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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November 15, 2018
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Jacob Cox and the Battle of Franklin:
the Beginning of the End for the
Confederacy in the West
Gene Schmiel
The Battle of Franklin dealt a major body blow to the Confederate Army of Tennessee, which suffered its final defeat and resultant dissolution two weeks later at the Battle of Nashville. Confederate commander John Bell Hood launched the Civil War’s final major offensive charge that day with 20,000 men attacking 13,000 Union soldiers, most of whom were stationed behind hastily-constructed but formidable barriers.
The Union defensive line at Franklin was commanded and created by General Jacob D. Cox. Cox for his part had learned that “with veteran soldiers now arrayed against each other, one rifle in the trench was worth five in front of it.” The defensive line was nearly-impregnable, but a mistake by one of Cox’s subordinates allowed the Confederates to penetrate a hundred yards into the center of the line. At that critical time Cox, who had presciently created a second line of defense behind the first, displayed conspicuous leadership and saved the day.
While Hood announced to his men the next day that Franklin was a victory, the author of a superb Confederate memoir, Company Aytch, Private Sam Watkins, wrote later, “I shrink from butchery…My flesh trembles, and creeps and crawls when I think of it today. It was the finishing stroke to the independence of the Southern Confederacy.”
Gene Schmiel is a student of the Civil War whose book, Citizen-General: Jacob Dolson Cox and the Civil War Era, was published in 2014. The book was labeled “Best Biography of the Year” by the Civil War Books and Authors web-site. Gene holds a Ph. D. degree from The Ohio State University and was an assistant professor of History at St. Francis University (PA) before becoming a foreign service officer with the Department of State. He resides in Gainesville, Virginia with his wife Bonnie Kathryn.
Our meetings are the Fourth Thursday of each month.
From September to May, we meet at the GAR Building, 53 East Middle Street. Light refreshments and conversation 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 Lynn at 717-398-2072.
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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Join or Renew Your Membership |
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OFFICERS |
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Lynn Heller .............................................President Kendra Debaney.....................................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 |
717.398.2072 717.334.6375 717.420.2183 717.359.7339 717.420.5730 717.398.2072 717.253.5477 717.877.3975 |
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BOARD MEMBERS |
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Fred Hawthorne, Roger Heller, Hilda Koontz, Dale Molina, Bill Myers, Larry Plymire |
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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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Here is your RT membership renewal reminder for 2019Enclosed with your newsletter is a membership form for the upcoming calendar year 2019. This is the form that should accompany your renewal dues. Please get rid of any old forms you may have as this is the only one acceptable. Note, it reflects the current and correct cost for renewal membership: $30 for individuals and $45 for a family, as well as prorated amounts for new members joining later during the calendar year. You can also find the form at our Membership page. CWRT Gettysburg Holiday PartyThe Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable welcomes members and guests to this year’s celebration that will include a presentation by Dr. Carol Reardon. Date....... Thursday, December 6, 2018 |
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Greetings, Friends!
November is here already! This is such a very special time in Gettysburg, with the autumn colors still spreading beauty throughout the battlefield.
So much to look forward to in November! The town is extra busy and bustling, as it ushers in Remembrance Weekend, Thanksgiving, Lighting of the Christmas Tree on the Square, and of course our annual Holiday Banquet at the Historic Dobbin House… great food, great company, and the great Carol Reardon as our speaker! It is also the occasion of announcing the book which will receive the 2018 Distinguished Book Award.
We look forward to the Remembrance Day Parade, which honors the soldiers and civilians of the American Civil War; Remembrance Day evening Illumination, with a candle placed at each of the 3512 Civil War graves in the Soldiers National Cemetery; and Dedication Day, the Anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. This year’s keynote speaker will be Gettysburg College President Janet Riggs. We have a very special town!
A heartfelt thanks to all you , the loyal members of our roundtable, and to our amazing board of directors, officers, and support team. Thank you too for your generous donations to our Preservation Fund. We have contributed to some very deserving organizations this year. You will find the recipients on our web page.
Thank you for the lively spirit and conversations you bring to all our meetings. This is what makes our roundtable so special. We were happy to see so many guests attending our meetings this year.
I wish you all a joyous Thanksgiving and Holiday Season, filled with happiness, health, and the warmth and love of friends and family.
- Lynn Keep your words positive, because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” – Gandhi
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SPEAKERS |
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December 6
January 24, 2019
February 28
March 28
April 25
May 23
June 27
July 25
August 22
September 26
October 24
November 21
December 12
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