The Savior of Little Round Top Gouverneur K. Warren

318th Regular Meeting Volume 33 Number 7 March 6, 2015

Friday, March 6, 2015, 7:30 p.m. failed to secure Little Round Top. At once, War- ren galloped off to find men to defend the vital Arlington Heights Historical Museum 110 West Fremont Street, Arlington Heights, Illinois height. Among the troops he brought back with him, of course, were Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and the Gouverneur K. 20th Maine, who soon earned their own brand of renown on the rocky south slope of that promi- Warren nence. In total, Warren rushed two brigades into position, and by doing so garnered the credit for being “the Savior of Little Round Top.” If he did nothing else in the war, that act would immortal- ize him. There is little question that Warren was a highly intelligent, even gifted man. He entered West Point at the age of 16, graduating in 1850, second in his class. This ranking gained him entry into the antebellum army's elite topographical en- gineering branch. In 1861, as a native New Robert Girardi Yorker, he served as lieutenant colonel of the famed 5th New York Zouaves, fighting in Vir- ginia in 1861 and ’62. He soon commanded a bri- wonder how many of our members have been gade in the Army of the Potomac, seeing heavy to Gettysburg, taken the tour, parked at Little action on the Peninsula and at 2nd Bull Run. I Round Top, and had their picture taken with Had a bullet found him on Little Round Top the statue of Warren there? It is a favorite place that day, doubtless Warren, like Union General for group photos, tourist poses, and just plain “I- John F. Reynolds (who was killed on July 1), was-there” pictures. Here Warren earned undying would stand unblemished in Civil War lore. But fame on the afternoon of July 2, 1863, when he Warren survived, going on to command an army rode to the crest of the hill, looked out over the corps under Ulysses S. Grant and Meade in 1864. rugged ground to the west, and saw long lines of He was at times a difficult subordinate. As the Confederate infantry approaching, with no Feder- war drew to a close in April 1865, however, so als to meet them. too did Warren's career come to a shocking end, Warren commanded no troops that day, serving when he ran afoul of yet another Union com- instead on Union General George Meade's staff. It mander, Philip Sheridan, at Five Forks. was his function as Meade's chief engineer that Robert Girardi is a prolific historian of our brought Warren up that hill, surveying the key Civil War. He has authored or co-authored ten terrain of the Union left flank. Here he discovered books on the subject, working with many of the that another Union general, Daniel E. Sickles, had best names in the trade. His latest work, co-

Save June 5 for the annual banquet authored with Paula Walker, tackles this fascinat- nois Civil War Round Table. Please join us for his ing, controversial figure. The Soldiers' General: presentation. Major General Gouverneur K. Warren and the If you would like to join us for dinner with Rob Civil War is certain to be another fine addition to Girardi at Sam’s of Arlington restaurant, 1863 our understanding of the Army of the Potomac. West Central Road, Arlington Heights, at 5:30 Girardi is a detective with the Chicago Police De- p.m. before the meeting on March 6, please con- partment, a member of numerous round tables, a tact Denise Limburg at [email protected] or ceaseless promoter of all things historical in the (847) 382-1022 by Wednesday, March 4. — Dave state, and a welcome friend to us at Northern Illi- Powell

Civil War Movies By Dave Corbett

n the evening of February 6, 2015, Pro- Allardice explained that Gone with the Wind, fessor Bruce Allardice of South Subur- based on the best-selling novel of the same name, O ban College, an author and a member or with an unprecedented media blitz (which actress officer of a would portray number of Chi- Scarlett in the cago-area round film?) and an tables, presented Academy The Civil War Award-winning in the Movies. cast (including Relying only Hattie McDan- slightly on the iel, who was aid of Power cast as Mammy Point to illus- and who be- trate the selected came the first movie titles and African- to showcase the American to actors, the ever- win an Oscar) affable Allardice emerged not stated that al- only as the though there are most famous almost one hun- Civil War– dred Civil War Gone with the Wind Glory themed film but or Civil War– also as one of related films, some even antedating the iconic si- the top ten of the 100 best American films. Al- lent film The Birth of a Nation, he would limit his though critically and popularly acclaimed, the focus to three films he considered indicative of film was criticized for its portrayal of amenable not only the genre but also of generational inter- slaves, a thinly veiled reference to the Ku Klux pretation of the themes of each. Klan, and its Lost Cause appeal. The three films featured were the Hollywood Shenandoah, starring Jimmy Stewart as a paci- mega-blockbuster Gone with the Wind (1939), fist, non-slave-holding Virginia farmer, reflected Shenandoah (1965), and Glory (1989). the growing disillusionment and antiwar attitudes of the 1960s. The film portrays the farmer trying Page 2 drum roll, March 2015 to remain neutral in war- travails of its white colo- torn Virginia until the con- nel, Robert Gould Shaw. flict affects his family. Boasting a solid cast, the From the antiwar Shen- film was well received and andoah, Allardice neatly increased the African- segued to Glory , a war American presence and drama that brought to the perspective in the pantheon large screen the story of of Civil War filmography. the formation of the most As Allardice opined in famous of the U.S. Col- his all-too-brief discussion, ored Troops, the 54th he could talk about Civil Massachusetts Volunteer War movies all night long. Infantry Regiment, and the Shenandoah Perhaps another time.

March Events

March 10, Battlefield Balladeers will perform at and nurses of the 17th Corps medical staff. Helen the Palos Park Public Library, 12330 South Forest Miam will speak on Civil War Nurse Mary Ann Glen Boulevard, 7 p.m. More information is avail- Bickerdyke, 11 a.m., Saturday. Bob Kahn will able at http://battlefieldballadeers.weebly.com/. speak on A Recipe for Success: Lizzie Kander March 11, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. Lin- and the Settlement Cookbook, 1 p.m., Saturday. coln Lore Discussion Group will cover Lincoln March 19, McHenry County Civil War Round the Congressman, noon. Topics arise from the Table. Ed Urban will speak on Colonel C. R. Ellet museum’s collection of Lincoln Lore Bulletins, and the Sage River of the Queen of the West and first published by the Louis A. Warren Lincoln Ironclad Indianola. Library and Museum in 1928. Links for March 20, Salt Creek Civil War Round Table. downloading each session’s Bulletin can be found Samuel Blackwell will speak on the 20th Illinois at www.thecivilwarmuseum.org. Information on Cavalry. all Civil War Museum programs is available at March 21, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. (262) 653-4140 or www.thecivilwarmuseum.org. Civil War Expo will feature living history, heri- March 12, Lake County Civil War Round Table. tage groups, and Civil War round tables from Dick Stilling will speak on President Abraham around the Midwest, who will present samples of Lincoln’s Assassination. their programming to introduce visitors to their March 13, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. Civil War interpretation, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Paul Trevor Steinbach will speak on the Other Civil Johnson will speak on William W. Robinson, War Prison Camps in Illinois, noon. Program Colonel of the 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, sponsored by the Milwaukee Civil War Round 1 p.m. The Old Soldier Fiddlers will present a Table and the Iron Brigade Association. musical concert, 2:30 p.m. March 13, Chicago Civil War Round Table. Tho- March 25, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. Lin- mas Huntington will speak on Searching for coln Lore Discussion Group will cover Lincoln’s George Gordon Meade. Co-Workers and Staff, noon. Topics arise from March 1414––––15,15, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. the museum’s collection of Lincoln Lore Bulle- Civil War Medical Weekend will feature living tins, first published by the Louis A. Warren Lin- history, programs, and exhibits commemorating coln Library and Museum in 1928. Links for the role of physicians, nurses, and caregivers dur- downloading each session’s Bulletin can be found ing the Civil War as presented by the surgeons at www.thecivilwarmuseum.org. drum roll, March 2015 page 3 February Raffle The February raffle winners were Dick Onnen, who won Eye of the Storm by Robert Knox Sne- den , donated by Emil Bahnmaier; Fred Reczko- wicz, who won The New Gettysburg Campaign 2014–15 Officers and Trustees Handbook by J. David Petruzzi and Steven President David Powell Stanley; Mike Brown, who won The Civil War: A 1st Vice President Patrick McCormick Visual History book and CD; Bruce Allardice, 2nd Vice President Pending who won The Civil War: Mine Run to Meridian Secretary Bruce Allardice by Shelby Foote; and Lynda Caselton, who won Treasurer Tom Defranco, Jr. Corresponding Sec. Sarah McDougall Clouds of Glory: The Life and Legend of Robert Membership Jerry Allen E. Lee by Michael Korda. Historian Kathleen Lange Congratulations to the winners and sincere Trustee Charles Carr thanks to the donors. To donate Civil War–related Trustee Danielle Kafka Trustee Charles Brenneman books or items, please contact Charlie Banks. Trustee Wayne Rhine Trustee Kathleen Lange Trustee Alisa Corsi Women's Civil War Book Club The next book for the Civil War book club for Appointed Positions Book Raffle Charles Banks women is Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival by Jennifer Chia- Newsletter Editor Sally Smith verini. The group will meet to discuss the book at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2015, at the home of Kathleen Lange, 1458 East Olive Street, Pala- tine. If you are interested in joining the group, March Saturday Discussion contact Denise Limburg at (847) 382-1022 or All members and guests are invited to participate [email protected], or Mary Banks at in the session to be held at the Hoffman Estates [email protected] or (847) 497-3149. Community Bank, 1375 Palatine Road, Hoffman Estates, on Saturday, March 21, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. Attendees are asked to park in the Book Discussion Group adjacent lot rather than in spaces provided for The Civil War book discussion group led by Tom bank customers. The topic of the day will be the DeFranco at the Eisenhower Library, 4613 North end of the war in Virginia, March–April 1865. Oketo Avenue, Harwood Heights, meets on the These discussions are generally held on the first Saturday of the month from 10:00 until 11:30 third Saturday of the month from September a.m. On March 7, 2015, they will discuss Benton- through June. They are held to generate and foster ville by Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes, Jr. a free exchange of ideas on events that transpired during the Civil War. 2014–2015 Speakers April 3, Dr. Frank Varney will speak on General In Memoriam Grant and the Re-writing of History. Word has been received of the passing of Michael May 1, Eric Wittenberg will speak on John S. Abroe, husband of member Mary Abroe, on Buford at Gettysburg. February 9, 2015. We extend our condolences to June 5, Chris Kolakowski will speak on the Naval his family. War in 1864.

To learn more about this Round Table call Jerry Allen at (847) 516-6429 or visit our website at www.northernilcwrt.org