Sure Was Nice to Get Together With Civil War Folk Again-- Part 1: First MCCWRT Discussion Group Meeting Since February

This past Saturday morning, the McHenry Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) discussion group held its first meeting since February and it was like old times, other than everyone agreeing to wear masks whenever we weren't eating or drinking at the Panera Bread store in Algonquin, Illinois.

It was even worth putting up with that horrible traffic on Randall Road and the choker at Randall and Algonquin roads.  We had been in the midst of a heat wave at the time, but at least it was breezy enough that I wasn't any worse for wear for it.

It was at least a step toward normalcy and I do love my history groups.  I love anything history.

The topic was about Lincoln's two presidential elections in 1860 and 1864.  Appropriate because of the election coming up in November.  A big factor in Lincoln's victory in 1860 was the Democratic party being essentially split into three groups.

Not much was said about the current situation with Confederate monuments other than that one of Lincoln's opponents in that election was Stephen Douglas and that things are happening to his statue and the name of Douglas Park in Chicago, named for him, is about to be changed to Douglass Park, to be named after Frederick Douglass.

Let's Talk Real Civil War History.  --Old Secesh

Death of Last Living Star of "Gone With the Wind" Olivia de Havilland

OLIVIA de HAVILLAND, 104      (1916-2020)

Died July 25, 2020

Appeared in 49 feature films and was a leading actress of her time.    Also one of the last  surviving stars from what is called the Golden Age of Hollywood Cinema.

She came to prominence  with Errol Flynn in adventure films such as "Captain Blood" (1935) and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938), but achieved her  her best-known role as Melanie Hamilton in "Gone With the Wind" (1939).

Reopening for This!!! MCCWRT Discission Group Will Be Meeting This Saturday!!!

I have just about gotten caught up with all of the things happening in the new Civil War in my Civil War II:  The Continuing War of the Confederacy blog, so hope to have some more time so maybe I can get back to the real Civil War in this blog.

And this is some really good news.

For the first time since February, our McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) discussion group will be holding a get-together in this CV pandemic.  We will be meeting at a different site and will be outside and masked as well as social distanced.

Hopefully it won't be too hot (though forecasts call for mid-90s and rain), but, hey, those guys back in the 1860s had to be outside in that kind of weather (and in wool uniforms), so, if they could do it, so can we.

We will be at:

PANERA BREAD ALGONQUIN, Illinois

451 S. Randall Road (Randall and Huntington Drive)

Saturday, July 25

10 A.M. to Noon

This month's topic:

LINCOLN'S 1860 AND 1864 ELECTIONS

Where there's always good discussion and debate.

Also, there is a White Castle and a Half-Price Books nearby, two of my favorite places.

Happy Days Are Back (Well, As Happy As They Can Be With the Pandemic and Confederadication)  --Old Secesh

Closed Due to Confederadication: The Months They Drove Old Dixie Down

Right now there are forces out intent on burying what is left of the Confederacy and they are succeeding.  As a matter of fact, I would they they have accomplished their goal.  It is the second "Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."

I am calling it the eradication of the Confederacy, which it is.  It came to me that I could use the word Confed and just add eradication to it, and, therefore--  Confederadication.  The eradication of the Confederacy.

Definition of eradication:  The total destruction of something.

Since this is a major event in U.S. history, it is my intent to try to document it with media headlines (well, and my comments on it) in a real time situation.  However, with so much happening so fast, I can not keep up, especially when I have a total of eight blogs.

As such, I will be temporarily closing some of my blogs to devote more time to my Civil War II:  The Continuing War on the Confederacy.

Confederadication.  --Old Secesh

Bazel Lemley, Union Antietam Survivor-- Part 2: Obituary

From the Friday, February 19, 1943, Democrat Messenger, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania

COUNTY'S LAST CIVIL WAR VETERAN IS DEAD

BAZEL LEMLEY, 101 YEARS OLD DIED AT MT. MORRIS HOME
EIGHT DAYS AFTER OBSERVING ANNIVERSARY

Basel Lemley, 101 years old and the last of Greene County's Civil War veterans, died at 8 o'clock yesterday morning, February 18, 1943, just eight days after  the observance of his 101st anniversary, at his home in Mt. Morris.

Mr. Lemley was remarkably active until after his 100th anniversary a year ago, but since that time has not enjoyed  good health.  He was born  Feb. 10, 1842, at Marietta, Ohio, a son of Isreal  and Mable White Lemley, and had spent practically all his life in Greene County, the family having moved  from Ohio to Greene County five weeks after his birth.

--Old Secesh

Bazel Lemley, Antietam Veteran Who Met FDR on the 75th Anniversary

From Find A Grave.

I have been writing about him and Robert E. Miles, a Confederate, who both fought at Antietam and then  met FDR at the 75th anniversary of that battle in 1937.

Corporal, Co. H, 191st Pennsylvania Infantry.

BAZEL LEMLEY

Birth:  10 February 1842 in Marietta, Ohio

Death:  18 February 1943  (Age 101)

Buried:  Cedar Grove Cemetery in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania

--Old Secesh

Obituary of Robert E. Miles, CSA, Died December 5, 1942

He was one of the two old Battle of Antietam survivors who met President Franklin D. Roosevelt on September 17, 1837, the 75th anniversary of the battle.  The other soldier was Bazel Lemley, who fought for the Union,  Picture of them to the right of this.

"Captain Bob Miles, Almost 103, Dies Near Shawsville.
Confederate Veteran Was Wounded  at Antietam.

Shawsville, Dec 5 (Special)  Robert Edward (Captain Bob) Miles, grand old Confederate warrior of Montgomery county, died quietly at his farm home near Crockett Springs early this evening -- just three days before he would have observed his 103rd birthday.

REPRESENTED SOUTH

It was Captain Miles who, as the oldest Confederate veteran attending the 75th anniversary of the battle of Antietam in 1937, represented the  south in a triple handclasp of friendship with President Roosevelt and a veteran of the Union forces.

He was so severely wounded  in the legs and hands in that bloody engagement that he was discharged,  but reenlisted as soon as he recovered in the 21st, Virginia Cavalry, Company B, and served throughout the war, attaining the rank of captain.

Captain Miles recalled until his death, personal contacts with General Robert E. Lee and President Jefferson Davis.

--Old Secesh

On Victor's Soldiers-- Part 2

The main regiment of soldiers from DeKalb County was the 105th Illinois Infantry, which had six companies of soldiers from the county.  The others were mostly from DuPage County.

It mustered in at Dixon, Illinois, and did training at Camp Douglas and then duty in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Took part in the Atlanta Campaign, March to the Sea and Carolinas.

There were also a lot of DeKalb County companies in other regiments.

Two of the soldiers from Victor died in March 1865, one in Pittsburgh, Pa. on March 17 and the other in Louisville, Ky. on March 30.  The 105th was at the Battle of Bentonville in North Carolina on March 17-19 and Goldsboro on March 24 and then the advance on Raleigh in April, so, unless the two men were on other duties, it is not likely they were in the 105th.

One man died in Alexandria, Va., on April 23, 1861, which was pretty early in the war and before the 105th was mustered in September 2, 1862.  So it is not likely he was in the 105th.  Alexandria wasn't occupied by Federal troops until May 24, when Col. Ellsworth was killed.

The other Victor man died in Alexandria as well on January 26, 1862.

So, not sure of the circumstances of their deaths.

--Old Secesh