MCCWRT Meeting This Tuesday: Presentation on Confederate Railroads

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table will have the opening meeting of the 2024 year this coming Tuesday, March 12 at the Woodstock Library (Illinois).

We will be having a special presentation by Charlie Banks on Confederate Railroads.

The meeting starts at 7 pm at the library at 414 W. Judd Street.  It can also be seen on ZOOM.

Before the meeting some of us will be getting together at 3 Brothers on Illinois Highway 47 in Woodstock for dinner or snack.  (And, we don't just talk Civil War.)  Meets at 5 pl.

--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 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

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 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

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?

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

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

McHenry County CW Round Table Meeting This Tuesday: The Actual Causes of the Rebellion

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will be having its monthly meeting at the Woodstock Library (414 West Judd Street) in Woodstock, Illinois at 7 pm.  It will be an in person and Zoom meeting.

This month's talk will be given by Steve Alban and will be "The Actual Causes of the Rebellion According to Joshua Gibbons and Abraham Lincoln."

Should be interesting. 

All invited, not just members.

Stop on by.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday, March 8, 'Nathan Forrest's Railroad Raid'

 On Tuesday, March 8, the McHenry County Civil War Round Table will have a presentation by Gene Salecker on "Nathan Bedford Forrest's  Railroad Raid" from  7 to 8:30 pm at the Woodstock Public Library in Woodstock, Illinois, at 414 West Judd Street

It will be both in person and via Zoom.  Facemasks are optional.

This is our first meeting of 2022 (as there are no meetings in January and February).

Good to be back.

--Old Secesh

Great News: MCCWRT Will Have First In-Person Meeting at Woodstock Library Since Virus Hit, on Tuesday, Oct. 12

It's been a long time coming, but the McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) will be having its first in-person meeting at our home base, the Woodstock (Illinois) Library since our last one in March 2020.  The Woodstock Library has been closed to meetings since then until now.   (We did have one meeting at the McHenry County Historical Society Museum in Union, Illinois back in June.)

We have been doing the last several meetings on Zoom.  Our discussion groups are now back at meeting on the last Saturday of each month at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake.

Since I don't do Zoom I haven't seen any of the regular meetings except the one in Union.

The meeting is from 7 to 9 pm, Tuesday October 12.  Doors to the library, however, will be closed promptly at 7, so plan accordingly.

This month, Scott Larimer will be presenting Fort Sumter & Other Civil War Forts."

Come On Down!!  --Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table June Meeting-- Part 1

It was so great getting together with the other members and friends of the McHenry County Civil War Round Table last month in Union, Illinois (I don't know about that name), but still the first time together since March 2020.  Little did we know what was in store for us when we met at the Woodstock, Illinois, Public Library that second Tuesday in March.

It would be 15 months before we met again.

However, we did have several monthly discussion group meetings outside at the Algonquin Panera Bread Co. and Stucky's in Johnsburg.

Right now, the MCCWRT is having the presentations via Zoom, but, I don't do Zoom, so this meeting was special to me.  Also special because of the dinner several of us had together at Checkers II beforehand.  I agree with Frank Crawford when he said after one of our pre-meeting dinners at 3 Brothers Restaurant in Woodstock that he actually enjoys those meals with friends even more.

Anyhow, it sure was good to have this opportunity to have our meeting (with social distancing and face masks) at the McHenry County Historical Society Museum in Union.

--Old Secesh

Edward Bragg's Law Book Found in Fond du Lac-- Part 1

From the May 17, 2018, Fond du Lac Reporter "Fond du Lac attorney general Edward Bragg's record book found" by Sharon Roznik.

Buried in a cardboard box in the newspaper archive room of the Fond du Lac Historical Society's library, the book smelled old and felt weighty, wrapped in archival paper to keep  the dust out.

Letters on the spine spelled "E.S. Bragg", the name of Fond du Lac's general who took part in  in every major Civil War battle in the east except Gettysburg.

Born in 1827, Edward S. Bragg was a Fond du Lac defense attorney whose practice  traveled a wide circuit through Northeast Wisconsin.

Bragg made this log starting in 1882.  It contains expenses for his clients who were among the movers and shakers of early Fond du Lac history.

--Old Secesh

Old Abe and Friends-- Part 1: Eating Mexican Where Bill Murray Tred in Woodstock, Illinois

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table opened its speaker series for 2020 this past Tuesday, March 10 at the Woodstock, Illinois Public Library.

I got to Woodstock early and ate at the Taqueria La Placita Mexican restaurant on the famous Woodstock Square dating to the 1840s.  Tuesdays they have $1 tacos and I sure enjoyed those buck tacos.  Plus, this place is the site of the Tip Top Cafe from the movie "Groundhog Day."  This is where Bill Murray stuffed his face and where he stepped into that puddle was right outside it.  I sat in the very spot Bill was sitting in while stuffing.

"Groundhog Day" is my third all-time favorite movie and a whole lot of that movie was filmed in Woodstock.  They even have a walking tour of sites.  Bill Murray returned to Woodstock this past fall to film the Jeep commercial that showed during Super Bowl.

In case you're wondering about my top two movies, they are "Animal House" #1 and "Blues Brothers" #2.

Eating, A Movie And History.  Three of My Favorite Things.  --Old Groundhog

History of the University of Missouri-Columbia-- Part 3: The Civil War

The Civil War also had other detrimental effects on the university as well.  Classes were suspended for ten months, partly because  of the troop occupation, and also because the university was short on staff. 

Only one staff member, chairman of the math department, Edward T. Fristoe, joined the Confederacy.  Students joining one side or the other cut the enrollment from 112 in 1860 to just 40 during the war.

After the Union troops left in 1865, the curators filed a claim against the federal government for damages incurred while the soldiers were there.  Horses and wagons ruined the grounds, holes were cut into walls and floors by prisoners trying to escape, books from the library were used for fires, and over 100,000 specimens in mineral and fossil cabinets were reportedly damaged.

It was also reported that Union soldiers found a box of blank diplomas and held their own commencement, awarding themselves university degrees.

And Gee Whiz, I Never Even Went To School.  --Old Secesh

Learn All About Yankee Buzzards at MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday

This Tuesday, September 10, the McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) will find out all there is to know about "The Yankee Buzzard Regiment."

The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. at the Woodstock Library in Woodstock, Illinois.  Our speaker will be Jerry Allen.  Everyone invited.

The library is located at 414 West Judd Street, just a couple blocks off the historic 1850s Woodstock square where much of the movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed.

Some of the members will be meeting at 5:30 p.m. at 3 Brothers Restaurant on Illinois Highway 47.  Grab a bite to eat and talk about whatever (not just Civil War).

Then Saturday, September 28, the MCCWRT Discussion group meets at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois, 6000 Northwest Highway (US-14) at 10:00 a.m..  This month's discussion is about the Chickamauga/Chattanooga Campaign."

Come see  how long we stay on topic.

I Couldn't Find Anything About a Yankee "Buzzard Regiment" So This Will Be Interesting.--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meets Tonight at McHenry County History Museum in Union

Tonight, the McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) takes its show on the road and instead of meeting at the Woodstock, Illinois, Public Library, will travel to the McHenry County Historical Society's museum in Union.

The museum will show several objects from its Civil War collection and members will also have a Show and Tell.

It starts at 7 p.m. at 6422 Main Street, Union.

I am considering going.

--Old Secesh

President George H.W. Bush

From Wikipedia.

GEORGE H.W. BUSH

(June 12, 1924 - November 30, 2018)

American statesman and Republican Party politician.  Served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993.  Prior to becoming president, he served as the 43rd Vice President from 1981 to 1989.  He also had previously been  a U.S. Congressman, ambassador and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

He will be buried today at College Station, Texas, where his Presidential Library and Museum is located.

McHenry County Civil War Round Table October Meeting

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table meeting was held Tuesday October 9 at the Woodstock Library in Woodstock, Illinois,   We meet here every second Tuesday of every month except January and February.

Elections to be held at next month's meeting.

Again we will be offering a $1,000 scholarship to students from McHenry County   They will be writing an essay on a Civil War-related theme.  Volunteers needed for a committee which will have two meetings.

The discussion group topic for October will be "Divided Loyalties" about families who sent soldiers to both sides.  I have been doing research on the Clay family in Kentucky which is one of those families.

Our Christmas party will be held December 2 at the Pinecrest Golf Club in Huntley.  It will be a buffet which a special appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln.

Charlie Banks gave a presentation on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal during the war.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday Oct. 9: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in the Civil War

This Tuesday, October 8, 2018, the McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will hold its monthly meeting at the Woodstock, Illinois, Public Library located at 414 West Judd Street, just off the historic Woodstock Square.

This month's presentation will be by Charlie Banks and will be about the "Chesapeake and Ohio canal in the Civil War."

All are welcome to attend.

See You There.  --Old Secesh

While On the Subject: Some Other George Washington Artifacts In the New York State Library

**  George Washington's Farewell Address written in his own handwriting when he decided not to run for a third term as president.

**  Washington's first career was as a surveyor and the library has  some of his drawing instruments as well as a compass made by David Rittenhouse, a celebrated Philadelphia instrument-maker.

**  An exceedingly rare copy of "Representation of the Clothing of His Majesty's Household and  of all the Forces upon the Establishments of Great Britain and Ireland."  A book of British military uniforms received by Washington in 1847.

**  A bronze bust of Washington

**  A statement of household expenses from 1789.

**   A manuscript "Opinion of  the Surviving Generals of the Revolution" penned by Washington.

The items in this collection were purchased  by the State of New York from Mrs. Lewis  W. Washington in  1871.  Mrs. Washington was the widow of Col. Lewis W. Washington, who was the grandson of Willaim Augustine Washington, who was a nephew of George Washington.

--Old Secesh