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Recent Events
We started talking about forming the Outer Banks Civil War Roundtable the last week of May. Three weeks later on
June 21 we had our first meeting. There were eight people in attendance. We have decided that Sharpsburg should
be the first large far away battlefield we should visit. We will put most of our focus on the Eastern Theatre.
Five of our members are reenactors.
Our second meeting on July 19th was quite a success. Our first speaker was fantastic.
Roy Archbell did a wonderful job on his presentation of the "Mule Shoe" at the battle of Spotsylvania. There were
12 people in attendance and I think all were mesmerized by Roy's talk. None of us wanted it to end. Roy had an
enlargement of a map of the battlefield with the troop placements on display. Here is a link for more information on
the Battle of Spotsylvania.
We had a quick business meeting while waiting for our dinner to be served.
By the way, thank you Duck Woods Country Club for the meeting spot, good cheerful service and fantastic food.
Miss Monica did a great job.
Our third meeting
held on August 16 went very well. We had nineteen in attendance. We all had a great dinner and had a great time with everyone getting to know one another and discussing
history. It was a great social hour. Then
Mr. Alex Leary assisted by Worth Williams gave his presentation. A wonderful job, thank you so much Alex and Worth!
First Alex showed us some relics that had been taken off of the South Mills
Battlefield or surrounding area. Then he showed us three of his actual period
rifles. An Enfield, a Springfield with
bayonet and an 1807 Prussian 72. caliber that weighed eleven pounds. His presentation
of the Battle of South Mills was prefaced with the lead up to the battle and the reasons of its importance. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the talk with the Power Point accompaniment. After
that talk Mr. Leary told us about the Mapleleaf prisoner escape and guerilla actions and the pursuant “Sherman
like” punishment of northeastern Currituck County by General Wild commanding two thousand USCT’s. Some brutal actions taken on both sides. Clyde Joyner
also brought in some relics he had found on the South Mills Battleground.
We quickly discussed the upcoming assistance
we will be giving to the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. The Visitors Bureau
has asked us to help entertain, educate and welcome three bus loads of tour directors visiting the Outer Banks in September.
Keith Sawyer passed out the form for
the Sharpsburg trip.
Anyone not in attendance that wants to go on that trip just let me know and we can get you the form.
For our fourth meeting held on Sepember 20th meeting we featured Lee Hadden who spoke on
the 26th North Carolina at the Battle of Gettysburg. R.
Lee Hadden has a BA from UNC, a BS from Excelsior College,
and a graduate degree from East
Carolina University. He has been a reenactor for almost 30 years,
portraying all three sides: Confederate, Union and civilian. He was a long time member of both the 24th Michigan and the 26th NC reenactment units. Currently he is the
president of the 4th NC regiment, which is celebrating its 37th year (1968-2005) of quality living history
and reenactment. Most recently, he has portrayed a civilian representative of the Confederate Nitre and Mining Bureau who oversaw the
manufacture of potassium nitrate from cave dirt. This living history was done at a historic cave site that was actually used
as a Confederate manufactory in Lewisburg, West
Virginia.
Mr. Hadden
has written a handbook for Civil War reenactors, which is now in its second edition, and has written a number of articles
concerning the Civil War and reenacting as well. He is currently writing a book on captured scientific maps, stolen libraries
from occupied countries by the Nazis, which were used by the advancing German armies during WWII. He is also writing a history
of the 4th North Carolina regiment and of the 19th Maine.
Our fifth meeting on October
18th we featured Grant Ambrose giving a talk about our beloved General
James Johnston Pettigrew. Many of you know that General Pettigrew is buried not far from here in Creswell, NC.
Grant Ambrose grew up in Washington County on property once belonging to Somerset Plantation and connecting to the Pettigrew Family Cemetery.
He attended North Carolina Wesleyan
College where he graduated with honors receiving a BA in History and
a BA in English. He is a member of the International Society of Social Scientists, Pi Gamma Mu. He is
on the Faculty of Lawrence Academy in Bertie County, NC,
where he teaches Honors History, AP English, and a wide range of electives including Medieval Studies and The American Civil
War. During the summer, he works part time with Somerset Place State Historic Site as a Researcher and Historical Interpreter.
His research areas in the Civil War center on General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
and General J. Johnston Pettigrew. He is currently working on a book exploring the life of children in Antebellum Northeastern,
North Carolina.
Our Sixth meeting.
The December meeting will be held on Dec. 6th at 6:30 PM and
not the third Tuesday of the month like our other meetings. Due to Christmas parties, vacation etc. we decided to have
the meeting on the FIRST Tuesday of the month. I hope that does not cause anyone any problems.
We have Elizabeth Roberson lined up to speak at the Dec. 6th
meeting. This lady recently wrote a book entitled "Don't Weep For Me Dear Mother". The complete collection of
letters of Eli P. Landers. Eli Landers served with a Georgia Regiment in the Army of Northern Virginia. (Insert
Rebel Yell) The word is it is a fantastic book. I can attest to this being a great book. About
half way through the book you feel like you are part of Eli's family. I would highly recommend this book.
Mrs. Roberson is with the Fort Branch Battlefield Commission, The Martin County Historical Society, United Daughters
of the Confederacy and the Order of the Confederate Rose. Very active in the SCV as well. I heard she did a great
job at the Raleigh Round Table. This could be a great one to invite the wives and girlfriends.
Our seventh meeting.
Our Jan. 17th meeting will feature another speaker who is a friend of some of us in the 26th NC is Author Clint
Johnson. Clint resides in Winston-Salem. I have read two of his books (and plan on reading more)
and would recommend them highly.
Books
written by Clint are.
"Touring The Carolinas' Civil War Sites”,
"Civil War Blunders”,
"Touring Virginia's and West Virginia's
Civil War Sites",
"In The Footsteps of Robert E. Lee",
"In
The Footsteps of Stonewall Jackson",
“In The
Footsteps of J.E.B. Stuart”,
“Bull’s-Eyes
& Misfires 50
People Whose Obscure Efforts Shaped The American Civil War"
Other publications for which
he has recently written include, Civil War Times Illustrated, Go! (Carolinas' AAA travel magazine), North Carolina magazine, and Business North Carolina.
Please visit Clint Johnson’s website at.
www.clintjohnsonbooks.com
http://www.clintjohnsonbooks.com/autographed.htm
Our Eighth meeting with 30 in attendance was on Feb.
21st. The meeting featured Drew Pullen author of three books about local battles.
Round Table and 26th NC members recently assisted the Roanoke Island Festival Park with their Civil War Weekend on Feb.
18-19 2006. We had 9 members that manned a OBCWRT booth over the weekend to tell people about the RT and answer questions
about the articles at our booth and about the WBTS in general. We also had uniformed members that performed firing demonstrations
and demonstrated battle lines and drilled Park visitors. Pat and Kieth Sawyer set up a period encampment and Miss Pat
demonstrated period cooking over an open fire with period cookware. By the way, this Lady can cook!!! That apple
pie was fantastic. We all had a nice weekend and look forward to assisting again next year.
For our eighth meeting held on March 21st. we had the incomparable Harry Thompson
of the Port O' Plymouth Museum. You may have seen Mr. Thompson on the recent History Channel documentary on Cushing
and the sinking of the Albemarle.
Our ninth meeting
Our April 18th 2006 meeting featured Howard Draper of the Museum of the Albemarle.
He will be giving a presentation on the War Between the States and how it effected our region.
Our May16 2006 meeting will feature Eric J. Wittenberg a noted Civil War Cavalry historian
and author of a dozen books and two dozen articles on the Civil War. His first book, “Gettysburg’s Forgotten Calvary
Actions”, won the 1998 Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award. The focus of most of his work has been on Union Cavalry
operations in the eastern theatre of the Civil
War with a special emphasis on the role played by horse soldiers in the Gettysburg Campaign. His newest book is due to be released in the Spring of 2006 and will
be tilted “Plenty of Blame To Go Around: JEB Stewart’s Controversial Ride To Gettysburg”. Eric has spoken at numerous Round Tables across the
country.
The following is a
partial list of the books written or edited by Eric Wittenberg:
Gettysburg’s Forgotten Cavalry Actions (1998)
“We Have It Damn Hard Out Here”: The Civil War Letters of Sergeant Thomas
W. Smith, Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry (1999)
One of Custer’s Wolverines: The Civil War Letters of Brevet Brig. Gen. James
H. Kidd, 6th Michigan Cavalry (2000)
Under Custer’s Command: The Civil War Journal of James Henry Avery (2000)
Glory Enough for All: Sheridan’s
Second Raid and the Battle of Brandy Station (2001)
At Custer’s Side: The Civil War Writings of James Harvey Kidd (2001)
With Sheridan in the Final Campaign
Against Lee (2002)
Protecting the Flank: The Battles for Brinkerhoff’s Ridge and East Cavalry Field,
Battle of Gettysburg, July 2-3, 1863 (2002)
Little Phil: A Reassessment of the Civil War Leadership of Gen. Philip H. Sheridan
(2003)
The Union Cavalry Comes of Age: Hartwood
Church to Brandy Station, 1863
(2003)
The Battle of Monroe’s Crossroads and the Civil War’s Final Campaign (2005)
One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg, July 4-13, 1863 (with J. David Petruzzi and Michael F. Nugent) (2006)
Plenty
of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart’s Controversial Ride to Gettysburg (with J. David Petruzzi)
(2006)
Here is a link to the Raleigh Civil War Roundtable.
Our June 20th 2006 meeting will we again feature another speaker who is a friend of some of us in the 26th NC is Author Clint Johnson. Clint resides in Winston-Salem.
I have read two of his books (and plan on reading more) and would recommend them highly.
Books
written by Clint are.
"Touring The Carolinas' Civil War Sites”,
"Civil War Blunders”,
"Touring Virginia's and West Virginia's
Civil War Sites",
"In The Footsteps of Robert E. Lee",
"In The Footsteps of Stonewall Jackson",
“In The
Footsteps of J.E.B. Stuart”,
“Bull’s-Eyes
& Misfires 50
People Whose Obscure Efforts Shaped The American Civil War"
Other publications for which
he has recently written include, Civil War Times Illustrated, Go! (Carolinas' AAA travel magazine), North Carolina magazine, and Business North Carolina.
Please visit Clint Johnson’s website at.
www.clintjohnsonbooks.com
http://www.clintjohnsonbooks.com/autographed.htm
Our one year anniversary meeting.
Our July 18th 2006 speaker was our own Roy Archbell.
Roy is presently writing a book about an ancestor of his who served with the 4th NC. Roy is actually back by popular
demand. Just about everyone that attended the meeting in which Roy spoke has requested he do it again.
Roy gave a presentation last July on the Battle of the Mule Shoe that was fantastic. Roy has since added Powerpoint
to his presentation.
Our Thirteenth meeting. Our August
15th 2006 meeting we were honored to have Prof. Mark Grimsley Head of Military History for Ohio State University.
His list of books and article are too long to put here so I will provide some links. Please visit here, or for a full vita and publication list see this. 38 members attended.
Our Sept. 19 2006 speaker was one
of our members, Scott Dawson, who recently authored "Hagan of Hattaras". He did a presentation about the
Naval Battle of Hampton Roads. Scott is a historical interpreter at the History Center at Festival Park. 31 members
attended.
Our Oct. 17 2006 speaker will be Mr. Sandy Barnard.
Sandy Barnard, a writer for more than 30 years, specializes in the Civil War and the Plains Indians wars. His books include
Ten Years with Custer, A 7th Cavalryman's Memoirs; Custer's First Sergeant John Ryan; I Go with Custer, The Life and Death
of Reporter Mark Kellogg; and Digging Into Custer's Last Stand. He is editor of Greasy Grass magazine, published by Custer
Battlefield Historical & Museum Association.
Our November 212006 speaker would have been Mr. Walter White. Below is some
information on his subject. We had to cancel the meeting due to severe wind and inclement weather.
THE CONFEDERACY’S BOMB BROTHERS
LITTLE IS KNOWN AND EVEN LESS HAS BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THE EVOLUTION AND USE OF "INFERNAL MACHINES" BY THE CONFEDERATE FORCES
DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR DUE TO THE SECRET NATURE OF THIS NEW TYPE OF WARFARE. I DID, HOWEVER, READ AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED
IN THE AUGUST 1997 ISSUE OF "CIVIL WAR TIMES" WHICH MADE AN INTERESTING CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO NORTH CAROLINA BROTHERS. THIS
ARTICLE PROMPTED MY RESEARCH INTO THE ACTIVITIES OF GEORGE AND GABRIEL RAINS WHO WERE REFERRED TO AS THE CONFEDERACY’S
BOMB BROTHERS. COL. GEORGE WASHINGTON RAINS DELIVERED AN ADDRESS TO THE CONFEDERARE SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION ON APRIL 26, 1882
ENTITLED "THE HISTORY OF THE CONFEDERATE POWDER WORKS". THE ONLY KNOWN COPY OF THE HAND WRITTEN RECOLLECTIONS OF GENERAL
GABERIEL J, RAINS (WRITTEN AROUND 1870) WAS DONATED TO THE MUSEUM OF THE CONFEDERACY IN 1926 BY HIS DAUGHTER, KATHERINE RAINS.
MR. WHITE HAS PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM, WHICH DEPICTS THE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION OF THESE TWO SONS OF NORTH CAROLINA TO THE
CONFEDERATE CAUSE.
Our Dec. 5th 2006 meeting will featured Danny Couch, 46, is a life-long resident of the Outer Banks.
He has taken a
passion for local history and developed it into a successful business,
Hatteras Tours. His passion
began in second grade when his teacher at Cape
Hatteras School, Mrs. Nita Ballance, a Kitty Hawk native, worked local
history into the reading hour. In high school, he was editor of Sea Chest,
an award-winning student publication exploring
the history and culture of
the Outer Banks. His lecture to the roundtable will focus on civilian life
on the Outer
Banks during the Civil War
Our Jan. 16th 2007 meeting featured Grant Ambrose doing a presentation on Gen. Stonewall Jackson.
Grant holds a BA in History and a BA in History from North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount. He taught school
for 4 1/2 years at Lawrence Academy Since Feb 2006, worked as an Historic Interpreter for NC Division of Archives
and History at Somerset Place State Historic Site.
He will focus on the eccentricities of Stonewall Jackson, and how
they
add to the mystic that is "Stonewall". The presentation focused on the Lexington Years.
Our Feb.20th 2007 meeting featured Chris Grimes Mr. Grimes is the Managing Agent
& President, Martin County Insurance Associates of NC, Inc.
He told the story of Edward O'Brien, a member of Lee's Battery which was part of Hoke's army that
retook Plymouth and later detached to service aboard the CSS Albemarle.
- 1991 graduate of NCSU with a degree in Agricultural Business Management
- Interests include: Civil War history with
an emphasis on both the CS and US Navies and CS and US special forces such as the
Torpedo Bureau, Submarine Battery Service and Secret Service
American
Revolution History with an emphasis on the Continental & State Navies and the NC Continental Line
- Memberships and affiliations include: CS Ram Albemarle
Chapter, MOSB, Ship’s Company of the Roanoke (Naval Reneactors), 5th NC Regiment of the Continental Line
(Reactivated), Washington Co Hospital Board of Trustees, Museum of the Albemarle, Inc. Board of Trustees, Washington Co Historical
Society Board of Trustees
March 3-4 2007 We assisted the Roanoke Island Festival Park with their
annual Civil War Weekend. I hope you came down and watch the "fireworks" as the cannons roared and Mike Ross lined
up the visitors in "battle lines" and did firing demonstrations. Roanoke also had an extensive list of speakers.
Our March 20th meeting featured Andrew Talkov. Mr. Talkov has been involved
with the interpretation of American history, the
American Civil War in particular, for the past fourteen years.
During
that time, he has worked as a National Park Ranger at Gettysburg National
Military Park and Manassas
National Battlefield, and is most recently
the Chief of Interpretation at Pamplin Historical Park & The National
Museum of the Civil War Soldier in Petersburg, Virginia. During his time
at Pamplin, he has developed
a number of programs/lectures on Civil War
topics that are of interest to our group.
Mr. Talkov
did his talk on the last ride of Major General A.P. Hill at
Petersburg on April 2, 1865
Mr. Talkov is a graduate of Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey
B.A. History, June 1995. New Jersey State Teacher Certification
Program - Secondary Level/Social Studies
Our April 17th 2007 meeting will feature Walter White talking on THE CONFEDERACY’S
BOMB BROTHERS
LITTLE IS KNOWN AND EVEN LESS HAS BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THE EVOLUTION AND USE OF "INFERNAL MACHINES" BY THE CONFEDERATE FORCES
DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR DUE TO THE SECRET NATURE OF THIS NEW TYPE OF WARFARE. I DID, HOWEVER, READ AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED
IN THE AUGUST 1997 ISSUE OF "CIVIL WAR TIMES" WHICH MADE AN INTERESTING CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO NORTH CAROLINA BROTHERS. THIS
ARTICLE PROMPTED MY RESEARCH INTO THE ACTIVITIES OF GEORGE AND GABRIEL RAINS WHO WERE REFERRED TO AS THE CONFEDERACY’S
BOMB BROTHERS. COL. GEORGE WASHINGTON RAINS DELIVERED AN ADDRESS TO THE CONFEDERARE SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION ON APRIL 26, 1882
ENTITLED "THE HISTORY OF THE CONFEDERATE POWDER WORKS". THE ONLY KNOWN COPY OF THE HAND WRITTEN RECOLLECTIONS OF GENERAL
GABERIEL J, RAINS (WRITTEN AROUND 1870) WAS DONATED TO THE MUSEUM OF THE CONFEDERACY IN 1926 BY HIS DAUGHTER, KATHERINE RAINS.
MR. WHITE HAS PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM, WHICH DEPICTS THE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION OF THESE TWO SONS OF NORTH CAROLINA TO THE
CONFEDERATE CAUSE.
Our May 15 2007 speaker is Todd S Campbell. Mr. Campbell is the current commanding
officer of Battery M Second United States Artillery and holds the rank of Lieutenant. Battery M is reenactment group that
portrays a United States Army artillery company during the American Civil War. The unit based in the Mid Atlantic States
has approximately thirty members. Battery M owns a reproduction Three Inch Ordnance Rifle and limber for it's portrayal of
a Federal horse artillery unit. The original Battery M was attached to Federal Cavalry units in the eastern theater for the
majority of the war.
Lieutenant Campbell is a recently retired Federal employee. After serving six years in the United States Navy
he worked an additional twenty eight years as an electronics technician for the Department of the Navy. His specialties were
the firecontrol radar for the Terrier Guided Missile system and later on in his career Electronic Warfare systems.
Mr. Campbell became in involved in Civil War reenacting fifteen years ago when he joined a Henry Rifle Company
in the Tidewater area. After becoming involved in reenacting in late middle age he decided to hedge his bet a little and joined
an artillery unit as well. This was of course Battery M. He was elected Corporal after a year of service and assumed
command of the unit in 1999.
During his tenure of command Mr. Campbell was responsible for the acquisition of a 3 Inch Ordnace Rifle, limber and
trailer for the unit. He has involved Battery M in two film projects as well as countless living history events and reenactments
in the Mid Atlantic region. Mr. Campbell has served as the Federal Artillery Commander at several reenactments.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia Lieutenant Campbell has had a long interest in history.
During college vacations Mr. Campbell was employed as maintenance worker at Valley Forge Park which was three
miles from his home. Besides having a tie to the Revolutionary War he also has a connection with the Civil War. The Phoenix
Iron Works was the primary manufacturer of the 3 Inch Ordnance Rifle which produced over eleven hundred guns. The
Ordnance Rifle was the armament for the original Battery M during the war. The iron works was located in the town of Phoenixville
Pennsylvania a mere ten miles from his home.
Mr. Campbell currently resides in Suffolk Virginia with his wife and son. He spends a fair ammount of time preparing
for living history and reenacting events that Battey M attends. His son Robert, who has been in reenacting since the age of
seven, has gotten him involved in World War Two reenacting.
We are doing something different for our June 19 and July 17 2007 meetings.
You know how much we enjoy Roy Archbell's presentation every July. Well this time Roy has prepared a fantastic presentation
on The Wilderness. His presentation is about 5 hours or so in length. So we are going to be able to have Roy do back to back
presentations in June and then July. I am really excited about this. I couldn't wait for Roy's presentation in July and now
I don't have to wait as long. Thanks Roy!!!
Roy has spent countless hours preparing and culling down his presentation.
.April 27-28-29 Will be the Plymouth Living History Weekend.
The reenactor contingent of our group of course will be down there fighting it out. Keith and Pat Sawyer, Dr. Sledge,
Captain Dick Armstrong and Mike Ross will be participating. Plymouth is very close by so members of the Round Table
can easily come down and watch the reenactment and hang out with us in camp. Plymouth goes all out for this weekend
and it s well worth the short drive to see. Even just to see the ironclade "Albemarle" is worth the trip. Check
out the website.
www.livinghistoryweekend.com
Our August 21st 2007 meeting we were honored
to have the return of Prof. Mark Grimsley Head of Military History for Ohio
State University. His
list of books and articles are too long to put here so I will provide some links. Professor Grimlsy will be doing a
Power Point presentation on "How to Read a Civil War Battlefield" Please visit here, or for
a full vita and publication list see this.
Our Sept.18 2007 meeting will feature Peter Rascoe - Chowan County Attorney and Special Projects Officer for last nine years. Former Director of NE
Regional Office of Historic Preservation Foundation of NC. Current Commander, US Coast Guard Reserve stationed at Legal Division,
Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic. Current Trustee, NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Past Chairman of Edenton
Historical Commission. Past Board Member of Outer Banks History Center Associates. Past Board Member of Historic Hope Plantation.
Past Board Member of Albemarle Resource Conservation and Development Council. Member of Fort Branch Chapter of Descendants
of Confederate Veterans. Member of CSS Albemarle Chapter of Military Order of Stars and Bars. Member of Albemarle Area Provisional
Chapter of the Sons of American Revolution. Graduate of NC State University and University of South Carolina School of Law.
Married to Dianne Daniels, former resident of Southern Shores. Together they have five children.
Program topic will be: "Return of the Cannons of the Edenton Bell Battery". A
presentation of the ten-year effort to locate and retrieve two of the four artillery pieces that were cast from the bells
of the Town of Edenton and which were used by Battery B (Edenton Bell Battery), 3rd NC Light Artillery Battalion
while fighting in Virginia and North Carolina.
William Read presentation on October 16th 2007 by Scott Dawson
William Read was in the Confederate Navy and is probably the most underated man of the entire war. He served on board
the CSS McRae, the famed commerce raider CSS Florida and the CSS Arkansas during it's short but glorious career. He
also managed to capture 22 ships while commanding a host of captured Yankee ships in a run from Brazil to Maine where
he stole a Federal warship and blew it up without the loss of a man. He escaped from jail twice and that is just the
half of it....wait till you hear what he did in Columbia and Cuba.
In other news, I have published a new book called Croatoan: Birthplace of America. It is about the so called lost colony
and proves they assimilated with the indians at Hatteras. I sold over 300 of these books in 8 days and have been on
2 national radio shows and have a book tour that starts in Virginia September 22nd. The book came out August 14th and
I saved a stack for the Roundtable otherwise they would all be gone. Most of the stores who carry it have sold out and
it will not be back in stores until republished by a bigger company.
Our Nov. 20
presentation will feature Andrew Duppstadt.
Andrew Duppstadt is
the Assistant Curator of Education and Historic Weapons Program Coordinator for the NC Division of State Historic Sites. Though
based in Kinston, his duties afford him the opportunity to travel statewide. He is also an Adjunct Instructor of History at
Coastal Carolina Community College and Craven Community College.
Andrew also serves as President of the Civil War Roundtable of Eastern North Carolina, Secretary of the North Carolina
Civil War Tourism Council, President of the living history group Ship’s Company of the Roanoke, and sits as an alternate
board member for the Navy and Marine Living History Association.
Andrew holds a BA and MA in history from UNC-Wilmington, and served as a teaching assistant to renowned Civil War historian
Chris Fonvielle.
Andrew’s presentation will cover the history of the CSS Neuse and the involvement of members of the ship’s
officer corps in the expedition against the USS Underwriter in February 1864.
Our Dec 4th (remember the Dec. meeting is always the first Tuesday) will feature
Richard W. Lawrence, Branch Head Underwater Archaeology Branch Kure Beach, NC
The title of my presentation will be: "Relics of War: Civil War Shipwrecks in Eastern North Carolina." I will give brief
historical overview of naval activities in eastern NC during the Civil War and then discuss the various Civil War shipwreck
sites that we have examined in the region over the past 20 years and how underwater archaeology has led to a better understanding
of those events. This will be a PowerPoint presentation.
Our Nov. 20
presentation will feature Andrew Duppstadt.
Andrew Duppstadt is
the Assistant Curator of Education and Historic Weapons Program Coordinator for the NC Division of State Historic Sites. Though
based in Kinston, his duties afford him the opportunity to travel statewide. He is also an Adjunct Instructor of History at
Coastal Carolina Community College and Craven Community College.
Andrew also serves as President of the Civil War Roundtable of Eastern North Carolina, Secretary of the North Carolina
Civil War Tourism Council, President of the living history group Ship’s Company of the Roanoke, and sits as an alternate
board member for the Navy and Marine Living History Association.
Andrew holds a BA and MA in history from UNC-Wilmington, and served as a teaching assistant to renowned Civil War historian
Chris Fonvielle.
Andrew’s presentation will cover the history of the CSS Neuse and the involvement of members of the ship’s
officer corps in the expedition against the USS Underwriter in February 1864.
Our Dec 4th (remember the Dec. meeting is always the first Tuesday) will feature
Richard W. Lawrence, Branch Head Underwater Archaeology Branch Kure Beach, NC
The title of my presentation will be: "Relics of War: Civil War Shipwrecks in Eastern North Carolina." I will give brief
historical overview of naval activities in eastern NC during the Civil War and then discuss the various Civil War shipwreck
sites that we have examined in the region over the past 20 years and how underwater archaeology has led to a better understanding
of those events. This will be a PowerPoint presentation.
Our Jan. 15 2008 speaker was our own Randy Allen. Randy did a wonderful presentation about the items the average
WBTS soldier wore, carried and used. It was quite a display and presentation. Everyone totllay enjoyed it. Duck
Woods Country Club did a great job taking care of us. What a fantastic dinner.
Our Febuary 19 2008 meeting will feature Jeff Johnston.
Jeff Johnston is a Program Specialist who has worked with the /Monitor/ National Marine Sanctuary since 1995. Jeff serves
as the Sanctuary historian and has over 20 years experience specializing in the fields of maritime and Civil War history.
Jeff served as one of the archaeological team leaders for NOAA on /Monitor/ during the recovery years and continues to work
with private research groups to fulfill NOAA’s efforts to preserve the USS /Monitor/
*The presentation will be about the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and the work NOAA has been doing to preserve the
Monitor and what we've learned about her along the way. I've given it to several other groups since last fall and folks really
seemed to have liked it.
Our March 18th presentation will feature Marc Leepson. Mr. Leepson will be doing a talk
on his latest book, Desperate Engagement, which tells the story of the little-known but crucial Battle of Monocacy,
which took place on July 9. 1864, four miles south of Frederick, Maryland. Jubal Early with some 14,000 troops defeated Lew
Wallace that day with some 6,500 troops. It was the northernmost Confederate victory of the war. After the battle Early marched
on under-defended Washington, D.C., and was set to invade at noon on July 11.
Marc
Leepson is a journalist, historian and author who specializes in writing about American history, the Vietnam War and Vietnam
veterans.
A former staff writer for Congressional Quarterly, he has been arts editor and columnist for The VVA Veteran, the newspaper published by Vietnam Veterans of America, since March of 1986.
He has written for many newspapers and magazines, including the Washington Post, Washington
Post Magazine, Smithsonian, Military History, Civil War Times Illustrated, New York Times, New York Times Book Review, Baltimore
Sun, Chicago Tribune, Arizona Republic, New York Newsday, Detroit News, Dallas Morning News, Christian Science Monitor, St.
Petersburg Times, and USA Today.
He is the author of six books, most recently, Desperate
Engagement: How a Little Known Civil War Battle Saved Washington, D.C., and Changed American History. His well-received, Flag: An American Biography (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2005), a history
of the American flag from the beginnings to today, was published in 2005. His previous book was Saving Monticello: The Levy Family’s Epic Quest to Rescue the House and Jefferson Built (Free Press/Simon
& Schuster, 2001; University of Virginia Press, paperback,
2003).
He is the editor of Webster’s New World Dictionary
of the Vietnam War and a contributor to The Dictionary of Virginia Biography and The Encyclopedia Americana.
He has been
interviewed on MSNBC, FOX News, The Today Show, All Things Considered, CNN,
CNBC, Talk of the Nation, Morning Edition,
The Diane Rehm Show (NPR), On the Media, New York and Company (WNYC-FM), Irish Radio, and CBC (Canada).
He has presented papers and chaired panels
at academic conferences at the University of Notre Dame, Tulane University, University
of Massachusetts, Texas
Tech University, the College of William and Mary, and
Salisbury State University. He has given presentations to students at the colleges, universities and high schools, including
the University of Miami, American University, Georgetown University, Appalachian State University, the University of
Maryland and Foxcroft School.
An adjunct instructor of history at Lord Fairfax Community College in Warrenton, Virginia, he earned a BA in history from George Washington University in 1967. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1967-69, including a year
in the Vietnam War, he earned a Masters Degree in history from George Washington University in 1971. He lives in Middleburg,
Virginia, with his wife and children.
..Our April 15 2008
speaker is Randy Watkins. Randy is a US Park Ranger at the Petersburg National Battlfield. Park. He is a
member of the 12th Va Reenactment group. Randy is the park ranger that gave the Rt the tour of the Petersburg and Five
Forks Battlefield. He is a walking encyclopedia with a good personality. We were very impreessed with him and
at that time suggested he come down and give a presentation to us. He is going to go in depth on the Battle of The Crater.
He walks that site every day and tells the story of the Crater over and over. When we were there at the Crater he really
helped bring the site alive. You will also pick up the amazing amount of respect Randy has for those who fought and those
who died on all of these battlefields. I and all of the people on the tour know you will be impressed.
Our May 20th meeting will feature
COMMANDER GERALD C. ROXBURY USN RETIRED Commander Jerry Roxbury was born in Queens, New York. He enlisted
in the Navy in January 1972 and upon completion of Recruit Training at Great Lakes IL he attended Radarman "A" school. As
an Operations Specialist he attained the rate of Senior Chief (Surface Warfare) and served in USS PIGEON (ASR 21); USS VIRGINIA
(CGN 38); USS MOINESTER (FF 1097); USS BIDDLE (CG 34) and ashore at FLEASWTRACEN Atlantic. It was onboard USS BIDDLE in 1985
that CDR Roxbury was selected as a Chief Warrant Officer W2.
After commissioning, CDR Roxbury served in USS CORONADO (AGF 11) while she served as the Flagship for COM6THFLT, COM3RDFLT,
and COMIDEASTFOR. In 1988, CDR Roxbury was selected as a Limited Duty Officer. His subsequent sea tours included temporary
additional duty to augment the Space and Electronic Warfare Commander (SEWC) staff onboard USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) during
her maiden deployment in support of OPERATION DESERT STORM; USS BARRY (DDG 52); and Cruiser Destroyer Group TWO where he served
onboard the Flagship USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73). CDR Roxbury’s shore tours include Naval Space Command at Dahlgren
Virginia; Combat Systems Training Group, Norfolk VA; Navy Personnel Command in Millington TN; and the Center for Surface Combat
Systems Learning Site Dam Neck VA.
CDR Roxbury’s decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, Navy
and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Silver Star and Gold Star, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three Gold
Stars, as well as numerous unit, campaign, and service awards.
.Jerry Roxbury retired from the US Navy in August 2006 and in civilian life is employed by RNB Technologies, Inc. He works
for the Navy at Tactical Training Group Atlantic, at Dam Neck Virginia as a government contractor.
Jerry Roxbury has had an interest in naval history and has collected military and naval artifacts for over 40 years. He
is the current president of the Hampton Roads Militaria Society, a member of the Company of Military Historians, and the Hampton
Roads Civil War Round Table. He has displayed his vast collection in various museums, living history events, and Civil War
shows throughout the Hampton Roads area and recently won "Best of Show" for his display on "Confederate Naval Cutlasses" at
the 2007 Capital of the Confederacy Civil War show in Richmond Virginia.
Our June
17th 2008 meeting will feature John V. Quarstein is an award-winning historian, author, and preservationist. He
has served as an adjunct professor at several universities including the College of William and Mary and after 30 years, he
is the Director Emertius of the Virginia War Museum. John is now the Historian for the City of Hampton, Virginia. He also
serves as a museum consultant and historian for various cities and counties, such as Poquoson and Gloucester. Furthermore,
he provides leadership and project management for the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, The Mariners’ Museum, Rebecca Vaughan
House, and T.C. Walker House. During his 32-year career he has created or revitalized 16 museums and preserved 9 historic
sites, such as Lee Hall Mansion, Endview Plantation, Warwick Court House and portions of the Williamsburg Battlefield.
Dr. Quarstein is the author of nine books including Fort Monroe: The Key to the South, C.S.S. Virginia:
Mistress of Hampton Roads, and A History of Ironclads: The Power of Iron Over Wood. He also serves as historian
for the local PBS affiliate WHRO producing, narrating and writing films documenting Hampton Roads history such as the ‘Here
& Then’ and ‘Hampton Roads’ series as well as individual productions such as ‘Jamestown: Foundation
of Freedom’ and ‘Halloween Haunts’. He produces two shows for the City of Hampton’s Channel 47 television
station.
John V. Quarstein is the recipient of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 1993 President’s
Award for Historic Preservation, The Civil War Society’s 1996 Preservation Award in 1996, The United Daughter’s
of the Confederacy’s Jefferson Davis Gold Medal in 1999, a 2007 Emmy for ‘Jamestown: Foundations of Freedom’
and a 2007 Silver Telly Award for his ‘Civil War in Hampton Roads’ film series. Presently he serves on the board
of several national organizations such as Virginia Civil War Trails, Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority, and the
Virginia Sesquicentennial Commission Advisory Board.
An avid duck hunter and decoy collector, John V. Quarstein lives on Buckroe Beach in Hampton, Virginia and
on his Eastern Shore farm.
Mr. Quarstein will be doing a presentation on the Battle of Big Bethel
Our July 15 2008 meeting will feature
Elizabeth Roberson. Mrs. Roberson is the Author of "Weep Not for Me Dear Mother". Mrs. Roberson will be speaking
on "Black Confederates".
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