November 6, 2013 Meeting Speaker Bio

 

Speaker:	Roger Arthur
Topic:	“1863 - A New Birth of Freedom”
Time:	7:00 PM
Place:	West Chester Borough Hall, Gay Street

Our Speaker this month is none other than Roger Arthur, a long-time members and valuable contributor to the Round Table.  His topic will be “1863:  A New Birth of Freedom.”

Roger has been a student of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln his entire life. He has traveled extensively across America visiting most of the major Civil War and Lincoln sites including the

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. He has attended numerous forums, symposia, lectures and classes about Lincoln and the War. He has been a member of the

Brandywine Valley Civil War Round Table since 1990 and served as program chairman for many years. In addition to his interest in the Rebellion and Abraham Lincoln, Mr. Arthur has a great interest in America's youngest, most dynamic, most decorated, most energetic and popular president, Theodore Roosevelt. He has developed a first person portrayal of "Colonel Roosevelt" for audiences of all types.

Mr. Arthur holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in history and regularly lectures on historical topics to a variety of groups, libraries, colleges, and historic clubs in the East. He teaches Modern American History at Bishop Shanahan High School and courses at the Chester County Night School.  Mr. Arthur is married and lives with his wife, Leslie, in historic Chadds Ford. They have six children and nine grandchildren.

November 6th Rear Ranks Entry

From the Rear Ranks:  

Greetings Members!

I hope everyone is well!  This month we are fortunate to have long-time member and contributor to the Round Table, Roger Arthur presenting.  He will be speaking on "1863 - A New Birth of Freedom."  As always we look forward to Roger's presentations and this one is appropriate given the approach of the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. 

In modern times Abraham Lincoln's speech was the focus of the dedication ceremonies at the Gettysburg National Cemetery, however at the time Edward Everett was seen as the "headliner" at those ceremonies.  I have included an excerpt of the New York Time review of Everett's oration.

I look forward to seeing you all this week!  And please get your dues in if you have not done so already!

Respectively,

Chip Crowe
President,
Brandywine Valley Civil War Round Table

New York Times,
November 20, 1863

Orations of Everett and Beecher.

 

We devote a broadside of this morning's TIMES to the publication of two orations which we are sure will command the attention of the day. And not of this day only. Elaborate and finished discourses from two such men as EDWARD EVERETT and HENRY WARD BEECHER, upon topics of such great National interest as those they discuss, will not lightly be passed over, much less ignored altogether, by any intelligent citizen. Mr. EVERETT's theme is the "Battle of Gettysburgh," and the occasion is the dedication of that historic field as a National Cemetery. Mr. BEECHER's discourse was upon his recent tour in Great Britain -- his experiences there, and his views as regards British feeling and policy toward this country. These orations from two masters of oratory, delivered on the same day, but upon such different topics -- one historical and domestic, the other practical and foreign -- admit of little comparison.

 

     Mr. EVERETT's oration is, of course, classical and ornate in its diction, felicitous in illustration, well-wrought and strong in its logic, correct and explicit in its statement; in a word, it is eloquent, in the best sense of that much-abused term. His exordium is of great beauty; and his peroration is splendid. If we might offer a single point of criticism on the oration, it would be upon that part of it, constituting one-half of its body, which gives a narrative of the marches, manoeuvres, skirmishes and strategy of Gens. HOOKER and LEE, Gens. PLEASONTON and STUART, from the time at which the two armies left the opposite banks of the Rappahannock until they confronted each other on this side of the Potomac, and also the detailed account of the preliminaries of the battle, and of the action itself. Mr. EVERETT enters into a very minute statement of these things; and the elaborateness of the details, the large number of names, places and circumstances he has occasion to recall, will tend to confuse and repel those who are less familiar with the events than himself, and crowd out those "glittering generalities" which he or any other great orator might be expected mainly to deal in on such an occasion. It may be said that these things were dwelt upon, as the oration is intended and expected to be enduring and historical; but so also will be the reports of Gens. MEADE and LEE, from which the facts are largely drawn. After he gets through with this, however, Mr. EVERETT does justice to his subject and himself. Mr. BEECHER's very eloquent and effective oration will command no less attention than the oration of Mr. EVERETT. Great and national as has been his reputation as a speaker previously, that reputation has been largely magnified by his efforts on the other side of the sea. The English critics, who make such severe demands upon a public speaker, were taken captive by the American preacher; and the echoes of his resounding eloquence found a no less appreciative and delighted auditory in his own country. His speech last night was equal to his best efforts in England; indeed in logical connection, force and brilliancy, it was superior to any of his heretofore published speeches. His analysis of British sentiment and character did as perfect justice to the British people as his defence of America did justice thereto in England. The speech, however, will be universally read throughout the land, and every one can give vent and form to his own admiration.

 

Note:  The Times thus published and praised Everett's now forgotten oration a full day before re-printing the elegiac little speech that Lincoln had delivered afterward.   

October 2 Speaker Bio

Jaan Ingle Troltenier

Biographical Information

Jaan was born in the second capital of the Confederacy (Richmond, VA) and grew up in a city

subject to a famous Western theater campaign held in late 1863 (Chattanooga, TN). But please
don’t hold her Rebel roots against her!

As the daughter of an American History professor, Jaan visited numerous Civil War sites as a

child, although her interests today are oriented more to such topics as the medical aspects of
the War and the semiotics of period dress than to battlefield logistics. She holds Bachelor’s
degrees in Spanish and in Latin, and received her Master’s in Linguistics from Louisiana State
University, an institution whose first superintendent back in 1859, oddly enough, was none other
than William Tecumseh Sherman.

Jaan has been a docent with Art Goes to School, an elementary school art history program, for

nine years. As part of this program she has impersonated such 20th century artists as Frida
Kahlo and Sonia Delaunay, and 17th century male artist Diego Velazquez. In addition, she gives
programs at the local high schools’ language programs in the art of Germany, Mexico, France,
and in Cajun French.

Jaan has been a resident of West Chester since 2005 and lives here with her husband, Dirk, and

their two children. Dirk and she have been members of BVCWRT since 2012.

October 2, 2013 Rear Ranks Entry

From the Rear Ranks:  

Greetings Members!

I hope everyone is enjoying the fine Fall weather we have been experiencing.  This month we are privileged to have one of our own members, Jaan Troltenier presenting.  She will be speaking on "Art of the Civil War."  I believe this is the first time this topic has been shared with the Round Table and I for one am looking forward to it. 

We recently observed the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga, the largest battle in the Western Theatre.  I would like to share with you this month an article printed in the New York Times on September 26th, 1863, describing one of the key players in that great battle.  I apologize upfront for my slight prejudice here, but George Thomas is one of my favorite figures from the Civil War.

I look forward to seeing you all this week!

Respectively,

Chip Crowe
President,
Brandywine Valley Civil War Round Table

MAJ.-GEN. THOMAS.

September 26, 1863

 

The full accounts that are reaching us from the hard-contested field near Chickamauga Creek do justice to the services of one of the ablest and most successful Generals in the Union army -- Maj.-Gen. THOMAS. It appears that this gallant soldier bore the brunt of the rebel attack unharmed, on both days of the fight, though the onset in each case was impetuous and overwhelming. It is no discredit to the corps of Gens. MCCOOK and CRITTENDEN that they were broken by the outnumbering hosts of the enemy. The metal of these men had been tried before, and they are known and approved as among the bravest of our Union soldiers. But if a part of the gallant army of ROSECRANS could be driven back without disgrace, it must not be denied that unusual credit and renown are due to that portion which withstood every shock, and dealt horrible slaughter upon a foe so numerous as to be deemed invincible. This is the signal merit of the corps of Gen. THOMAS in the sanguinary battle in Northern Georgia. The stubborn fighting of this portion of the army is all that saved the fortunes of the day, as we understand the contest at this distance; and if the enemy fails to follow up his supposed advantages, it will be mainly because of the damaging blows inflicted by this heroic

 

General. Gen. THOMAS is a Southerner, a native-born Virginian, and will be remembered as the leader of the Union forces in that first fortunate and decisive battle in Kentucky, Mill Spring, in which Gen. ZOLLICOFFER lost his life, and the rebel Gen. CRITTENDEN was driven across the Cumberland and out of the State in such confusion and rout. He has the prestige of success, and richly deserves the gratitude of the nation.

September 4, 2013 Speaker Bio

Speaker: Ed Bonekemper

Topic: “How Robert E. Lee Lost the Civil War”

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: West Chester Borough Hall, Gay Street

 

Our speaker this month is Edward H. Bonekemper, III. I am sure that many of you remember Mr. Bonekemper, he

has spoken to our Round Table before. I can remember one talk he gave about “How Grant Helped Lee Lose the
War” February 2005. Mr. Bonekemper lives in Willow Street, PA with his wife for over 40 years. I pulled just a small
amount of his Bio, as well as a sample of his large number of publications.  Over the past 14 years Mr. Bonekemper has spoken at the Smithsonian Institute as well as Roundtables in Chicago, Milwaukee, Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater Pittsburgh CWRTs to name a few.

  

Education:

J.D., Yale Law School, New Haven, CT (1967)

M.A., history, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA (1971) (Master’s thesis: “Negroes’

Freedom of Contract in Antebellum Virginia, 1620-1860”)

B.A., cum laude, American history, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA (1964)

 

Publications:

 

Lincoln and Grant: The Westerners Who Won the Civil War.  Published as e-book on Kindle and Nook in November 2011.  Published as hardcover and softcover book by CreateSpace in February 2012.

Grant and Lee: Victorious American and Vanquished Virginian (Praeger/Greenwood, Westport, Connecticut and London, 2008) (reissued as e-book, 2010)(being reissued as softcover by Regnery Press, December 2012)

McClellan and Failure: A Study of Civil War Fear, Incompetence and Worse (McFarland & Company, Jefferson, North Carolina, 2007) (reissued as softcover, 2010)

A Victor, Not a Butcher: Ulysses S. Grant’s Overlooked Military Genius (Regnery Publishing, Inc., Washington, D.C., 2004) (reissued as softcover under title Ulysses S. Grant: A Victor, Not a Butcher, 2010) (reissued as e-book, 2009). Nominated, by request, for the Lincoln Prize of the Civil War Institute. About 9,000 copies sold.

How Robert E. Lee Lost the Civil War (Sergeant Kirkland’s Press, Fredericksburg, VA, 1998, hardcover and softcover (reissued as e-book, 2010).  Nominated for Virginia Book of the Year.  Over 8,000 copies sold.

·         Adjunct Lecturer, Muhlenberg College, U.S. military history (American Military

History: The Revolution to Vietnam, Civil War, World War II)(2003-present)

·         Included in 2006-07 edition of Who’s Who Among American Teachers &

Educators

 

Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve (Retired)

September 4, 2013 Rear Ranks Entry

From the Rear Ranks:  

Greetings Members!

 

I hope everyone had a good summer.  I was able to get out and attend the 150^th anniversary events at Gettysburg and had a great time.  I saw a few of you there as well and I think the Park Service did a great job with the battlefield hikes and activities.  Be that as it may, on to a new campaign.  We have a great selection of speakers this year and the meetings this year should be a good time.  I do have a general announcement, until such time that a new editor for the Signal Flag can be found this will be the only mailing this year to individuals without email, I will still post a short message on the Blog as well as the Facebook page for those who are interested, prior to each meeting.  I am doing this one mailing this year to make folks aware of our speakers as well as to send out the membership form for the new campaign. 

 

This month we have a speaker who is back for a return engagement.  Ed Bonekemper will be speaking on "Why Lee Lost the War."  Ed spoke to use about U.S. Grant a few years back. 

 

I hope to see you all on September 4th!

 

Respectively,

Chip Crowe

President,

Brandywine Valley Civil War Round Table

April 3, 2013 Rear Ranks Entry

From the Rear Ranks:  

 

Greetings Members!

 

A good time was had by all during Charlie Zahm’s re-scheduled concert this month.  The great snow storm hoax of 2013 put a slight wrinkle into our original meeting but due to members of the executive committee pulling together and some luck in scheduling availability by the town everything worked out.  This month we are priviledged to have John Michael Priest speaking on Pickett’s Charge.  For this month I have selected an article in the New York times describing the first set of Bread Riots by the Ladies of Richmond in 1863.  This article is but one example of how the prolonged War of Rebellion was taking its toll on Southern civilians.  I hope to see you all this week!

 

Respectively,

Chip Crowe
President,
Brandywine Valley Civil War Round Table