From the Brigade Commander ~ December 2024

M Chris Bryan

Taxes imposed by the government on imported goods to raise operating funds, more familiarly known as tariffs, have been around since the late 1700s and are a current topic of heated debate. In the December Newsletter, you’ll learn about a tariff imposed by President Lincoln on a commodity thought to be a crucial factor for victory. See newsletter page 3 for more.

Speaker and military veteran M. Chris Bryan will return to our Round Table stage on Tuesday, December 3, to tell the little studied story of the Corps that never lost a color or a gun. See newsletter page 2 for dinner signup information and a synopsis of Mr. Bryan’s presentation.

History suggests that General William Tecumseh Sherman is to be thanked for the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. Back then, cowpeas, as they were known, were relegated to animal feed. But after Union soldiers raided Confederate food supplies (legend says they took everything except the peas and salted pork), the peas became a symbol of luck in the South. And so, if it be your wish to ‘rebel’ against the New Year’s Day (German) tradition of pork and sauerkraut, you’ll find lots of black-eyed peas and ham recipes online. Here’s a wish for all the joy of the coming season!

Barry

December 3rd Meeting Details Announced

M Chris Bryan will be our presenter on December 3, 2024

The Union XII Corps formed in June 1862 as the II Corps, Army of Virginia. The corps, which joined the Army of the Potomac only a week before Antietam was small, numbering just over 7,600 men. Easily overlooked, Army of the Potomac leadership and historians since have largely glossed over this corps’ contribution at Antietam.

Nevertheless, this small corps ended Confederate attacks into the Miller Cornfield and East Woods, successfully defended the Dunker Church Plateau from Confederate assaults, and captured the West Woods, which had been the goal on the Federal right all morning.  

This talk will discuss the experience of the corps following the battle of Cedar Mountain and some of the ways in which its condition upon entering the battle of Antietam affected its performance in that battle.

M. Chris Bryan earned a Bachelor of Science in History from the United States Naval Academy;  a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Annapolis;  and a Master of Historic Preservation from the University of Maryland, College Park.  A former naval aviator, Bryan works as a Cultural Resource Manager and lives in southern Maryland with his wife and two children.  Cedar Mountain to Antietam is his first book.

November Meeting Highlights and Photos

Our November speaker, Leon Reed presented “Gettysburg Monuments, the Stories the Veterans Told, the Artists Who Made Them, … and a Quick Look at the Civil War Monuments Around the Keystone State”.

Reed spoke about and showed examples of the regimental monuments at Gettysburg which were primarily erected around the time of the battle’s 25th anniversary. He said that the soldiers thought that this was their one chance to tell future generations what was on their minds.

He touched on the Civil War monuments of Antietam, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and around the state of Pennsylvania.

 Reed is a retired US Senate aide, defense consultant, and US History teacher. He lives in Gettysburg with his wife Lois. He spends much of his time writing, mainly military history. He has written three books on Gettysburg monuments and three World War II soldier memoirs.

As always, we held a book raffle and the winners were not only those pictured below, but our preservation efforts.

November Meeting Details Announced

DUE TO ELECTION DAY -
NOVEMBER MEETING DATE
HAS BEEN CHANGED TO
NOVEMBER 12, 2024*   

Leon Reed presents “Gettysburg Monuments, the Stories the Veterans Told, the Artists Who Made Them, … and a Quick Look at the Civil War Monuments Around the Keystone State”.

Synopsis:  The regimental monuments at Gettysburg were mostly erected around the time of the battle’s 25th anniversary. The old soldiers knew this was their one chance to tell future generations what was on their minds. Some of the monuments tell us much: we miss a fallen companion, we remember some incident of the battle, we’re glad the war is over, we’re still irked about something.

In this fast-moving lecture, Leon will tell us many things we didn’t know about Gettysburg monuments. He will also take a very quick look at the Civil War monuments of Antietam, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and will take a quick spin around the state of Pennsylvania.

 

Leon Reed is a retired US Senate aide, defense consultant, and US History teacher. He lives in Gettysburg with his wife Lois, where he doesn’t travel as much as he would like to, doesn’t see his five grandchildren nearly often enough, and spends much of his time writing, mainly military history. He has written three books on Gettysburg monuments and three World War II soldier memoirs

From the Brigade Commander ~ November

Since our last newsletter, we’ve received several types of donations, some of which seem to be intended to reward good behavior. We have also continued to receive re-enlistment funds for this campaign year. Thanks! 

We’re happy to welcome back Leon Reed, an able and knowledgeable speaker, who will serve as our November meeting lecturer. You can read more about the scope of his presentation in Upcoming Events 

Since our November meeting was moved forward one week (to November 12th) to accommodate the upcoming Presidential election, it seemed reasonable to share the way politicians tried to get in military voters’ way for the Presidential election between McClellan and Lincoln. See the November Brigade Call on page 4 for more. 

Lastly, I want to thank Round Table members Claire Kukielka and Laura Kleinschmidt, who have organized a great day at Gettysburg on November 2nd. Spots are still open for anyone interested in joining the group. See the November Brigade Call on pp. 6 and 7 for trip details and signup information. 

Barry

October Meeting Highlights and Photos

The October meeting featured Capt. Donald Levick, MD - XIth Corps, Medical Division talking about the responsibilities of a Union Civil War Surgeon from various perspectives: as a Field Surgeon early in the war and as a Head Surgeon at Spangler Farm Field Hospital in Gettysburg.

It was a fascinating look at Civil War medicine and how it evelved in the four years of fighting from first aid stations on the field, to surgeries in field hospitals and the care taken to allow for prostetic devices following the war - all while averaging just minutes per patient!!

Captain Levick demonstrated the medical instruments and surgical techniques that were in use during the war; and spoke about anesthesia, disease and germ theory, as well as overall morbidity / mortality statistics. 

As usual we also held our monthly preservation book raffle.

The Brigade Commander reminded all that the November meeting will be the SECOND Tuesday due to the presidential election.

Photos below

From the Brigade Commander ~ October

From the Brigade Commander

Our Campaign 47 has hit the ground running! Our book raffle fundraiser got off to a great start, as did Campaign 47 membership renewals. Inside, you’ll find information about three field trips in the works for this fall and next spring.

More good news: the Pa. Department of State has approved our 2023 filings, which gives us a green light to continue our mission of making a real difference in the fight to defend the legacy of our nation’s defining conflict.

Just a few days ago, a last-minute cancellation by our planned-for October speaker really put the heat on our regimental commander, Laura Kleinschmidt. I won’t say that I think the presentation summary for our substitute speaker, Captain Dr. Donald Levick, sounds better than the one originally planned. But it sure sounds like a winner! Click here for information on the program.

Hope you can make it.

Barry

Newly Revised October Program Announced

A Day in the Life of a Union Civil War Surgeon 

Presented by: Capt. Donald Levick, MD - XIth Corps, Medical Division

Dr. Levick will discuss the responsibilities of a Union Civil War Surgeon from various perspectives: as a Field Surgeon early in the war and as a Head Surgeon at Spangler Farm Field Hospital in Gettysburg. Captain Levick will demonstrate the medical instruments and surgical techniques that were in use during the war; and discuss related topics such as anesthesia, disease and germ theory, and overall morbidity / mortality statistics. 

Dr. Levick is a semi-retired pediatrician who has been in practice in the Lehigh Valley since 1985. He began participating in Living History as a Civil War Surgeon in 2023 as a member of the Blue & Gray Hospital Association (https://bluegrayhospitalassoc.com/), and most recently participated in Living History Weekend at the Gettysburg Heritage Center (Sept 21-22). He is married with three adult children, one grandson and is an avid fan of conflict simulation historical board games

September Meeting Highlights and Photos

We began September’s Meeting remembering the contribution and legacy of the late Karl Lehr. Thank you Karl!

Sarah Kay Bierle gave an amazing presention about the the histories of UD General George McClellan, CS Cavalry’s JEB Stuart and the lesser known US Cavalry’s Alfred Pleasenten.

She described the well known trip Stuart led around McClellan’s forces in the Peninsulas Campaign, but then went on the talk in detail about the highly secretive journey led by Stuart circling the US troops with a goal of destroying a raIlroad bridge near Chambersburg, all while capturing horses and supplies. After initially heading west, the calvary under Pleasenten’s command rode east and almost intercepted Stuart forces before they crossed back into Virginia.

It was a fascinating discourse, enjoyed by all.

As usual we also held the book raffle which benefits our preservation efforts.

Claire announced one firm and one possible field trip. See the information below.