From the Brigade Commander ~ May, 2023

The recent stretch of more seasonal spring weather has me in the mood to do some traveling. Lucky for me, it just so happens that we’ve got a group trip planned in mid-June to Monocacy Battlefield in Frederick, Maryland, and the nearby National Museum of Civil War Medicine. You’ll find the details on page 4 of the May Newsletter.

And although our group trip to Gettysburg won’t happen until October (see the May Newsletter on page 3 for details), we’ll be privileged, at our May 2nd meeting, to hear from a man who is no stranger to the CWRT of Eastern Pa. Retired writer Ron Kirkwood, now a Gettysburg Foundation guide, has spent years searching for facts, figures and other minutia about what took place during and after the battle at the George Spangler Farm, which served as a temporary XI Corps field hospital. Should be a good one. Hope you can make it. You’ll find more information on page 2 of the May Newsletter.

And while I’m on the subject of Gettysburg, don’t forget to check out the list of recently published articles on the home page of our website. There among others, you’ll find links to two stories that share news of increased accessibility on the Gettysburg Battlefield and summer open house dates for the home that served as Lee’s headquarters during the battle ... and more.

BARRY

May 2 Program Details Announced - “Women to the Rescue at the George Spangler Farm.”

Ron Kirkwood returns to the Civil War Round Table of Eastern Pennsylvania with a talk called “Women to the Rescue at the Battle of Gettysburg’s George Spangler Farm.” Some women worked as nurses at the XI Corps hospital and listened to the dying men talk of their families, gave them water, treated their wounds, wrote letters home for them, held their hands and sang to them as they took their final breath. Others cooked and baked bread and washed filthy and bloody clothes and hospital linens. Most of these women helped save lives, and every single one made a difference.   

 

Ron Kirkwood is the author of “Too Much for Human Endurance: The George Spangler Farm Hospitals and the Battle of Gettysburg,” which was published in June 2019. The book is in its second paperback edition after its two hardcover editions and first paperback printing sold out. It also is available in audio and E-reader, and he is working on a sequel, which will be published in 2024.

 

Kirkwood is retired after a 40-year career as an editor and writer in newspapers and magazines including USA TODAY, where he edited national magazines for USA TODAY Sports and was National Football League editor for USA TODAY Sports Weekly. He also worked for newspapers in Baltimore, Harrisburg, York and Wilkes-Barre. He won numerous state, regional and national writing and editing awards during his career and managed the 32-person copy desk in Harrisburg when the newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize in 2012. Kirkwood is a Michigan native and graduate of Central Michigan University, where he has returned as guest speaker to journalism classes as part of the school’s Hearst Visiting Professionals series.

 

Kirkwood has been a Gettysburg Foundation guide at the George Spangler Farm Civil War Field Hospital Site since it opened in 2013. He lives in York with his wife of 46 years, Barbara.

April Meeting - Summary and Photos

At our April 4th dinner and meeting, Victorian Historian, a.k.a. Adam Shefts, took us on an adventure into some of the customs and culture of the Victorian era. It was a fun evening listening to Shefts list oddities from the era of history (1837 to 1901.)

His mutlimedia presentation included

  • An image of the first selfie;

  • Recounting of a maritime shipwreck disaster long preceding the Titanic, where of over 400 people on board only 81 survived; AND all were men; AND most were from the crew!

  • Why Lincoln grew his beard (It was requested by a child.)

  • How conjoined twins were entered into a draft to serve in the Union forces, only to have one drafted, while the other was not. The dilemma was solved by excusing the one who had been drafted.

  • How what looks strangely like the wink emoticon ;) appeared in 1863 in an article on a Lincoln speech.

  • A Parlor game trick on how the speaker could drink from bottle covered by a cloth, without ever touching the cloth….

Shefts entertained like that for an hour and left with great applause!

His website is www.TheVictorianHistorian.com

As usual our book raffle had six in-house winners, with preservation the ultimate winner!

From the Brigade Commander ~ April 2023

With the advent of Spring, our field trip season has also arrived! So far, we’ve got plans for two, one-day trips—one in June, one in October—that you can read about the the April Newsletter.

Our next lecture will be a break from the usual, but informative and entertaining nonetheless. This unique, history-based program will focus on life during the Victorian era. And, of course, as any historian knows, one of the best ways to understand a particular historical period (like the American Civil War) is to research customs, culture and values. I hope to see you there on Tuesday April 4th ... if not for dinner, at least for the lecture!

Some of the more memorable April events of the American Civil War era include the 1862 act to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, the Great Locomotive Chase, made famous by the 1926 release of “The General,” starring Buster Keaton, and the firing upon Fort Sumter. April is also when the skirmish at Miskell’s Farm took place—one of many wasted opportunities to shut down Confederate guerilla gunfighter John Mosby, once and for all. You’ll find a synopsis of this “fool-ish” event also in the April Newsletter.

BARRY

April Program Details - the Victorian Historian ~ Adam Shefts

 Historian Adam Shefts, AKA “The Victorian Historian”, presents his program of unique insights into the obscure history of America’s  19th and early 20th century.

Mr.Shefts, a Gettysburg area resident, has been an avid researcher of all things Victorian for as long as he can remember.  He created “The Victorian Historian” program in 2018, combining his interest in history and the unusual into an entertaining and educational multimedia program featuring short stories, rare images, audio, and live demonstrations.

He leads his audience through a blast to the past, working his way chronologically to reveal the origin of barbershop quartets, the story of Abraham Lincoln’s beard, the date of the very first camera selfie, and much more.

Adam has presented his program to a variety of organizations over the last several years, including The Gettysburg Heritage Center, The Fairfield Area (PA) Historical Society, the CWRT of South Central Connecticut, The Victorian Society at Falls Church, Virginia, The East Berlin (PA) Historical Preservation Society, and the North Haven (CT) Historical Society.

Also, Adam is the author of three books: “Games That Time Forgot” and “History’s Haunted Headlines”, parts one and two. Another book, “Dear Santa Claus” is on the way.

Partake in a one-of-a-kind journey into the unique, fascinating, and sometimes shocking facts, stories, and happenings to come out of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

March Meeting ~ Summary and Photos

Retired Temple Professor Andy Waskie spoke to the group in March about the long history of the GAR - Grand Army of the Republic. The premier veterans organization which formed following the end of the Civil War.

Open to any honorably discharged CW vet (without regard to race), this organization first sprang up in Illinois, and quickly thereafter in many states and regions.

Philadelphia alone had 36 groups, of which #1 was named for George Meade.

Waskie spoke of the influence of the GAR on monuments placement at Gettysburg; the institution of “Decoration Day” - now Memorial Day; the Pledge of Alliance, the National Anthem, and monuments through Philagelphia and across the country.

Claire updates us on the June 10th rip to Monocacy Battlefield and the Museum of Civil War Medicine and also announced a trip to Evergreen Cemetery on October 7th.

As usual, we also held our preservation book raffle - Winners shown below.

March 7th CWRT Presentation Details Announced

Join us on March 7th as retired Univ. of Temple professor and historian Andy Waskie shares his extensive knowledge about Civil War era veterans’ organizations and, specifically, the G.A.R.

Anthony Waskie, Ph.D. (‘Andy’)  Professor Waskie was born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and pursued a Languages/History major at Bloomsburg University. He studied abroad at Salzburg, Austria, and Marburg, Germany; and received a scholarship to study Slavic Languages at Charles University, Prague. He received an M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from New York University. He performed duty with the Army in Germany and Army Reserves as an Army linguist. He became a teacher of languages and history at Pennsbury School District in Bucks County for 30 years, retiring in 1999 to accept a professorship at Temple University.
Waskie was an Associate Professor of Languages and History at Temple University. He retired after 20 years of service in July 2019.
He is a co-founder of the “Civil War & Emancipation Studies” Program at Temple (CWEST) in 2003.

As a Civil War historian, author and researcher specializing in Philadelphia, and historian of the life and career of Gen. George G. Meade, he seeks to promote the history of the Civil War Era and of the city. 
He is a member of the Union League of Philadelphia. Waskie serves as president of the General Meade Society of Philadelphia, and as a Board member of several history related institutions and organizations.

From the Brigade Commander ~ March 2023

More good news from the American Battlefield Trust (ABT). In consideration of our loyal and generous support of battlefield preservation efforts, the CWRT of Eastern Pa., Inc. will remain among ABT a 25-year member in good standing. Receiving this accolade couldn’t have happened without people like you; thanks once again for your continuing support.

We’ve got what I think will be another great lecture coming up next month. Dr. Andy Waskie, who guided last year’s Philadelphia field trip to Laurel Hill Cemetery and The Union League of Philadelphia, will share his extensive knowledge of Civil War era veterans’ organizations, with a focus on the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R). Dr. Waskie is a highly credentialed historian, especially on the subject of the Civil War, and I’m really looking forward to hearing what he has to share with us. Hope to see many of you there.

Inside the March newsletter, you’ll notice that the literary logjam seems to have finally broken up—we found 19 Civil War books scheduled to release in March! You’ll find the list on page 7. Inside, you’ll also find behind-the-scenes tidbits and retrospective thoughts related to the Battle of Pea Ridge, which took place this month in 1863.

PLUS - check out the preliminary details about our planned June field trip to Frederick, Maryland, and more.

BARRY

February Meeting ~ Summary and Photos

John Griffiths III portrayed General Daniel E. Sickles at our February 2023 Roundtable meeting. Involved in historical presentations from an early age, Griffiths spoke of Sickles personal history, including his 31 day trial for murder of the Washington city district attorney who was having an affair with his wife. 

He became a US Representative to Congress and during the war he led the Excelsior brigade, composed primarily of volunteers recruits from the NYC area. They fought in a number of key battles as part of the Army of the Potomac, including Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.

Sickles was the highest ranking volunteer commander, leading the Third Corps. He ends up occupying the Peach Orchard and Devil’s Den, and would be wounded at Gettysburg, losing his right leg to a 12 pound canon ball.

Below are pictured:
1) Winners from our monthly preservation book raffle,
2) Barry Arnold and Dennis Harris, both of the 1st Cav with General Sickles, and
3) General Sickles (John Griffith III being presented with a check by Laura Kleinschmidt.