Welcome to the Civil War Roundtable of Gettysburg. "The most important Roundtable,
in the most important small town,
at the most important battlefield,
in the most important country in the world."
—Joe Mieczkowski, past president
      
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October 24
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
The War Outside My Window:
The Civil War Diary of LeRoy Wiley Gresham, 1860 -1865
Jan Croon
Invalid teenager LeRoy Wiley Gresham left a seven-volume diary spanning the years of secession and the Civil War (1860-1865). He was just 12 when he began and he died at 17, just weeks after the war ended. His remarkable account spans the gamut of life events that were of interest to a precocious and well-educated Southern teenager—including military, political, religious, social, and literary matters of the day. This alone ranks it as an important contribution to our understanding of life and times in the Old South. But it is much more than that. Chronic disease and suffering stalk the young writer, who is never told he is dying until just before his death.
His diary is also the only known account of the Civil War from the perspective of a young make non-combatant. These five years of detailed entries make LeRoy’s diary an exceedingly rare (and perhaps unique) social history from the nineteenth century. LeRoy’s diary offers an inside look at a fateful journey that robbed an energetic and likeable young man of his youth and life.
JANET E. CROON holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, Modern European History, and Russian Language and Area Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1983), and a Master’s Degree in International Studies from the University of Dayton (1985). She has been teaching International Baccalaureate History for nearly two decades and developed a deep interest in the Civil War by living in northern Virginia. This is her first book.
Our meetings are the Fourth Thursday of each month.
From September to May, we meet at the GAR Building, 53 East Middle Street. Socializing starting at 6:30 pm, the program starting at 7.
Whenever severe weather is predicted, program information can be found on the roundtable website and Facebook page after 3 PM. Or you can call Bruce at 1-402-686-6969 or email brdgettysburg@gmail.com.
You can now use your credit card or PayPal to securely pay for your Membership Dues. Please see the Membership page for the link.
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OFFICERS |
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Bruce Davis ..............................................President Hilda Koontz............................................Vice President Eleanor Cingire Bilz...........................Recording Secretary Linda Seamon...............................Membership Secretary David Diner...................................................Treasurer Roger Heller .......................................Program Director Linda Joswick .............................................Webmaster Dave Joswick......................................Newsletter Editor Lynn Heller.................................Facebook Administrator |
402.686.6969 717.642.6017 717.420.2183 717.359.7339 717.420.5730 717.398.2072 717.253.5477 717.877.3975 717.398.2072 |
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BOARD MEMBERS |
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Fred Hawthorne (5/20), Roger Heller (5/22), Joe Mieczkowski 5/22), Peter Miele (5/21) Dale Molina (5/20), Bill Myers (5/21) |
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Next Board Meeting:Board Meetings are open to all members. Meetings begin at 6:00 pm at Perkins Restaurant in Gettysburg. If you would like to eat before the meeting, please arrive by 5:30 pm. Board meetings are the second Thursday of January, March, May, July, September, and November. |
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COMMITTEES |
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Plaque Committee: Book Award Committee: Field Trip Committee: If you are interested in more information, or joining, one the committees, please contact any Officer or Board Member. |
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EVENT INFORMATION |
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Your Membership has Benefits!
Your card can be picked up at any monthly meeting, or contact Linda Seamon llseamon@aol.com. |
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Greetings to all...
After a last minute thunderstorm caused postponement of our August 22 East Cavalry Field tour, we tried again on the 29th and were rewarded with a beautiful evening, Chris Army leading us in the footsteps of George Custer, JEB Stuart and a Confederate called Claw Hammer. I thought this was particularly interesting: I knew that earlier in the war the Cavaliers had run circles around their Federal counterparts. As Chris explained, the southern men had brought their own horses and the rapport between rider and mount was a big advantage against troops on army-issued transport. But by Brandy Station, a lot of those horses from home were dead, the rebels mounted on substitutes, the odds shifted accordingly. I spent a goodly amount of time with George Custer and Chris Army this summer. In August, Chris and Jim Hessler, both Licensed Battlefield Guides, co-hosted a symposium, George Armstrong Custer and the Indian Wars. Having a long-time personal interest in the subject matter, I was delighted by the quality of the presentations. If Jim and Chris offer a follow-up next year, I would highly recommend it. The aforementioned Hessler, himself a member of the Roundtable, led us through the Peach Orchard in June. In addition to his book, Gettysburg’s Peach Orchard: Longstreet, Sickles, and the Bloody Fight for Commanding Ground, you might also check out his Battle of Gettysburg podcasts. After two episodes on the Peach Orchard action, the latest posting is WTH Was Lee Thinking? Back to Custer: I crossed his path again at Blue Ridge Summit, trying to understand the Battle of Monterey Pass. I was fortunate to find Joe Mieczkowski at the Visitor Center’s docent desk. Joe’s book After Gettysburg: Lee Retreats, Meade Pursues is enormously helpful in appreciating events of the Confederate withdrawal through this rugged region; Custer, of course, playing a major role in the stormy clash on the night of July 4. Speaking of companion books. Those who attended our June gathering at the Cannon Shop may want to check out Roundtable member Brad Gottfried’s The Artillery of Gettysburg, available on Amazon. We’re back inside the G.A.R. Hall this month. On Thursday evening, September 26, we’ll hear from Michael K. Shaffer, who teaches history at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. His talk is titled In Memory of Self and Comrades, the story of Thomas Wallace Colley’s service with the 1st Virginia Cavalry. Over the course of the war, the 1st Virginia was involved in 200+ actions, including the July 3 Cavalry charge on the ground toured last night. On October 24, Janet Croon will be with us, sharing her well-reviewed book, The War Outside My Window: The Civil War Diary of LeRoy Wiley Gresham, 1860-1865. According to William C. Davis, Croon’s study “is really a window looking into the thoughts and perceptions of a doomed teenager watching the Confederacy die even as he was dying himself.” The evening will include presentation of the Cal Doucette Achievement Award. As we go into our fall programming, this would be a good time to tell someone about the Roundtable. I first learned of the group through Dale Molina, who I’d met at church. I’m glad she told me, and there’s probably a Civil War enthusiast out there who would be glad you told them. See you on September 26, 7:00, at the GAR. |
SPEAKERS |
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November 21
December 5
--2020--Jan 23
Feb 27
March 26
April 23
May 28
June 25 : July 2
July 23: July 30
August 27: Sept 3
September 24
October 22
November 12
December 3
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News BriefsOctober 13 October 22 • 6 pm
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