Greetings to all...

I did wonder, given a cold, blustery night and coronavirus concerns (Nurse Lynn advised us on prevention measures), what the turnout would be for our Thursday evening gathering at the GAR, and was pleased to see another full house. Those who came out were rewarded with a fascinating lecture from Dr. Ashley Whitehead Luskey of the Gettysburg College Civil War Institute. I had a vague knowledge of the April 1863 Richmond Bread Riots and was intrigued by her analysis of the event itself and the deeper societal implications. 2020 is certainly off to an outstanding programming start. Ron Kirkwood’s January presentation of material from his book, Too Much For Human Endurance: The George Spangler Farm Hospitals and the Battle of Gettysburg, motivated me to search through the brambles along Granite Schoolhouse Lane for the ruins of the eponymous structure that served as the “other” field hospital on the Spangler property. While the 11th Corps sanctuary at the Spangler homestead has been gloriously restored, it does seem a shame that there’s nothing to mark where the wounded of Caldwell’s Division were treated, and I continue to be in conversation with Ron about ideas to mark it.

In other news, Roger Heller announced plans for our Spring Field Trip: A Tour of Civil War Harrisburg and Carlisle, scheduled for April 25. I was pleased to see we’ll be visiting Peace Church in Camp Hill. I’d gotten lost trying to find the place last month. (Nancy and I moved here from flat country where the roads are set out in square grids, and I often find myself turned around in Pennsylvania.) I had assumed “Camp Hill” referenced a Civil War encampment. No. It would seem that Peace Church, which dates back to 1798, had gone through a less-than-peaceful membership fracture, the dissidents holding their services on a hill outdoors. Peace Church is but one of a half-dozen stops we’ll be making. Space is limited, so sign up asap.

I’m particularly looking forward to our monthly meeting in March. Years before moving to Gettysburg, I’d purchased a copy of Bradley Gottfried’s The Maps of Gettysburg, then ordered his Brigades of Gettysburg. Engaging with the Round Table, I was surprised and delighted to discover that the author was not only living in the area, but was a member of the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table. He’s been kind enough to share coffee and conversation with me, and can attest that the esteemed historian is an altogether gracious guy. Checking out his Amazon page, the “maps” series is up to seven volumes now, including Antietam, Fredericksburg and the Cavalry of Gettysburg. Other titles include The Artillery of Gettysburg, which was on my 2019 reading list. Brad’s upcoming lecture is titled, The Story of the Point Lookout Civil War Prisoner of War Camp—which will be of particular relevance to our group, as most of the rebels taken prisoner at Gettysburg were held at Point Lookout.

In April, Mary Turk-Meena will speak to The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Retired from the practice of law, Mary was licensed as a Battlefield Guide in 2016. I’ve spent a good part of this winter working on a History of the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table. Piecing together month-by-month listing of programs and speakers, I’ve been impressed that so many of our presenters, dating back to 1957, have been Licensed Battlefield Guides.

The above-mentioned project was started in compliance with a request from the National Round Table Congress for organizational histories, and I am hoping to include some photos. While Lynn Heller has amassed a wonderful digital collection, those only go back a decade or so. If you have pre-digital photos you might scan and send my way (brdgettysburg@gmail.com), I would deeply appreciate it. For that matter, if you have glossies to share, I could scan them myself. The rich history of this organization is beyond anything I could have imagined when I took the presidency and I am determined to document it. You’ll surely be hearing more about this, including gaps in the time-line I hope to fill.

To repeat what Nurse Lynn told us: Wash your hands with sanitizer, cover any cough with the crook of your arm, and stay home if you’re feeling sick. The Civil War encampments were incubators for disease and we don’t want any such thing for you.