September 2017 Vol XXXIII, No 1

Thurs Sept 14

Jack Battick: The U.S. Navy in the Civil War

The history of the Civil War has heretofore focused almost exclusively on the campaigns and battles “on land.” But recent scholarship has begun to examine how the war was carried on at sea. In this talk, Dr. Battick will be presenting insights into the naval side of the struggle, comparative facts, the role of emerging technologies, significant interactions between the federal army and navy, and some long‐lasting effects of that struggle on the U.S. and the world economy.

As a maritime state, Maine was especially affected by the war at sea. Besides providing a significant number of recruits into the federal navy, the shipping interests of Maine were drastically injured by the war and were not significantly recovered after the war. Dr. Battick’s thesis is that while the Navy did not ”win” the war, its activities and very presence strongly affected the war on land and prevented the breaking up of the United States.

John F. (“Jack”) Battick was born in 1932, son of a career sailor in the U.S. Navy. As service dependents, his family traveled widely across the U.S., to China, to Puerto Rico, and finally to Hawaii where he USS Wassuc was the only Monitor class vessel built in Maine. graduated in 1950 from Roosevelt High School, Honolulu. A veteran of the Korean War, he served on a submarine based at New London.

Dr. Battick earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in History from Boston University, taught English history, early modern European history, and maritime and naval history courses at the University of Maine until his retirement in Maine‐built, Unadilla class “ninety‐day gunboats,” like the Katahdin, were part 1995. He still teaches adult education courses of Admiral David Farragut’s West Gulf Blockade Squadron, shown here in Orono and Dover‐ capturing Forts Jackson and St. Phillips in April 1862. Lithograph: Currier & Ives. Foxcroft. His articles and book reviews have appeared in scholarly journals in the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Battick is Past Camp Commander of the Daniel Chapman Camp #3, Department of Maine, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and is past president of the Maine Genealogical Society.

JLC CWRT meetings are the second Thursday of each month:

7:00 pm Morrell Room Curtis Memorial Library 23 Pleasant St, Brunswick ME

Weather Cancellations: Channels 6, 8, 13 If the Library closes due to a storm, the meeting will be cancelled. Members will receive an email notification of cancellation from the CWRT Secretary.

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News from Headquarters From the President – Dan Cunningham

I hope you all had a wonderful summer. As I write this we are enjoying warm days, cool nights and low humidity. Weather like this is why I am glad I grew up and continue to enjoy living in Maine. Another reason I enjoy living in Maine is because of the wonderful people I’ve met through the Joshua L. Chamberlain Civil War Round Table. I’ve been a member since 1994 and a Board member since 2002.

This past year was a very successful one for the Round Table. We started off with a bank balance of almost $4,100 versus around $2,400 a year ago. We have maintained and even increased our membership by several new members. The reason for our success is due to those people who volunteered to help out the organization by serving on the Board of Trustees. Over half of our Board and committee members were new last year. Not only did they do a great job but they came up with several new fundraising ideas, which were very successful.

Our success is also attributable to you, our members. Without your memberships, your participation in the book raffle and other fundraising efforts we would not exist today. I can’t thank you enough. In order to continue our success, I hope you will renew your memberships when they come due and continue to participate in our various methods of raising money for the JLC CWRT. In addition, if you know of people who might be interested in our organization please invite them to our meetings. Last year we averaged 60 people per meeting and it would be great if we could increase that number in the upcoming year.

In addition to our book raffle and the Adopt‐a‐Speaker program we will have two efforts to raise cash in the upcoming year. Carol and Dave Manchester will once again be selling coffee. As was the case last year, the Chamberlain CWRT will receive $3.50 for every bag of coffee sold. A few friends have told me that the coffee was excellent and they wished they had bought more of it last year.

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We also will be doing a silent auction but in a different format this year. Instead of doing one auction we will be doing a series of smaller auctions. We’ll start off with three multi‐volume sets of books. The names and beginning bid amounts are as follows:

The War Years / Carl Sandburg, vol.1-4 – beginning bid $20.00

Photographic History of the Civil War / Francis Miller, vol. 1-4 – beginning bid $50.00

Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, vol. 1-4 – beginning bid $25.00

These are items that you can see and bid on during the Sept and Oct meetings. All three of these multi‐volume sets were generously donated by Jay Stencil.

If you have any items other than books that you would like to donate, we thought it might be fun to put them in a silent auction. We could then have perhaps several silent auctions throughout the year for you to participate in. Of course, book donations are still welcome and we’ll continue to put them in our monthly book raffle.

Although our current and immediate future looks good with a strong bank balance and a full Board of Trustees, we are starting to look out beyond our 2018/2019 season. We want to continue to maintain a good financial position and to acquire ideas from our members for strengthening our CWRT. To that end we would like to invite those of you who are interested to a brief meeting (approximately ½ hour) after our October meeting as we did a year and a half ago. We are in a good position now and we want to make sure we maintain that position for the future. All are welcome to join us. Remember that the people on the Board of Trustees are just stewards for the Round Table. The Round Table actually belongs to you, our members, and your ideas and participation are very welcome.

Once again thank you for being members and I hope to see you at our Sept 14 meeting.

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JLC CWRT Board of Trustees – 2017/18 President: Dan Cunningham (729‐9520) Vice President: Gardner Shaw (703‐472‐8618) Treasurer: Paul Lariviere (724‐2414) Secretary: Steve Garrett (956‐8729, cell 607‐9713) [email protected] Program Coordinator: Bill Attick (726‐4685) Members: Steve Bunker, Lucy Cunningham, Carol Manchester, Ken McAfee

From the Secretary – Steve Garrett

I join with Dan in welcoming all Joshua L. Chamberlain Civil War Round Table members and visitors to another year of meetings, presentations and companionship. Bill Attick has put together another great series of speakers and presentations for all of us to enjoy, consider and, yes, maybe debate.

I’m new to this position as I’ve moved from being your Vice President to being your Secretary. Additionally, I will continue to lead our membership drive. I ask each of you who have any ideas on how to bring new members into the Round Table, please bring those ideas to me. Our email address listed below is on our Tri‐fold brochure as well.

As we look around our communities and the current national environment, it is important that we take the opportunity to teach and discuss our Civil War heritage openly and honestly. We must not let the political pundits kidnap the truth of our history, or define it for our students and children. There were events, leaders, common soldiers and citizens of the Civil War era who have much to teach us. Let’s learn from them and share our history.

Secondly, please review our Joshua L. Chamberlain Civil War Round Table Facebook page and/or our Tri‐fold brochure. If you have any ideas relative to expanding our membership, ideas for the Facebook page, Tri‐fold brochure, or would be willing to develop a website for us, please contact me at our email address:

[email protected]

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Lastly, I’m also the leader of our affiliated Civil War & History Book‐Club. We are beginning this year at our first meeting reading and discussing Thomas W. Hyde’s Following the Greek Cross, or Memories of the Sixth Army Corps. Bath’s son, Bowdoin student, founder of Bath Iron Works and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his leadership at Antietam, Hyde details his experiences during the war in this memoir, which is well written by one of our local heroes. If you can, please join us for our book club meeting (at People Plus) on September 18. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you at our regular JLC CWRT meeting this Thursday, September 14 at the Curtis Library on Pleasant St.

Treasurer’s Update – Paul Lariviere Quick Stats – Sept: Meeting: June 8, 2017 Speaker: James DuFresne: They Met at Appomattox Attendance: 54 Book Raffle tickets sold: 83 In‐Kind Donations: 7 books Book prizes distributed: 11

INCOME: NET Loss for June: $50.00 Memberships (241.05) NET Loss $74.00 Book Raffle revenue $34.00 Cash Donations YEAR‐TO‐DATE $43.00 Book Sales Bank Balance, June 30, 2017: $4,095.39 $0.00 Adopt‐a‐Speaker Total Revenues: $3,998.50 $201.00 TOTAL Cash Income for June Total Expenses: $2,295.03 NET Income: $1,703.47 EXPENSES: $42.05 Speaker Dinner $400.00 Morrell Room Rental $442.05 TOTAL Expenses for June

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Adopt‐A‐Speaker – Dinner Host Program In conjunction with its Adopt‐A‐Speaker setup, the JLC CWRT maintains a Dinner Host program. With this arrangement, members who donate to the Adopt‐A‐Speaker program at the “General” level have the opportunity to have dinner with a visiting speaker at Richard’s Restaurant in Brunswick. Under this program, the CWRT pays for dinner for the speaker, and the host pays for his/her own dinner.

See the last page of the newsletter to enroll in the Adopt‐A‐Speaker program. Please contact Paul Lariviere (Treasurer) to make arrangements to host a specific speaker, at least one week before the program.

Sept 14 Jack Battick The U.S. Navy in the Civil War Oct 12 Diane Moore Smith Chamberlain at Petersburg Nov 9 Tim Kindred Civil War Field Hospitals – 1864‐65 Dec 14 Tom Desjardin Myth of the Chamberlain‐Spear Controversy and other Stories Jan 11 Frank Goodyear (at Bowdoin Museum of Art) Discussion of Rare Image of Lincoln Inauguration And other Artifacts of the Civil War Feb 8 Mike Bell The Iron Brigade Mar 8 Steve Bunker Civil War in the West Apr 12 Neil Smith Two Maine Regiments: 22nd Maine Infantry and 2nd Maine Cavalry May 10 Elizabeth Hallaet Mourning Customs during the Civil War Era Jun 14 Will Greene Battle of the Crater, Petersburg

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Field Report Historical Perspectives from our Members

Bowdoin Heroes honored at First Parish Church, August 2, 1865 by Noma Petroff

This summer marks the 300th Anniversary of the First Parish Church here in Brunswick. Throughout its history, many events relating to Bowdoin College were held at the First Parish Church. One historic event was the Commencement of August 1865, which honored all alumni, both returning and fallen, who had fought to preserve the Union. It was also the occasion when the College awarded an honorary degree to Ulysses S. Grant, Lieutenant General of the Union Army.

Among the “bronzed heroes” who sat on the platform with General Grant were five men who would later be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for their heroic acts on the battlefield.

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Henry Clay Wood (Bowdoin ’54), 11th U.S. Infantry was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, April 10, 1861. Lieutenant Wood, after being wounded, held his company of recruits together and led them in an orderly retreat from Ray’s Cornfield while under heavy Confederate musket fire. [Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Library Collection ] http://www.civilwarvirtualmuseum.org/1861‐ 1862/battle‐of‐wilsons‐creek/henry‐c‐woods.php After the war, Wood would stay in the military, eventually rising to the level of Brigadier General.

Brunswick’s First Parish Church celebrates its 300th Oliver Otis Howard (Bowdoin ’50) Anniversary in 2017. On probably no other occasion were was Brigadier General, U.S. more Civil War heroes present than on August 2, 1865, when Volunteers. On June 1, 1862, at five future Medal of Honor recipients sat on the platform with Seven Pines, Fair Oaks, Virginia, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. Howard led the 61st New York in an infantry charge, severely wounding his right arm, which had to be amputated.

Thomas Worcester Hyde (Bowdoin ’61), who had led the procession from the chapel to greet General Grant at the train station was a Major in the 7th Maine at Antietam/Sharpsburg, Maryland, on September 17, 1862. He “led his regiment in an assault on a strong body of the enemy’s infantry and kept up the fight until the greater part of his men had been killed or wounded, bringing the remainder safely out of the fight.”

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Bowdoin ’52) was Colonel of the 20th Maine at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, where he showed “Daring heroism and great tenacity in holding his position against repeated assaults” finally driving the enemy off Little Round Top with a bold bayonet charge (so famously depicted in the film “Gettysburg”).

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Charles Porter Mattocks (Bowdoin ’62) was a Major of the 17th Maine at Sayler’s Creek, Virginia, on April 6, 1865. Upon the wounding of his lieutenant colonel, Mattocks took command under heavy fire. He ran to the color bearers, shouting, “Give me the flag!” He then led his men in a charge over the rifle pits and into the Confederate ranks. In the Bowdoin’s Memorial Hall (Pickard Theater) contains bronze plaques surprise assault, his regiment honoring 300 alumni who fought to preserve the Union. A good number of captured over a hundred those men were present at the First Parish Church on August 2, 1865, when soldiers, twelve officers, and the College honored the returning soldiers, and those who had fallen. two battle flags. [Charles Mattocks – Unspoiled Heart: the Journal of Charles Mattocks of the 17th Maine, p. xiii]

Other heroes on stage that day included:

John Francis Appleton (Bowdoin ’62) Captain in the 12th Maine Infantry. At the Battle of Port Hudson, Louisiana, in July 1863, "Capt. Appleton alone, among ten thousand men who fought that day, mounted the Rebel parapet and stood there facing the whole Rebel Army, a mark for a thousand rifles ... A Confederate officer told me, after the surrender, that as he saw that young man standing there so calm and brave, he could not bear to see him die, and he told his men not to fire upon him." [Wikipedia ] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Appleton and

Jeremiah Howard Gilman (Bowdoin ’54) of Thomaston, Maine, was appointed chief of U.S. Artillery for the Army of the Cumberland. In his later obituary, the New York Times reported that Lieutenant Gilman fired the first rifle shot in the war, while on duty at Fort Pickens, in Pensacola, Florida. With Lieutenant Slemmer and seventy soldiers, Gilman held Fort Pickens, against an attack of 5,000 Confederates under the direction of General Braxton Bragg. [New York Times, August 27, 1909]

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In 1904 the Trustees of Bowdoin College included several Civil War veterans. Medal of Honor recipients are Joshua Chamberlain (fourth from the right) and Oliver O. Howard (third from the right). Another veteran is Thomas H. Hubbard, seated on the far left of the photo. One more hero on the stage that day was Thomas Hamlin Hubbard (Bowdoin ’57) was Lieutenant Colonel of the 30th Maine. In May 1864, a fleet of Union gunboats was stranded on the Red River by a drop in the water level. As Confederate forces fired on the boats from the shore, Hubbard used his Yankee ingenuity engineering to construct the famous Red River Dam, built with logs, for a breathtaking rescue of the fleet. [Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hamlin_Hubbard Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States http://www.suvcw.org/mollus/art008.htm ]

But not all the local heroes were Bowdoin men, and some were not even men. It is a tradition of the town to say that the Civil War started and ended in Brunswick. In 1850, Harriet Beecher Stowe – while sitting in the same Church where Grant received his honorary degree – had her vision of Uncle Tom being beaten to death, and resolved to write a novel to stir the nation against slavery. According to legend, when President Lincoln met her, he commented, “So you are the little lady who started this big war!” She wrote that book on campus, at her husband’s office in Appleton Hall. Across the street from the Church is Joshua Chamberlain’s house. Locals take pride in Chamberlain’s chivalrous treatment of the Confederate forces who approached him to surrender their weapons at Appomattox in April of 1865, which marked the end of the War. Source: Understanding Ulysses S. Grant: Character, Context, and Stories, Chapter 31

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Around the Campfire News from our Members

Effort to Save Gettysburg’s Camp Letterman Hospital

Member Virginia Gage notified us of a recent article in the Civil War Times regarding an ongoing effort to save Camp Letterman, which is just outside the Gettysburg Battlefield park boundary. Camp Letterman was the first general hospital placed on a battlefield. Before that, they were always in major cities, and were wooden hospitals with barracks.

Camp Letterman was a tent hospital serving almost 4,000 Union and Confederate soldiers. It operated from July 22 ‐ November 20, 1863, for those casualties who were too badly wounded to move by train to any other hospital. It was staffed by the Army medical corps with substantial help from the U.S. Sanitary Commission and the U.S. Christian Commission.

Only 8 of the original 80 acres of Camp Letterman have been preserved. The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association has been trying to save more of the original land from development for the past 20 years. Go to this link to read more about the project, and find the address for a letter writing campaign to bring the land owner‐developers to the negotiating table. http://www.historynet.com/interview‐glen‐hayes‐camp‐letterman‐campaign.htm

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Formation of Commission in Richmond

In late June Richmond, VA, Mayor Levar Stoney announced the formation of a commission to study what to do with the city's Confederate monuments. Member Virginia Gage sent us this interview with the Mayor, which was aired on National Public Radio on June 25. Click the link to read more about this complicated and controversial issue. http://www.npr.org/2017/06/25/534286455/commission‐to‐add‐context‐to‐ richmonds‐confederate‐monuments

John P. Sheahan: Civil War Vet and Bowdoin Medical School Graduate By Lucy Cunningham

On July 4 a note in the Bowdoin Daily Sun highlighted an article in the Carroll County (MD) Times. The article is titled, "Chance meeting led Civil War soldier from Maine to marry Westminster native." John Sheahan, from Dennysville, Washington County, enlisted in August 1862 as a private in Company K, 1st Maine Cavalry. His regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and some time before fighting at Gettysburg John became acquainted with Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Shriver. She was the daughter of staunch Union supporter, Francis Shriver, who may have invited some cavalrymen to his home for dinner when they were near Westminster in late June 1863.

The article goes on to describe how John and Lizzie's relationship grew over the next few years of the war, Medical School at Bowdoin College, settling down in northern Maine to practice medicine, and the couple's eventual burial back in Carroll County. The author cites the Maine Historical Society as the source of John's journals, letters, photographs, and other items that John's family left for posterity to read and enjoy. http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/columnists/features/history/ph‐cc‐ yesteryears‐061117‐20170608‐story.html

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Authoritative New Website Offers Wealth of Documents and Information on Joshua Chamberlain By Steve Garrett

Susan Natale has developed an amazing website that all admirers of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain or researchers need to know and use. Within the website are J.L. Chamberlain’s : speeches, writings, regimental histories, documents & newspapers, letters, list of books , references and an index of the content within the website. It is amazingly thorough. Ms. Natale was a guest speaker at the Pejepscot Historical Society's biannual Chamberlain Days celebration. She has provided us a tool not to be missed. Grab your computer, tablet, or smart phone and go to www.joshualawrencechamberlain.com .

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Civil War & History Book Club – Mon, Sept 18 The Round Table has sponsored a book club for many years. Anyone and everyone is invited to join and participate in our discussions, debates, and treats. We know you will enjoy the reads and the lively discussion.

We meet the third Monday of each month at 7 PM at People Plus, 35 Union Street in Brunswick – or dates determined by the book club. We have selected the following books and dates:

Sep 18 – Following the Greek Cross or Memories of the Sixth Army Corp – Thomas W. Hyde

Oct 16 – A Bridge Too Far: The Classic History of the Greatest Battle of World War II – Cornelius Ryan

Nov 13 – The War That Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters – James McPherson

Dec 18 – Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria‐Hungary – 1914‐1918 – Alexander Watson

Jan 22 – The Rise of U.S. Grant – Col. Arthur L. Conger

Feb 12 – Jefferson Davis, American – William J. Cooper, Jr.

Mar 12 – Miss Lizzie’s War: The Double Life of a Southern Belle Spy, Elizabeth Van Lew – Rosemary Agonito

Apr 16 – The First Heroes: The Extraordinary Story of the Doolittle Raid, America’s First WWII Victory – Craig Nelson

May 14 – Company Aytch or a Side Show of the Big Show: A Memoir of the Civil War – Sam Watkins

Jun 18 – Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War – Edwin C. Bearss

On Sept 18, the Book Club will discuss the surprising career of Thomas W. Hyde, a Bath native and Bowdoin College graduate, whose Civil War heroism in VI Corps earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor. Hyde eventually became the

15 founder of one of North America's most important shipyards, Bath Iron Works. You are sure to enjoy Hyde’s adventures – as well as his witty and humorous assessment of soldiering life. All are welcome – please join us! – Steve Garrett

Bookshelf – A Few Good Reads

Following the Greek Cross, or Memories of the Sixth Army Corps. Thomas W. Hyde. New introduction by Eric J. Mink. University of South Carolina Press. Columbia, South Carolina, 2005. (First edition published by Houghton Mifflin, 1894.)

General Thomas Worcester Hyde—war hero and Medal of Honor recipient, State Senator, President of the Senate, Mayor of Bath and founder of Bath Iron Works—wrote one of the classic memoirs of the Civil War. Considered by Allan Nevins, James I. Robertson Jr. and Bell I. Wiley in their Civil War Books: A Critical Bibliography they called Following the Greek Cross “an excellent memoir” and one of the best books on the Civil War.

It is his personal memory of what he experienced during his four years of service. He was careful not to call it a history, as a line officer saw only what was within his purview. It is a well written and presented memoir of one young man’s experiences: descriptions of daily camp life, adventurous escapades and battles. He shares his experiences with insight and sometimes humor: for example, when a cannon ball hit the sergeant’s haversack and they were bombed with hardtack, or when he and a friend rode into a hostile small town and the young girls smiled and waved instead of showing the usual hostility. The Confederate cavalry was waiting on the other side of town, but they escaped as their suspicion was rewarded.

There was loss of friends and mentors. Hyde’s description of General John Sedgewick’s death is poignant, as Sedgewick had been like a father to his young staff members, including Hyde. But Hyde was not bashful in his descriptions of some generals’ poor judgment.

All of this makes for an enjoyable and rewarding read. Published originally in 1894 and most recently published by The South Carolina Press in 2005 with a new “Introduction” and an “Index” added, this is a book we should read. Thomas W. Hyde—a local hero, Medal of Honor recipient, and successful businessman— deserves no less.

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– Steven Garrett (Amazon provides a Look‐Inside feature to preview the book.) https://www.amazon.com/Following‐Greek‐Memories‐American‐ Classics/dp/1570036063/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505091028&sr=1‐ 1&keywords=thomas+w+hyde+greek+cross

The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War. Howard Bahr. Picador, Henry Holt & Company. New York, 1997.

Periodically reading a good novel—i.e. a well written story—can put you into the event that the best of historians cannot duplicate with facts, strategy, maneuvers and heroic officers. The Black Flower is a story about the aftermath of a major battle, its consequences to the combatants and to their caretakers.

One of the central characters is Bushrod Carter, a twenty‐six‐year‐ old private in the 23rd Mississippi infantry regiment, Army of Tennessee, university graduate, and a combat veteran (Shiloh, Stones River, etc.) having been with the unit since its forming. The Army of Tennessee is now under the command of John Bell Hood. And Bushrod Carter and the 23rd Mississippi are forming up to attack across a large open field as part of Hood’s attack at Franklin, Tennessee.

The other main character is Anna Margaret Hereford, twenty‐four, green eyed and unmarried. She is visiting her cousin Caroline McGavock and Caroline’s husband John to get away from the war, but it has found her. The McGavock home is on the battlefield and is to be a Confederate hospital.

The emotional relationship during their short time together is the core of this story. It investigates human response to combat, loss, stress, denial and bonding in a very difficult situation. Anna finds herself in the unbelievable environment of death and blood everywhere. Bushrod, wounded and having lost most of his comrades in an ill planned attack, finds himself in the care of Anna. Their struggle to understand what has happened and to make some sense of it, draws them together to help each other through this experience. Bushrod, fearing the surgeons, ignores the pain in his wound and begins to fail. Anna, recognizing he is not just a simple soldier boy, and without the experiences he has endured struggles to help him, but

17 it is ultimately too late. The story ends with Anna saying to him, “I could have loved you soldier boy!”

This is not a Blue against Gray, but a story of how people cope and suffer. This is a good read that humanizes Civil War combat and its costs. It is worth a trip to the library, bookstore or an online provider. This is a story not usually told.

– Steven Garrett (Amazon link.) https://www.amazon.com/Black‐Flower‐Novel‐Civil‐ War/dp/0312265077/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505091982&sr=1‐ 1&keywords=howard+bahr+the+black+flower+a+novel+of+the+civil+war

Duty Roster JLC CWRT Membership committee thanks the following members. New Members: Peter Cole David H. Wilson

Renewals: Dan & Lucy Cunningham David Eye Edward & Susan Fitz‐patrick Cynthia Hill Ed & Nancy Langbein Deb & Chris Milite Jay & Nancy Stencil

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Community Calendar — Upcoming Events and Such

Midcoast Senior College course organized by the JLC CWRT for Fall 2017 African Americans and the Civil War: Precursors through Aftermath The role and status of Americans of African descent was THE major issue in the conflict that led to the American Civil War. African‐Americans played important roles during the war as well. The war and post‐war years created the cultural and political structures that continue to define much of American society and politics. This course offers a series of presentations by different individuals on topics that will broaden our understanding of historical events in this pivotal period in our history. Course consists of eight separate presentations, several of which will be done by our own members. (Sept 15 – Nov 3)

Sept 15 – Susan Bowditch – From Africans to African Americans in New England: A brief overview Sept 22 – Cathi Belcher – Harriet Beecher Stowe: The Little Lady Who Started That Great War Sept 29 – Patrick Rael – Slavery, Antislavery, and the Coming of the Civil War Oct 6 – Noma Petroff – African Americans in the U.S. Colored Troops Oct 13 – Candace Kanes – From Slavery to Maine Oct 20 – Adam Tuchinsky – Republican Dilemmas: The Promise and Perils of Reconciliation, and Reconstruction Oct 27 – Leroy Rowe – Beyond Reconstruction Nov 3 – Barbara Demarais – Brunswick’s Hidden Community

For information, and registration, check the Midcoast Senior College website: 22nd U.S.C.T. capturing a howitzer at Petersburg, https://midcoastseniorcollege.org/ June 16, 1864. Based on a battlefield sketch by E.F. Click the link to Fall 2017 courses. Registration Mullen. date immediately. For more information, call Gardner Shaw at 703‐472‐8618.

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Index – Sept 2017 * Speaker 1 Jack Battick: The U.S. Navy in the Civil War * News from Headquarters 3 President’s Note 5 Secretary’s Note 6 Treasurer’s Update 7 Adopt‐A‐Speaker dates – Dinner Host Program

* Field Reports 8 Noma Petroff – When Bowdoin Heroes were honored at First Parish Church

* Around the Campfire – News from Members 12 Saving Camp Letterman 13 Richmond’s Monument Commission 13 John P. Sheahan: Civil War Vet, Maine Medical School Graduate 15 Civil War & History Book Club 16 Bookshelf – A Few Good Reads – Review: Following the Greek Cross: Thomas Hyde The Black Flower: Howard Bahr 18 Duty Roster – Member/Donor List 19 Community Calendar – Midcoast Senior College

Want to share announcements or stories with the Newsletter? Please keep formatting simple. You may send Word docs, Word Perfect, or even plain e‐ mail notes. (However, PDF’s of articles are difficult to process.) Send photos as an attachment; do not embed them in the article.

Send submissions to Lucy Cunningham at [email protected] by the 15th of each month.

Did you know: Most e‐mail servers give you the option for the Newsletter to “view online” or “download PDF.” Viewing online is quick – but downloading the PDF actually gives you more options – as the links are live, and text and photos can be easily enlarged for easier viewing.

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MEMBERSHIP & ADOPT‐A‐SPEAKER

Name______E‐mail address (required for Newsletter)______Phone______Address______City/State/Zip______Date______Please Print clearly MEMBERSHIP ___ New Member ___ Renewal ___ Individual $25 ___ Family $35 ___ Student $15

___ Additional Donation for JLC CWRT ______TOTAL Membership

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ADOPT‐A‐SPEAKER ___ General $50 (Generals – see page 3 for Speaker Host program) ___ Colonel $40 ___ Major $30 ___ Captain $20 ___ Lieutenant $10 ______TOTAL Adopt‐A‐Speaker

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______GRAND TOTAL: Membership & Adopt‐A‐Speaker. Make payment:

Chamberlain CWRT PO Box 1046 Brunswick ME 04011‐1046 (Or present payment to Treasurer at meeting)

For more information, please contact [email protected]

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