DUE TO ILLNESS OUR ORIGINAL SPEAKER HAD TO CANCEL BUT WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HOST GENERAL U S GRANT!!

The Surrender of Robert E. Lee in 1865

In early April of 1865, the federal Army of the Potomac broke through the lines at Petersburg Virginia, forcing Robert E Lee’s Confederate army to attempt a retreat west and south in order to link up with other rebel forces, hoping to prolong their defeat and make one last effort to win against General Grant.

The two days before Lee agreed to meet with Grant started the final act in the fighting in Virginia that would come to a head in the town of Appomattox Court House, in the home of Wilmer McClean, where the two leading generals would meet to discuss terms of surrender of that portion of the Confederate States Army, known as The Army Of Northern Virginia.  An exchange of letters led to a face to face meeting between General Lee and General Grant, which influenced further surrenders and the outbreak of peace by the end of May that year.

Discuss with General Grant some of the finer details of the meeting which led Robert E Lee to surrender his army, ending the fighting in Virginia during the civil war.  The letters exchanged are merely the very public face of how the meeting comes about, and US Grant will be sharing some of inner workings that lead to this momentous day, along with notable anecdotes from the meeting itself and right after.

———————-

Kenneth J. Serfass, Gunnery Sgt USMC, retired (as Ulysses S. Grant)

Gunnery Sgt Kenneth J. Serfass is a native of Bethlehem, PA born on June 18th, 1966.  A US Marine since 1984, his last unit was the First Marine Division Band during Operation Iraqi Freedom, retiring in July of 2004 to become a music teacher. 

Ken is a former civil war “reenactor” but now a first-person impressionist with fifty years studying his childhood hero, US Grant.  As a full-time professional living historian portraying Grant, he presents between 11 and up to 23 appearances each month between February and November.  Ken began appearing as General Grant in 2009 while living in San Diego CA, and since returning to the east coast, he is engaged on horseback tours, rail road excursions, presenting school programs, living history and roundtable events, speaking at public libraries on a regular basis, and annually in Southern California at Huntington Beach’s Civil War Days over Labor Day weekend.

In 2023 the state of California recognized his contributions “to continued education of the public as to our national history” with coincidental certificates from the state assembly and senate in recognition of his efforts, presenting these to him at the Huntington Beach event.

Firmly established on both coasts, there is no other “Grant impressionist” with his reach, visiting fourteen states every year.  He jokes that the history talks and as leader of his Civil War era Marine Band, requires all his work to be dependent on time travel.

He has appeared at Pamplin Park near Petersburg VA, and several national park sites during the Civil War Sesquicentennial years.  In 2015 he was invited to join The Federal Generals Corps, to be their “Ulysses S. Grant” until the group disbanded in 2020. 

In October of 2020, he roamed Tennessee and Mississippi around Grant’s major battle sites, crafting a YouTube video series, “How the War Was Won In the West”, with 9 episodes that cover the campaigns leading Gen. Grant’s rise to become Lincoln’s top general in the Civil War. A similar YouTube series is in the works for Grant’s time in Virginia later in the war.

He has spoken on Grant’s Vicksburg Campaign to the Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Association to develop broader civil war study among their guides and is the first Grant impressionist to present his own topics at the General Grant National Memorial, in New York City, giving public interactive addresses, as General or as President, and developing Junior Ranger programs for NPS, bringing America’s youth closer to history.  

His repertoire includes programs on Grant’s battle campaigns, his interactions with Lincoln, Sherman, and Lee, and most importantly, the Grant family, and the two terms as the 18th US President.  His knowledge of Grant’s experiences and life led to being cast as President Grant and as tech advisor for a documentary on Fox Nation, debuting October 10, 2021.

It is with a profound honor that he tells the story of one of America’s greatest military leaders and Ken takes it very seriously to reaffirm Grant’s place of honor among the most respected people of our nation’s history. 

Entertaining and educational, the variety of his performing venues includes museums and business groups seeking leadership training and inspiration, and across the board they can all provide referrals for how people can talk TO history and share in our rich national heritage with US Grant.  Ken will say for all the years as a Marine, and this history work, there is nothing he is prouder of than being the father of his daughter Erin, who works in movie and TV production in Los Angeles.  He believes this work inspires her to make her own path and be happy in what she does. 

His passion for the subject is evident in his presentation, and it is hard not to be affected by his enthusiasm and believe that you’ve met US Grant in living history.

Andy Waskie “The Story of the Forgotten Hero of Emancipation:  Major Octavius V. Catto”

On Oct. 10, 1871, Octavius Valentine Catto was assassinated a few steps from his South Street home by political opponents of the Black community. It was Election Day, and Catto was protecting the right of African American citizens to vote. Catto was a brilliant scholar, professor, Renaissance Man and the highest-ranking Black US Army officer at the time, who was serving in the PA National Guard. A statue of this great military and emancipation hero now stands on the south side of Philadelphia’s City Hall.

 Short Bio:  CV Anthony (Andy)  Waskie, Ph.D.

  Professor Waskie was born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and pursued a Languages/History major at Bloomsburg University, studying abroad in Austria, and Germany. He studied Slavic Linguistics in Prague on a Czech government scholarship and received an M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at New York University. He had experience with the State Department, and duty with the U.S. Army as an army linguist. He became a teacher of languages and history at Pennsbury School District, Bucks County, PA. He is a recipient of the Commendation Medal of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

          Waskie was an Associate Professor at Temple University for 20 years, retiring in 2019. He also taught at Rider University, N.J., and Holy Family University in Philadelphia, teaching Civil War history in the Civil War Institute. He now teaches online courses for Camden County College; Manor College; etc.

          Waskie is a Civil War historian, author, and preservationist. He specializes in the life of General George G. Meade, whom he portrays in a Living-History performance.  He is a member of the Union League of Philadelphia; Executive Council of the Civil War History Consortium of Philadelphia; and a co-founder and co-director of the ‘Civil War & Emancipation Studies program’ at Temple University. He has been a Pennsylvania ‘Commonwealth Speaker/Scholar’ from 2006 to 2018. Waskie serves as president of the General Meade Society; Board of the Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery; Historian and Board member of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Civil War Museum & Library; American Legion Post 405 at the Union League; Armed Services Council of the Union League; a founder and officer of the OV Catto Society; and of the ‘Dandy First’; Armory Museum, Drexel University Campus;  and other history related organizations and institutions.

James Lamason and Gerard Myers  present “Into the Vortex of Fire”

On the afternoon of July 2, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pa, the Eleventh New Jersey Volunteer Infantry regiment found itself in a literal vortex of fire.

Come and hear co-authors James (Jim) Lamason and Gerard E. (Gerry) Mayers as they share the hows and whys the Eleventh NJVI found themselves in a key position on the bloody battlefield of Gettysburg.

Speakers:

Jim Lamason- For the last 25 years he has independently studied and researched New Jersey at Gettysburg, especially the 5th , 8th and 11th New Jersey at the battle. .

In addition to the above he is in the process of researching and writing a book on the 12 th New Jersey with Gerard, along with books on the III Corps of the AOP, E Clarke Cline, and the life of Major General G.K. Warren. Also considered the biographer of Robert McAllister and the go to person on the units noted above.

He has contributed in various ways to several of other historical projects including editor and proof reader of a released on Kindle books and in paper back, “Nothing but heros” by Mr. Gerald Mayer , a recently released work “A little hill over yonder” by Mr. Paul Knoke and contributed to Dr David Martins guide book on New Jersey at Gettysburg.

He has also spoken on G.K. Warren and Robert McAllister to several Civil War Round tables and at the Warren statue on Little Round Top to several other Round tables. In addition he has lead volunteer battlefield walks at Gettysburg in the Wheatfield and at the Klingle Farm.

During the 150 Commeration he led the re-dedication of the 5th , 8th and 11th New Jerseys monuments at Gettysburg.

He was also a Trustee for the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association, and where was also the past president After a 30 year career in information technology, and 22 years with Home Depot, he has retired.

He is married to Mrs Beverly A. Lamason, has two adult children Heather and Steve and his wife Sraci . He resides in Middlesex NJ.

Gerard “Gerry” Mayers has been a life-long Civil War buff but credits both the Ken Burns mini-series The Civil War and the Ted Turner Pictures Gettysburg movie with rekindling his interest. He holds degrees in both English and History (with Honors) from St. John’s University, New York. Active with the Bucks County Civil War Roundtable (Doylestown, Pa.), he is the program chairman for that organization as well as an At-Large Member of its Board of Directors. He is also involved with Civil War reenacting and living history. An alumnus member of the Civil War Heritage Foundation (where he portrayed John W. Fairfax of Lt. General James Longstreet’s staff), he currently belongs to Company C, 44th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry as a re-enactor. In that organization, he portrays a member of the original Company C of the regiment.

Mayers has previously published an historical fiction novel about the Confederate side of the September 1862 Maryland Campaign, culminating in the horror that was Antietam/Sharpsburg. Titled None But Heroes, the book is presently available on Amazon Kindle. (A companion novel, dealing with the Union side of the same campaign, remains in the works.) This book is his second historical fiction project. In conjunction with Scott Mingus, Sr., he co-authored Erin Go Bragh: Human Interest Stories of the Irish in the American Civil War, 1861-1865.

Mayers’ maternal two times great-grandfather, Patrick Bracken, was a veteran of the Mexican-American War; his maternal great-grandfather James T. Bracken served with Battery E, First N. J. Light Artillery; and his maternal great-granduncle John G. Bracken served with the Twenty-first Regiment, N. J. Volunteer Infantry,

December 3, 2024                    

**CHANGE** James Hedtke Presents Ely Parker/One Real American

              Ely Parker was a Seneca Indian from Genesee County, NY. Parker was one of 8000  Native Americans to fight for the Union in the American Civil War. He joined General Grant’s staff in the summer of 1863 and quickly became an invaluable aide to the General because of his legal training and engineering skills. Parker became the most famous and highest-ranking Native American in the Union Army.  Colonel Parker penned the surrender agreement at Appomattox Court House and had a memorable, as well as controversial, exchange with General Lee in the McClean house.

              After the Civil War, Parker was promoted to brigadier general and remained on Grant’s staff. Parker negotiated several treaties with Indian tribes in the American west and during the Grant administration became the first Native American to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

              Throughout his life, Parker faced racial prejudice that left him straddling the world of his Seneca heritage and the world of the white man. Despite this racial divide, General Parker faithfully served the country that denied him citizenship.

James Hedtke, Ph.D.

  Hedtke earned a bachelor's degree in international relations from Saint Joseph's University, a master's in political science from Villanova University, and a Ph.D. in political science from Temple University. He taught history and political science at Cabrini University for fifty years. His research interests include the American presidency, the United States Civil War, and World War II, as well as research on the Freckleton Air Disaster, which took place in 1944 when a United States Army Air Force B-24 Liberator crashed into the center of the English village of Freckleton, Lancashire. His research resulted in a new book, The Freckleton, England Air Disaster published by McFarland in 2014.

Hedtke’s latest work is American Civil War: Facts and Fictions (ABC-CLIO, August, 2018). He is also working on a book focusing on the World War II letters of Colonel J. Bradley McManus, an 8th Army Air Forces fighter pilot.

Hedtke has authored two other books, Lame Duck Presidents: Myth or Reality, and Civil War Professional Soldiers, Citizen Soldiers and Native American Soldiers of Genesee County, New York: Ordinary Men of Valor, the latter of which he edited and researched with students. Hedtke also co- authored two text books, The American Saga, Vol. I. & II. He writes book reviews for Choice, a higher education magazine, and is a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE) Speaker's Bureau. He also has made numerous presentations to area and national audiences on the presidency, terrorism, and the American Civil War, including one at the Pennsylvania Civil War Road Show commemorating the war's 150th anniversary.

A native of Batavia, N.Y., Hedtke has a passion for baseball, gardening, and traveling. He also maintains an intense curiosity about the American Civil War. He is married and lives with his wife, Judy, in Broomall, Pa. They have three daughters.

***NOTE***

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

NOTE: Change of Presenter

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

 Sarah Bierle  “We’re the Boys Who Rode Around McClellan (Chambersburg 1862)”  

The Chambersburg Raid explores the day to day, town by town details of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry raid into Pennsylvania during October 1862. Did it really accomplish the objectives? Was it worth the miles and the gallantry?  This presentation explores the motives, military details, civilian interactions, and outcomes of Stuart’s second ride around McClellan.

I’m Sarah Kay Bierle, an author, speaker, and researcher focusing on the American Civil War. I graduated from Thomas Edison State University with a BA in History, volunteer as the managing editor at Emerging Civil War, and work in the Educational Department of the American Battlefield Trust. From writing books and hosting conferences to research projects and blogging, I’m blessed to stay busy in the public history field, trying to address the context and complexity of the past while still looking for positive, learning aspects.

After three days of battle at Gettysburg . . .

. . . both sides had taken substantial losses. Robert E. Lee’s 50,000 remaining troops of the Army of Northern Virginia needed to withdraw from 80,000 remaining Union troops in George Meade’s Army of the Potomac.  Where did they go?  Monterey Pass was the site of a battle that would determine whether Lee would be able to retreat and fight another day. 

On Saturday June 8 join the E Pa CWRT on a field trip to the site of this battle.
DETAILS:
Leave - Delta Hotel at 8:00am sharp
Tour - 10:30 + visit battlefield museum
Lunch at a local restaurant
Approx cost for tour $15-20 each + lunch cost

Battlefield website is https://montereypassbattlefield.org/
Contact Claire if you are interested in attending.

Lt General James Longstreet, CSA,

and his wife, Helen Dortch Longstreet present

Who is James Longstreet?

For the last 160+ years, enough has been written about the American Civil War that the tomes would fill buildings! Depending on the author, the same story could be viewed from a Northern bent or a Southern story of antebellum ways of life.

Even so, the most succinct description of the conflict has not been fully accepted by our whole country, since it is considered by some groups to be the "War of Northern Aggression", "Mr. Lincoln's War" or other descriptors. This 19th century crisis, which caused a split amongst its citizens so large in its views of society, loyalty, and economy, to state a few, that its magnitude, emotionally, was bigger than the Grand Canyon is to geology.

Through this epic debacle, brother was fighting brother, extended families were on opposite sides, and all men had to decide what they believed almost overnight (between November, 1860 and March,1861). And, once Secession became a political reality in the South and Lincoln called for volunteers to end this rebellion, the die was cast.

My ancestors were here in the US for over 100 years by the time I was born. My father was born in New Jersey and moved the family to Georgia. 'Pete' (as they called me) Longstreet spent his formative years with my uncle in South Carolina, listening to local people visiting my uncle's home and espousing southern rights, destinies, and philosophies, which helped develop my loyalties. After my father died, when I was young, and my mother moved the family Alabama, friends there help me get an appointment to West Point.

It was there that I made lifelong friends that I would see on my side of the War's battles as well as across those battle lines, including my very close friend, U.S. Grant, who chose to stay with the Union, despite having Southern slave holding in-laws. Feeling that I could not fight against family from Alabama or South Carolina, my decision was made very quickly, and just as quickly, I jumped into the fray and fought in almost every major battle on the Eastern front, from Manassas to Appomattox Court House, and was present with R. E. Lee at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in April, 1865.

So why am I portrayed as a traitor to the South and treated as a pariah by my comrades? Was I really a traitor to the Southern cause during the war? Was I the reason the Confederacy lost the battle of Gettysburg and, ultimately, the War?

On  Tuesday evening, June 4, and out of the depths of history, "Old Pete" comes to speak to our group about his origins and views, and hopefully, to answer these questions.

Bradley Gottfried presents

Hell Comes To Southern Maryland; The Point Lookout Civil War Prisoner of War Camp

 Prisoner of war camps sprung up in the North and South in mid-1863 when the cartel governing the paroling and exchanging of prisoners ended. The Point Lookout Civil War prisoner of war camp in Southern Maryland became the largest facility for Confederates in the North. Over 50,000 men spent time in the two pens that totaled 30 acres. In this presentation, Dr. Brad Gottfried will explain how and why the camp was formed, life and death in the camp, and what it was like to be a prisoner of war there.

Brad Gottfried Bio

 Brad Gottfried retired in 2017 after servicing 40 years in higher education. After receiving his Ph.D., Brad taught full-time for eleven years at three colleges and then entered the ranks of the administration, rising to the role of President. He served as President for seventeen years at two colleges, and retired as President of the College of Southern Maryland.  He now devotes his time to writing and giving tours of the Antietam battlefield (he is an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide) and the town of Gettysburg (he is a Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide).

  Brad has a strong interest in the Civil War, having written nineteen books on the topic.  His best known works are probably his map studies of Civil War campaigns. The list is below. He regularly presents at Civil War Round Tables and Historical Societies.

List of published books:

Race to the Potomac: Lee’s Retreat and Meade’s Pursuit after the Battle of Gettysburg (Emerging Civil War Series)

The Maps of Spotsylvania Through Cold Harbor

The Antietam Paintings of James Hope

Lee Invades the North: A Comparison of the Antietam and Gettysburg Campaigns

The Brigades of Antietam (Editor)

Lincoln Comes to Gettysburg: The Story of the Formation of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and Lincoln’s Visit

Hell Comes to Southern Maryland: The History of the Point Lookout Prisoner of War Camp

Kearny’s Own: The History of the First New Jersey Brigade

Maps of First Bull Run

Maps of Antietam

Maps of the Fredericksburg

Maps of Gettysburg

Maps of the Cavalry at Gettysburg

Maps of Bristoe Station/Mine Run

Maps of the Wilderness Campaign

Roads to Gettysburg

Stopping Pickett: The History of the Philadelphia Brigade

The Artillery of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg: A Guided Tour

The Brigades of Gettysburg

Books coming out in 2024

The Overland Campaign (Casemate Campaign Series)

The Maps of Second Bull Run

Saturday April 27 2024    11:00 a.m.

Field Trip the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library

The GAR moved recently, and is now housed in the historic Lewis- Pattison House at 8110 Frankford Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19136

We will meet at the Delta Hotel (back parking lot) at 9:30 a.m.

Please note, I am told this is all on one floor for those of you with ambulation concerns.

Tour by Walt Lafty, Well Known Civil War Speaker

Cost: $15.00 (You can always give more if you wish). 

Please note we will receive a private tour. After the tour and questions, we will have lunch at a nearby restaurant. So come prepared. Walt has promised to field all questions pertaining to the Civil War.

 Please contact clkuk@ptd.net for questions or reservations. We’re hoping to see you on the trip.

Special thanks to Ed Root for getting us a private Saturday tour. Currently, they will only give Tuesday tours. Thankfully Ed has connections, and we were able to obtain reservations for Saturday. Awesome!

Regards,

Claire Kukielka and Diane French, co-chairs

Leon Reed presents: Fort Sumter’s Long Shadow: Mr. Lincoln Calls for an Army, and the States Respond

In response to the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, President Lincoln made a speech requesting a 75,000 man army to suppress the rebellion. This talk discusses the two things that happened in direct response to Lincoln’s speech.  First of all, a country with a 16,000 man army that was in the process of splitting in two, an atrophied militia system, and no general staff or mobilization plan actually produced that army, in very short order.  He describes the pivotal role of the New York Militia and the under appreciated contributions of individuals such as Joseph Holt, General John Wool, and John Dix.

Secondly, seven slave states that, until then, had remained loyal, reconsidered their commitment to the Union. In the end, four of these states (VA, NC, AR, TN) departed while three (MO, KY, MD) remained under varying degrees of duress. This is a high stakes drama with larger than life characters, dirty tricks, and some questionably legal actions by the Lincoln administration. Arguably, the outcome of the war hinged on these decisions.

  Leon Reed is a former US Senate aide, defense consultant, and US History teacher. He lives in Gettysburg and is the author of several books on Gettysburg monuments and two on the secession crisis and transition to Civil war, including, most recently, “Fort Sumter’s Long Shadow: Mr. Lincoln Calls for an Army, the Northern States Respond, and the Border States Rethink Their Status”. He is a regular contributor to Civil War News and is the editor of the quarterly magazine of the Battle of the Bulge Association.

Mr. Reed has been studying these topics for five years. If interested, his book will be available for sale or preorder.  

Women Combat Soldiers in the Civil War

Presented by James R. Hedtke, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, History and Political Science, Cabrini University

In the Civil War, over 2,100,000 men fought for the Union, but you never hear of any women, other than that they were nurses or maintained their homes. In the Victorian era of prudery, these women discussed in this lecture pretended to be men, took a male name, enlisted in the army and then fought like demons!!  The question of participation has been argued by historians; Prof. Hedtke will answer these questions head on in his forceful analysis of what the reality is. This program is especially relevant today.

Prof. James R. Hedtke earned a B.S.  from Saint Joseph's University, a MA in from Villanova University, and a Ph.D.  from Temple University. He has taught history and political science at Cabrini University for 50 years.

Steve Knowlton presents: "Thirteen Months in Dixie, or the Adventures of a Federal Prisoner in Texas"

Steve Knowlton will share the wartime plight of Oscar Federhen, who was captured by the Confederates as a relatively new recruit and sent to—and later escaped from— POW Camp Ford, the largest Confederate-run prison west of the Mississippi.

Steve is a Librarian for History and African American Studies at Princeton University.  His historical research has been published in many peer-reviewed journals. He is the recipient of the annual William Marshall Wingfield Award from the West Tennessee Historical Society and has twice won the Justin Winsor Library History Essay Award. This is his first book.

Cedar Mountain Presented by M Chris Bryan

The II Corps, Army of Virginia suffered a bloody and demoralizing defeat at the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9th, 1862, after initial success where it nearly defeated Stonewall Jackson’s command. This talk will describe the fighting at Cedar Mountain in detail and will also briefly describe the aftermath for the II Corps that summer. These events and conditions would later shape the conspicuous success of the future XII Corps, Army of the Potomac at Antietam.

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 project manager and lives in southern Maryland with his wife and two children. Cedar Mountain to Antietam is his first book.

Mike Jesberger presents “A Soldier’s Civil War Christmas”

A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS

Before the Civil War, Christmas was not an official holiday in the United States. By the end of the war in 1865, Christmas had gone from a relatively unimportant holiday to the opposite – a day rooted in an idealized vision of home. The way Americans observed the holiday changed too, setting the stage for the more modern Christmas holiday we know today. Though individual traditions still varied, the upheaval of the Civil War made the holiday season seem more and more important to separated families. The Christmas season reminded mid-19th century Americans of the importance of the home and the institution of new Christmas traditions. Come join historical reenactor, lecturer, and tour guide Michael Jesberger for a discussion on one of our favorite holidays.

Mr. Michael Jesberger is an independent military historian who specializes in the American Revolution and Civil War time periods. He is renowned for his depth and breadth of knowledge, as well as his engaging and passionate presentation style, whether providing formal lectures, living history presentations, or tours of historic sites in the Tri-State area.

A member of numerous history based organizations and active in the reenactment community, he participates in numerous battle reenactments, living history programs, and ceremonies to honor our first and current veterans. A lifelong resident of the Philadelphia region, Mr. Jesberger is a native of Northeast Philadelphia and has relocated to Bucks and Montgomery County, PA and currently resides in Lansdale, PA with his wife, Amy, son Erik and two daughters, Erin and Emma.

Linda Clark presents ~ Walk a Mile with Lincoln: November 19, 1863
Much has been written about President Lincoln and his Gettysburg Address. But little has been written about the residents of 1863 who actually had Gettysburg addresses, those local citizens who witnessed the battle and its aftermath.

This Power Point presentation follows Lincoln’s journey as he traveled from the train station, where he arrived on November 18, 1863, to the cemetery where he delivered his “few appropriate remarks” on November 19 th .

If President Lincoln had the time to meet the residents who lived in the houses he passed, he would have found it very interesting how similar their lives were to his own. Photographs of those same buildings, with their present-day facades, will be included.

Although Linda was not able to interview any of the people of 1863, she has researched them using a variety of primary sources. Some would be surprised to learn what assortment of businesses their homes now house!

Linda Clark
As a Gettysburg native, Linda Clark found her passion for books, and the Civil War, through a juvenile fiction book presented by her third grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School.

A now retired school librarian and an emeritus Licensed Battlefield Guide, Linda enjoys researching her hometown citizens, and telling their personal stories of the Battle of Gettysburg. 

She and her husband have a Gettysburg address, with a view of the sun setting over the Blue Ridge.

Victor Vignola presents, “The Battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks) VA; The Turning Points of the Civil War”

     Surprisingly little has been written about the important Battle of Fair Oaks (and the simultaneous Seven Pines). The bloody two day affair (May 31-June 1, 1862), fought on the doorstep of the Confederate capital, was the first major battle in the Eastern Theater since Bull Run/Manassas the previous summer.

     It left more than 11,000 casualties in its wake and the primary Southern army without its commander. The possession of Richmond hung in the balance. Victor Vignola’s Contrasts in Command, which is centered around the Fair Oaks fighting, rectifies this gap in the literature.

     Major General George B. McClellan marched his Army of the Potomac up the Virginia Peninsula during the spring weeks of 1862 before committing a near-fatal error by placing his inexperienced IV Corps at the tip of the spear south of the flood-prone Chickahominy River.  Opposing McClellan at the head of the Virgina army was General Joseph E. Johnston, who had fallen back without offering much opposition.

     When the opportunity to strike beckoned, Johnston crafted an overly complex attack plan to crush the exposed IV Corps. A series of bungled Confederate marches, piecemeal assaults, and a lack of assertive leadership doomed the Southern plan. One of the wounded late in the day of May 31 was General Johnston, whose injury led to the appointment of General Robert E. Lee to take his place – a decision that changed the course of the entire Civil War.

     Sandwiched between Shiloh and the Seven Days’ Battles, the combat at Fair Oaks, and Seven Pines, has been mostly overlooked or forgotten. Although tactically inconclusive, the ramifications were far reaching in ways no one could have foreseen. And like Shiloh, the battle provided a clear warning that the war would be long and bloody.

Biography – Victor Vignola

      Historian Victor Vignola, a lifelong student of the Civil War, has written articles for publication in North and South Magazine and other forums. He delivers historical programs, conducts tours, and regularly visits various Civil War sites. He is the author of “Contrasts in Command”, which is centered around the Fair Oaks fighting.

     Vic graduated from SUNY-New Paltz with a degree in economics and business. His career included executive level labor and inter-agency relations for the Office of Mental Health in New York State. He lives with his family in Orange County, New York, home of the 124 th New York “Orange Blossoms” Regiment, which served as part of the III and V Corps from September 1862-April 1865. They fought at Gettysburg on July 2 nd at Devil’s Den as part of Ward’s Brigade.

Rev Dr Nancy Hale presents “Gettysburg Chaplains to start off our new Campaign year!

The Reverend Doctor Nancy Hale’s presentation centers on stories of several chaplains who were present at the battle of Gettysburg. Through letters, Regimental histories, and newspaper articles, we will learn about how these chaplains experienced the battle and its aftermath while also doing their best to care for the men in their regiments. We will also discover the sacrifices made by some of these heroes of the faith.   

Nancy Hale Short Bio Information

Reverend Doctor Nancy Hale is a United Methodist minister, currently in Sunbury PA. She is also a Civil War re-enactor who spends as much time as she can in Gettysburg. She participates in the 100 Nights of Taps program at the National Cemetery in Gettysburg in the summer. Nancy has also authored a book, Faith and Duty, a novel of Civil War chaplains and their conflict between duty to God and duty to the men and their cause.  Her two sons both served in the military; three of her ancestors fought at Gettysburg.

Save June 10th for a Field Trip to Monocacy Battlefield and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. See latest update directly below

Gretchen and James Kennedy present “Mourning Customs and History”

TIL DEATH DO US PART:

• Victorian Mourning Customs

• Victorian Mourning Jewelry and Stationery

• Post-Mortem Photography

• Dr. Thomas Holmes, the Father of Embalming

• Early Embalming Equipment and Civil War Coffin

• David John Kennedy, Private, 148 th PA, Company H

Biographies for Jim and Gretchen:

Jim was born and raised in Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania, and lives there still with his wife of 26 years, Gretchen, and their three children. His love of history began early, at 14, when he was a docent at Baker Mansion History Museum, home to the Blair County Historical Society. Jim’s thirst for history continues to grow, and he enjoys learning and teaching when given the opportunity. He is also a Home Healthcare Aide for special needs children.

Gretchen is also a native of Altoona. Her love of history was spawned when Jim asked her to join him for a Civil War Re-enactment many moons ago. Her interest grew from there, and the Kennedys continue to enjoy learning together.

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.

 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.

Join us for: “The History of the Grand Army of the Republic” (G.A.R.)
Guest Speaker: Dr. Andy Waskie

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Soon after the American Civil War ended, many who had served began missing the comrades with whom they’d forged friendships in the fellowship of suffering and the trials and dangers they had faced together.

A few of the veterans’ clubs that soon sprang up around the county grew to became national organizations. Of these, the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) became the nation’s preeminent veterans’ organization and the most powerful single-issue political lobby of the late 19th century.

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.

Join us 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.

Major General Dan Sickles: An Evening with Devil Dan; the American Scoundrel and Sickles the incredible presented by John Griffiths III

John Griffiths III has been portraying General Daniel E. Sickles since 2015.  Raised in a family that appreciated history, he has been involved in historical presentations from an early age.  He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in History (cum laude) from Norwich University (the Military college of Vermont) and holds a Master’s degree in Colonial American and Military History from the University of South Carolina.

He retired from the U.S. Army as a Major in the Infantry and attended the U.S. Airborne and Ranger School, as well as British Airborne School. His grandfather John W. Griffiths served in WWII as the First Sergeant in the 88th Infantry Division Reconnaissance Platoon in Italy in 1944-45.  His Grand Uncle served in the Navy during WWII and participated in the Allied invasion of Southern France in 1944. His father was drafted during the Korean War era and served in a Mobile Petroleum Pipeline unit.  John Griffiths‘ two sons are also serving in the military. His son John William Griffiths IV is currently on active duty at Fort Bragg and his youngest son Brendan is attending the United States Merchant Marine Academy where he will be commissioned in the U.S. Navy as an Ensign upon graduation.

John Griffiths has been a member of the Confederation of Union Generals since 2013 and is currently the chairman of the organization’s Historic Preservation Committee.   He is featured in two television presentations for PCN television in Pennsylvania and the U.S. Customs Service and regularly gives presentations to local school groups.

A Fiery Fall:  Mosby in the Shenandoah

“A Fiery Fall” – Author and historian Eric Buckland will speak about some of the operations of Mosby’s Rangers in the Shenandoah Valley during the Fall of 1864. Included in his presentation will be descriptions of the Berryville Wagon Train Raid, the fight at Morgan’s Lane, the “Greenback Raid”. Eric will also discuss the execution of 6 Rangers in Front Royal and the subsequent “Death Lottery” conducted by the Rangers.

Eric Buckland has written several books about the lives of some of the men who rode with the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry – Mosby’s Rangers and  has given over 100 presentations about the stories in his books. He has  appeared on C-Span and had two articles published in America’s Civil War magazine.  

         Eric graduated from the University of Kansas and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. The majority of his 22-year military career was spent in Special Forces. He retired in 1999 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

  Some of his awards include the Ranger Tab, Special Forces Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Special Operations Combat Diver Badge, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

  He retired at the end of 2021 from his second career as a Policy Analyst in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

  He is currently in his third term as President of The Stuart-Mosby Historical Society.

  Eric and his wife, Maureen, have been married for over 43 years and reside in Centreville, VA. They have three sons and three grandsons.    

Tom Fontana presents:
“Lincoln Lite'
Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Although best known and admired for his character, political skills, leadership qualities, and accomplishments, President Abraham Lincoln also had a humorous side. December’s speaker, Tom Fontana, will share stories about Lincoln’s “lighter side” (as remembered by those who knew him). He’ll also share other recollections, including some of the songs Lincoln enjoyed, which Tom will perform and, sometimes, invite the audience to join in.

Musician, local living history presenter, photographer and writer Tom Fontana is a resident of Gettysburg, where he presents musical programs and participates with re-enactor bands in and around the Gettysburg National Military Park. 

RICH ROSENTHAL – NOVEMBER 1, 2022 SPEAKER; A TWO PART PROGRAM

PART ONE – GENERAL GRANT’S INFAMOUS ORDER #11, THE EXPULSION OF THE JEWS

Intending to enforce the Lincoln administration’s blockade against the Confederacy to cut off the Confederacy from all trade with the North, on December 17,1862, General Grant issued General Order #11, which stated: “The Jews, as a class, violating every regulation of trade established by the Treasury Department, and also Department orders, are hereby expelled from the Department.”

PART 2 – JUDAH P. BENJAMIN: THE BRAINS OF THE CONFEDERACY, AND A JEW

As Jefferson Davis’s right-hand man, Judah P. Benjamin was the most important Jew of the 19th century – he was also the most widely hated one in the North and portions of the South. Yet, he was a United States Senator and served the Confederacy as Attorney General, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State.

BIOGRAPHY

Rich Rosenthal is the President of the North Jersey Civil War Round Table and worked closely with the pre-eminent historian and author, John T. Cunningham, one of the founders of the North Jersey American Revolution Round Table. Rich has presented numerous lectures on a wide variety of historical subjects and is making a return to the Civil War Round Table of Eastern PA. He resides in Parsippany, New Jersey with his wife, Harriet.

Andy Waskie will guide us on our trip to Laurel Hill Cemetery. Laurel Hill Cemetery is the cemetery with many Civil War heroes including Major General George G. Meade. After touring the cemetery from 10:00 - 12:30, we will go to McGillin’s Old Ale Pub for lunch. The restaurant has provided food and drinks for many US soldiers and the infamous, John Wilkes Booth. After our lunch, we will go to the Union League. A private tour will be provided by Andy. We will leave the Union League and return home that same day.

Andy Waskie is a retired History professor at Temple University. He is an author of the book, “Philadelphia and the Civil War: Arsenal of the Union”. He is a 40-year member of the Board of the Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery. He has written a history of Laurel Hill and conducted tours at this cemetery for 40 years. While Andy will not take a payment, he requests a donation to the Laurel Hill Cemetery for $20.00. So the more folks who go, the less the price will be. The price for the Union League will be a donation of $100.00 to the friends of the Union League. Again, the more that go, the lower the price. Naturally, our lunch will be on us and the parking when we are downtown. Andy estimates the buffet to be approximately $16.00. The only add-on is I would like to collect just a little more than the cost of admission in order to treat our guide to lunch.

I will request a $10.00 non-refundable deposit. We will also place the flyer on the website and in the newsletter.  However, you must sign up with me (Claire).  If you have any questions, concerns, please contact me at clkuk@ptd.net