First Visit to the McHenry Civil War Round Table

Last night, I did something I've been planning to do for a long time, pay a visit to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table which have their monthly meeting in Woodstock, Illinois, just off the great Woodstock Square (see my Roadlog Blog for today). 

This is one nice library as well.

We had a presentation on McHenry County soldiers held prisoner in Confederate prisoners which I will write about later. 

They meet in the downstairs room and there were about thirty in attendance.  They don't just talk about the war, but also gave out a scholarship to a McHenry County senior in high school for a Civil War writing.  The group also raised funds to restore both the nationals and state flags of the 95th Illinois, which was the regiment primarily raised from McHenry County.  They also do a lot of work finding and marking the graves of veterans buried in the county, even Confederate, which really impresses me a lot.

They're planning a trip in June to Springfield, Illinois.

Impressive Group.  I'll Be Signing Up.  --Old Secesh

Happy Birthday, Mr. President-- Part 2

Today, being the 200th anniversary of Confederate President Jefferson Davis' birth in Kentucky, not too far from where Abraham Lincoln was born eight months later, I take some time to look at his lfe.

Heattended college in Kentucky before going to West Point. After that, he served two times in the army and married the daughter of his commander and later President Zachary Taylor. She died a few months later and Davis remarried into Mississippi's plantation aristocracy.

He served in the US House and Senate and was Secretary of War. He resigned from the Senate when Mississippi left the union even though he opposed secession.


I see that state offices in Alabama are closed today in observance of his birthday.

Again, Happy Birthday Mr. President. --Old Blockade-Runner