lee, ignoring his responsibility to care for the men
wounded in battle. William Hammond, the Surgeon General, comes across somewhat better, but his problem
seemed to be related to the lack of communication between the battlefield and Washington. Pathetic as it
seems, he simply did not know what was going on. Ultimately he was court martialed and relieved, not for dereliction of duty, but for a questionable charge of corruption.
The Battle of Gettysburg was the greatest catastrophe to befall the United States. Never had the nation
experienced the number of dead and wounded as resulted
from this one battle; the nation was ill prepared to deal
with the consequences. Fortunately, we have the perspective of knowing how things turned out. We take solace in the fact that these events set in motion a new relationship between the nation and those who served. We
take comfort in knowing that the nation would come to
“care for those who had
borne the battle,” and would
provide “a final resting place
for those who gave their
lives” so that they would not
be forgotten. These words,
uttered by Lincoln at the
dedication of the cemetery
at Gettysburg, would become a sacred promise to
those who fought.
It was the civilians who noticed that the government was absent without official leave and it was they
that demanded that the country be called to account.
Several patriotic citizens of Adam’s Country approached
the Governor of Pennsylvania with a recommendation to
establish a national cemetery so that the Union dead
would not be forgotten. Governor Andrew Curtin responded by proposing a national cemetery, which was
quickly accepted. Although it was paid for by the states,
the federal government supplied the coffins. It represented the first national cemetery in the United States.
In a brisk and clear
fashion, the author describes
the aftermath of the battle of
Gettysburg, not from the
point of view of the soldier or politician, but more pertinently from the point of view of the civilians. In stark detail, the author describes how the civilians involved themselves with the aftermath of the engagement, visiting the
battlefield in an effort to care for those who were victims
of the battle. Civilian groups, such as the Sanitary Commission and Christian Commission, took on the task of
helping to care for the victims of the battle in an organized
and effective fashion. Their success, in a sense, camou-
The dedication of the national cemetery at
Gettysburg allowed people to look back to uncover the
meaning of the catastrophe. Both Edward Everett and
Lincoln were charged with this responsibility. Everett
talked for two hours detailing the history of the battle, but
he confessed that he failed to come to grips with the
“central idea of the occasion.” It was up to Lincoln to take
on this task. He talked for just for three minutes and
found the meaning of the conflict by looking to the past,
Continued on Page 3
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FIRST CALL
April 2015
Volume XXX, No 8
Debris of Battle: The Wounded of Gettysburg
(Continued from Page 2)
to the very birth of the nation, to Thomas Jefferson and
the Declaration of Independence. To Lincoln, the battle
came to symbolize the meaning of America, that all men
are created equal. Without saying as much, he implied
that the war had something to do with freedom and slavery, and that the men who lost their lives had not died in
vain.
ing of the events and the impact on the form that the
country would take. By looking forward from the event,
we find that the country would change forever. Instead of
seeing itself as agency of the states, the federal government assumed the role of leader and manager of the
country. The federal government would take responsibility
for the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, as well as for 131
other cemeteries across the nation, thus transferring responsibly for its war dead from the states to the national
government. Eventually, 30% of the federal budget would
go for pensions for soldiers and their families. A series of
soldiers’ homes would be built to become the beginnings
of the VA system, dedicated to the care of disabled and
impoverished veterans. The creed of the military became
“leave no one behind.” If we are to understand the manner by which the past led to the present, we must understand the events as they occurred. This book helps us to
do just that.
Nearer the end of the war, Lincoln would have
another opportunity to look back and define the relationship between its citizen soldiers and the responsibility of
the nation to these men. In his second inaugural address,
he stated:
“Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the
nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the
battle and for his widow and his orphan.“
In this book we witness the birth pangs of federalism. The author describes these events as a first take on
history and, therefore, he is not concerned with the mean-
By Arthur Banner
THE FINAL HOURS, By Mike Bell
It was a sad, yet somehow fitting scene on that
cool April night in 1865.
Over the next hours, august men of government, military and civic affairs moved in and out of the
room to pay respects to their fallen leader. Lincoln’s
wife was soon banned from visiting as her hysterics had
simply become too much to bear. It was all together
fitting and proper that this humble man of the prairie,
born into poverty some fifty-six years before would pass
his last mortal hours in a rented room. A humble yet
dignified man could ask for no more than that.
They were taking him from the scene of his
shooting to a place where they hoped he could pass with
some dignity. A trip to the White House was out of the
question as it was too far away and it was feared that he
would expire before he reached its gates. The soldiers
who bore his body now had gently lifted him from the
floor and out the doors of the private theater box. They
took him down the stairs, through the lobby and out onto
the night. They seemed to pause, if only for a moment,
and heard a voice calling out to bring him across the
street. A man stood on the steps of a residence across the
street calling out. They moved towards him.
As this American original lay dying in this
cramped space, the doctor attending him stayed at his
side and held his hand. He wrote later, "the knowledge
that sometimes recognition and reason return to those
who have been unconscious...caused me to hold his
hand firmly within my grasp, to let him know if possible,
that he was in touch with humanity and that he had a
friend." We should all be so fortunate.
In the back of the residence was a room being
rented and they bore him down a narrow hallway to a
bed. These men gently lifted their commander in chief
onto the mattress and laid him down diagonally upon it.
His six foot four frame would simply not fit otherwise.
Abraham Lincoln died at 7:22am on April 15,
1865.
By Mike Bell
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FIRST CALL
April 2015
Volume XXX, No 8
The Joshua Chamberlain Society, Edited by Jay Stencil
Our own CWRT member and Treasurer, Ken
McAfee, contributed an article that had appeared in
the February 21, 2014 edition of The Portland Sun:
Chamberlain Fan recalls 100th Anniversary for Civil
War Hero, by Timothy Gillis.
When Susan found out that Chamberlain had
had an early stuttering problem, she became even
more inspired by his story. She had suffered from
dyslexia and was disomic (she can’t remember
names). When she went to college, she decided to
go to Messina College in PA, as it is close by Gettysburg. She majored in history and minored in film and
had planned to intern at Gettysburg.
The article cites a young lady named Susan
Natale who started a memorial fund to honor JLC,
“while helping modern – day wounded warriors”.
Susan was prescient in that she owned the
Joshua Chamberlain domain name, which led her to
the Joshua Chamberlain Society. That has led her to
her fund-raising initiatives for injured soldiers.
As a high school student, Susan read The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, which influenced her
feelings for Chamberlain. She felt that he was the
real deal by overcoming odds that most people, then
and now, could not imagine. It is interesting to note
that Susan thinks that some historians disdain Chamberlain just because so many kids “fall in love with
Josh Chamberlain”. She further says that since the
movie Gettysburg, Chamberlain scholars have been
writing books “just to trash him”.
The Joshua Chamberlain Society is a tax exempt 501 3C with the mission to provide long-term
support for wounded veterans and their families.
FMI you can visit
www.joshualawrencechamberlain.com
THE END OF THE WAR
This week in Civil War history: The War’s end.
On April 5, Union General Phil Sheridan
thwarts Lee’s embattled troops at Amelia Court
House. Lee tries to veer toward Lynchburg, VA.
On April 6, Union General Grant captured CSA
General Ewell’s rear guard at Saylor’s Creek.
On April 7, Lee’s Army bests Union troops at
Farmville, VA.
Also, on April 7, Lee & Grant begin corresponding surrender terms. On April 8, Sheridan
manages to stop Lee’s retreat near Appomattox
Station. Finally on April 9, Lee formally surrenders to Grant at Appomattox Court House. In
commemoration of that historic event, the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park Service will begin bell ringing at 3:00 pm and towns
across the Nation are invited to follow suit at 3:15
pm.
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FIRST CALL
April 2015
Volume XXX, No 8
Adopt-a-Speaker
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Board would like to keep annual dues for
membership in the JCCWRT at the current level, while
maintaining our high level of speakers’ presentations.
Please consider becoming a member of the "Adopt-ASpeaker Program”. You will be recognized in our
newsletter, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, let
us know.
REMINDER:
LEGACIES OF THE CIVIL WAR
Sponsored by
Pejepscot Historical Society
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Curtis Memorial Library,
23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick
8:00 am to 3:30 pm
$30 for PHS members
$35 for non-members
Send your contribution to:
Treasurer at Chamberlain CWRT
PO Box 1046
Brunswick, Maine 04011
Or, give a check to the Treasurer, Ken McAfee, at a
meeting.
Space is limited—
call 207-729-6606 to reserve your spot
Below are the categories for your consideration:
General
$50.00
Lieutenant $40.00
Sergeant
$30.00
Corporal
$20.00
Private
$10.00
Other__________
FYI
2014-2015 CWRT OFFICERS
March 12, 2015
Attendance:
56
Raffle Tickets Sold:
67
Raffle Proceeds:
$60
Media Donations:
Al Prest (3 books); Reg Elwell (2 books)
Thanks to our March Speaker: Steve Bunker
Treasurer’s Report: Cash on Hand as of
4/1/15: $3,289.42
President:
OPEN
Vice Pres.:
Mike Bell (624-2619)
Treasurer:
Ken McAfee (829-3251)
Secretary:
Jay Stencil (721-0235)
Board of Trustees:
Dan Cunningham (729-9520)
Bill Attick (726-4685)
Ron Kozlowski (725-4339)
Deb Milite (865-6268)
Al Prest (443-2296)
JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN
HOUSE OPENS FOR SEASON
The Joshua L. Chamberlain House will open on May 22,
2015, from Tuesday to Sunday for the season. Anyone
wishing to be a docent, please contact the Pejepscot
Historical Society FMI 729-6606.
Program Director:
Bill Attick
Public Relations:
Deb Milite
Special Projects:
Ron Kozlowski
Mtg. Stats, Raffle:
Dan Cunningham
Herman Holbrook
Newsletter & Website:
CIVIL WAR BOOK CLUB:
Contact: Jay Stencil at 721-0235
5
[email protected]
for more information.
5
Nancy Stencil
Website:
joshuachamberlaincwrt.com
Email:
[email protected]
FIRST CALL
April 2015
Volume XXX, No 8
Membership Dues and Newsletter Information:
Dues are $25.00 per year ($35.00 family). Associate memberships for long-distance members are $15.00.
All membership dues include monthly e-newsletter.
Sign up at monthly meetings or by mail addressed to:
Chamberlain Civil War Round Table
P.O. Box 1046
Brunswick, ME 04011-1046
Please fill out this form and return
Type of Dues:
with your payment to:
New Member______ Renewal Member_______(with newsletter via e-mail)
Chamberlain CWRT
P.O. Box 1046
Brunswick, ME 04011-1046
Individual $25 _____ Family $35 _____ Associate $15_____ Student $15 ____
Battlefield Preservation Fund donation enclosed $________
(Note: CWRT Match to be capped at $120 for the fiscal year)
For CWRT use only___________
Please make check payable to: Chamberlain CWRT. You will be notified when your membership is due for renewal.
Name____________________________________________________________________________________________________
E-mail Address (required) ______________________________________________________Phone:_______________________
Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
City___________________________________________________State__________________Zip__________________________
“The Civil War is the crux of our history. You cannot understand any part of our past, from the convening of
the Constitutional Convention, down to this morning, without eventually arriving at the Civil War.”
Bernard de Voto
Joshua L. Chamberlain
Civil War Round Table
P.O. Box 1046
Brunswick, ME 04011-1046
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
joshuachamberlaincwrt.com
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