The 19^th Century Undergrown Railroad is a phenomenon of which most people have some awareness. Few are aware of the long existing Reverse Undergrown Railroad, the black market network of human traffickers and slave traders who stole away thousands of legally free African Americans from their families in order to fuel slavery’s rapid expansion in the decades before the Civil War.

University of Maryland Prof Richard Bell has revealed the true story of five youths who suffered at the hands of kidnappers in his book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home (Simon & Schuster-2019)

1825 Philadelphia, saw five young, free Black boys fall into the clutches of the most fearsome gang of kidnappers and slavers in the United States. Lured onto a small ship with the promise of food and pay, they are instead met with blindfolds, ropes, and knives. Over four long months, their kidnappers drive them overland into the Cotton Kingdom of Mississippi to be sold into slavery. Determined to resist, the boys form a tight brotherhood as they struggle to free themselves and find their way home.

Join the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. as Prof. Bell delves into the journeys of these young men. Due to an unforeseen scheduling error, the program will be virtual only.  Register for the Zoom at:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlf-Cqqz0rEtQHbZklgW3jrqQhoy0ACrAE

Richard Bell received his PhD from Harvard University and his BA from the University of Cambridge. His research interests focus on American history between 1750 and 1877 and he welcomes enquiries from graduate students working in this period.

In addition to Stolen, Bell has also published two other books. The first, a monograph titled We Shall Be No More: Suicide and Self-Government in the Newly United States, examines the role that discourse regarding self-destruction played in the cultural formation of the early republic. The second work, Buried Lives: Incarcerated in Early America, a co-edited volume of essays centered on the experience of incarcerated subjects and citizens in early America, is the product of a conference organized at the McNeil Center. He is also the author of a dozen book chapters and journal articles.

Bell is presently an Andrew Carnegie Fellow (2021-2023) and has held research fellowships at more than two dozen libraries and institutes. Since coming to College Park in 2006 he has served as the Mellon Fellow in American History at Cambridge University, the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow at the American Antiquarian Society, a Mayer Fellow at the Huntington Library, a Research Fellow at the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Abolition and Resistance at Yale University and as a Resident Fellow at the John W Kluge at the Library of Congress. He is also a frequent lecturer on the C-Span television network and at the Smithsonian Institution.

Minutes

Our December meeting was our 472nd.  The meeting had 25 registrants and participants through Zoom.

Our speaker was Richard Bell, a professor of history at the University of Maryland at College Park who specializes in the history and culture of the U.S. from 1750 to 1877.  Professor Bell’s most recent book is Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home.  The book formed the basis of his presentation.  

In August 1825, Cornelius Sinclair and four other African American boys were taken or lured aboard a ship in Philadelphia, where they were forcibly bound to be sold as slaves.  Unfortunately, this was not an isolated event.  In the early nineteenth century, Philadelphia was a hunting ground for professional slave catchers.  As a result, it was probably one of the most dangerous places in the U.S. to be a free African American.  

During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the Northern states gradually abolished slavery.  By 1825, the North and the South seemed like two different worlds, separated by the Mason-Dixon line.  With the abolition of the importation of slaves from Africa in 1808, the options that Deep South planters had for buying new slaves became more limited.  While the interstate slave trade became much more important, opportunities also existed for the unscrupulous to kidnap free people.  By 1825, Philadelphia had become the center of what is known as the “Reverse Underground Railroad,” in which African Americans–both former slaves and those who had always been free–were kidnapped and transported south to be sold into slavery.  

Professor Bell believes that the amount of traffic on the “Reverse Underground Railroad” was roughly the same as that of the much better known “Underground Railroad,” in which slaves were led to freedom in the North, Canada, and Mexico.  However, the “conductors” of the former were motivated by money.  Although they left little documentation of themselves behind, they left their mark on the country.  Professor Bell said that it’s likely that tens of thousands of free African Americans–many of them children–were kidnapped during the decades prior to the Civil War.  Most were never heard from again.  When this happened, the police and magistrates could rarely be persuaded to get involved.  Even when the traffickers were apprehended, they knew how to talk their way out of trouble.

The phenomenon of African Americans being kidnapped has became widely known in recent years due to the 2013 film Twelve Years a Slave, based on the book of the same name which details the experiences of Solomon Northup, a free violinist from New York state who was drugged and taken by ship to New Orleans in 1841, and spent twelve years in slavery before regaining his freedom.  Northup’s experience, however, was not at all typical of those who were kidnapped.  Kidnappers preferred to lure away poorly educated street kids.  Unlike Northup, they were not transported by ship but forced to march south on foot.  

The five boys kidnapped in Philadelphia in 1825 were held in safehouses in Delaware, then marched to Alabama and Mississippi.  To reconstruct their story, Professor Bell began with

letters written by and to the mayor of Philadelphia, as well as an antislavery magazine.  The research ultimately took six years and involved 35 archives in 14 states and Washington DC.  The item that affected him the most, he said, was a missing person’s advertisement by Joseph Sinclair, Cornelius’s father.  

In his presentation, Professor Bell did not go into detail about the fate of the kidnapped boys for legal and publishing reasons.  However, he did say that the incident led to Pennsylvania passing a personal liberty law in 1826, and that more broadly, the rescue efforts of parents and others radicalized African American communities to use self-defense tactics for their own protection.  He said that since black lives have always mattered, these stories are worth telling.  

 Notes from the President

On behalf of our Board, I wish you all a Happy and Blessed Holiday Season! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah (Hanukkah), Ashura, Bodhi Day, Kwanza or any other festival of note, May Peace Be with You All! Please stay Covid safe!!!!

Speaking of Covid=19, after nearly four years of trying to stay healthy, I now write this as a person currently isolated as a covid positive individual.  Fortunately, Paxlovid seems to be improving my lot and I am feeling better.

It is also fortunate that our December meeting had to be changed to completely virtual. Here’s the Link to register for Tuesday’s Zoom.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlf-Cqqz0rEtQHbZklgW3jrqQhoy0ACrAE

University of Maryland Prof. Richard Bell addresses his work; Stolen. Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home

The results of November meeting elections are as follows: Robert L. Ford- President, Martin French - Vice President, Lee Hodges- Secretary, Ray Atkins- Treasurer, Robert Toelle, Robert Testudine and Frank Armiger- Board members.

The BCWRT Needs your help. Renew your membership, now. Invite your friends to join. After his illness, Ray Atkins is back to processing the memberships. Membership is $25 or $35 for families. Mail your checks to:

Ray Atkins, Treasurer, BCWRT

1204 Fordham Ct.,

Belair, MD 21014

If you are not a member, please join! Invite others to join.

The bottom line is, without your membership, we cannot afford speakers, much less sponsor activities and support Civil War organizations,

Since the end of the Civil War in the United States, the erection of war related monuments and memorials have been a source a praise and controversy. CSA General Robert E. Lee expressed his opposition to such memorials. Lee noted “As regards the erection of such a monument as is contemplated: my conviction is, that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the South, the attempt in the present condition of the Country would have the effect of retarding, instead of accelerating its accomplishment; & of continuing, if not adding to, the difficulties under which the Southern people labour.” [Robert E. Lee to Thomas L. Rosser, Dec. 13, 1866. Lee Papers, University of Virginia Archives.]

The sometimes-heated issue of CSA monuments continues in the present day. Authors Chris Mackowski and Jon Tracey have compiled and edited a number of essays in their new book; Civil War Monuments and Memory; Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at the Emerging Civil War.

The co-authors will discuss the book during the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable (BCWRT) meeting on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. The meeting takes place at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave. There is a $5.00 charge for non-members to attend the meeting.

Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War and the series editor of the award-winning Emerging Civil War Series, published by Savas Beatie. Chris is a writing professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, NY, where he also serves as associate dean for undergraduate programs. Chris is also historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield in central Virginia. He has worked as a historian for the National Park Service at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he gives tours at four major Civil War battlefields (Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania), as well as at the building where Stonewall Jackson died.

Jon Tracey is a public historian focused on soldier experience, medical care, memory, and veteran life in the Civil War era. He holds a BA in History from Gettysburg College with minors in Public History and Civil War Era Studies and an MA from West Virginia University in Public History with a Certificate in Cultural Resource Management. Jon has worked extensively preserving and interpreting historic sites, including with the National Park Service. Most of his recent research focuses on either the complex topic of historical memory of the Civil War or Camp Letterman General Hospital, the largest hospital in the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg. He is currently a Historian/Cultural Resource Program Manager and manages the ECW Editorial Board that reviews guest post submissions.

Again, the meeting takes place at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. If you can’t join us; register for the Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpc-uorjsqHtTnJm6nltw98yIdEMGCDPL1

Chris Mackowski                           Jon Tracey

Minutes

Our November meeting was our 471st.  The meeting had 7 in-person attendees and 27 attendees through Zoom.

Elections for officers were held. Robert Ford- President, Martin French - Vice President, Lee Hodges- Secretary, Ray Atkins- Treasurer, Robert Toelle, Robert Testudine and Frank Armiger- Board members were elected by acclamation.

Our speakers were Chris Mackowski, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War as well as series editor of the Emerging Civil War Series, and Jon Tracey, a public historian who specializes in Civil War memory, soldier experiences, medical care, and veteran life.  Mr. Mackowski and Mr. Tracey are the co-editors of Civil War Monuments and Memory: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War.  The themes and issues discussed in this book formed the basis of their presentation.

Mr. Mackowski and Mr. Tracey began by asking: How did people remember the war?  “Memory” is a very broad term, referring to how people remember an event regardless of whether they were actually there or not.  Often, memory will take the form of monuments, memorials, markers etc.  

Mr. Tracey said that a monument is a snapshot of what the people who put it up were thinking at that particular point in time.  When contextual plaques, etc. are put up today, it’s a reflection of how people want to remember it in the present.  As time changes, our understanding of these monuments change as well.  This makes discussions about them “sticky.”

Moreover, any discussion of monuments must address the question: “What is a monument?”  National Park Service (NPS) interpretive wayside markers at battlefields are not monuments.  Mr. Mackowski and Mr. Tracey discussed examples of monuments that transmit particular messages, such as the Stonewall Jackson statue at Manassas/Bull Run that was unveiled in 1940.  The latter, they noted, makes Jackson look much more muscular than he was in real life–more like Arnold Schwarzenegger than like the man Jackson really was.  They then asked a question: if we take the monument down, are we erasing history, or just a particular way of remembering Jackson?  There are many ways to look at our heroes–some of which are not very flattering.  Monuments frequently trap us into a particular “heroic” perspective.

Civil War Monuments and Memory has stories about the erection of particular monuments.  Many people take battlefield monuments for granted.  But they didn’t just spring from nowhere. Their histories are often very interesting and complicated.   Regimental and battery monuments claim to be located where the units they represent fought on the battlefield.  However, this is not always the case.  Monuments can also give historically inaccurate information–a United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) monument at Fredericksburg is an example of this.  The NPS has a policy of not altering monuments.  However, it will add markers that give context and correct erroneous information on them.  

In dealing with monuments, there are issues of community and ownership to be considered–the question of who has the right to put a monument in a particular place.  Another important issue is the cultural landscape of the event in question.  How was a particular battle commemorated overtime?  How did the commemoration change?  What veterans and communities were thinking in 1865 wasn’t necessarily what they were thinking in 1913, for example.  

In recent years, Confederate monuments (and often other monuments as well) have become increasingly controversial.  Mr. Mackowski and Mr. Tracey said that the number of these that have been removed is often overstated.  The ones that are removed are usually the ones that make headlines.  When dealing with this subject, one has to be open to other points of view–different people may see the same thing in very different ways.  Some see Confederate monuments as symbols of slavery and racism, while others see them as honoring the valor and sacrifice of those who served in the Confederate military.  

The total number of Civil War monuments depends on what is meant by “monument.”  The Gettysburg battlefield has a total of about 1,400 monuments and markers, probably the most of any Civil War battlefield.

 Notes from the President

 n 1863, United states president Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the last Thursday of November to be set aside as a day of “Thanksgiving and Praise.” The Baltimore civil war roundtable (BCWRT) hopes all of you had a fulfilling thanksgiving celebration.

Reminder: Since we are approaching the end of the year, it is time for all members to pay their dues for 2024 and we invite all interested person to join our group. Annual dues for the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable are $25.00 for individuals and $35.00 for families.  Please make check payable to: BCWRT and mail to: Ray Atkins, 1204 Fordham Ct., Belair, MD 21014. You can find the membership form in the membership portion of the webpage.

Join the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable as we present author Elizabeth D. Leonard discussing her book Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life.

Benjamin Franklin Butler was one of the most important and controversial military and political leaders of the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. Remembered most often for his uncompromising administration of the Federal occupation of New Orleans during the war, Butler reemerges in this lively narrative as a man whose journey took him from childhood destitution to wealth and profound influence in state and national halls of power. Prize-winning biographer Elizabeth D. Leonard chronicles Butler’s successful career in the law defending the rights of the Lowell Mill girls and other workers, his achievements as one of Abraham Lincoln’s premier civilian generals, and his role in developing wartime policy in support of slavery’s fugitives as the nation advanced toward emancipation. Leonard also highlights Butler’s personal and political evolution, revealing how his limited understanding of racism and the horrors of slavery transformed over time, leading him into a postwar role as one of the nation’s foremost advocates for Black freedom and civil rights, and one of its notable opponents of white supremacy and neo-Confederate resurgence.

The meeting will occur on Tuesday, October 23, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting takes place at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave. There is a $5.00 charge for non-members to attend the meeting.

Elizabeth D. Leonard is an American historian and the John J. and Cornelia V. Gibson Professor of History at Colby College in Maine. Her areas of specialty include American women and the Civil War era. She earned an M.A. in U.S. History in 1988 and a PhD in 1992 from the University of California Riverside.

Leonard has been teaching at Colby College since receiving her PhD, serving as an assistant, then associate professor from 1992 to 2003. She was interviewed in a C-Span special on the history of Augusta, Maine.

If you can attend in person, register for the Zoom at. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckc-qoqT8rG9A0NYf6MtMb1W_eR08iP0Yp

Minutes

Our October meeting was our 470th.  The meeting had 8 in-person attendees and 12 attendees through Zoom.

Our speaker was Dr. Elizabeth D. Leonard, a professor of history at Colby College.  Dr. Leonard spoke on the life and career of Union general Benjamin F. Butler.  She is the author of Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life, as well as other books on the Civil War.  

Dr. Leonard began by discussing how she came to write a biography of Butler.  Butler attended Colby College, and in discussions with Gary Gallagher, Dr. Leonard said that she had “Chamberlain envy” (referring to Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain) because Chamberlain had gone to Bowdoin College, only a short distance from Colby.  In response, Gallagher told her that she needed to learn more about Butler.  It turned out that there was a great deal of material on Butler at Colby.  Having already written a biography of Joseph Holt, Dr. Leonard decided to write one of Butler as well.  

Much of the image of Butler, Dr. Leonard said, has been distorted by Lost Cause ideology and by allies of this school of thought in the North.  Butler became known as “The Beast,” but Dr. Leonard said that this characterization of him is very simplistic, that Butler was in reality a much more complicated man than that.  Throughout his life, Butler supported and tried to uplift the underdog.  During his lifetime, his sense of who “the underdog” was changed considerably.  In the beginning, the girls working in mills in Lowell, Massachusetts were his underdogs.  He had lived in a mill house with his mother and empathized with them. Later, Butler’s underdogs included poor people, workers, slaves, and–after the war–freed African Americans.  

Dr. Leonard said that the way Butler has been remembered has been based on the sources–of which there are many–that people have looked at.  But sources can be used selectively.  In writing her biography, she wanted to 1.) dig deeper and find new sources, and 2.) asked why traditionally used sources looked at him the way they did.  She wanted to start with his funeral, to show how people felt about him when he died.  The funeral was massive, and representatives of many groups attended.  

Butler did much for factory workers–both male and female–and was one of those who tried to institute a ten-hour workday.  A Democrat, he was fiercely loyal to the Union.  He commanded the first Union troops to arrive in Washington D.C.  Butler established a “contraband” policy at Fort Monroe, Virginia, under which escaped slaves would be held as “contraband of war” and used for the Union war effort.  Although this policy wasn’t consistently applied, Dr. Leonard said, it was nevertheless an important step toward emancipation.   

Butler is famous for his time as governor of occupied New Orleans.  While his harsh measures (particularly his order that women who harassed Union soldiers were subject to being treated as prostitutes), have been well remembered, the measures he took against yellow fever and to

keep the city “sedated” have not been.  As commander of the Army of the James, Butler commanded many African American soldiers.  After the war, he continued to help African

Americans, supporting the 14th and 15th Amendments and becoming a cosponsor of the Civil Rights Act of 1875.  Butler represented Massachusetts in Congress for a total of ten years after the war.  He drafted the initial version of the Force Act of 1871, designed to combat the Ku Klux Klan.  He supported women’s suffrage and veterans, and pushed for the integration of West Point, appointing African American cadets.  Butler ran for president in 1884.  He was nominated by the Greenback and Anti-Monopoly Parties but lost the Democratic nomination to Grover Cleveland.  

Dr. Leonard said that Butler was derided by many, including rich and powerful people and former Confederates.  But, she said, he was beloved by many others and deserves respect.  Butler had an anti-authoritarian personality.  Many of the things he did in Maryland weren’t sanctioned by higher authorities, but he didn’t care.  As a war Democrat, he was important to keeping Democrats in the war.  He was a tremendous organizer and administrator.  After the war, he never took a penny for helping African American soldiers get their pensions.  

 Notes from the President

Dear BCWRT Community,

!. New Members. We like to welcome new members David K. Henderson, Melissa J. Garrett: and Thomas R. Devaney to our community. All three joined during our September meeting.

2. Speaking of the September meeting , we were hoping to have a discount code to enable you to order copies of Steven Cowie's When Hell Came to Sharpsburg; however, the book has proven so popular that publisher Savas Beatie has sold out of its current run. They plan to produce more during the winter. We will keep you informed.

3. Our October 24th meeting will feature Dr. Elizabeth D. Leonard discussing her prize-winning book, Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life. This comprehensive work on a controversial man is an excellent read. Copies can be ordered at https://uncpress.org/book/9781469668048/benjamin-franklin-butler/  Use code 01DAH40 for a 40% discount

4. Last, but not least. It is election time for the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable, which will occur in November. The positions are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, an 3 At Large Board Members. Nominations can be sent, via email, to Committee Chair Martin French at martin.french@batimorecity.gov. If you are nominating someone besides yourself, have them send an email accepting the nomination.

161 years ago, the Battle of Antietam, fought in and around Sharpsburg, Maryland, occurred on September 17, 1862. It was the bloodiest day in American history. By the time the battle ended, more than 23,000 men had been killed, wounded, or captured in just a dozen hours of combat—a grim statistic that tells only part of the story.

The epicenter of that deadly day was the small community of Sharpsburg. Families lived, worked, and worshipped there. It was their home. Farmers, farmer workers, ministers, entrepreneurs, freedmen and slaves were all affected by this battle.  And the horrific fighting and its aftermath turned their lives upside down. Despite the large number of books and articles on the subject, the battle’s horrendous toll on area civilians is rarely discussed. When Hell Came to Sharpsburg: The Battle of Antietam and Its Impact on the Civilians Who Called It Home by Steven Cowie rectifies this oversight.

Join the BCWRT as Steven Cowie presents his unique look at the battle through the eyes of the civilians who were trying to survive. The meeting takes place at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave. There is a $5.00 charge for non-members to attend the meeting.

Steven Cowie earned a degree from California State University, Long Beach. As part of the Los Angeles film industry, he penned spec screenplays and sold his award-winning short film to the Sundance Channel. A lifelong student of the Civil War, Cowie dedicated fifteen years to exclusively researching the Battle of Antietam. When Hell Came to Sharpsburg is his first book.

If you can't attend, register for the Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkcu-rqTkuHdFuoXcR3vEJALAgs9gQM01p

Minutes

Our September meeting was our 469th.  The meeting had 9 in-person attendees and 27 registrants through Zoom, of whom 23 attended.

The BCWRT was pleased to welcome three new members:  David K. Henderson, Melissa J. Garrett, and Thomas R. Devaney.

Our speaker was Steven Cowie.  Mr. Cowie spoke on the hardships faced by civilians in the Sharpsburg area during and after the battle (also known as the battle of Antietam), which occurred on September 17, 1862.  Mr. Cowie is the author of When Hell Came to Sharpsburg: The Battle of Antietam and Its Impact on the Civilians Who Called It Home.  

In 1862, the district of Sharpsburg had a population of around 2,400, including 150 enslaved and 200 free African Americans.  The Potomac River, to the west, separated Maryland from Confederate Virginia.  In September 1862, the mostly farming population was focused on threshing wheat, rye, and oats.  They were also getting ready to harvest potatoes and clover. Fields were fenced off and dedicated to different crops.  Unfortunately for the people of the area, September was probably the worst time to interrupt farming.  

Before the battle, many civilians fled to caves, farmsteads, etc.  Others went into the basements of brick and stone houses.  These places became very crowded.  Many families lived on or near the battlefield.  The town itself took a beating, with hundreds of Union shells passing over Confederate batteries and crashing into the town, doing great damage to homes and buildings.  Many homes caught fire.  Others were ransacked by soldiers on both sides.  In some cases, families were robbed of everything.

Following the battle, many people returned to find corpses and body parts in and/or around their homes.  The stench overwhelmed soldiers and civilians alike, and civilians had to bury soldiers overlooked by the burial parties.  Barns and homes were seized for the wounded–many civilians couldn’t return home because their houses were filled with wounded.  Other wounded men were left outside, exposed to the elements.  Medical staff had to go into homes and take what they needed–clothes, medicine, etc.  Civilians pitched in, helping members of both armies.  They cared for the wounded and gave them food.  Some woke up at 4 am to go to Hagerstown and search for supplies for the wounded.  

When Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia withdrew to Maryland, most of the Army of the Potomac remained in the Sharpsburg area.  This prolonged and exacerbated the suffering and hardship of the civilian population.  The army made Sharpsburg its supply depot, and ultimately took far more from civilians than the Confederates had.  In addition to thousands of farm animals being butchered, more than 600,000 fence rails were taken.  This made it difficult to distinguish one family’s property from another’s.  Civilians complained that the army’s animals consumed the fall harvest, including clover.  Many farmers couldn’t put in the seed for their wheat crop because the window for planting wheat is very narrow.  Huge amounts of grain were taken as well.  

Ecological conditions after the battle were abysmal.  Animal carcasses decomposed on the field.  Swarms of houseflies were drawn to the corpses.  There was also a mass outbreak of disease in which many civilians died.

In order to receive compensation for their losses, civilians were entitled to file claims with the government.  The process was long and difficult.  Under the Act of July 4th, 1864, Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs was empowered to send people to interview civilians and document what had happened to them.  But this didn’t begin in earnest until the 1870s, and there were many restrictions on compensation.  For example, any damage directly caused by combat was excluded.  Ultimately, the residents of Sharpsburg only received about 15% of what they claimed.  

However, under the Bowman and Tucker Acts (of 1883 and 1887 respectively), if a person’s July 4th claim had been totally rejected, they could refile it.  However, if the person had previously accepted even a small settlement, they could not do this.  Civilians who applied under these acts received about 50% of their claims.  Civilian claims connected to the battle of Antietam were not closed until 1915–53 years after the battle.

 Notes from the President

Dear bcwrt community,

September 17, 2023 marked the 161st anniversary of the battle of Antietam in and around sharpsburg, Maryland. Around 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured in that bloodiest day in united states history.

The casualty list above does not include the many citizens of Washington, county md who were directly impacted as the army of the Potomac and the army of northern Virginia fought in the fields, orchards, yards, houses and barns of this small community. Author steven cowie will delve into the rarely focused  effect of the battle on the citizenry  as his presents his book ‘when hell came to Sharpsburg: the battle of Antietam and its impact on the civilians who called it home.’

The meeting takes place at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave.

Sharpsburg, md.  Is a 1 hour 20-minute trip from Baltimore. Much if the terrain resembles what it did at the time of the battle. The visitor’s center has been renovated and recently reopened. If enough interest is shown, perhaps the bcwrt can do a field trip yo the sight.

The 1983 battle of Gettysburg literally began in site of the Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary. General John Buford observed the movements of the rebel soldiers from the Copula of the Seminary's original building. That building is now the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center. Executive Director Peter C. Miele will present its history at the BCWRT meeting on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

Peter C. Miele was named third Executive Director of Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center on May 26, 2020.

Born and raised in northern New Jersey, Miele received his Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2011.  In 2013, he relocated to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and earned his Master of Arts in Applied History from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania in 2014.  In fall 2021, he will begin coursework towards a Ph.D. in American Studies at The Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg.

Miele began his career as an educator in the Northern Valley School District in Old Tappan and Demarest, New Jersey, teaching American History, World History, and American Studies.  He later moved into the field of public history, starting as a Visitor Services Assistant at Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center in 2013.  Since then, he has served as Visitor Services Coordinator, Director of Education and Museum Operations and, most recently, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Education.  During his tenure at Seminary Ridge Museum, he has served as the primary architect of the visitor experience, constructing a robust educational and interpretive program that has helped thousands of visitors, young and old, gain a deeper understanding of the Civil War and its legacy.  Throughout 2019 and 2020, he oversaw the transformation of the museum’s changing exhibit gallery into the Lydia Ziegler Clare Education Center, a sixteen-person flexible classroom space on the first floor of the museum with the capacity to engage digitally with individuals and groups all over the world.  

In addition to museum work, Miele is actively engaged in the community.  He is Vice President of the Civil War Roundtable of Gettysburg and Treasurer of Main Street Gettysburg.  In 2016 and 2018, he served as an Adjunct Instructor for Shippensburg University’s History/Philosophy Department.  

The meeting is at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave. Use the rear entrance to Center. (There will be direction signs in the windows on your left). $5.00 for non-members.

Register here to access Zoom.

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuce-upjgrHtazwyIaD8wWVauFuv24XDAI

Peter C. Miele Seminary Ridge Museum

Minutes

Our August meeting was our 468th.  The meeting had 10 in-person attendees and 9 attendees through Zoom.

Our speaker was Peter Miele.  Mr. Miele, who is Executive Director of the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center, spoke about the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg.  The Museum and Education Center is located in the Seminary’s original building.  

Mr. Miele said that the Civil War was “made” inside, even though it was fought outside.  The breakdown of inside discussions and debates led to the war.  When the Seminary was turned into a hospital, Mr. Miele said, the war went “inside” again.  

The Seminary was founded in 1826.  During the early nineteenth century, becoming a Lutheran minister required either apprenticing or going to Germany.  Samuel Simon Schmucker (1799-1873) attended the University of Pennsylvania.  His first call as a minister was in New Market, Virginia. In 1826, Schmucker and other Lutheran leaders wanted to establish a seminary that was easy to get to.  However, they did not want it to be in a major city because they thought it should be a place of contemplation.  

After Schmucker’s first wife died, he remarried and he and his wife were “gifted” two slaves.  When he arrived in Pennsylvania, he initiated a legal process in which the slaves were indentured for seven years.  When the seven years were up, they were set free.  Schmucker was the “workhorse” of the Seminary, completely devoting himself to its success.  As time went by, he developed a new form of Lutheranism.  According to Mr. Miele, Schmucker realized that if the religion was going to survive, it had to adapt to the United States. He became more evangelical in his outlook.

During this time, Adams County was literally on the border between slavery and freedom.  Students came from both the North and the South and created, Mr. Miele said, a sort of “civil war” within the Seminary.   In 1835, Schmucker welcomed Daniel Alexander Payne.  Payne, who was born a free person of color in Charleston, had operated a school there. However, in the years following Nat Turner’s rebellion, South Carolina prohibited the education of free people of color, so Payne had to close the school down.  He traveled to New York City, and after hearing about Gettysburg went to the Seminary.  When Schmucker met Payne, it was the first time he had met a person of color in an educated context.  Other students would go on to have Confederate connections, including Washington Muller, whose son would join the 14th South Carolina Infantry.  The 14th participated in the fighting outside the Seminary.  

On June 30, 1863, Major General John Buford rode into Gettysburg and noticed a body of Confederates on the roadway.  He went to the Seminary’s cupola, and the view that he had from there set up the opening of the ensuing battle.  He resolved to buy time for the Army of the Potomac’s 1st Corps to arrive.  The first day of Gettysburg was very important, Mr. Miele said, because it set the stage for what transpired over the following two days.  

As the Confederates began their push on the first day, the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry was deployed to cover the retreat from McPherson’s Ridge, and ended up being Major General Abner Doubleday’s last reserve regiment there.  They fell back to the Seminary.  At 4 P.M., the barricade line established there was broken, and the 151st fled to Cemetery Hill.  Their commander, Lieutenant Colonel George McFarland, was shot in both legs and dragged into the Seminary building.  Everyone who took refuge in the Seminary was taken prisoner.  On September 16, 1863, McFarland became the last patient to leave the Seminary hospital.  He resumed teaching as a schoolteacher.  In December 1891, he died of his wounds. The 151st Pennsylvania sustained about 75% casualties among those who participated in the battle.  

Today, a visitor can connect with the Civil War within the walls of the Seminary. It makes, Mr. Miele said, for a museum experience unparalleled at Gettysburg.  

 Notes from the President

We are at the end of August, the traditional end of summer. Folk are returning from summer vacations or getting in those end of summer excursions.

During the civil war, both armies spend much of august preparing for major end of summer campaigns (2^nd Bull Run, Antietam, Chickamauga, New Market Heights).  

The Baltimore civil war roundtable is hoping that our community takes this opportunity to return our in-person gatherings at the Parkville senior center.

On Tuesday, August 22, at 7:30 p.m. we will be joined by Peter C. Miele, the executive director of the seminary ridge museum and education center in Gettysburg. Miele’s topic will be “The Civil War Inside and Outside: A Brief History of the Lutheran Seminary and the Battle of Gettysburg”.

Most Civil war enthusiasts know this building to be the location where the 1863 battle of Gettysburg literally began as General John Buford observed the movements of the rebel soldiers from the Copula of the Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary's original building.

The museum officially opened on July 1, 2013. Yours truly was one of the reenactors who was given the opportunity to stand where genl. Buford stood 150 years prior.

In June of 1864, General Robert E. Lee sent General Jubal Early and his forces to the Shenandoah Valley with orders to move north into Maryland and east to Washington. The overall goal was to loosen General US Grant’s grip on Lee’s forces around Petersburg, threaten Washington, D.C. and to free rebel prisoners at various POW camps. Early enlisted the aide of two Maryland born rebel calvary officers, Bradley Johnson and Harry Gilmore to achieve his goal.

The Johnson-Gilmor Raid represents one of three attempts to free prisoners of war during the American Civil War. Like the other two, it was destined to fail for a variety of reasons, mostly because the timetable for the operation was a schedule impossible to meet. Award-winning cavalry historian Eric J. Wittenberg presents the gripping story in detail for the first time in his forthcoming book The Johnson-Gilmor Cavalry Raid around Baltimore, July 10-13, 1864.

Join the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable for an early book presentation on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. We meet at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. (Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave. Use rear entrance to Center.). Non-member fee is $5.00.

Philadelphia, Pa. native Eric J. Wittenberg is a Civil War historian, author, lecturer, tour guide and battlefield preservationist. He is a practicing attorney in downtown Columbus, Ohio. His published works have focused especially on the Civil War cavalryman and the cavalry battles of the Civil War, with emphasis on the Army of the Potomac's Cavalry Corps. His first book, Gettysburg's Forgotten Cavalry Actions, was chosen as the best new work addressing the Battle of Gettysburg in 1998, winning the Robert E. Lee Civil War Roundtable of Central New Jersey's Bachelder-Coddington Award. In 2015, his book The Devil's to Pay: John Buford at Gettysburg won the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable's 2015 Book Award. He was a member of the Governor of Ohio’s Advisory Commission on the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and has been active with several Civil War battlefield preservation organizations. He and his wife Susan Skilken Wittenberg reside on the east side of Columbus, Ohio

 If you can’t attend in person, register for the Zoom at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZEpf-uppjssHdJG6kJXHMQQC...

Once registered, you will receive an email link for the actual program.

Minutes

Our July meeting was our 467th.  The meeting had 7 in-person attendees and 14 who attended through Zoom.

Our speaker was Eric Wittenberg.  Mr. Wittenberg, an attorney who is the author or co-author of many books on the Civil War and an expert on Civil War cavalry, spoke about the 1864 Johnson-Gilmor raid in the Baltimore area.  Mr. Wittenberg’s book on the subject, entitled The Johnson-Gilmor Cavalry Raid Around Baltimore, July 10-13, 1864, will be published in November 2023.

By the end of June 1864, the Army of Northern Virginia was besieged at Petersburg.  According to Mr. Wittenberg, Robert E. Lee realized that if he didn’t do something to change the situation, the war would be over.  Lee ordered Jubal Early, commander of the 2nd Corps, to the Shenandoah Valley to clear it of David “Black Dave” Hunter’s forces and, if possible, to cross the Potomac and enter Maryland after that.  On June 17-18, Early repulsed Hunter’s forces at Lynchburg.  By July 5, it was recognized that Washington was in danger.  To defend the city, Ulysses S. Grant sent a force under Major General Lew Wallace.  Grant didn’t like Wallace, blaming him for having arrived late at Shiloh.  

Meanwhile, Lee and Jefferson Davis devised plans for a raid to free Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout in southern Maryland.  Point Lookout was the site of a major POW camp–about 52,000 prisoners were held there over a two-year period.  Conditions were poor–at times, 16 men slept in one tent and 3 shared a single blanket.  A total of between 3,000 and 4,000 Confederate POWs died at the camp.  

The raid was originally going to involve both land and sea operations.  Confederate naval commander John Taylor Wood would assault the camp with a fleet coming from the Chesapeake Bay, and Major General G.W.C. Lee (George Washington Custis, a son of Robert E. Lee) was to command troops in the amphibious portion of the operation.  But Davis decided to cancel the naval component of the raid because he believed there was too much loose talk for it to be kept a secret.  

The task of leading the raid was assigned to Brigadier General Bradley Tyler Johnson, a native of Frederick.  Johnson’s second in command was Major Harry Gilmor of Baltimore.  Altogether, about 1,100-1,200 men would take part.  Johnson was given three days to ride 250-300 miles, move through Frederick to Cockeysville, cut the B&O and the Western Maryland Railroad, and then march south to Point Lookout.  According to Mr. Wittenberg, it was an impossible task.  

Johnson’s ride took place during July 9-12 (on July 9, the remainder of Early’s force defeated Wallace in the battle of Monocacy).  At Cockeysville, some of his men helped themselves to ice cream (which many had not seen before) and referred to it as “frozen beer.”   Johnson’s men also burned the home of Governor Augustus Bradford in retaliation for Hunter’s burning of former Virginia Governor John Letcher’s home.  When Early approached Fort Stevens and saw many Union troops emerging from DC, he realized he needed the cavalry to cover his retreat, so he aborted the mission.  Johnson slipped past the Washington defenses and rejoined Early, forming the rearguard.

Johnson detached Gilmor on July 10 to destroy railroad bridges across the Gunpowder River.  Gilmor’s ride took place during July 10-14.  He went to Magnolia Station and captured two trains, setting one (and the station) ablaze.   Among those taken prisoner by Gilmor’s men was Major General William B. Franklin.  However, Franklin later escaped and hid until the threat had passed.   Gilmor left Pikesville on July 12 and went to Randallstown.  His men were exhausted from constant riding, and many fell asleep.  By July 14, Gilmor’s raid was over, and he rejoined the army.

Mr. Wittenberg said that the raid was probably doomed from the start.  For one thing, the logistics were inadequate.  Secondly, the amount of time allotted–three days–wasn’t nearly long enough to cover the ground required.  Thirdly, even if the Confederates had emptied Point Lookout, the prisoners would have been too weak to march with Early’s army as it re-crossed the Potomac back into Virginia.  

 Notes from the President

Dear BCWRT Community

In the middle of the 20^th century, there lived an influential , multi-instrumentalist named Rashaan Roland kirk. In his bold and philosophical approach to music, he warned; “the boogie electric is out to get you!” This was his warning that the increasing dependance on electronics in music could lead to trouble, especially when the technology doesn’t work.

The bcwrt ran into that problem during last months presentation by paul bolcik on the picture of the 3 confederate prisoners at Gettysburg. Those who attended the meeting in person experienced a great presentation. Those online got nothing.

Fortunately, Paul later put together a youtube version of his talk that we sent to our community. If you didn’t receive it, use this https://youtu.be/lduDJCEIvdw

We encourage you to attend our meetings in person if you can. BCWRT meetings are at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd., Parkville Md. 21234. Enter the parking lot from Hiss Ave. to use the rear entrance to the Center.

Rather our speaker is in house or online, your presence adds to the Comradery we seek as an organization.

Wartime photography began to emerge during the Mexican American War of 1846/48. Progress was made during the Crimean War of 1853-1956. It was not until the Ameican Civil War the audience became used to witnessing recent battlefield scenes published in magazines, newspapers, and other periodicals.

Many Civil War images are ingrained in the minds of people born after those images were developed. Most enthusiasts recognize the picture of Lincoln visiting McClellan after Antietam, the horrific photo of “Whipped Peter” or the Confederate troops moving through Frederick, Maryland.

Another important and memorable CW image is the Mathew Brady & Co. picture of the three captured rebel soldiers at the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. That photo is the subject of the next Baltimore Civil War Roundtable meeting on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. We meet at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. (Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave. Use rear entrance to Center.)

Photography historian Paul Bolcik returns to the BCWRT to delve into the story of this famous image. He will reveal the history behind this image.

 Paul Bolcik is a founding member of the Montgomery Co. MD. Civil War round table from Oct. 1980. His writings photographs and investigations have appeared in LIFE magazine, Civil War Times, Civil War News, Military Images Magazine, The Daguerreian Society's annual yearbook and quarterlies, The Jonestown annual report and Spokes (a Frederick, MD. based cycling newspaper for the mid-Atlantic states).

Paul Bolcik last spoke to the BCWRT in September of 2019, when, along with Erik Davis he presented their findings on "Frederick, MD and its Famous Confederate Photo", the picture of rebel soldiers moving through Frederick.

If you can’t attend in person, register for the Zoom at :

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqcuGurjsqHtVGtSMTZaGvmuXTc6q_OYAZ

Minutes

Our June meeting was our 466th.  The meeting had 7 in-person attendees and 31 registered through Zoom (due to technical difficulties, those who attended through Zoom were unable to hear the presentation; however, a recording of the presentation was subsequently sent by email to BCWRT members).  

Our speaker was Paul Bolcik, a photographic historian.  Mr. Bolcik spoke on the famous photo of three Confederate prisoners captured at Gettysburg.  Together with Erik Davis, he had previously spoken to the BCWRT in September 2019 on “Frederick, Maryland and Its Famous Confederate Photo,” referring to the photo of Confederate soldiers passing through Frederick.  

Before speaking on the picture of the three Confederate prisoners at Gettysburg, Mr. Bolcik began with other Civil War photos and the techniques he has used to probe the mysteries surrounding them.  He discussed “Smoking gun evidence” that the Frederick photo was actually taken on July 9, 1864, not during the Confederate invasion of Maryland as has been generally believed.  He displayed a photo that was supposedly taken during the war but said that the picture must actually be one of Civil War reenactors, since it was on a stereo card that was not produced until the 1880s.  

Mr. Bolcik then discussed the history of the prisoner photo and its publication.  On his trip to Gettysburg, Matthew Brady had taken over thirty photos, and the picture of the prisoners was featured on a stereo card from August 1863.  On the back of the card, the comment “Rebel Prisoners behind their breastworks” appears, indicating that Brady and his assistants probably did not get the names of the prisoners.  In the August 22 issue of Harper’s Weekly, 11 stereo photographs from Brady & Co. were featured, but the prisoner photo was not among them.  

The photo was first reproduced in book form in the 1894 Memorial War Book by George F. Williams, a veteran of the 5th New York Infantry (Duryée’s Zouaves) who became a war correspondent.  In 1911, Francis Trevelyan Miller published the ten-volume The Photographic History of the Civil War, in which the photo appears in Volume I.  Nevertheless, the photo appears to have been little known until the Civil War centennial period, becoming popular due to its publication in a number of books during the 1950s and 60s.  It was also featured in William Frassanito’s 1975 book entitled A Journey in Time.  Frassanito pinpointed the location of the photo–it was taken across the street from the James Henry Thompson House on Seminary Ridge.  

In 2006, Gettysburg historian Timothy Smith found a print of the photo that shows an area much larger than what is usually displayed.  The print shows a great deal of lumber around the prisoners.  Mr. Bolcik said that it is probable that most of the lumber are logs that may have come from the “Tapeworm Railroad,” a failed 1836-9 railroad project, or a dismantled shoe shop that was about 200 yards west of the photo spot.  

Mr. Bolcik then asked: Who were these prisoners?  From the details which can be seen in the photo–for example, the fact that the leftmost prisoner has what appears to be a medical box in his haversack, as well as blood-stained fingernails–he has concluded that the men were likely surgeons or assistant surgeons.  Mr. Bolcik examined portraits of many Confederate surgeons who were in Lee’s army at Gettysburg to see if he could find matches for the prisoners.  He concluded that the man in the middle may have been Dr. John Samuel Apperson, a surgeon in the 4th Virginia Infantry, and that the man on the right may have been Frank Patterson of the 2nd North Carolina Battalion.  Mr. Bolcik said that if the men weren’t surgeons, they were probably members of a squad of prisoners that Union Captain Henry Blood took to the Confederate hospital to assist in “...cleaning up and to bury the dead” and who were left there as nurses.  

 Notes from the President

Dear BCWRT Community,

Since the Covid-19 pandemic has begun ease its sometimes deadly effects, the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable has eased back into meeting at the Parkville Senior Center. Unfortunately, many of you have not resumed attending meetings at the center. We miss you!

We have only had about four or five of you at the most recent meetings. Such a low turnout prevents us from conducting our normal book raffle, which raises necessary operational funds. 

Your lack of in-person attendance also effectively wastes the rent that the Roundtable pays for using the Senior Center facilities. While our current $450.00 rental fee for 2023 isn't that steep, it is a necessary cost of our goal to present quality programming. 

The BCWRT urges all who can to attend our next meeting on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. Our speaker, photo historian Paul Bolcik, will explore the famous Mathew Brady and Co. photo of the 3 Confederate Prisoners at Gettysburg.  

Remember, BCWRT meetings are at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd., Parkville Md. 21234. Enter the parking lot from Hiss Ave. to use the read entrance to the Center.

As the old ad would say; "We'd love to see your face in the place and your smile as yiu walk down the aisle."

Baltimore Civil War Roundtable

2023 Membership and Donation Form

 Membership $25 for Individual or $35 for Family

($20 for Students w/ID & First Time Members)

Please Print and Complete the Form. Make Your Check Payable to BCWRT

Mail Form and Check to:

Ray Atkins, Treasurer, BCWRT
1204 Fordham Ct.,
Belair, MD 21014

NAME _______________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________

CITY & STATE________________________________ Zip Code________

EMAIL________________________________

PHONE_________________________________

MEMBERSHIP AMOUNT__________________

DONATION AMOUNT_____________________

War! The chronicles of mankind reveal many different aspects to the state of conflict between living creatures. The reasons change. So do the weapons, location, people, leaders and the degree of destruction. One area of warfare that doesn’t change: soldiers go off to fight while families and friends are left behind to agonize, struggle mourn.

History professor and author Holly A. Pinheiro, Jr. will guide the BCWRT through the journeys of a number of these soldiers and their families via his book; The Families Civil War: Black Soldiers and the Fight for Racial Justice, University of Georgia Press, 2022. We will gather for this event at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. Doors open at 7;00 p.m.

An Assistant Professor of African American history at Furman University, Dr. Pinheiro holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Iowa, a B.A. from the University of Central Florida and a A.A, from Valencia College. His book tells the stories of freeborn northern African Americans in Philadelphia struggling to maintain families while fighting against racial discrimination. Taking a long view, from 1850 to the 1920s, Holly A. Pinheiro Jr. shows how Civil War military service worsened already difficult circumstances due to its negative effects on family finances, living situations, minds, and bodies.

All BCWRT new and veteran members are urged to attend. We’ll have an update on organization business as part of this meeting. If you can’t attend in person, join us via Zoom.

Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvdeioqT8tE9UNebT5tiNJriBnkaL3c3OL

Minutes

Our May meeting was our 465th.  The meeting had 18 registrants and 14 participants–4 in person attendees and 10 who attended through Zoom.

Our speaker was Dr. Holly A. Pinheiro Jr., an assistant professor of African American history at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Dr. Pinheiro spoke on the challenges and hardships that African American soldiers and their families faced during the war.

Dr. Pinheiro is the author of The Families’ Civil War: Black Soldiers and the Fight for Racial Justice, which examines the histories of 185 free-born soldiers from Philadelphia who served in the 3rd, 6th, and 8th USCT.  The book analyzes the experiences not only of the soldiers themselves, but of their families as well, and covers the postwar decades as well as the war itself.  All told, Dr. Pinheiro said, The Families’ Civil War touches on the lives of nearly 1,000 people.  

Dr. Pinheiro chose Philadelphia as the focus of the book because he believed it to be the ideal city in which to examine northern, free-born African Americans who lived in a city with volatile racial politics. In 1860, Philadelphia had one of the most important free northern African American communities.  During the decades before the war, there had been a great deal of racial hostility, including large scale race riots in which Black homes, schools, businesses, and churches were burned.  At the same time, Philadelphia also had some of the North’s most prominent abolitionist networks.  Camp William Penn, bordering the city, was the largest training camp for African American recruits.  

Dr. Pinheiro argued that the military service of African Americans in the war has rightfully received a good deal of scholarly attention.  However, he said, the effects of this service on the families at home have been far less studied.  These families often suffered severely.  Before the war, they had already been struggling economically due to racial discrimination.  During the war, the entry of able-bodied men into military service often greatly intensified their economic hardship.  In some cases, this situation did not end with the war itself–it spanned multiple generations. If their loved ones were killed or mortally wounded in battle, or died of disease, the families were left to fend for themselves permanently.  In other cases, veterans who returned with severe physical, emotional, and/or psychological problems largely relied on their families to care for them.  In addition, invalid veterans–or the surviving relatives of soldiers who had died–often had great difficulty obtaining government pensions.  

Dr. Pinheiro said that there is a wealth of primary sources concerning the fate of African American soldiers and their families, including Civil War pension records, military service records, regimental histories, published memoirs by USCT soldiers, city directories, the federal census, public speeches by prominent individuals, Union League organizational records, and newspapers (white as well as African American).  

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Dr. Pinheiro said, African American service in the war was downplayed.  In response, some black veterans made it their mission to publicize their service and published their own accounts and histories of African American participation in the war.  Among them were William W. Brown, William J. Simmons, Alexander H. Newton, Joseph T. Wilson, and George W. Williams.  Dr. Pinheiro said that The Families’ Civil War builds on the work of these men.  

 Notes from the President

Fact: The federal income tax was first imposed in 1861 and 1862 to help the United States pay for the Civil War. It is only my warped opinion that the deadline of April 15 was chosen as a backdoor reminder of the day that President Abraham Lincoln died.

April turned out to be a time of reflection for the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable because we had to cancel the planned in-person banquet which was to feature Dr. Andy Waskie’s portrayal of An Evening with General Meade.

There were several factors the led to the officer’s decision to take the deposit loss and cancel the event. The bottom line is that we didn’t sell enough tickets. While highly disappointing, we must and will go on!

The BCWRT sent a cancelation notice giving folk three options for their ticket purchase. We are still receiving and processing forms, emails and checks. Those who requested a refund will receive it soon. We welcome and thank those who chose to become new members or extended their existing membership. You will receive a written thanks. Thanks, will also go out to those who chose to donate to the operation of the BCWRT.

Remember: Membership has its privileges! We at the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable can’t draft members, however, we encourage all of you to renew your membership for 2023. New recruits are very much welcome as well. Currently, we have about 30 members. We’d like to, at least, double that amount. Membership is $25 for individuals and $35 for families. This year, we are offering a rate of $20 for students with ID and for new members. Print and use the form below.

Baltimore Civil War Roundtable

2023 Membership and Donation Form

 Membership $25 for Individual or $35 for Family

($20 for Students w/ID & First Time Members)

Please Print and Complete the Form. Make Your Check Payable to BCWRT

Mail Form and Check to:

Ray Atkins, Treasurer, BCWRT
1204 Fordham Ct.,
Belair, MD 21014

NAME _______________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________

CITY & STATE________________________________ Zip Code________

EMAIL________________________________

PHONE_________________________________

MEMBERSHIP AMOUNT__________________

DONATION AMOUNT_____________________

 BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE

 Copy text above to email or edit form from this link and attach to email.

 Notes from the President

Baltimore Civil War Roundtable

2023 Membership and Donation Form

 Membership $25 for Individual or $35 for Family

($20 for Students w/ID & First Time Members)

Please Print and Complete the Form. Make Your Check Payable to BCWRT

Mail Form and Check to:

Ray Atkins, Treasurer, BCWRT
1204 Fordham Ct.,
Belair, MD 21014

NAME _______________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________

CITY & STATE________________________________ Zip Code________

EMAIL________________________________

PHONE_________________________________

MEMBERSHIP AMOUNT__________________

DONATION AMOUNT_____________________

When the Civil War began, the dividing line between the capital of the United States and rebel held territory was the Potomac River. The flags of each enemy government could clearly be seen from across the shore. Everything changed after a military excursion via the Potomac on May 24, 1861 which resulted in the first highly noted USA martyr during the Civil War.

Join the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable as author Meg Groeling discusses her book First Fallen: The Life of Colonel Elmer Elllsworth, the North's First Civil War Hero. This hybrid meeting will occur on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will occur at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234

Meg Groeling is a regular contributor to the blog Emerging Civil War, exploring subjects beyond the battlefield such as personalities, politics, and practices that affected the men who did the fighting. A writer, teacher, and curriculum developer since 1987, she has taught at both the elementary and middle school levels for more than thirty years. She graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a B.A. in liberal studies and has been involved in continuing education for her entire career. Meg received a master’s degree from American Public University, majoring in military history with a Civil War emphasis. Savas Beatie published her first book, The Aftermath of Battle: The Burial of the Civil War Dead, in the fall of 2015. She lives in Hollister, California, in a lovely 1928 bungalow covered with roses outside and books inside.

Again, we will meet at the Parkville Senior Center with all our regular meeting items, (book raffle, etc.). Those joining our speaker online register at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpdu2tqjsrHtDhX64ZhtkRX9-ZD_b2dRzc

 Minutes

Our March meeting was our 464th.  The meeting had 4 in person attendees and 17 registrants and participants through Zoom.

Our speaker was Meg Groeling.  Ms. Groeling spoke on Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union officer killed in the Civil War.  Ms. Groeling is the author of First Fallen: The Life of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, the North’s First Civil War Hero.  

Elmer Ellsworth was born on April 11, 1837.  Although he claimed to have grown up in poverty, this was not the case.  His life was typical of the Northern working class; his family owned their property and paid relatively high taxes.  Even as a child, Ellsworth engaged in military drilling.  As an adult, he invented a gadget that let a train passenger open a window just enough to get some air in.  He subsequently went into the patenting business with Arthur Devereaux (Devereaux would become a colonel in the Civil War). However, the militia remained Ellsworth’s passion.

Ellsworth became the leader of the Zouave Cadets of Chicago, renamed the United States Zouave Cadets.  According to Ms. Groeling, they were “rock stars.”  They toured the North and captivated people with their marches and drills.  This raised the military consciousness of the United States.  John Hay said that Ellsworth was “the most talked-of man in the country.”  Ellsworth devised a system of drills based on the Algerian Zouaves.  

Ellsworth’s prominence in militia circles brought him to the attention of people who mentioned him to Abraham Lincoln.  The two men respected each other from the start, and Lincoln extended to Ellsworth an invitation to study law in Springfield.  Ellsworth accepted, and went on to work for Lincoln’s nomination, something which pleased the father of Carolyn “Carrie” Spafford, to whom Ellsworth had become engaged.  

From the time the Lincolns moved into the White House, Ellsworth was there almost every day.  He was a beloved member of the Lincoln extended family.  Lincoln wanted Ellsworth to receive a position in the War Department that would put him in charge of militia.  But as Charles Stone had already been selected for this role, Ellsworth agreed to a lesser position with the rank of second lieutenant.  However, on April 15, 1861, in response to Lincoln’s call for 75,000 volunteers following the fall of Fort Sumter, he resigned to organize the 1st Regiment New York Zouaves, composed of 1,100 men recruited among New York City firefighters, and became its commander.  The regiment was eventually redesignated as the 11th New York Infantry.  

On the night of May 23, the Union army was preparing to occupy Alexandria.  After the Confederates withdrew from the city, Ellsworth and a small group of men went to cut telegraph wires.  Early on May 24, after seeing a Confederate flag flying from the Marshall House (a hotel), he entered the building with seven men and went to the roof, cutting the rope of the flag and pulling it down.  Ellsworth was then shot by James W. Jackson, the owner of the hotel, and killed instantly.  Jackson was in turn shot and killed by Private Francis E. Brownell.  

Ellsworth’s death, and the context in which it took place, made him an instant hero and martyr in the North.  Images of him became mementos, and bits of the bloodstained flag and Ellsworth’s shirt were recovered.  Lincoln was devastated by the news and sent a condolence letter to the Ellsworths (Ms. Groeling said that it has been questioned whether the letter was actually written by Lincoln personally, but concluded that it was).  

Ms. Groeling pointed out that although Ellsworth was only one of the perhaps 750,000 who would ultimately lose their lives in the Civil War, his death had a powerful effect because it occurred very early in the war, even before the first battle of Bull Run.

 Notes from the President

The old proverb “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb’ is much older than the American Civil War. While some call it an ancestral belief in balance, among the many other possibilities is astrological (Leo rising into Aries). Whatever the case, the recent strange weather across the country makes it seem like the lion is feasting on lamb chops.

Speaking of feasting, after countless delays due to the pandemic and other factors, the BCWRT will return to its Annual Banquet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 6 p.m. An Evening with General Meade will feature Dr. Andy Waskie as Meade. We have experienced Dr. Waskie’s informative and entertaining Zoom programs in the past. Finally, we get to enjoy him in the flesh. See the banquet flyer for more information. Tickets are $35.00 each.  Our minimum required attendance is 50 people. We still have a long way to go. Remember, if you purchased tickets before April of 2020, your registration is still good and will be honored. Invite a friend.

We at the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable can’t draft members, however, we encourage all of you to renew you member for 2023. New recruits are very much welcome as well. Currently, we have about 30 members. We’d like to, at least, double that amount. Membership is $25 for individuals and $35 for families. This year, we are offering a rate of $20 for students with ID and for new members. Print and use the form below.

Baltimore Civil War Roundtable

2023 Membership and Donation Form

 Membership $25 for Individual or $35 for Family

($20 for Students w/ID & First Time Members)

Please Print and Complete the Form. Make Your Check Payable to BCWRT

Mail Form and Check to:

Ray Atkins, Treasurer, BCWRT
1204 Fordham Ct.,
Belair, MD 21014

NAME _______________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________

CITY & STATE________________________________ Zip Code________

EMAIL________________________________

PHONE_________________________________

MEMBERSHIP AMOUNT__________________

DONATION AMOUNT_____________________

 What would you say to the fact that there was once a man who, after being valedictorian of his college class, became a leading figure of that college. This man also led troops in support of the Battle of Gettysburg, organized a pioneering baseball team, helped formed USCT regiments, has a statue in front of a major town’s City Hall, died at 31 and you’ve never heard of him!

Join the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, as National Archives historian Bryan Cheeseboro comes to the Parkville Senior Center to present the life of what many call a Forgotten Hero, Octavius V. Catto. The meeting will occur at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234 beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Bryan Cheeseboro is a historian of the American past, primarily of the Civil War Era.  He works for the National Archives and helps researchers find their Civil War ancestors.  Cheeseboro is also a board member of the Alliance to Preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington, who annually commemorate the Battle of Fort Stevens in Washington, DC every July.  He is a Civil War reenactor with the 54th Massachusetts Company B and sometimes participates with other reenacting units, including civilian reenacting.  And he is very proud to say he is a native of Washington, DC. 

Remember, this is an in-person meeting at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd, Parkville, MD 21234. (Enter parking lot from Hiss Ave. Use rear entrance to Center.)
There is a $5.00 charge for non-members to attend the meeting.  There is NO SMOKING. 

Doors open at 7:00, Business meeting and Speaker: 7:30 p.m.

The meeting is also available online. Register at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwscO%2DoqDIiGd2FmChFZQzIJcCRaNIpQJEB

Catto statue outside City Hall, Philadelphia

Octavius V. Catto

 Minutes

Our February meeting was our 463rd.  The meeting had 4 in person attendees and 11 registrants and participants through Zoom.  

Our speaker was Bryan Cheeseboro, a Civil War reenactor, historian, and archivist.  Mr. Cheeseboro spoke on “Freedom in Action: The Life of Octavius Catto.”

Octavius Valentine Catto was born a free African American in South Carolina on February 22, 1839.  In 1848, he and his family moved to Pennsylvania, settling in Philadelphia.  In 1854, Catto enrolled at the Institute for Colored Youth, where he graduated valedictorian in 1858.  The following year, he became an instructor at the institute.  **

The Militia Acts of 1792 had generally barred African Americans from serving in state militias and, in effect, the U.S. Army.  However, the Militia Act of 1862 allowed them to serve in the army as soldiers or manual laborers.  

In June 1863, the Army of Northern Virginia invaded Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia panicked.  Catto recruited 90-100 men at the institute, which became a recruiting station.  However, Major General Darius Couch refused to accept them in Harrisburg on the grounds that they were only an emergency militia.  On July 6, 1863, Catto joined the Supervisory Committee for Recruiting Colored Regiments.  He also may have had an impact on the creation of the famous “Come and Join Us Brothers” recruiting poster.  In recent years, neo-Confederates have used the poster to argue that sizable numbers of African Americans served as soldiers in the Confederate army.  

Numerous USCT regiments were organized at Camp William Penn, near Philadelphia.  By March 1865, 8612 USCT soldiers had been credited to Pennsylvania.  

Catto taught English literature, advanced math, and classical languages.  He was a leading member of the Banneker Literary Institute and the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League.  He joined the 5th Brigade of the Pennsylvania National Guard–which included the 11th, 12th, and 13th Regiments–and was given the rank of major.  

Caroline LeCount became Catto’s fiancé.  LeCount was an orator and poetry reader, and a student at the institute.  She played an active role in desegregating streetcars in Philadelphia.  

Catto was also captain, second baseman, and shortstop of the Philadelphia Pythians Ball Club.  The club applied for entry into the Pennsylvania State Convention of Baseball but was denied.   In a seven-game season in 1868, the Pythians won six and tied one.  In 1869, they played the white Olympic Ball Club in what was probably the first interracial baseball game in Philadelphia.

On October 10, 1871, an election day, Catto was killed by Frank Kelly around 3:30 p.m., about a block from his home at 814 South Street.  Kelly was on the run for six years, and was eventually acquitted by an all-white jury.  Catto’s funeral was the biggest in Philadelphia since the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  He was buried with full military honors, and Caroline LeCount suffered “uncontrollable grief.”  

Mr. Cheeseboro concluded by asking: “Why is Catto not remembered?”  Among the possible reasons is that he spent all his time in one place, never leaving Philadelphia.  On September 26, 2017, the city dedicated a memorial to Catto.  

** Now known as Cheney University

 Notes from the President

February is almost over, and it seems like the year was just beginning. In 1863, people in Charleston, S.C. were paying $25.00 for a half loaf of bread and $65.00 for a barrel of flour. Talk about inflation! The United States government passed the first Conscription Act in its history, nearly a year after the CSA.

We at the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable can’t draft members, however, we encourage all of you to renew you member for 2023. New recruits are very much welcome as well. Currently, we have about 30 members. We’d like to, at least, double that amount. Membership is $25 for individuals and $35 for families. This year, we are offering a rate of $20 for students with ID and for new members. See the form below.

After countless delays due to the pandemic and other factors, the BCWRT will return to its Annual Banquet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 6 p.m. An Evening with General Meade will feature Dr. Andy Waskie as Meade. We have experienced Dr. Waskie’s informative and entertaining Zoom programs in the past. Finally, we get to enjoy him in the flesh. See the banquet flyer for more information.  Our minimum required attendance is 50 people. We still have a long way to go. Remember, if you purchased tickets before April of 2020, your registration is still good and will be honored.

Baltimore Civil War Roundtable

2023 Membership and Donation Form

 Membership $25 for Individual or $35 for Family

($20 for Students w/ID & First Time Members)

Please Print and Complete the Form. Make Your Check Payable to BCWRT

Mail Form and Check to:

Ray Atkins, Treasurer, BCWRT
1204 Fordham Ct.,
Belair, MD 21014

NAME _______________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________

CITY & STATE________________________________ Zip Code________

EMAIL________________________________

PHONE_________________________________

MEMBERSHIP AMOUNT__________________

DONATION AMOUNT_____________________

 Last month, the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable focus on the actions of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia after the surrender at Appomattox Court House (thanks to Dr. Caroline Janney for her presentation of her book Ends of War).

This month, our Zoom only meeting will delve into General Lee, himself. Thomas Lee Jessee, perhaps the foremost Robert E. Lee living historian and the man selected to portray General Lee at the 150th anniversary of Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, will present his program “The Life of Robert E. Lee”. The meeting will occur on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 7:30 p/m.

Thomas Lee Jessee is a native Hamilton, Virginian the heart of Mosby’s Rangers country. After moving to Florida with his family, he joined a local re-enactment unit in 1969 at the age of 18. He started out as a private and over the years worked his way up the ranks to general. He has attended re-enactments of all major battles throughout the U.S. as well as commanding troops at many of the national events.  

Thomas Lee Jessee is currently the Commanding General of the Confederate Forces for the annual reenactment of the Battle of Olustee. Thomas is also an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. As a longtime student of General Lee, Thomas has portrayed General Lee in various venues throughout the US. In 2015, he was approved by the National Park Service to portray General Robert E. Lee at the 150th Anniversary of Appomattox reenactment in Virginia and for the new Appomattox Visitors Center film shown to the public daily. He recently appeared in the role as General Lee on April 9-10, 2022, at the park.

He and his wife, Gail Rebecca, have been married for 38 years and currently live in Lakeland, FL. Professionally, he was an electrical superintendent for a major electrical contractor in Tampa; however, he retired in June of 2015.

Register for the meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZwpde6vqzovHdMn837TxRgKRR2kX...
Once registered, you will receive an emailed link to join the meeting.

Thomas Jessee as Genl. Lee

Thomas Jessee (Lee) Curt Fields (Grant) w/USCT (Including Robert Ford) at 150th Appomattox

 Minutes

Our January meeting was our 462nd.  The meeting had 57 registrants and 46 participants.

Our speaker was Thomas Lee Jessee.  Impersonating Robert E. Lee, Mr. Jessee discussed Lee’s life and career.  In 2015, Mr. Jessee was selected by the National Park Service to portray Lee at the 150th anniversary commemoration of Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.

Robert E. Lee was born on January 19, 1807, at Stratford Hall Plantation in Virginia.  His father was Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee III, a cavalry officer in the Revolutionary War and a friend of George Washington.  Lee grew up in Alexandria and attended West Point, where his classmates included Jefferson Davis and Albert Sidney Johnston.  Graduating second in his class in 1829, and holding the rank of brevet second lieutenant, he was given a choice of assignment and decided to enter the Corps of Engineers.  

As a child, Lee met and became close with Mary Custis, a great-granddaughter of Martha Washington.  Unusual for women at the time, Mary was well versed in current events and could speak and read Greek, Latin, and French.  In early 1831, Lee proposed to Mary and she accepted.  He also asked her father’s permission. Mr.Custis first denied it but later changed his mind and Lee married Mary on June 30, 1831.  In later years, Mary suffered from health problems, and by 1860 was practically an invalid.  

During the antebellum years, Lee fought and distinguished himself in the 1846-48 war with Mexico, receiving three brevets.  From 1848 to 1851, he lived in Baltimore, designing and supervising the construction of Fort Carroll.  In 1852, he was ordered to West Point to be superintendent.  Lee became lieutenant colonel of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry after then-Secretary of War Jefferson Davis convinced the government to create two cavalry regiments.  

In 1857, Mr. Custis died and Lee became executor of his estate.  This was a very difficult task.  Some property had to be sold to cover debt.  The estate also included nearly 200 slaves, all of whom were to be freed in five years or when the debts were covered.  In 1862, Lee had documents drawn up on all the slaves he could find, and gave them their freedom. *

Lee was in Texas when that state seceded, and was ordered to return to Washington DC.  Although urged by Winfield Scott to remain loyal, he decided he could not raise his sword against Virginia.  Originally Virginia voted to reject secession, but reversed itself when Lincoln called for 75,000 troops–including three militia regiments from Virginia–to hold the Union together following the firing on Fort Sumter.  Lee ultimately decided to resign from the U.S. Army.  Before Virginia joined the Confederacy, he was appointed commander of all its forces.  

Lee began his service to the Confederacy as an advisor to President Jefferson Davis.  He went to western Virginia and the south Atlantic coast.  In 1862, George McClellan and the Army of the Potomac came within a few miles of Richmond.  After Joseph E. Johnston, leading the Army of Virginia (later renamed the Army of Northern Virginia), was wounded and put out of action, Davis chose Lee to replace him.  Lee led the ANV for the remainder of the war.

Although Lee told his three sons to make their own decisions, all three–George Washington Custis Lee, William Henry Fitzhugh “Rooney” Lee, and Robert Edward “Rob” Lee Jr.--fought for the Confederacy.  

To Lee’s relief, Grant was very generous at the surrender at Appomattox.  When Lee returned to Richmond, he did so as a paroled prisoner.  People came to visit him day and night–but none offered him a job.  However, Lee was eventually offered a position as president of Washington College.  He completely revised the curriculum so graduates could earn a living.  Lee was indicted for treason after the war, but the charges were dropped.   President Andrew Johnson wanted Lee and Davis tried and hanged for treason, but Grant said no.  By 1870, Lee began having serious health issues, and he died on October 12 of that year.  Following his death, Washington College was renamed Washington and Lee University.  Lee and Traveller, his most famous horse during the war, are buried there.  

(* President's Note- By court order, Lee was forced to free the enslaved people on December 29, 1862)

 Notes from the President

Happy New Year and Happy Lunar New Year.  We trust that things are looking well for all of you in the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable Community. Our organization begins the year with programming less affected by a pandemic.

Our January meeting is a Zoom presentation, “The Life of Robert E. Lee” featuring Thomas Lee Jessee, perhaps the foremost Robert E. Lee living historian who portrayed General Lee at the 150th anniversary of Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House The meeting is January 24, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. Register at:  https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZwpde6vqzovHdMn837TxRgKRR2kX...
Once registered, you will receive an emailed link to join the meeting.

After countless delays due to the pandemic and other factors, the BCWRT will return to its Annual Banquet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 6 p.m. An Evening with General Meade will feature Dr. Andy Waskie as Meade. We have experienced Dr. Waskie’s informative and entertaining Zoom programs in the past. Finally, we get to enjoy him in the flesh. See the banquet flyer for more information. ****Annual Banquet April 25, 2023****

Will already have a full year of Hybrid and Zoom programs planned. Please refer to our meeting calendar.

“Membership has its privileges” was the old advertising slogan for American Express. Membership with the Baltimore Civil War Roundtable gains you the opportunity to experience the many authors, historians, living historians, re-enactors and other presenters of Civil War activity.

Membership is $25 for individuals and $35 for families. This year, we are offering a rate of $20 for students with ID and for new members. See the form below.

Finally, and sadly, we announce the death of Mel Reid. A former employee of the U.S. Forest Service, Mel retired from the National Park Service where he was the Chief Equal Opportunity Officer for the National Capital Region. An original member of the 54^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company B, Mel appeared in the movie “Glory” and several Civil War related documentaries.

BCWRT members may remember his two presentations to our group. His most recent was July 2021 presentation, entitled “From Plantation to Battlefield,” Mr. Reid presented himself as a man who joined and fought in the 54th.  He drew on the experiences of several real-life soldiers to present the story of the character he impersonated. He made that presentation while suffering from the cancer that caused his demise.