HARDTACK
A Publication
of the Indianapolis Civil War Round Table – February 2002
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President – Dave
Sutherland Secretary – Dr. Betty Enloe
Vice President – Dr.
Lloyd Hunter Treasurer – Doug Wagner
Hardtack Editor – Debby Chestnut
Distribution
Managers – Dorothy Jones & Peg Bertelli Quiz Master – Tony Trimble
February 11, 2002
Monday – 7:30 p.m. at
the Indiana Historical Society
450 W. Ohio St.
(Parking in lot north
of the Society off New York St. – Please enter via Northeast Door)
My Boys in Blue: A Tribute
Presented by Steve
Jackson
Steve Jackson will present the fourth in his series of six
programs on members of his own family who served the Union cause during the
Civil War. The focus will be upon his
research into their lives, what he has discovered about their experiences, and how
those findings help us see the war through their eyes. Highlighted by photographs taken during the
war itself, as well as more recent depictions, this program promises to be both
informative and entertaining.
About
the Speaker: Steve Jackson is no stranger to the ICWRT. He served our Round Table admirably as
President during the 2000-2001 campaign, during which a number of important
ventures were launched, including the establishment of our new Preservation
Committee. A graduate of Anderson High
School and Indiana University, Steve is an active leader in numerous Civil War
groups. He is a founding member of the
Madison County Civil War Round Table and has served the Sons of Union Veterans
as both Camp Commander and Indiana Department Commander. He also belongs to the Sons of the American Revolution,
the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and the Madison
County Historical Society, in which he has served as President. A lifetime resident of Anderson, he is
retired from the General Motors Corporation.
Be sure and
invite a friend to hear our speaker.
DINNER
AT SHAPIRO’S
ALL MEMBERS AND GUESTS ARE INVITED TO SHAPIRO’S DELI AT 5:30
P.M.
TO ENJOY DINNER
AND FELLOWSHIP PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
Publicity Support
Thanks to Jerry Sargent and Jeff
Cardwell for their publicity support.
Jerry has provided the ICWRT a monthly opportunity to promote our
upcoming monthly meeting on WICR Radio, 88.7 FM dial, during their show between
ll:00 a.m. and noon, the Saturday before our meeting.
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President
The ICWRT’s Constitution and Bylaws require that the President, each year, on or before the December meeting, appoint a Nominating Committee comprised of three active members to nominate a slate of officers and report such nominations at the ICWRT’s January meeting. The submission of this nominating committee’s report does not preclude additional nominations from the floor at the January meeting. The active members present at January’s meeting shall constitute a quorum for the election of officers for the upcoming campaign. Mr. and Mrs. John Hoffman and Mr. Gerald Jones have accepted my offer to serve on this Nominating Committee. If you know anyone interested in serving as an ICWRT Officer for the 2002-2003 campaign, please advise the Hoffmans at (317) 849-1906 or Gerald Jones at (765) 378-3581.
The Round Table is looking for volunteer
authors to help research and write our 50th (l955-2005) anniversary
history booklet plus an article for the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana
newspapers. Please contact Jim Bishop at 248-8100 if you are interested.
Also looking for volunteers to
assist Robert Dorn in greeting current members and recruiting new Round Table
members. If interested, see Dave
Sutherland.
Hardtack Editor
Please
send book reviews, interesting articles, etc. to place in the Hardtack to me at
the following: Debby Chestnut, 441 S. Catherwood Ave., Indianapolis, 46219;
E-Mail: dchad@indy.net or chestnud@mail.ips.k12.in.us. Phone:
356-5117 (home) or 226-4101 (work):Fax: 226-3444. Deadline for March Hardtack: February 22nd.
Treasurer
.
We still plan to deliver the Hardtack via E-mail for as many members as
possible. Our goal is to reduce the
costs as much as possible so that funds can be used for other purposes. Please make your E-mail address available to
Dorothy Jones (joejones@iquest.net)
and Doug Wagner (dougwag@msn.com).
_________________________________________________
CIVIL WAR QUIZ
By Tony Trimble
1. Name the Brevet General and future U.S. Senator who won the Medal of Honor for gallantry at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
2. “The whole army is burning with an insatiable desire to wreak violence on_____________.
I almost tremble for her fate.” Who was the speaker and what was he referring to?
3. For what crime was Robert Cobb Kennedy executed during the war?
4. Who represented the Confederate War Department in England?
5. Name the Confederate General whose son, and namesake, attained the rank of Lt. General during World War II?
Answers to January Quiz: 1) Capt. John Taylor; 2) Henry DuPont: 3) Thomas J.
Jackson; 4) South Carolina; 5) 1st soldier killed in the war.
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UPCOMING
EVENTS
¨
ICWRT’s 2002 Tour: Confederate Invasion of Kentucky and Indiana
– June 24 to June 28. Tour will
include Pleasant Hill, Shakertown, Perryville Battlefield, Mumfordville, Civil
War Museum at Bardstown, John Hunt Morgan’s Raid in southern Indiana and many
other exciting events. Estimated cost:
$325.00, payable in two installments. A tentative schedule is posted in
the January Hardtack. If interested,
please contact Nikki Schofield at 328-8782.
¨
Annual Midwest Civil War
Round Table Conference: Hosted by the
Chicago and Milwaukee CWRT’s- April 19-21 at Lisle, Illinois, 20 miles west of
Chicago. For additional information check the Chicago Civil War Round Table or
Milwaukee Civil War Round Table websites.
A point of contact and telephone number will be provided at our February
2002 meeting
¨
Book Discussion Series at
Danville Public Library – February 5: Hoosier Farm
Boy in Lincoln’s Army by Nancy N. Baxter and presented by the author. March 11: Coburn’s Brigade by Larry Ligget & Frank Welcher and
presented by Larry Ligget. The programs
begin at 7:00 p.m. There is no charge
but registration is requested. To
register, visit the Adult Dept. of the library or call (317)745-2604.
¨
Gettysburg Trip – May 22,
2002
– Offered by Ambassadair to club members, however if there is a minimum of 10
persons, they will allow travel with a $25 per person limited member fee as
long as one traveler is an Ambassadair member. Cost is $259 per person and
includes non-stop air fair from Indianapolis, coach transfers, and itinerary.
Arrive Harrisburg and transfer via motorcoach and arrive Gettysburg about 11:30
a.m. Cost includes: Soup and Salad
Buffet at historic Herr Tavern, visit and highlighted commentary of Cyclorama,
guided 25 mile tour of Gettysburg Battlefield, A. Lincoln Speaks, a 45 minute
first person interpreter, Lantern Walk-discussion on effects of battle on the
local residents. Depart Gettysburg at
7:30 p.m. If interested contact Joyce
Duvall at 317-240-7519 or e-mail at joyce.duvall@iflyata.com
Clark
County Virginia to get
Two
Civil War Markers
John Sours, Jr., Clarke
County Economic Development Coordinator, states that two Civil War Trail
markers should be erected in the spring of 2002, according to the December 20,
2001, article in The Winchester Star.
The
first of these signs will mark rebel Colonel John S. Mosby’s successful August
13, l864 raid on Union General Phillip Sheridan’s supply train outside Berryville,
Virginia. Mosby’s raid, also called the
Battle of Buck Marsh for a nearby Baptist Church of that name, caused General
Sheridan to back away from Confederate General Jubal Early’s Army concentrated
at Winchester, VA. Between 250-300 of
Mosby’s Rangers seized about one hundred wagons, two hundred beef cattle,
between 500-600 horses and mules and roughly 200 prisoners, but overlooked
$122,000 in federal currency in the 6th New York Cavalry’s
paymaster’s chest. This marker
explaining Mosby’s raid will be placed along U.S. Highway 340 North.
The
second of these signs will mark the Cool Spring Battlefield on the west bank of
the Shenandoah River. This marker will
explain Union forces pursuit of withdrawing rebel forces who then took up
defensive positions along the Valley’s major river in an attempt to impede an
advancing Union Army. This marker will
be placed along the west bank of the Shenandoah River on the north side of the
Virginia Highway 7 bridge.
Sours
said that the exact position of these signs will be worked out with the
Virginia Department of Transportation.
These two markers are being funded by a $4,100 grant from the Shenandoah
Valley Battlefields Association.
First Negro Regiment
Raised in New Orleans
for the Confederacy,
Offered Their Services,
But Didn’t Fight
It was the status afforded
the lighter-complexioned blacks that led to the formation of the Louisiana
Native Guards, known in French as the Corps d’ Afrique. On November 23, l861, they made their
debut—33 black officers and 731 black enlisted men, along the
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banks of the Mississippi
River next to their white counterparts.
Free blacks joined the Louisiana militia for varied and complex reasons:
Some thought they would lose their property and others fought for economic self-interest. These were men of property and intelligence,
representatives of a free black community in New Orleans that was both
prosperous and well educated. There
were even slave owners among its ranks.
Furthermore, the ‘hommes de couleur libre’ as they were called in New
Orleans, enjoyed privileges not afforded blacks elsewhere in the South,
allowing them by l860 to accumulate more than $2 million worth of
property. It was not surprising,
therefore, that free blacks were eager to defend their holdings.
While
the free men of color may have been excited about their service on the
Confederate front, total and complete acceptance never came. They were treated with a scant courtesy that
killed any enthusiasm they might have felt for the Confederate cause. They were never mustered into the
Confederate Army. In September l861, when the first Union prisoners captured at
Manassas were to arrive in New Orleans, white militiamen, instead of the Native
Guards, were selected to escort them.
Then, when New Orleans fell to Union forces in April l862, the Native
Guards were sent in as last-minute substitutes to defend the French
Quarter. The white Confederate troops
headed to their training ground some 80 miles north of the city.
Four months after his occupation of New
Orleans, Butler took up the work where the Confederates had dropped it. He saw the possibility of utilizing the free
men of color who had some military education and discipline and on August 2,
l862; he issued an order calling on all members of the Native Guards to enlist
in the service of the United States. The 1st Regiment was sworn into
service on September 27, l862. The 2nd and 3rd regiments
were organized during October and November, respectively.
None of the men who had taken prominent part
in the organization of this regiment in the Confederate service re-enlisted on
the other side, but some of the rank and file did. The First Louisiana Native Guards was organized with Lieutenant
Colonel Basset in command and with all other officers colored. The regiment fought with courage and
distinction at Port Hudson, where one of the captains, Andrea Caillioux, lost
his life, and became a hero of the negro troops.
A Footnote: Actually,
the Native Guards were not the first black soldiers to volunteer. Major General David Hunter had raised a
regiment of black men at Hilton Head, South Carolina, during the spring of
l862, but it was not formally recognized as part of the Union Army. Hunter disbanded the unit on August 9, two
weeks prior to Benjamin Butler’s call for black recruits in New Orleans. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton finally
authorized Hunter’s enlistment of black troops, and the 1st South
Carolina Volunteers completed their reorganization on January 31, l863.
Consequently, the Native Guards were the first black soldiers to be officially
mustered in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Book Review
Mosby’s Fighting Parson: The Life and Times of Sam Chapman, by
Peter A. Brown, Willow Bend Books. This book tells the story of Confederate
soldier and Chaplain Sam Chapman.
Chapman, a native of Page County, served with John Mosby but is also
well known for his post-war activities.
Chapman served as pastor of the Covington Baptist Church for 15
years. He was also postmaster and Alleghany
County school superintendent.
During the Civil War, Chapman was a
private in the l7th Virginia Infantry, and the bulk of this biography is
dedicated to recollecting his service, along with the overall history of the
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regiment
itself. Woven throughout the book is a
rich blend of original research using Chapman’s letters and eyewitness accounts
from others in the l7th Infantry.
Photographs are included.
“Mosby’s Fighting Parson” delivers a
well-researched narrative about the life and Civil War experience of a mostly
unfamiliar participant that yields greater insight into this period of American
history. In addition, Brown’s chronicle
of the ministerial career and civic achievements of his subject will be of much
interest to those familiar with Alleghany County and its environs.
Cost:
$29.95.
INDIANAPOLIS CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE
Campaign
2001-2002 Presenters & Speakers
MEETING DATES PRESENTER SUBJECT
September 10, 2001 Nikki
Schofield The
Confederate Secret
Service
in Canada
October 8, 2001 Bill Anderson The 19th
Michigan
November 12, 2001 David Fraley The Battle of
Franklin, TN
December 10, 2001 Dale Phillips Ben Butler and the
Occupation
of New Orleans
January 14, 2002 Dan Mitchell The Mississippi
February 11, 2002 Steve Jackson My Boys in Blue: A Tribute
March 11, 2002 Dick
Skidmore John Hunt
Morgan: Then and Now
April 8, 2002 Peter Carmichael TBA
May 13, 2002 Gary Ecelbarger Frederick W. Lander: The
Great
Natural American Soldier
June 10, 2002 Herman Hattaway Presidency of Jefferson Davis
ICWRT’s Preservation Committee at Work
ICWRT Adopts the Position Held by
The 27th Indiana Volunteer
Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg
Early
morning, July 3, 1863, the 27th Indiana was ordered to assault the
Confederates who were occupying the lower slope of Culp’s Hill. The regiment advanced over 100 yards across
the meadow towards the hill until the defenders’ fire forced it to retire. The regiment began the engagement with 340
officers and men: 110 became casualties
during the assault, including four color bearers killed and another four
wounded. One company in the 27th
was raised in Marion Co. Their
regimental monument is in Spangler’s Spring, at the eastern foot of Culp’s
Hill. A stone in the meadow marks the furthest point of the regiment’s advance,
and another in McAllister’s Woods, about l50 yards east of the regimental
marker, identifies the regiment’s left flank prior to the assault.
Scope of the Work:
To gather a team of ICWRT
volunteers to provide one day of work (9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.) in the spring
and/or fall to:
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·
Clear
brush from the branch that forms the east boundary of our position.
·
Cut
low-hanging limbs from trees and remove any downed limbs.
·
Rake
leaves from turf area (about ¾ acre) and scatter in the adjacent woods.
·
Collect
litter around adopted area.
·
Inspect
monument for vandalism.
The
spring work is scheduled for April 6 or April 13. Volunteers are responsible
for their own transportation, accommodations, and tools (no power tools
allowed). Once we have a sense of how many are volunteering, we can coordinate
calendars to see what weekend fits most schedules and figure out transportation
options.
The Enlistment Form below is being
provided for those wanting to volunteer for one of the spring dates. Please return to Ray Shortridge at the
address listed on the Enlistment Form.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
27th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment
at Gettysburg Enlistment Form
If
you wish to volunteer to help maintain the position of the 27th Indiana at
Gettysburg this spring,
please
fill out this form and return to: Ray Shortridge, 1930 New Haven Drive,
Indianapolis, IN 46231 or email the information to:
rayshortridge@netscape.net
Name: ………………………………………………………
Phone Number:
……………………………………
Email: ……………………………………………………..
Preferred Date:
_______ Saturday, April 6 or
______ Saturday, April 13
Transportation (about 10 hour drive): Is your preference to:
_____ drive your own vehicle _____ convoy with others _____ share the cost of a van
with other volunteers
Lodging: Is your preference to:
____ arrange your
own _____ stay at a motel if the
ICWRT can obtain group rates
Preferred arrival at Gettysburg day:
____Thursday ______ Friday
Preferred departure from Gettysburg day:
_____ Saturday _____ Sunday
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