From the Brigade Commander: Barry Arnold
April 2020 Meeting-CANCELLED
Our March meeting came and we had a little change in our speaker. Ron Kirkwood was to come and speak on the George Spangler farm hospital and the battle of Gettysburg. Unfortunately, he came down with the flu at the last minute… We had a guest speaker step in and it turns out to be our very own past brigade commander Ed Root to bail us out. Yes, that’s what he did…
Ed gave a great speech on Ben Butler and New Orleans. He described his life before the war. Butler was born in New Hampshire and was a successful lawyer and later, Governor. He joined the army early in the civil war. He was the administrator overseeing New Orleans after its fall to the Union in 1862. This brought him enormous dislike from the southern population. He died in 1893. We at the round table would like to thank Mr. Root for his last minute step in on this great topic of Ben Butler while in New Orleans.
THANK YOU ED!
Our 2019-2020 campaign is quickly coming to an end. In April we were to have Randall Miller. A history major, editor and book writer. He was going to speak on Myths and Meanings of the Civil War. Sad we will not be meeting in April, but Robert McHugh is looking to reschedule Mr. Miller at a later date.
Here’s a little info tip for you. Coming on the history channel. They’re having a 3 night mini-series on Ulysses S. Grant and the American Civil War. This is to be aired in the month of March. Please watch it. It’s our history.
I know you must be looking forward to this as much as I am…As we take an amazing field trip over to the George Spangler farm hospital after we perform a little work on the Codori farm on April 18, 2020. This is the hospital that General Hancock was taken after being shot off his horse on the third day of the battle of Gettysburg.
I also want to inform you of a cemetery not too far from the Leigh Valley. It is in Norristown Pa. The Montgomery cemetery where the Hancock Mausoleum is located. Also, many more heroes of the American Civil War are buried. I will mention a few notable names that are entombed there. Major General John F. Hartranft; he was part of Burnside’s IX corp. He fought at South Mountain and Antietam and led the famous charge across the Burnside Bridge suffering 120 casualties. He was then sent to the western theater and fought at Vicksburg. After the war, he became Pennsylvania’s seventeen governor. Samuel K. Zook was a general and commander of the 3rd brigade at Gettysburg. While advancing toward the wheat field on horseback, he was shot in the shoulder, chest and abdomen and died on July 3rd.There is a monument on the south side of Wheatfield Road where he was shot. Colonel Edwin Schall was second in command and fought alongside Gen. John Hartranft. He led the 51st Penna. Volunteer Infantry. Brig. Gen. Adam J Slemmer was in the regular army and led the 4th U.S. infantry. He died while in command of Fort Laramie from typhoid fever that he contracted during the American Civil War. These are just a few of the notables at this cemetery. It is an absolute must on your bucket list.
Again, I am sorry we will not meet in April, but I am looking forward to seeing you in May, 2020.
Barry