Civil War Round Tables-- Part 2

Although operations at meetings differ, most Civil War Round Tables (CWRT) follow a similar format at their monthly meetings.  Some meet at a restaurant where a meal preceded the program.  Announcements or publicity for related events are usually followed by a formal presentation from an author, professor, historian, re-enactor, member or others on a topic related to the Civil War.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many CWRTs have hybrid programs where the live meeting is shared online on Zoom.

This is how my McHenry Civil War Round Table operates as well.  Plus, once a month we have a discussion meeting at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois.  And, we usually stick to our topic somewhat.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Round Tables-- Part 1

From the Cabin Fever Issue of Northwest Quarterly 2024 "Civil War Round Tables" by Jon McGinty.

I currently belong to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table and at one time, back in the 1970s and 80s to The Civil War Round Table of Chicago, which is regarded as the very first CWRT.

Civil War Round Tables are independent groups of people who meet regularly to share a common interest in the military, political and sociological history of that war.  

The first Civil War Round Table (CWRT) was started in Chicago in 1940 by Ralph Newman, owner of the Abraham Lincoln Bookstore in that town.  He assembled a small group of authors and amateur historians to discuss topics about the Civil War.

Current estimates say that there are roughly 300 such groups  worldwide, with most of them in the United States,

There are 17 of them in Illinois.

--Old Secesh

The Illinois Department of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War-- Part 2: Camps

Continuing with Illinois camps:

E. F. Dutton Camp 49, Sycamore

Colonel John C. Bryner Camp 67, Peoria

Colonel Friedrich K. Hecker Camp 443, Belleville

U.S. Grant Camp 1863, Schaumburg

Old Glory Camp 6165, Chicago

Hard to believe there are so few camps in Illinois.  At one time there were eight Sons of Confederate Veterans camps in Illinois.  

--Old Secesh

The Illinois Department Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

This all started when I posted about the Sycamore Camp of Sons of Union veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) working on the DeKalb County Civil War Memorial in Sycamore.

There are eleven SUVCW camps in Illinois according to the department website:

**  General George A. Custer Camp 1, Wilmette

**  General Philip H. Sheridan Camp 2, Aurora

**  General John A. McClernand Camp 4,Springfield

**  Captain Frank Reed Camp 24, Tuscola

**  John A. Logan Camp 26, Rockford

**  Private Henry M. Hardenbergh Camp 39, Tinley Park

--Old Secesh

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Since I mentioned the Sons of Union Veterans in the last post, here is some more information about them.

From Wikipedia.

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUV) grew out of the largest organization of Union veterans established after the war, The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR).  Much the same as the Sons of Confederate Veterans grew out of the United Confederate Veterans organization.

It would be necessary to find the next generations to carry on the group's good name as they died out.  This is why the American Legion has its Sons of the American Legion.

The SUV was established in 1881 and was founded by Major Augustus P. Davis for the preservation of the principles of the GAR.  Local groups are organized into camps which then are grouped into departments

Membership on 2022 was 6,574 with headquarters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Commander-in-Chief in 2022 was Peter J. Hritso.

--Old Secesh

DeKalb County (Illinois) Civil War Monument-- Part 2

Toward the base of the monument, a pair of soldiers stand watch, each with a rifle in his hands.

Three sides of the marble monument bear the names of major battles and campaigns of the Civil War that DeKalb men fought in, including Fredericksburg, Malvern Hill and Antietam (even though Antietam was misspelled).  The side that faces Illinois Highway 64, Main Street, is engraved with an excerpt from President Abraham Lincoln's address at Gettysburg.

More than 6,000 people were in attendance for the monument's dedication in 1896 which included an address by local commanders and a parade of veterans.

The pair of patina-green statues at the base of it were once thought to be bronze, but were found to be copper during a 2008 restoration project.  They've also been the subject of routine vandalism, as their weapons have been stolen and replaced several times.

Sycamore's local Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War chapter raised $10,000 to repair them in 2015 before the memorial was rededicated for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War's end.

--Old Secesh

DeKalb County, Illinois Civil War Monument-- Part 1

From the March 2024 Northwest Quarterly magazine.

DEKALB COUNTY CIVIL WAR MONUMENT

133 West State St., 

Sycamore, Illinois

An estimated 2,391 DeKalb County residents enlisted in 14 military units during the Civil War.  Their sacrifices were formally recognized three decades after the war ended when a monument was dedicated to honor all of the county's residents.  (Sad that this is the reason those Confederate monuments in front of courthouses were dedicated.)

The 50-foot monument, dedicated in1897, now stands in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse. At the top of the stone obelisk stands a Union soldier with a long coat and cap.  He holds a sword in one hand and bears a flag in the other.

--Old Secesh

What the Emerging Civil War Blog Had to Say About the Loss of the Two Magazines-- Part 2

There has been much discussion as to whether interest in the Civil War is waning or has it changed in its nature (or both).

But, I know that interest in the Civil War has not dropped so precipitously that it has forced the cancellation of two magazines.  If circulation was the issue, the answer would have been to trim from two magazines to one.

*********************

Of course, part of the problem was with the owners who it would seem are of the GRB/Hedge Fund ilk.  Only seeing profit as the goal.  Plus, these days everyone wants digital instead of hard copy.  Also, the young today are not into history.  They are not even into joining anything.

Here's hoping someone starts printing these magazines again.  Especially Civil War Times.

--Old Secesh

What the Emerging Civil War Blog had to Say About the Loss of 'CW Times. and 'America's CW'

From February 24, 2024.

One of the best Civil War blogs out there, Emerging Civil War, had this to say about the loss of those two wonderful magazines.

There is much sadness in the Civil War community over the news that "Civil War Times" and "America's Civil War" magazines have been shuttered (along with seven other history-focused magazines owned by the same company.

As "The Civil War Times Illustrated (since shortened to just "Civil War Times"), the flagship magazine of Civil War buffs traced its history all the way back to 1962.  It was a product of the Centennial, when interest in the war was huge.  Many of us have grown up with the magazine.  (Certainly I am one of those  but couldn't afford it in 1962 because I was just 11.) 

I have most of the issues dating back to then as I have some reprints and many of the originals.  With the exception of several years I have had a subscription for most of the years.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Discussion Group Meets Tomorrow: Topic 'That Devil Forrest'

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table Discussion Group will meet tomorrow, March 23, at the Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois. from 10 am to 11:30.

Discussion topic will be "Nathan Bedford Forrest, Cavalry Commander of the West."  Lots of opinions on this man and Steve normally keeps us somewhat on topic.

The Panera Bread is located at Main Street and US-14 (Northwest Highway).

This will also be on Zoom.

Everyone is welcome.  You do not have to be a member to attend.

--Old Secesh

A Presidential Pardon for De Villiers-- Part 1

From the 2015 PBS Antiques Roadshow

Ken Sanders of Ken Sanders Rare Books of Salt Lake City, Utah, gave this appraisal to a woman on the popular PBS appraisal show in Tucson, Arizona.  He estimated the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Pardon to Charles Villiers was worthy between $12,00 and $15,000.

It read:

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

To all  to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:

Whereas, it appears that at the March Term, 1861, of the Criminal Court of the District of Columbia,  one Charles  de Villier was indicted and convicted for obtaining goods under false pretences [six], and it was by the said Court sentenced to be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for the period of eighteen months;

And whereas, the said Charles de Villier has now served out more than six months of his said term of imprisonment, and it appears from the certificate of the Deputy Warden of the Penitentiary that "he has been uniformly obedient and faithful to every duty" in the institution.

More.  --Old Secesh

A Sad Day for Us Civil War Fans: Goodbye to 'Civil War Times' and 'America's Civil War'

I have been a long-time subscriber to the magazine "Civil War Times" going back to the 1970s with the exception of a several year period on the 80s.  As a matter of fact, I have a subscription to it right now that runs for another year.

A short while back they went from a bimonthly magazine to quarterly.  I didn't care for that, but, let's face it, these are really hard time for anything published in a non digital form.  But, at least we still had the magazine, though not as often.

But, come to think of it, I couldn't remember when the last time was that I had gotten a new issue.

In addition, I often picked up a copy of the CWT's sister magazine, "America's Civil War" at our local Meijer store (which still has a good selection of magazines).  The last several months I hadn't seen either magazine offered for sale at Meijer.

Friday, I stopped at the Volo, Illinois, Woodman's grocery store which also has a big magazine selection including these two magazines.  Again, no CWT or ACW.

Well, sadly I now know why.

They are gone out of business.  I went on the internet and found out why.

A Sad Day Indeed.  --Old Secesh

Confederate Railroads-- Part 3: Three Major Operations

The  central Confederate government encountered problems dealing with the states throughout the war inn regards to railroads.

Another problem was that existing tracks and rolling stock were so often cannibalized for iron to put on naval ironclads

It took the Confederate government two years to get some semblance of a plan worked out for its railroads.  1863.  Railroads became under de facto control of the military, but there was no record that this ever became so.

Mr. Banks talked quite a bit about the Confederate use of railroads during the First battle of Bull Run (Manassas) Campaign as well as the Great Locomotive Chase and the moving of Longstreet's Corps to Bragg in the Chickamauga/Chattanooga Campaign.

Longstreet's soldiers experienced quite a series of rerouting and ended up going through North and South Carolina and Georgia to get there.

By 1865, the Confederacy's railroads were in ruins, however, they recovered very quickly as it was important to rebuild the South.

--Old Secesh

Confederate Railroads-- Part 2: Did Stonewall Steal the Locomotives?

Charlie Banks gave the presentation.

Strap rails were the most dangerous ones.  Steel rails were better than iron ones.

The North outproduced the South by a 9 to 1 margin in rail tonnage.

The cost of an engine was $10,000.

Two Confederate officers were somewhat in charge of the country's railroads:   Abraham Myers and Lucius Bellinger Northrup.

There is still a question as to whether Stonewall Jackson moved Baltimore& Ohio rolling stock, including engines, from Harpers Ferry to places further in Virginian in Virginia.

--Old Secesh

Confederate Railroads-- Part 1: A Real Mess

Yesterday we had the first meeting of the year for the McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table at the Woodstock Public Library.  It was both a live and a Zoom meeting and Charlie Banks gave a presentation on Confederate Railroads.  He is quite the expert on Civil War railroads.

His main thing was that it was the failure of the Confederate railroad system that was a big reason for the failure of the new country.

Railroads across the United States increased their mileage drastically in the decade before the war.  But the South lagged way behind the North.  In the South the Atlantic Ocean states had 5400 miles, Gulf states 2063 and South interior states 2666.

In the North, Chicago had become a major railroad hub with 11 railroads going through there.

In contrast, the future capital of the Confederacy, Richmond, had five, but none of them connected which caused unloading and reloading of cargos.  Plus, making it worse, the lines had differing gauges.  (Most Northern railroads used 4'8" gauge while Southern ones went with 5 feet.

--Old Secesh