THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER Notes from the President interpretation of becoming a soldier in afterwards James Ryder Randall the 54th Massachusett- from penned the Poem Maryland My 6/2017 “Plantation to Battlefield”. Our Maryland which became the Official December 12 meeting (note our usual State Song in 1939. In February BCWRT Community: date change for December) will 1861 Abraham Lincoln secretly We have received many positive feature author and Frederick County passed through the Station as comments on the presentations of a Civil War Roundtable member Gary President Elect to avoid number of our recent speakers. Our Dyson discussing his work “The assassination. Frederick Douglass Annual Banquet speaker, Chief Ambush of the Isaac P. Smith, Family and Henry Box Brown and others Historian Emeritus of the National Ties and the Battle on the Stono, Escaped to Freedom on this Park Service Edwin Cole Bearss and January 30, 1863”. We are still Railroad The Station became the May’s talk by Col. (Ret) Kevin J. waiting for a confirmation for our Baltimore Civil War Museum in 1997 Weddle on Admiral Samuel Francis October meeting. and the Friends have continually Du Pont, "Lincoln's Tragic Admiral: IMPORTANT REMINDER: been involved with its development the Life of Samuel Francis Du Pont Remember, we are always looking for including adding a Pennsylvania seem to garner high praise from new members. Invite a friend to our Railroad Caboose. Today the many of you. meetings. The BCWRT has many Museum is Open to the Public You are urged to share your good things happening. Please greeting visitors to Baltimore from all enjoyment by inviting your relatives, spread the word. over the world... friends, neighbors, etc., to attend our Robert L. Ford, meetings and possibly become President members. Dues are $20.00 for individuals and $30.00 for families. How about a membership gift for that Ralph Brooks Vincent recent grad in your family? Please (March 20, 1939-June 18, make checks payable to: BCWRT 2017) and mail to: Ray Atkins, 1204 It is with great sadness that we share Fordham Ct., Belair, MD 21014. the news of the passing of Ralph (410-879-8828). Vincent. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, Ralph was born in Cumberland, MD June 27, at the Parkville Senior and raised in Baltimore. He was a Center. Since June is the traditional lifelong Railroad Buff and Civil War time for love leading to marriage, Preservationist. He passed away author Gene Barr will have a from heart disease suddenly on presentation based on his book; "A Sunday June 18th. Ralph was Civil War Captain and His Lady -Love, employed by Dictaphone after Courtship, and Combat from Fort Service in the U.S. Navy Yorktown, Donelson through the Vicksburg VA. He eventually was employed by Campaign". Westinghouse/ Northrup Grumman Frank Armiger will return to us on July Corp near BWI Airport where he 25 to present the third part of his look retired in 2004 at the age of 65. In at the Battle of Gettysburg. Former 1987 Ralph founded the Friends of BCWRT President Bob Mullauer will President Street Station Inc. a 501c3 Ralph Vincent – Photo courtesy Robert Reyes speak on August 22. His topic will be organization. announced soon. Author Gene In 1995 the Friends successfully Everyone who ever knew Ralph or Schmiel will discuss his book saved the Historic Station, the Site of came and contact with him knew he “Citizen-General: Jacob Dolson Cox the First Bloodshed of the Civil was a gentle soul and a very kind and the Civil War Era”. November 28 War. Currier Ives referred to it as the man. He is survived by His Brother will feature retired NPS employee and Lexington of Baltimore 1861 and Doyle Edward Vincent, Sr., Step- re-enactor Mel Reid in a living history BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER siblings Roy Vincent and Cheryl Ann against which we simply can not the park on April 6, said Nancy Boggs, Nephews Doyle “Ed” Vincent, compete. The staff at Blue & Gray DiPaolo, the department's director of Jr., Russell Vincent, Paul Vincent, headquarters for most of the last internal affairs. nieces Trina Vincent and Dawna decade has consisted of just two The investigation remains open, so Bowen. people — my son Jason and me. DiPaolo could not provide details or Friends and Family can call on While there will be no more issues of comment as to whether Clark's the Kirkley-Ruddick Funeral Home for Blue & Gray, we will continue to reassignment is related. Information Viewing on Sunday June 25th from 3- maintain the website. We are also will be made available to the public at 5 PM & 7-9 PM located at 421 Crain exploring ways to convert unfulfilled an "appropriate time," she said. Hwy SE Glen Burnie, MD subscriptions into credits that can be Clark became the superintendent of 21061. Funeral Services will be held used for back issues and our book the Gettysburg National Military Park on Monday June 26th at 10:00 AM at titles, while supplies last. So, continue and the Eisenhower National Historic the Kirkley-Ruddick Funeral Home. to visit the website for updates. Site in February 2014, Waldbuesser He will be laid to Rest at the Crest This has been a very difficult letter for said. His new assignment is acting Lawn Cemetery in Sykesville, me to write. Since you’ve gotten used chief for the northeast regional MD. Ralph's Brother Doyle to me signing myself “The General” at office's park planning and special has instructed in lieu of flowers the end of every driving tour, I’ll quote studies division, "where he will work donations should be sent on Ralph's a real general, one who faced a far on region-wide planning efforts" for behalf to the Baltimore Civil War more difficult decision, and bid you all the Harper's Ferry Center. Museum. an affectionate farewell. Bill Justice, the superintendent of Vicksburg National Military Park in Blue & Gray Magazine Gettysburg National Mississippi, will serve as acting superintendent, Waldbuesser said. Ceases Publication Military Park Justice has more than 30 years of Announcement from the Publisher superintendent experience with the National Parks Service. I had just turned 30 when my late wife reassigned Robin and I launched the premiere By Dustin B Levy, eveningsun.com, issue of Blue & Gray. That was more May 30, 2017 LeVan cancels Third than a third of a century ago. Then, a Ed Clark, the three-year Gettysburg-area casino few years ago, as I entered my 60s, superintendent of the Gettysburg folks started asking about an exit National Military Park, has been project By Lillian Reed, eveningsun.com, strategy. Did I have one? My answer reassigned, according to a National June 14, 2017 was no, I don’t. I will continue Park Service official. Local businessman David LeVan has publishing Blue & Gray until someone Clark was stationed at the Harper's canceled his third attempt to bring a tells me to stop. Well, that time has Ferry Center in West Virginia as of casino to the Gettysburg area, come. May 26, said Cinda Waldbuesser, the according to a news release. The handwriting is on the wall. After chief of staff for the northeast regional LeVan made the announcement that the Civil War Sesquicentennial the office of the National Parks Service. he will not submit an application for subscriber base has declined to the "Regional directors can use their Pennsylvania's last available casino point we can no longer afford to pay discretion to move staff as needed to and horse racing permit hours before the printer and the post office, the ensure National Park Service needs it was due June 14. costs of preparing the driving tour — are best met." Waldbuesser said in LeVan said the uncertainty which is the hallmark of the an email. "The acting regional surrounding the gaming expansion publication — and rising health care director for the northeast region felt legislation in Harrisburg was the costs. Furthermore, our book this move was in the best interest of reason for canceling his project. business, which helped support our regional and park needs." "I continue to believe that a gaming publishing efforts through the years, The Office of the Inspector General of project would be tremendous for the has all but disappeared with the the U.S. Department of the local Adams County economy, create advent of online discount booksellers, Interior launched an investigation into BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER thousands of jobs, and provide the Northern Central Railroad, the desperately needed funding for The Gettysburg main north-south thoroughfare countless municipal and community through the state, trains loaded with projects,” LeVan said in the release. Campaign’s Forgotten passengers seeking a reprieve from Representatives for the project Railroad Disaster the threat still chugged north towards declined to comment further Wynninghistory.com, June 19, 2017 Sunbury, in the perceived safety of Wednesday. During the Confederate invasion in Northumberland County. This was LeVan's third attempt to June 1863, thousands of That was still true at 1 o’clock in the bring a casino to Adams County. Pennsylvanians fled their homes afternoon of the 19th, when the north- Previous attempts in 2005-06 and seeking shelter from the storm of bound mail train from Baltimore again in 2010 spurred enormous battle. These refugees fled utilizing arrived at the depot in Bridgeport debate between residents — some the Keystone State’s hub of railroads, (now Lemoyne), directly across the supported the proposal because creating harrowing scenes of Susquehanna River from Harrisburg. of potential economic benefits, and confusion in train stations across Those on the platform at the depot others condemned the project for Central Pennsylvania.