MCCWRT Meeting June 11: John Brown: Hero or Terrorist?

The McHenry Civil War Round Table (Illinois) will be meeting Tuesday, June 11 at the Woodstock Public Library in Woodstock, Illinois.

It will be in person and via Zoom.

Presenter will be Bob Pressman on "John Brown:  Hero or Terrorist."

Meeting starts at 7 p.m. and runs to 8:30.

The library is located at 414 West Judd Street.

All are also invited to attend a pre-meeting get together for dinner or snacks at 3 Brothers Restaurant on Illinois Highway 47.    No need to RSVP.  Just show up.

(Personally I regard John Brown as quite a terrorist and a major reason the war was fought.)

--Old Secesh  (With a name like that, how could I not?)

Now for the Best (In my Opinion) CWRT: McHenry County Civil War Round Table

These are all from the 2024 Northwest Quarterly Magazine "Civil War Round Tables" by Jon McGinty.

Then McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) was founded in 1997, and it holds monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of every month (that would be tonight) at the Woodstock Public Library in Woodstock, Illinois.  Meetings are also shared on Zoom with members and other regional round tables.

"We also conduct a monthly discussion group every  fourth Saturday at Panera Bread  restaurant in Crystal Lake, Illinois, also on Zoom," says Jim Stanis, secretary of the Round Table.  "They are informal  conversations about Civil War topics, whereas the meetings  usually include a presentation."

Tonight's presentation will be given by Ed Urban on the Ellet rams at Vicksburg.

The meeting starts at 7 at the library.  Before hat some of us will gather at 3 Brothers Restaurant in Woodstock on Illinois Highway 47 for dinner or snacks.  That starts around 5:30.

Come on By.  --Old Secesh

'The Tullahoma Campaign' at MCCWRT Tuesday

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table will have Dave Powell presenting "The Tullahoma Campaign" this Tuesday, April 11 at the Woodstock, Illinois, Public Library at 414 W. Judd Street (close to the famous Woodstock Square).

Probably on of  the lesser-known actions of the war, but one with significant results.  Find out about it.

It will be in person and via Zoom and will start at 7 and go to 9 pm.

There will be a pre-meeting get-together at 3 Brothers restaurant on Illinois Highway 47 at 5:00.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday, Mar. 14: 'How Did They Die? Murder or Natural?

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) will meet Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at the Woodstock Public Library in Woodstock, Illinois.  The meeting starts at 7 pm and will be in person or via Zoom.

This month's presentation will be given by Steve Alban.  "How Did They Die?  An Agatha Christie Whodunit.  Prominent Civil War  Persons Who Died.   Natural Causes or Murder?"

There will be a pre-meeting get-together at 3 Brothers Cafe on Ill. Route 47 at 5:30.  Snacks are meal, your choice.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT October Meeting: Charlie Banks on Herman Haupt

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) met Tuesday, October 11 at the Woodstock Public Library.

Round Table News:

**  The MCCWRT attended the Civil War Show in Naperville last month and sold a whole lot of books (with the money going to out student scholarship).  We made $835 and $350 went to other vendors (we were selling them for a real good price).

**  Next month's meeting will not be on Tuesday, November 8 because of elections (voting will be at the library).  Instead, we will meet at 7 pm on Wednesday, November 9.

**  We will be providing Civil War speakers at McHenry County College for their continuing education retired program.  The programs will be on Thursdays at 1 pm.

**  There will be a Civil War living history program at Hainesville, Illinois, this weekend.  There will be Union and Confederate reenactors and the Battle of Shiloh will be recreated.  Lincoln, Grant will be speaking as well as others.  There will be a medical display and an embalmer.

--Old Seceh

MCCWRT Meets This Tuesday: Topic 'Herman Haupt: Lincoln's Railroad Man'

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table will be meeting Tuesday, October 11 at the Woodstock Public Library in Woodstock, Illinois, at 7 p.m.

Our speaker for the evening will be Charlie Banks on "Herman Haupt:  Lincoln's Railroad Man."

This will be in person and via Zoom.

There will be a pre-meeting meal/snack get together at 3 Brothers Restaurant on Illinois Highway 47 at 5:30.

All invited, so if you have a yen for Civil War stuff, this is where you'll want to be.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Presentation Tonight: Gen. John E. Smith of Illinois

The September Meeting of the McHenry (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at the Woodstock, Illinois Public Library.

Our speaker will be Robert Girardi and his topic is "General John E. Smith:  Galena's Forgotten General."

This will be in-person and via Zoom.

There will be a pre-meeting get-together for dinner or snack for any interested at 3 Brothers restaurant on Il-47.  It is open to all, as is the meeting, member or not.  

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT June Meeting: 'Murphy's Law & the Peter Principle'

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table met Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Woodstock, Illinois, library and heard a talk onte Battle of Holly Springs by Jerry Allen.  We had earlier heard him give a talk about the 8th Wisconsin  The commander of the 8th Wisconsin was Colonel Robert Murphy.  He played a part in the Union disaster at Holly Springs, Mississippi, on December 20, 1862.

This caused General Grant's planned attack on Vicksburg to be delayed until the next spring.  Grant was depending the supplies at Holly Springs to support his advance on that city.

And, Murphy went far beyond his level of competence.

Earlier in 1862, the Union forces made great strides coming up the Mississippi River from New Orleans.  By April 29, 1862, New Orleans was in their control, followed by Baton Rouge on May 9 and Natchez on May12.  Union naval commander S.P. Lee even went to Vicksburg to demand its surrender.  James Autry refused to do so.

Then, came Holly Springs.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table Meets Today: USS Merrimack

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, August 9, at the Woodstock Library at 7, both in person and via Zoom.

David Noe will speak on the USS Merrimack, the ship that was turned into the ironclad CSS Virginia by Confederates and fought the famous battle against the USS Monitor.  (Which ship were you pulling for?)

All are invited to attend.  You do not have to be a member, just have an interest in history.

There will also be several of us meeting at 3 Brothers restaurant in Woodstock (on Illinois Highway 47) at 5:30.  Come for dinner or dessert.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting Today Talk Will Be Mysteries of the Hunley

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will be having our monthly meeting tomorrow at the Woodstock Public Library in that town.  

The topic will be of great interest to me because it is on the Hunley.  I'm really into all things naval during the war.

The speaker is Bruce Allardice and the subject is "Mysteries of the Hunley."

It will be in person or via Zoom (and we're slowly getting better at that).

Some of us will be getting together for a pre-presentation meal or snack at 3 Brothers Cafe on Il. Highway 47 in Woodstock at 5:30.

The meeting starts at 7 pm.

Everyone welcome, even non-members.  Just an interest in the war is all you need.

--Old Secesh

In Case You're Wondering About Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle

On the last post, I wrote about Jerry Allen's presentation to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table this coming Tuesday at the Woodstock (Illinois) Public Library.  His talk will be about "Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle: The Holly Springs Raid."

In case you aren't sure, or forgot, Murphy's Law refers to the old adage "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

The Peter Principle is what happens when members of a hierarchy are promoted until they reach the  level at which they are no longer competent.

So, evidently these two things had something to do with the Holly Springs raid. 

Come on by Tuesday and find out.

--OldMurphyandPeter

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday: Topic is ''Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle, the Holly Springs Raid'

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table is hosting their monthly meeting and presentation this Tuesday, June 14 (Flag Day) at the Woodstock Public Library (Woodstock, Illinois) both in person  at 414 W. Judd Street and via Zoom.

The meeting starts at 7 pm. 

The $1000 scholarship for the Dr. Witt Essay Contest will be presented.

The presentation will by by Jerry Allen:

"Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle:  The Holly Springs Raid."

You do not have to be a member to attend or use Zoom.

See you there.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting 5/10/22: 2022 Scholarship Winner and the Battle of Ball's Bluff

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table's (Illinois) held its May meeting at the Woodstock (Illinois) Public Library both in person and by Zoom.

The announcement was made that McHenry High School student Jack Waters was the recipient of the 2022 essay contest.  He will be receiving a $1000 scholarship to college.  Congratulations, Jack.

Tonight's speaker was Fred Reczkowiz and he spoke on a battle I've often heard of, but really didn't know much about, the Battle of Ball's Bluff on October 21, 1861.  

He described the battle as  a simple accident resulting from a faulty report.  And, indeed, after hearing his presentation, Ball's Bluff reminded me a whole lot of the Union catastrophe at the Battle of Shepherdstown less than a year later.  I have written a whole lot about that battle in this blog in January and February.

The battle included the 20th Massachusetts, so-called the Harvard Regiment because so many members were from that school.  It was also called the "Copperhead Regiment" because so many members were Democrats and not in favor of Republicans.

--Old Secesh

Other Union Veteran Graves Decorated Decoration Day 1903

Same source as earlier entries.

The good folks of Woodstock not only decorated the graves of Illinois soldiers in 1903, but also those of veterans from other states.  Here is a list of veterans graves from Union regiments from other states:

33rd Iowa  (2)

13th Wisconsin (2)

25th Wisconsin

33rd Wisconsin

58th Pennsylvania

14th Ohio Artillery

49th New York

38th Iowa

4th Minnesota

146th New York

39th New York

10th US Heavy Artillery

Evidently, there was a lot of movement among ex-soldiers after the war.

--Old Secesh

Graves Decorated of Other Illinois Regiments in Woodstock 1903

Earlier this month I posted about Union veteran graves decorated in 1903 for Decoration Day in Woodstock, Illinois, of the 15th and 95th regiments, two units made up of many McHenry County residents.

I did not write down the names of the men in other Illinois units whose graves were also decorated  because of lack of time, but made a quick list of the unit numbers.

Here they are  (all units Illinois):

5th Artillery  (4 men)

153rd

36th (two men)

Dragoons

137th

124th (two men)

5th Battalion

92nd

53rd

1st Artillery

9th Cavalry

88th

8th Cavalry

17th Cavalry

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting This Tuesday: Battle of Ball's Bluff

This Tuesday the McHenry County Civil War Round Table of Illinois will meet at the Woodstock Public Library at 7 p.m..  

This month's presentation will be preceded by the announcement of this year's recipient of the Round Table's Dr. Edward Wilt  Jr. 2022 Scholarship with the formal presentation given next month.  This will provide a McHenry County high school senior with a $1000 scholarship for college next year.

This month's presentation will be the Battle of Ball's Bluff by Fred Recowkicz.

The meeting is both live and by Zoom.

Everyone is welcome.

--Old Secesh

Graves Decorated in 1903 in Woodstock, Illinois: 15th Illinois

From the May 29, 1903, McHenry County Republican  (McHenry County, Illinois).

This was done by the Woodstock Woman's Relief Corps.

15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

D.M. Howland

Edgar Richards

William Love

Wallace P.  Jewett

William H. Sherman

Lewis B. Kelly

John D. Bliss

A.W. Cumins

Andrew W. Lascella

This regiment had three companies that were primarily from McHenry County.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting, 4/12/22: 'The Rebellion: Its Authors and Causes'

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) met April 12, 2022, at the Woodstock Public Library in Woodstock, Illinois, for its monthly meeting.  It is so good to be back at the monthly meetings in person again.

Earlier, several members met for dinner at 3 Brothers Restaurant in Woodstock.

The speaker at the meeting was Steve Albans.

The Civil War could have been avoided.  Abraham Lincoln himself gave clues as to how it started.  Joshua Giddings wrote a book about it which was printed in 1864

Here are some questions about what caused the war:

**  Different economies

**  Slavery

**  Were any foreign countries involved in it?

**  Who stood to gain if the South was victorious?

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Abraham Lincoln wasn't supposed to win.

At his 1861 inauguration, Lincoln said his goal was just to restrict slavery to where it already existed.

--Old Secesh

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Woodstock

Same source as previous post.

SOLDIERS' and SAILORS' MONUMENT

Stands in the center of the City Park (now referred  to as Woodstock Square).  Erected by members of the Woodstock Woman's Relief Corps (part of the Grand Army of the Republic, GAR) in 1909.

Cost $3,000.  The money was raised over several years.  One year the Relief Corps had a restaurant at the McHenry County Fair which fed hundreds of people morning, noon and night.

The committee in charge:

Mrs. Martha Rose, Mrs. Lucy H. Renich, Mrs. Lena B. Seiler, Mrs. Nettie Judd, Mrs. Mabel Hanaford Monroe  (chairman), Mrs. Anna Ackley, Miss Emily Whitson, George Eckert, A. Sill, F.E. Hanaford, C.D. Judd and Fred Eppel.

(There was also a Hanaford in the previous post.  Wonder if they're one and the same?)

--Old Secesh

Woodstock, Illinois, in the Civil War

Taken from 80th Anniversary edition of the Woodstock Sentinel, 1937.

Page 7.

"There was a general illumination Monday evening in honor of Lee's surrender.  The square  presented a lively and animated appearance...."

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"The remnants of the 15th Illinois (many from McHenry County), so long confined in rebel prisons, had been confined in rebel prisons had been paroled and were in Vicksburg awaiting transportation home.  The men who had escaped with Hanaford and Lascelle were recaptured and one of them wounded."

Hopefully none of them were on the Sultana.

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The 15th Illinois suffered big casualties at the Battle of Shiloh, including the death of Captain Harley Wayne who I have written a lot about.

--Old Secesh