THE SHARPSHOOTER THE CIVIL WAR FORUM OF METROPOLITAN NEW YORK Winter 2015 Philip S. Greenwalt hilip S. Greenwalt has collabo- rated with Daniel T. Davis in Pwriting the well-reviewed book Bloody Autumn: The Shenandoah Cam- paign of 1864. Detailing both the major battles of the Union Army to sweep the Confederate Army from Virginia and Cost: Members: $40 end its threat to Washington as well as Non-Members: $50 the implied effects the campaign might (or members failing to RSVP) have on the next presidential election. Date: The campaign allowed General Monday, January 19, 2015 Grant to advance an offi cer he felt Place: could contribute much to terminate Draught 55 the resupplying of the Rebel army and 245 East 55th St. thus turn it away from the capital. It is obvious that Grant had a (between 2nd & 3rd Aves.) New York, NY sharp eye for spotting good soldiers. Time: Since their research for the book involved much walking of Dinner at 6 PM, the battlefi elds, Mr. Greenwalt’s talk can be expected to include Doors open 5:30 PM many maps and photos to help make the campaign strategies even Cash Bar 5:30–6 PM Please contact Dan Morrison more clear. no later than Thursday, January 15 at 201-768-8250 or [email protected] to confi rm you will be attending. DEAR CIVIL WAR FORUM FRIENDS: An exciting program lies ahead, as we complete the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. General Sherman has presented the City of Savan- nah to President Lincoln for Christmas and is about to head towards North Carolina, where we met him on our tour last year at Bennet’s Farm. This year, our tour will take us to both Savannah and Charleston, where the War started and where the Stars and Stripes were raised again on April 14, 1865, the anniversary of the date they were struck and the very day President Lincoln was assassinated. Thank you in advance, Howard and Phyllis Rosenthal, for putting together what promises to be a spectacular President tour. Paul Windels III We will also hear a distinguished and stimulating series of monthly Chairman of Programs speakers in the coming months. This month, Phil Greenwalt will tell us T.B.D. about the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign -- less studied that Stone- wall Jackson’s spectacular adventures of 1862 but of great concern to the Programs Associate Union Army. Chris Mackowski, who gave us such a dramatic account of Carmen Delgado the last days of President Grant a couple of years ago, returns in Febru- Vice-President–Operations ary to lead us through the Battle of the North Anna. In March, Profes- Charles K. Schwarz sor Jonathan White will prepare us for the Lincoln Assassination with a Secretary talk on Lincoln’s famous last dream, and Daniel Franke will come down Jim Santagata the Hudson from West Point in April to show us the critical Battle of Champion Hill, which sealed the fate of Vicksburg. So we have a lot to Treasurer look forward too, and let’s enjoy each other’s company and learning and David Rothfeld thinking about the Civil War! Directors My thanks to everyone who has helped make this past year fun and (retiring in 2014) successful, especially during the fall: to Nathan Burkan, Jim Santagata, Rita Torres and Lou McElwee for joining me in the 1864 Election panel reenact- David Mark Brown ment, to Rita Torres for coming up with the idea of a program on Director Emeritus Hispanics in the Civil War and turning it into a spectacular reality as David Kinard presented by Ted Alexander, to David Rothfeld for keeping our books so well, to Bob Rowen our AV guru and webmaster, to Carmen Delgado, Graphics Jean Grenning, Joan Masterson, and Dan Morrison for handling RSVPs Charles K. Schwarz and to you all for being such terrifi c company. Photographer Best wishes to all, Nathan Burkan, Jr. Paul Windels III Webmeister Bob Rowen Counsel Upcoming Speakers Paul Windels III Monday, Feb. 16—Chris Mackowski— The Battle on the cwfmny.org North Anna April—To Be Announced Monday, May 16—Brian Jordan— Gettysburg College Monday, June 15—William H. Seward Award Presentation News of CWFMNY’s Spring 2015 Tour The CWFMNY Tour of Civil War Charleston and Savannah will take place on May 14–17, 2015. This tour promises to be very special as we will be visiting both of these beautiful his- toric cities, focusing on their importance to the Civil War, as well as other locations that were important in the War. We have chosen tour guides who “live” these places, and cannot wait for them to share their knowledge with us. Our group will be fl ying out of LaGuardia Airport on Thursday morning, and returning to JFK on Sunday evening. So that we may plan the trip more easily, we must ask that: Payment in full is due now. Bring check made out to CWFMNY to the meeting on January 19th or send it to: Phyllis and Howard Rosenthal 81–15 Surrey Place Jamaica, NY 11432 The remainder of the air fare is due in February: $275. **There are two airline seats still available. If you are interested or have questions, please call Howard or Phyllis at (718)591-2950.Any questions, call Howard at 718-591-2950. Rerunning the “Great Debate”—Participants are Lou McElwee (on behalf of the Radical Republicans), Jim San- tagata (as Gen. George B. McClellan), Nathan Burkan Nathan Burkan (right), and Paul Windels (left) holding (Gov. Horatio Seymour), and Paul Windels (on behalf of a certifi cate of Appreciation that CWFMNY presented to the Lincoln campaign). Nathan for all his services to the group. THE LIBRARY to end the war immediately without any conditions. by Nathan Burkan These Democrats supported the candidacy of George B. McClellan in the election of 1864. Horatio Seymour The book is of value now because it refl ected the by Stewart Mitchell viewpoint of a leading conservative New York State This book is a laudatory Democratic politician and many others of the Civil War biography of Horatio Sey- Era including some historians. New York City business- mour published in 1938 that I men had extensive business dealings with the South found while researching a talk prior to the Civil War that obviously infl uenced Sey- about the election of 1864. (It mour. Seymour had been highly critical of the Aboli- was favorably reviewed by the tionists and the anti-slavery platform of the Republican noted historian Allan Nev- Party. He opposed the Emancipation Proclamation ins.) Seymour, twice elected because the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case governor of New York State held that slaves were private property and Seymour be- and a leading Moderate Peace Democrat, was the lieved private property was sacrosanct. Democratic candidate for President in 1868 defeated by Although a supporter of the war effort he opposed Ulysses S. Grant. many wartime measures and characterized the war ef- At the outbreak of the Civil War the northern fort as “a hopeless Emancipation crusade,” a tyranny Democratic Party split into three factions: War Demo- which curtailed the civil liberties of U.S. citizens. He crats such as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton who sup- was opposed to conscription and was vigorously op- ported President Lincoln, Moderate Peace Democrats posed to treating the South after the war as an enemy led by Horatio Seymour who favored negotiation with nation requiring reconstruction and military occupa- the South but insisted upon the condition of the restora- tion. Expressing the views of Moderate Peace Demo- tion of the Union while Radical Peace Democrats led crats, he wanted the union restored to the way it was by Ohio Congressman Clement Vallandigham wanted prior to the Civil War. THE sHARPSHOOTER 23-23 23rd Street NY, NY 11105.