Stone Wall March 12
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BRCWRT — Vol. XIX, Issue 2, MARCH 2012 Page 1 The Newsletter of the Bull Run Civil War Round Table — Vol. XIX, Issue 2, MARCH 2012 ALTON TO SPEAK ON THE CONFEDERATE BLOCKADE OF MEMBERSHIP MEETING THE POTOMAC RIVER By Mark Trbovich March 8, 2012 Please join me and welcome Robert Alton at our 7:00 P.M. Centreville Library March meeting as he speaks on this 2012 Sesquicenten- nial event from his new GUEST SPEAKER: book "STRATAGEM 1861 Early Civil War Tactics and the Battle for the Robert H. C. Alton Potomac." TOPIC: The 1861-1862 Confederate Potomac The Confederate Blockade of River blockade caused tremendous hardship to the Potomac River, the citizens of Washing- Fall 1861-March 1862 ton, D.C, the 100,000 Federal troops in town, and the surrounding IT’S TIME TO RENEW YOUR vicinity. Approximately 40 cannon spread out at BULL RUN CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE specific forts along the Virginia side of the river MEMBERSHIP! made federal merchant Please bring a check or cash to the Mar. 8 ships travelling to Washington run a gauntlet of tremen- dous destructive peril. meeting or use the mailer on page 10. Membership is the best bargain around! A native of Northern Virginia, Robert H. C. Alton Great speakers, excellent topics, exciting has maintained an avid interest in Civil War History. He Civil War tours, preservation, informative newsletters holds an M.B.A. from Saint Martin's University in Olym- and great fellowship. pia, Washington. Recently he has published several arti- cles in North South Trader's Civil War Magazine and rou- tinely provides lectures in eastern Prince William, Fairfax In This Issue and Stafford Counties, covering the region's rich Civil War history. Upcoming Meetings Page 2 Robert will have his book at the meeting for pur- chase, and I encourage folks to meet him prior to the Preservation Page 3 7:00 p.m. meeting at the 5:00 p.m. group dinner at the Copper Canyon Grill across Route 29 from the Centre- 150 Years Ago Page 4 ville library. Hope to see you there. Events Page 5 DON’T MISS THE BRCWRT TOUR OF Bristoe Park Clean Up Page 6 FORT EVANS AND BALL’S BLUFF BRCWRT Stafford Tour Page 6 BATTLEFIELD ON JUNE 16. George Alfred Townsend Page 7 DETAILS WILL FOLLOW NEXT MONTH. Ms. Rebelle Page 8 BRCWRT — Vol. XIX, Issue 2, MARCH 2012 Page 2 BULL RUN CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE BRCWRT BOOK Executive Committee DONATIONS President: Mark Trbovich, [email protected], Please remember to bring your 703.361.1396 unwanted Civil War books to our meet- Past President: Nancy Anwyll, [email protected] ings to aid in our ongoing book event. Vice-President: John Pearson, [email protected], Besides raising money for the BRCWRT, these books in- 703.475.1943 crease our members’ understanding of the Civil War. Treasurer: Mark Knowles, 703.787.9811 Thank you. Secretary: Dale Maschino, [email protected], 703.734.3244 At Large: Ed Wenzel, Charlie Balch and John De Pue Communications/Media: Jim Lewis, UPCOMING MEETINGS [email protected] Membership: John Pearson, 703.475.1943 APRIL 12 Preservation: John McAnaw, 703.978.3371 Sesquicentennial Fairfax: Ed Wenzel, [email protected] SPEAKER: Sesquicentennial Prince William: Rob Orrison, [email protected] John V. Quarstein Field Trips: Kevin Anastas, [email protected] Webmaster: Ken Jones, [email protected], Assistant Web- TOPIC: master, Dennis Feldt Newsletter Editor: Saundra Cox, 703.675.0702 or The Battle of the USS Monitor and [email protected] the CSS Virginia (formerly USS Newsletter Team: Dale Maschino, Ed Wenzel, Ken Jones, Andy Kapfer, Janet Greentree and Jill Hilliard Merrimack) The Bull Run Civil War Round Table publishes the Stone Wall. General Membership meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the MAY 10 Centreville Regional Library 14200 St. Germain Drive SPEAKER: Centreville, VA 20121-2255 703.830.2223 Ed Bearss For specific meeting dates and information, please visit TOPIC: the Web site: http://bullruncwrt.org. The Battle of Shiloh, April 1862 NEWLETTER ARTICLE SUBMISSION DEADLINE For the APRIL 2012 issue, e-mail articles by 9:00 a.m., Thursday, March 29, to Saundra Cox at JUNE 14 [email protected]. If acknowledgement of your article is not received by deadline, call Saundra at SPEAKER: 703.675.0702 (cell) or 540.374.2011 (Capital AV). Edward Sanders NEWSLETTER ADVERTISEMENT TOPIC: SUBMISSION DEADLINE The Seven Days Battles For APRIL 2012 issue advertisers, click on June 1862 “Instructions for Advertisers” at http://bullruncwrt.org and e-mail ads by noon, Monday, March 19, to Charlie Balch at [email protected]. The above monthly meetings are Civil War Sesquicentennial Events. BRCWRT — Vol. XIX, Issue 2, MARCH 2012 Page 3 In closing, I want to thank Rob Orrison, BRCWRT The President’s Column Executive Committee member and historic site manager By Mark Trbovich of the Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park, for hon- Well, we’re heading into spring, and things are oring our round table with two park benches and a beginning to heat up at the BRCWRT. Our first tour will plaque on each stating that the benches were donated be March 17 to the Stafford Civil War Park project and by the BRCWRT in 2012. We are privileged to donate the White Oak Civil War Museum which to date has over funds to many Civil War preservation efforts, museums 25 members signed up on line to attend. Please sign up and battlefields. We will continue to gladly give because at our Web site for all our tours at http://bullruncwrt.org they promote Civil War education, preservation and or on the sign-up sheets at our general membership honor the hallowed ground where many a brave soul meetings. This should be a big year for tours as you gave the ultimate sacrifice. Let us never forget them for asked for them on our very successful 2011 membership what they gave and what they did for all of us. questionnaire. God Bless all of you. Please remember that March is again a BRCWRT membership drive month, and we encourage everyone PRESERVATION CORNER to renew your membership for 2012 at the meeting or on line at the BRCWRT Web site. Please remember that By John P. McAnaw you need to be a 2012 BRCWRT member to continue to receive our outstanding newsletter throughout the year. Status of Funded Civil War Trails As I stated last month, please reach out to potential Signage in Fairfax County BRCWRT members this year, to our young adult family The information in this article is current as of and friends to get them interested in our Northern Vir- 23 February 2012. The plan is to install a Civil War ginia Civil War history and preservation efforts. They are Trails sign in each of the nine County Supervisory Dis- the future of this outstanding organization. tricts no later than 30 June 2012. The sign titles are as follows: Our February lecture was tremendously informa- • Freedom Hill tive and analytic on various leadership styles using Civil • Flint Hill Cemetery/Church of the Brethren War leaders as examples. Paul Gilbert spoke on his new • Mason District Park book Lead Like a General which looked at battlefield • Rose Hill Raid leadership styles during the • St. John’s Episcopal Church Civil War and also how it • Battle of Lewinsville pertains to leadership • Devereux Station/Clifton styles in today's multifac- • Ravensworth eted business world. Paul • Pohick Church quoted Sun Tzu many The County History Commission will conduct its times throughout his lec- final review of the information for the nine proposed ture who, around 500 B.C., markers on 7 March 2012. If all is in order, cited infor- authored The Art of War. I mation will then be forwarded to the Civil War Trails found it intriguing that many of our BRCWRT former (CWT) office in Richmond, VA. After a thorough check by the CWT experts, an electronic proof for each of the military members had studied this book during their ca- nine markers will be sent back to the County Sesqui- reers. It was an educational evening for all and very well centennial Committee in early April 2012 for review presented. The BRCWRT is also honored to have Paul as and final approval. Installation of the markers will com- a new member. Welcome Paul, and thank you so much mence following final approval by all concerned parties. for an excellent evening of thought provoking leadership The goal is to have all nine markers installed prior to styles from your excellent book. 30 June 2012. Trail Improvement in Our 2012 BRCWRT speakers schedule is com- plete. We look forward to another great Civil War Ses- Centreville Historic District quicentennial line-up of battles, both local and out West, Approximately 68% of the Covered Way Trail plus two Naval actions. We will begin to get "salty" this running from Pickwick Road to the Apex Fort now has a month and next. The Battle of Ox Hill (Chantilly) will be substantial layer of stone dust on it. Also the brush the signature event for the Fairfax County Sesquicenten- bordering the trail has been cut back in the improved nial this September, among other events throughout the section. Of note, during the late spring and summer of year. The BRCWRT will be there and at many more 2011, several BRCWRT members spent considerable events volunteering because that is what we do and en- time in keeping the ‘covered way’ accessible to visitors. joy. BRCWRT — Vol. XIX, Issue 2, MARCH 2012 Page 4 MARCH 1862 By Nancy Anwyll Events Further From the Local Scene March 8, the Battle of Pea Ridge at Elkhorn, Arkansas ended with a Federal victory after three days of fighting.