September 2012 Speaker Biography

Speaker:  Dr. Sid Copel
Topic:  “Civil War Spies and Guerillas.” 
Time:  7:00pm
Location:  West Chester Borough Hall, Gay Street


September’s speaker will be Dr. Sidney Copel his topic for the evening will be Civil War Spies and Guerillas. Dr. Sidney Copel is a clinical psychologist who is now retired. He received his undergraduate and graduate training at Temple University. He was for many years the Administrator of the Psychological Clinic at the Devereux Foundation where he ran one of the biggest programs of its kind in the country. Over the years Dr. Copel has published books in his field, lectured on mental health topics, and served as a consultant to schools, clinics and police departments. He was for a time a consultant in the selection of player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Rams. He has been interested in the Civil War and reading about it since childhood. He has been a long time member of our Civil War Round Table.

BVCWRT September Rear Ranks Entry

September 5, 2012

 Welcome members to the 2012-2013 Campaign! 

I hope everyone had a great summer.  It is an exciting time right now with all the 150 year milestones.  Just recently the milestones of the Battle of Second Manassas passed and the important events at Antietam and the Emancipation Proclamation will be upon us.  As you notice we have some changes this coming campaign.  We have converted our traditional newsletter to a Blog in which we can post monthly notices and speaker information to our newest section of the website.  This can be found at the url:  http://bvcwrt.blogspot.com/.  If anyone would be interested in posting material please reach out to any member of the executive committee and we can accommodate you! 

This month we have a long-time member and repeat speaker Dr. Sid Copel returning to speak to us about “Civil War Spies and Guerillas.” 

In addition following my pattern of previous posts I have included a letter from President Abraham Lincoln to Horace Greeley, editor to the New York Tribune.  This letter addresses President Lincoln’s political genius in balancing his personal desire for emancipation while at the same time emphasizing his public views on saving the Union at any cost. 

Executive Mansion, Washington,

August 22, 1862

 

Hon. Horace Greeley:

Dear Sir:

                I have just read yours of the 19th, addressed to myself through the New-York Tribune. If there be in it any statements or assumptions of fact which I may know to be erroneous, I do not now and here controvert them. If there be in it any inferences which I may believe to be falsely drawn, I do not now and here argue against them. If there be perceptible in it an impatient and dictatorial tone, I waive it in, deference to an old friend, whose heart I have always supposed to be right. 

 

As to the policy I "seem to be pursuing," as you say, I have not meant to leave any one in doubt.

I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time save Slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy Slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy Slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave. I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do about Slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save this Union, and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty, and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men, everywhere, could be free. Yours,

 

A. LINCOLN.

I think this is a poignant message appropriate for this time of year leading up to the Battle at Antietam the results of which was the Emancipation Proclamation.  We have a great lineup of Speakers and I look forward to seeing you all.  Spread the work and bring a friend!

 Respectfully Submitted,

Richard Charles Crowe Jr., President

Brandywine Valley Civil War Roundtable