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January 2025 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

January 14, 2025

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Bob Crickenberger

 

It is a pleasure to welcome back another of our frequent contributors to the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table, Mr. Bob Crickenberger, s tonight he presents,  “Saint or Sinner.”  Major General William Hoffman – Commissary General of Prisoners.

 

On October 1861, Colonel William Hoffman had been promoted to the newly resuscitated post of Commissary General of Prisoners by the Secretary of War. Ironically, he was placed there, despite his protest, while he was awaiting his own exchange. Hoffman, while in command of the federal garrison in San Antonio, Texas, was made a prisoner of war after his commanding officer, Brigadier General David E. Twiggs, surrendered Union forces on February 18, 1861 to the fledgling Confederate government. Hoffman was eventually released in a prisoner exchange on August 27, 1862, nearly a year after he received his new assignment.

Hoffman had shaped his early life assuming that he would serve his country, following in his father’s footsteps. Colonel Hoffman became a career United States Army officer, attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and having served in a string of army posts, just as his father had. Another of Hoffman’s brothers would attend the military academy as well as four of his sisters would marry academy graduates. Hoffman would prove to be an unwavering career soldier and a dedicated family man, following the example set by his father.

Hoffman’s personality reflected his military upbringing, discipline, and his family principles. He was frugal and a stickler for rules and regulations, earning him the sobriquet of “Old Huffy” for his steadfast belief that regulations were meant to govern and not be ignored. These attributes would influence his decisions in the unwavering administration of his duties as Commissary General of Prisoners.

Hoffman conducted the affairs of his department to the best of his ability while being hampered by politics, a lack of guidelines provided to him, and would not have the benefit of any precedent before him in the operation of his office. In the post-war years, he would be accused of being borderline Draconian at times, a title he did not deserve. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Retired as a Production Coordinator for the Prince George’s County Department of Printing, Bob has taken an active role in the preservation of our Southern Maryland Civil War history. A volunteer at Point Lookout State Park since 1978, Bob is also the founder and chairman of The Friends of Point Lookout, which has been in existence since 1985. As well as being a member of the Round table, Bob is also a member of the Sons of Union Veterans Sgt. James Harris Camp #38.

Please come out and join us as we learn about a little known, yet important officer in the administration of the war machine.  Attendance is free, but membership is recommended. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org or at 443-975-9142. We look forward to seeing you!

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December 2024 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

December 10, 2024

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Eddie Roberts

 

 

We are pleased to welcome Eddie Roberts back to the Round Table for another entertaining presentation.  Those who remember his October 2022 program, Footsteps, will enjoy tonight’s lecture, “They Were Unwilling Participants”.

Mr. Roberts will tell us the story of the challenges faced by the North and the South at the outset of the war and the hardships encounters by those on the home front.  Joining Mr. Roberts will be Ms. Donna Peterson, who will share with us the stories of women and their contributions during the war.

Attendance is free, but membership is encouraged. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org

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Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table 2024-25 Spring Field Trip

Battle of New Market

The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864

Come join us on April 12, 2025 for our annual SMCWRT Field Trip

 

We will have a guided tour across the battlefield, with time to explore the historic Bushong Farm, a viewing of the docudrama, “Field of Lost Shoes,” and time for a self -guided tour of the museum.

 

 

Early Bird Pricing – $130 members $140 non-members (by end of January meeting)

After January 2025 meeting – $140 members $150 non-members

Bus Transportation/Entry Fees/lunch are all included in the price

Departure 7:30 am from the Veteran’s Museum (11000 Crain Highway Newburg, MD) and Return approximately 6 pm.

Get your spot now!  Please contact us at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org for more details and to sign up.  Seats will fill up fast!

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November 2024 Southern MD Civil War Round Table Meeting

November 12, 2024

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Matt Borders

A star of our video presentations during the COVID epidemic, it is a great pleasure to welcome Matt Borders in person to our Round Table.  Having spoken to us twice on his excellent books, “Faces of Union Soldiers at Antietam” and “Faces of Union Soldiers at South Mountain and Harper’s Ferry”, tonight Matt will speak to us about Chief Justine Roger Brooke Taney:  Beyond Dred Scott.

Matt’s presentation, Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney: Beyond Dred Scott, looks at that enigmatic figure through his case work and whether it gives a deeper understanding for this much maligned historical figure. Chief Justice Taney will be forever remembered for the infamous Dred Scott decision in 1857, but was this hardline opinion from the bench always the opinion of the man himself, or did it develop over time during the raucous antebellum years of the United States?

A graduate of Michigan State and Eastern Michigan University, Matthew Borders holds a BA in United States History with a focus in the American Civil War and a MS in Historic Preservation. Following graduation he taught at Kalamazoo Valley Community College before accepting a position with the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program. He worked as the historian for the ABPP for six years, during which time he became a certified battlefield guide at Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historic Site. He is also the President of the Frederick County Civil War Round Table and a founding member of the Antietam Institute.

Currently, Matthew is a Park Ranger at Monocacy National Battlefield in Frederick, Maryland. He, along with fellow guide, Joe Stahl, have published four books in their Faces of Union Soldiers series

Help us welcome Matt by coming out hearing the fascinating exploration of the court decision that caused much strife and controversy in its aftermath.  Attendance is free as always, but membership is recommended.  Please contact us at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org or at 443-975-9142 for more details.

 

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October 2024 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

October 8, 2024

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Alex Rossino

Tonight, we welcome Mr. Alex Rossino, who will discuss his book, “Calamity at Frederick: Robert E. Lee, Special Orders No. 191, and Confederate Misfortune on the Road to Antietam, published by Savas Beatie in October 2023.

Multiple mysteries surround the loss of a copy of Robert E. Lee’s Special Orders No. 191. These include the location near Frederick, Maryland, where a corporal with the 27th Indiana Volunteers found the so-called “Lost Orders,” and the identity of the man who lost them. Previous investigations of the subject have blamed General Daniel Harvey Hill, a member of Hill’s staff, or a courier carrying the orders from Lee’s headquarters on the Best Farm to Hill’s headquarters. In this presentation, Dr. Alex Rossino will present new research providing an informed estimate of the place where the orders were found and revealing the identity of the culprit who lost the orders based on what the available evidence suggests. He will also describe the devastating effect on Confederate operations that the discovery of the orders by Federal troops had.

A resident of Boonsboro, Maryland, Alex Rossino earned his PhD in History at Syracuse University. In addition to being a frequent public speaker about Civil War history, Dr. Rossino is also the author of several books and articles, including Their Maryland: The Army of Northern Virginia from the Potomac Crossing to Sharpsburg in September 1862 and The Tale Untwisted: General George B. McClellan, the Maryland Campaign, and the Discovery of Lee’s Lost Orders, which he co-wrote with Gene Thorp. His newest book, Calamity at Frederick: Robert E. Lee, Special Orders No. 191, and Confederate Misfortune on the Road to Antietam, came out with Savas Beatie in October 2023. Dr. Rossino is also a novelist. His book, Six Days in September: A Novel of Lee’s Army in Maryland, has been praised for its historical accuracy by Civil War enthusiasts. His next novel, The Guns of September: A Novel of McClellan’s Army in Maryland, is due out in 2024.

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September 2024 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

September 10, 2024

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Kevin Pawlak

Lucky year 13 kicks off with a return visit from another of our old friends, Mr. Kevin Pawlak.  Join us tonight as Kevin discusses his book, “John Brown’s Raid:  Harper’s Ferry and the coming of the Civil War”.

Co-written with Jon-Erik M. Gilot, Kevin will discuss on the most significant events that helped to trigger the American Civil War.  The first shot of the American Civil War was not fired on April 12, 1861, in Charleston, South Carolina, but instead came on October 16, 1859, in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia—or so claimed former slave turned abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Brown led a band of nineteen men on the nighttime raid that targeted the Federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry. There, they planned to begin a war to end slavery in the United States. But after 36 tumultuous hours, John Brown’s Raid failed, and his subsequent trial further divided north and south on the issue of slavery. Herman Melville and Walt Whitman extolled Brown as a “meteor” of the war.

Kevin Pawlak is a historic site manager for Prince William County’s Office of Historic Preservation and a Certified Battlefield Guide at Antietam National Battlefield. He previously worked as a Park Ranger at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Kevin has written seven books about the American Civil War, including John Brown’s Raid: Harpers Ferry and the Coming of the Civil War, October 16-18, 1859, part of the Emerging Civil War Series.

As always, attendance is free, but membership is encouraged.  Membership fees allow us to continue fine speakers every year. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org.

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2024-25 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Speaker Schedule

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce its 2024-25 speaker schedule! All meetings will be held at the Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 North Crain Highway, Newburg, MD. Start time is 7:00pm.

September 10, 2024:  Kevin Pawlak – “John Brown’s Raid:  Harpers Ferry and the coming of the Civil War, October 16-18,1859”

October 8, 2024:  Alex Rossino – Calamity at Frederick

November 12, 2024:  Matt Borders – Roger Brooke Taney:  Beyond Dred Scott

December 10, 2024:  Eddie Roberts – A Civilian Army and the Unwilling Participants

January 14, 2025:  Bob Crickenburger – William Hoffman:  Saint or Sinner?

February 11, 2025:  Steven Cowie – “When Hell came to Sharpsburg”

March 11, 2025:  Brad Gottfried – Seeing Antietam – The Paintings of Captain James Hope

April 8, 2025:  Sarah Kay Bierle – Battle of New Market

May 13. 2025:  Lisa Samia – John Wilkes Booth and his sister Asia Booth:  A Special Relationship

We look forward to welcoming all of these fine people to speak to us and to welcoming all of you to hear their presentations. Detailed descriptions about each speaker and their topics to be posted in the coming months. Attendance is free to all, but membership is encouraged For more information about the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table or to learn how to join, please reach out at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org!

 

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May 2024 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

May 14, 2024

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Chris Mackowski

As we conclude season 12 of the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table, we welcome back Chris Mackowski.  Those who remember his discussion of “Grant’s Last Battle: The Story Behind the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant” will certainly enjoy tonight’s presentation, “Strike Them a Blow: Battle Along the North Anna River“.

Mr. Mackowski will describe for us the most overlooked segment of the Overland Campaign, which also represented some of the best chances both generals had for destroying each other’s armies—but the war of attrition had taken a personal toll on the commanders, peppering the North Anna River with lost opportunities.

As usual, attendance is free, but membership is encouraged. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org.

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April 2024 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

April 9, 2024

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Jonathan Beasley

For our next to last meeting of year 12, we welcome Round Table member Jonathan Beasley, as he speaks to us about the Civil War in Maryland.

Jonathan will not introduce us to the some of the notable people involved n the Civil War from Maryland, but will also provide insight into the State of Maryland’s role in the Civil War, from both the Northern and Southern perspective.

It should be an interesting evening listening to stories about the Old Line State and its involvement in the Civil War.  Attendance is free, but membership is encouraged, to allow us to continue attracting speakers on the subject we so dearly love. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org.

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March 2024 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

March 12, 2024

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker:  Ronald Coddington

Civil War Portrait Photography: Reflections of a Generation

The first collectors of Civil War photos were those who lived during the four-year struggle. As the years ticked by and they passed from the scene, their likeness were handed down through the generations. Some remained with families. Others landed in antique shops. Many were lost to the elements or tossed into trash heaps. During the war’s centennial, a new generation rediscovered these intimate artifacts. Today, a vibrant community of collectors are caretakers of these portraits. In this talk, Ron answers key questions: Why do these images exist? What were the popular formats? Why did they pose this way? How did the war impact portrait photography in the North and South?

Ronald S. Coddington is Editor and Publisher of Military Images, a quarterly magazine that showcases, interprets and preserves Civil War portrait photography. He is the author of the five volume series Faces of the Civil War published by Johns Hopkins University Press. His writings have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Civil War Monitor, Civil War Times, Civil War News, and elsewhere. His latest book is Gettysburg Faces: Portraits and Personal Accounts (Gettysburg Publishing).

We welcome all to join us for a different look at Civil War Photography.  Attendance is free, but membership is encouraged. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org.