The American Civil War Round Table of Australia
This month in Richmond at a crossroads much nearer, Dr. Juliet Peers will be presenting to the in-house and Zoom members. Her topic will be “Life With the Lincolns: A Social History of the Executive Mansion”. A big thank you to Byard Sheppard for his presentation at the September meeting. His creative take on hoaxes and misinformation taking place during the Civil War was most entertaining. You can fool some of the people all the time… this must have been where Lincoln got a few of his ideas!
We thank “Old school” member Stuart Duff for sending in information on Frederick Wrigley and his fighting knife.
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This month our President Byard Sheppard will be (to mix our metaphors) taking the helm at the podium. Included in this MN we have three short reviews of the latest novel by the superb James Lee Burke who once again has dipped his toe (or should that be pen) in the muddy waters of the bellum South. We also include information on the “Great” escape from Libby Prison. This prison was pretty ordinary but nowhere near as vile or inhumane as the notorious Andersonville prison.
Barry has been as busy as usual and has been absorbing a variety of Zoom presentations from the northern hemisphere. We have included a review of Megan L. Bever’s “At War With King Alcohol”. Alcohol consumption through all wars has been a common thread.
In this month’s MN we have information on Frederick Law Olmstead (designer of Central Park NY city) and a book following Olmstead’s travels by the late Civil War tragic Tony Horwitz.
Hoping to see a good roll-up at the August meeting for good conversation, comestibles and to hear young Barry talk about paper collectibles and the ACW. Cheers.
Delivered by Australia Post, your editors recieved a short missive from one of our original members Mr Stuart Duff. Normally our membership is “deaf and dumb” when it comes to sending something into MN so it was a pleasant surprise to receive this letter from Darley.
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Welcome to the July 2023 edition of MN. Who would have thought that in the one MN your editors could have made mention of and include photos of Elvis Presley and Taylor Swift along with a cricket-at-wielding Ian Caldwell OAM! Not only that but a photo of James Stallard taking us back in time to the Civil War and editor Ross and Dr. Dale Blair showing that they are all-rounders with the launch of a new radio (wireless) program called “Swell Dames” dealing with dames of the 30s, 40s and 50s.
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In this Minie News we have included two excerpts from a well argued book by Sarah Churchwell about America First and the American Dream. This book delves into some of the darker side of America in the past 120 years and wrestles with the changing ideas of what America stands for. The same ideas and ideals seem to get rehashed over time and a twisted rhetoric is continually thrust before the American public to this very day. Published in 2018 it maintains a an up-to-date currency.
We also include an article about the late John Jakes who was a great popularizer of American history in the form of his very voluble and readable novels. Not every one’s cup of tea but his popularity cannot be under-rated.
Another glorious month has come and gone and the world is still here. The Swan Hotel is still running and our meetings will continue to occur.
At our April meeting Dr. Ross Brooks gave one of the best presentations we have seen over the past couple of years. It was extemporaneous in the fact that it was off the cuff with little attention to notes but there was a lot of passion and research behind the presentation Ross is an author who is not too sure he wants to be the author! His talk detailed his research and writing about Wheat’s Louisiana Tigers. It is always fascinating how the germ of an idea can blossom into multiple chapters of a proposed book. Ross has a long way to go in his quest and we only hope his wife Greta can last the distance!
This month Dr. Ross Brooks is going to tell us all about Wheat’s Louisiana Battalion; who Wheat is, who they are and who is writing about them. The forensics will be a glory to behold. Your editors are looking forward to what should be a very interesting presentation.
Thank you to Mike Hall for bringing to our attention Robert Smalls and his CW exploits and his later political career. There is a 43 minute podcast : Proceedings Podcast Episode 208 – Life and Times of Robert Smalls
This month Chris Hookey will be spruiking on Military Intelligence in the Chancellorsville campaign.
Many people have responded immediately with the quip, isn’t military intelligence an oxymoron? Well
Mr. Hookey is going to release Military intelligence from the bonds of the oxymoronic and place it in its
proper context in relationship to the Chancellorsville Campaign.
A big thank you to Byard Sheppard for his thought provoking and well crafted presentation on the
“observers” from various countries who keenly took notice of what was happening in the organisation
tactics and fighting displayed on both sides of the conflict. Naturally the Germans were not overly
impressed as their Prussian view of warfare was a completely different approach. It was a modern war
and the harbinger of things to come in Europe leading up to WWI.
Included in this MN are some political cartoons from the present and the past dealing with aspects of America and the CW. Sometimes the creative nib of the artist/cartoonist can promote a message immediate and memorable; a picture it has been said is worth a thousand words (who said this adage your editors haven’t a clue but we do subscribe to the idea!).
Your editors are looking forward to Byard’s presentation this coming Wednesday, 22nd February at the Swan Hotel. If you can’t make the meeting be sure to tune into the meeting by zoom from the comfort of your own home. Your editors send out our best wishes to Paul Spencer our member from Murray Bridge.
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In this MN we have included a fine article on the life of David McCullough, he of the mellifluous voice so prominently displayed to wonderful effect by Ken Burns in his Civil War series At the time, editor Warren thought Mr. McCullough was just a voice-over merchant and it wasn’t until a modicum of research showed him to be a fine popular historian with a patriotic flair. There is a wonderful interview with him on Youtube talking about his book on Harry Truman. McCullough died in the latter part of 2022. Also in this edition of MN we have a brief review of Tom Keneally’s latest novel, “Fanatic Heart”.
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This month, as has become traditional, our president Byard Sheppard will be speaking from the pulpit with a presentation entitled “City Point; The Base That Gave Grant his Ultimate Victory”.
Your editors would like to draw your attention to our proposed early Christmas lunch at the Swan Hotel on December 11th. December is a busy month for all of us but it would be great to catch up for a chat over Christmas fare. Contact Barry or Byard with your acceptance so a positive booking can be made.
In this MN we have some interesting articles but not much about the military aspect of the war. Heavens forbid we even have a recipe for an almond cake! Avid reader and TV viewer Chere from Williamstown alerted editor Warren to the story about the Angel’s glow, a phenomenon that was not answered for 140 years. Once a logical explanation can be found myth soon becomes reality. A big thank you to the little general, young Barry Crompton for finding so many nuggets of information to include each month for our MN. Without his input the MN would be a very thin enterprise all together.
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