January 12, 2017 The Civil War: April 12, 1861 - May 9, 1865 “On the Trail with Old Baldy” Member Jim Heenehan: Jim will do a short pre- sentation on the Appo- mattox Sesquicentenni- al ceremonies that took place April 8-12, 2015, commemorating Lee’s surrender to Grant, effectively ending the Civil War. Mr. Heenehan will cover the highlights Join us at 7:15 PM on Thursday, January 12th, of the Sesquicentennial, at Camden County College in the Connector including Grant and Lee Building, Room 101. This month’s topic is "On at the McLean House and the Chamberlain-Gor- the Trail with Old Baldy" don “salute” preceding the Confederate laying down of For our next Roundtable Discussion Night, we invite mem- arms on April 12. bers to present an interesting Historical Site that you’ve vis- Member John Galie: ited. Plan to show the history, pictures, learnings, etc. Share A brief overview of the retreat of the Army of the Northern your interests and enlighten us with your experience! Virginia, Gen. Robert E. Lee Commanding, during the Penn- To ensure the best use of everyone’s time, participation in sylvania Campaign of 1863 and the pursuit by the Army of this month’s program will be limited to 3 topics of about 15 the Potomac, MG George Gordon Mead Commanding will minutes each. The participation schedule will be confirmed be presented. The logistic of the retreat as well as the over- no later than our December 8th Roundtable meeting. whelming challenges faced by Gen. Lee will be detailed. The focus will be on the Battle of Monterey Pass, July 4-5, If you would like to share your historical travel experience, 1863 in the South Mountains of Pennsylvania in which over please contact Dave [email protected] or Harry hj3ba- 10,00 soldiers were engaged; making it the second largest [email protected]. battle in Pennsylvania during the Civil War. Recent photo- Some of the topics scheduled are: graphs of the my visit will be included. Member Kathy Clark: Notes from the President... On my 2015 Mississippi Gulf Coast bus tour, I visited Biloxi and the home of Jefferson Davis called Beauvoir. It sur- Welcome to 2017! Hope your Holiday Season was re- vived hurricane Katrina with damage that took over ten warding with family and friends. Last year was a very years to repair. It now looks very much like the home as it good period for our Round Table as we presented the first was before the storm. The complex includes the Jefferson Michael A. Cavanaugh Book Award, created the Presi- Davis Library and Museum, cemetery, Tomb of the Un- dent’s Award, sponsored a successful Symposium, reached known Confederate Soldier, nature trails, gardens as well as a beautiful view of the Mississippi Sound from the front Continued on page 2 of the home. I want to talk about the history of the house, damage sustained as a result of Katrina and property today. Join us at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, If I have a few minutes would also like to talk about the January 12th, at Confederate Memorial Civil War museum in New Orleans. Camden County College, It is a small museum but has many portraits, flags and Civil Blackwood Campus, War artifacts. This site too was part of my Mississippi Gulf Connector Building, Room 101. Coast tour. 1 Continued from page 1 - "Notes from the President" 70 members, presented some really fine programs and allow us to continue the informative programs you have increase our standing in the local Civil War community. experienced in the past few years. This year will provide new adventures as we welcome a new Last month Ed Bonekemper discredited the Myth of the Board of Directors who will plan new ventures for us. This Lost Cause, straightening out the misconceptions that have will include the Fall lecture series, work with a local cem- been spread in the last hundred years. Everyone present etery, day trips and more interaction with area Civil War departed with a better understanding of the truth. This groups. First will be our 40th anniversary luncheon on month we have another member program where we will January 21st. The first installment of our history will be hear about visits to historic sights. It should be an interest- available on that day. We have a few tasks to complete to ing experience, so bring a friend to check it out. make it a grand event. Please let us know how you would I was proud to have represented Old Baldy CWRT at the like to assist. Reserve your spot by completing the form Wreath Across America event at Beverly National Cem- and submitting a check or using BrownPaperTickets.com. etery in December and met a younger version of myself. Be sure to thank Bob Russo, Herb Kaufman and Harry Ask me about it when I see you next. There will be several Jenkins for their service in moving our Round Table to events in the next month to which we can bring the Old the point it current rest. Their support has been invaluable Baldy message. Look for further information in this news- and they will be missed on the Board. The new group you letter and at our meeting on the 12th. have elected will continue our improvement and growth. Join us at Lamp Post around 5:30 for dinner before the Remember to get your annual dues to Frank Barletta to meeting. Travel safe. Rich Jankowski, President disabled and several congenital idiots. Today in Civil War History Mexico Federal troops intervene in Matamoros, Mexico, to res- cue the US consul. French efforts to subdue the guerrilla 1862 Sunday, January 12 armies continue. The North 1865 Thursday, January 12 The US Navy has grown tremendously in less than a year, with nearly 25 ,000 seamen in service, as compared with The South 7500 before the attack on Fort Sumter. But more will be Francis P. Blair meets with President Davis, who hands him required. The old navy had 76 vessels mounting 1783 a letter to pass on to President Lincoln. Davis is willing to guns. When all vessels purchased or building are armed enter into negotiations, but still insists on independence for and equipped, the navy will have 264 vessels mounting the South. 2557 guns. Francis P. Blair 1863 Monday, January 12 Francis Preston Blair, Sr. (April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) was an American journalist, newspaper editor, and The Confederacy influential figure in national politics advising several U.S. The Third Session of the First Congress of the Confederate presidents across the party lines. States meets in Richmond, where they hear an opening ad- dress by President Jefferson Davis. Blair was an early member of the Democratic Party, and a strong supporter of 1864 Tuesday, January 12 President Andrew Jackson, having helped him win The North Kentucky in the 1828 presi- Anyone whose name comes up in the draft is allowed to dential election. From 1831 avoid military service if he can pay a $300 fee. This gives to 1845, Blair worked as exemption until his name is called again. However, if a Editor-in-Chief of the Wash- drafted man can hire a substitute, his liability is at an end ington Globe, which served and he is permanently exempt. To service the increasing as the primary propaganda demand for substitutes, a class of “substitute brokers” is instrument for the Demo- doing a roaring business this winter, charging a fee to find cratic Party, and was largely potential soldiers and inducing them to enlist. A lot of men successful. Blair was an influential advisor make fast money providing the army with the sick, the Francis Preston Blair, Sr. useless, and the retarded. The 57 men recruited by the 6th to President Jack- New York Heavy Artillery this winter include 17 physically son, and served prominently in a group of unofficial advisors and assistants to Jackson known as the WEB Site: http://oldbaldycwrt.org "Kitchen Cabinet". Continued on page 3 2 Continued from page 2 - "Blair" Blair, despite being a slaveholder from Kentucky, eventually During the Reconstruction Era, came to oppose the expansion of slavery. He supported Blair advocated a speedily reunifica- the Free-Soil Party ticket of Martin Van Buren and Charles tion without placing much burden Francis Adams in the 1848 presidential election. In 1854, in on the Southern states and spoke opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, he left the Demo- against the Radical Republicans' cratic Party and helped found the Republican Party. Blair Reconstruction policies in the served as an advisor to President Abraham Lincoln during South. He became a political ally the American Civil War. In 1861, he was sent by Lincoln to of President Andrew Johnson, and offer command of a large Union army to Colonel Robert E. eventually rejoined the Democratic Lee, who declined, and instead joined the Confederacy. Blair Party. also helped organize the Hampton Roads Conference of 1865, a failed attempt to end the war. Blair House Blair House was constructed in After the Union victory, Blair became disillusioned with 1824; it is the oldest of the four Radical Reconstruction, a policy promoted by many mem- structures that comprise the Pres- bers of the Republican Party. He eventually left the party and ident's Guest House. The original Blair House rejoined the Democrats. His son, Francis Preston Blair Jr., brick house was built as a was the party's nominee for vice president on a losing ticket private home for Joseph in the 1868 election. Blair died in 1876 at age 85.