January 2024 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

January 9, 2024

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

Guest Speaker: YOU!!!

That’s right! Back again for a 3rd year, tonight we engage in a fast growing tradition of Questions and Answers from you, the members of the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table.

Come out and ask your questions or find some answers to topics that have always interested you, concerned you or perplexed you. The floor is yours.

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.

November 14, 2023September 17, 2023

December 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

December 12, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: James Brewster

Tonight we look at the experiences of a Confederate Civil War Soldier during the Civil War, as James Brewster presents the story of his ancestor, John Henry Cammack in Personal Recollections of Private John Henry Cammack; A Soldier of the Confederacy 1861-1865.

On May 15, 1861, 16-year-old John Henry Cammack and his 20-year-old brother, Lucius Cammack, enlisted in the 10^th Virginia Volunteers and joined the American Civil War as combatants in the Confederate States Army. For the next four years as a soldier, he marched from Grafton, WV to Richmond, VA and back pursuing and being pursued by the United States Army. His army life was characterized by a constant struggle to survive, either in battle or to keep himself fed and clothed. He saw great bravery and great cowardice in officers and enlisted alike. When paroled he was 350 miles from his home in Harrison County, WV and had to walk that distance to resume farming life with his father and marry his fiancé, Mary Jane Fox. After the war he and Mary Jane distinguished themselves as leading citizens of Huntington, WV

John Henry’s great, great, grandson, James Burd Brewster, has republished John Henry’s personal accounts of fighting in the civil war, Personal Recollections of Private John Henry Cammack – A soldier of the Confederacy 1861-1865, as well as captured John Henrry’s legacy as a leading citizen of Huntington, WV. His presentation will focus on the life of a typical Confederate Soldier as revealed by John Henty Cammack.

James Burd Brewster was raised in New England, learned to sail on Lake Champlain, navigated a polar icebreaker to Alaska, and served a career in the United States Coast Guard. Currently, he is president of J2B Publishing, and author of the “Glad to do it!” series of children’s picture books (www.gladtodoit.net).

Jim is descended from three significant American families; William Brewster of the Mayflower on his father’s side and Col James Burd of Pennsylvania (French and Indian War) and Private John Henry Cammack of Huntington, WV (Civil War) both on his mother’s side.

His publishing career began in 2013 when he learned how the publishing industry had become accessible to start-ups. Ten years later, Jim has written and published over 25 books of his own as well as the works of more than 70 other new authors (www.J2BLLC.com).

We look forward to welcoming Mr. Brewster and encourage everyone to join us. Attendance is free, but membership is encouraged. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org.

October 10, 2023August 13, 2023

November 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

November 14, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Gary Dyson

It is always great to welcome back friends of the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table and tonight we bring back another. Gary Dyson joins us for his latest presentation, “Beyond the Bowie List“.

Having spoken to us previously about his books A Civil War Correspondent in New Orleans, The ambush of the Issac P. Smith, and Confederate Row, Beyond the Bowie List tells the stories of the named Confederate dead buried in Maryland following the Maryland Campaign of 1862, Lee’s retreat from Gettysburg in 1863, and Early’s Invasion of Maryland in July 1864. Forbidden to be buried at Antietam National Cemetery in Sharpsburg, these soldiers were eventually buried at Washington Confederate Cemetery at Rose Hill cemetery in Hagerstown. A description of the Bowie List and the post-war reburials as well as the stories of the soldiers (their genealogy, battle history, and extent of their wounds where possible) in Hagerstown and other sites are described.

Gary L. Dyson is a retired Environmental Specialist from the City of Gaithersburg, MD and a Marine Corps veteran. He is a lifelong history enthusiast and has spent countless hours reading, researching and exploring battlefields – from the French and Indian War to World War II. Gary is the author of The Ambush of the Isaac P. Smith, A Civil War Correspondent in New Orleans, Confederate Row, Beyond the Bowie List, and The Rebels of Frederick County, as well as the History of Calvary United Methodist Church in Frederick and Mount Airy. He is a board member for the Frederick County Civil War Roundtable and performs voluntary research for Mount Olivet Cemetery. He has a BS in Natural Resources from Oregon State University. Gary lives in Mount Airy, MD with his wife Emily, and they are finally “empty-nesters,” and just became grandparents.

September 12, 2023August 2, 2023

October 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

October 10, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: William Connery

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to welcome back Mr. William Connery to speak to us. Those who enjoyed his lectures on the Civil War in Northern Virginia and Rebel Raiders on the High Seas, will certainly be enthralled with his topic tonight; Mosby’s Raids in Civil War Northern Virginia.

The most famous War Between the States/Civil War name in Northern Virginia, other than General Robert E. Lee, is Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the Gray Ghost. He stands out among nearly 1,000 generals who served in the war, celebrated most for his raids that captured Union General Edwin Stoughton in Fairfax Court House and Colonel Daniel French Dulany in Rose Hill, near Alexandria. By 1864 Mosby was a feared partisan guerrilla in the North and a hero in the South; a nightmare for Union troops protectng Washington City. After the war, his support for presidential candidate Ulysses S. Grant forced Mosby to leave his native Virginia for Hong Kong as U.S. consul. A personal mentor to young George S. Patton, Mosby’s military legacy extended to World War II. Tonight, William Connery will bring alive the many dimensions of this American hero.

William Connery grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, considered Rebel Territory by some and known as Mob Town, long before it was Charm City. Mr. Connery has a degree in History from the University of Maryland–College Park and have lived in the Bush Hill section of Fairfax County, near Old Town Alexandria, since 1989. William has been contributing to the Civil War Courier and other publications. In 2012, he was awarded the prestigious Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal for his previous History Press book, Civil War Northern Virginia 1861.

William Connery is a member of the Company of Military Historians and a frequently requested speaker in the Washington, DC, metro area.

He can be reached at william.connery@verizon.net. He presents for us here an interview on my book originally given on ‘Virginia Time Travel’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYyphgO0WKo

Please come out and help us welcome back a great friend of the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table. As always, attendance is free, but membership is encouraged. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org

August 15, 2023July 10, 2023

September 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

September 12, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Robert Dunkerly

Year 12 begins Tuesday, 9/12/2023 with a lecture from Robert (Bert) Dunkerly about the circumstances surrounding the explosion at Brown’s Island in Richmond, VA on March 13, 1863.

The 1863 Brown’s Island explosion was the worst industrial accident in the Confederacy, killing 50, mostly teenage girls. Historian Bert Dunkerly will discuss the causes of the accident, and share his research into the identities of the victims and where they are buried. It is an ongoing mystery!

Robert M. (Bert) Dunkerly is a historian, award-winning author, and speaker who is actively involved in historic preservation and research. He holds a degree in History from St. Vincent College and a Masters in Historic Preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. He has worked at fourteen historic sites, written over a dozen books, and numerous scholarly articles. His research includes archaeology, colonial life, military history, and historic commemoration. He is a past President of the Richmond Civil War Round Table, and serves on the Preservation Commission for the American Revolution Round Table-Richmond. He has taught courses at Central Virginia Community College, the University of Richmond, and the Virginia Historical Society. Dunkerly is currently a Park Ranger at Richmond National Battlefield Park. He has visited over 500 battlefields and over 1000 historic sites worldwide. He enjoys exploring local bookstores, battlefields, and breweries, not necessarily in that order.

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

June 28, 2023

Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table 2023-24 Speaker Schedule

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce its 2023-24 speaker schedule! All meetings will be held at the Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 North Crain Highway, Newburg, MD. Start time is 7:00pm.

Tuesday September 12, 2023: Bob Dunkerly – Brown’s Island Explosion

Tuesday October 10, 2023: William Connery – Mosby’s Rangers

Tuesday November 14, 2023: Gary Dyson – Beyond the Bowie List

Tuesday December 12, 2023: Jim Brewster – The Personal Recollections of Private John Henry Cammach

Tuesday January 9, 2024: Steven Cowie- “When Hell came to Sharpsburg“

Tuesday February 13, 2024: Dr. Bradley Gottfried – Seeing Antietam: The Paintings of Captain James Hope

March 12, 2024: Ron Coddington: Face of Civil War Nurses

April 9, 2024: Jonathan Beasley: Maryland in the Civil War

May 14, 2024 Chris Mackowski: Strike them a Blow: Battle along the North Anna River

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!

April 11, 2023April 24, 2023

May 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

May 9, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Lisa G. Samia

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table concludes Year 11 with a visit from award winning poet and author Lisa G. Samia. Ms. Samia will speak to us about Asia Booth Clarke, the sister of Edwin and John Wilkes Booth, her life and her letters. She will introduce us to life of Asia Booth Clarke, with emphasis on the twenty years she spent in Europe. Lisa has methodically put together a timeline of those twenty years, using the letters that she wrote and the two books that Ms. Clarke wrote during that time. Lisa will also tell us of the death of Asia Booth Clarke, which family members were present at her death and photos of the approximate location of her passing. Ms. Samia will also present three unpublished letters that she discovered in 2021, which provide a deeper understanding of Asia Booth Clarke’s life and her deep commitment to he Catholic faith.

Lisa G. Samia is an Award-Wining Poet and Author who loves American Civil War History. Her latest accomplishments are being selected as the National Parks Arts Foundation’s Artist in Residence for Gettysburg National Battlefield Park 2020 and National Parks Service’s Artist in Residence for Manassas Battlefield Park 2021. both for her Civil War Poetry. Her works include “The Nameless and the Faceless of the Civil War“, a collection of 28 poems and 28 essays on the historical representations of Civil War events through the rhyme and narrative of poetry It was released in April 2018, and endorsed by Eric Swanson, the New York Times best-selling co-author of “The Joy of Living“. “The Nameless and the Faceless Women of the Civil War“, a collection of 28 poems and 28 essays was released in April 2021, also endorsed by Eric Swnson. Also, “The Man with the Ice Blue Eyes“, a romantic Poetry Collection of love and heartache debuted number one on Amazon.com for Women’s Poetry, July 2016. Included in the collection are two award wining poems from the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association.

Ms. Samia is also and avid author and speaker on John Wilkes Booth and his sister Asia Booth Clarke. She has appeared multiple times on the Civil War Round Table Congress (via Zoom) to a sold-out audience. Her recent discovery of a set of archived letters written by Asia Booth Clarke while residing in Europe provide a deeper reveal of Asia Booth Clarke.

Lisa has devoted three years traveling, researching and writing the fictional novel series based on John Wilkes Booth, “My Name is John Singer” and “My Name is Mrs. John Singer“. She frequently lectures at literary ad historical venues, notably The Edgar Allen Poe House and Museum, the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House and Museum, the Civil War I, American nterpretive Center Blenheim, The Civil War Round Table Congress, multiple Barnes & Noble locations, and a virtual presentation with the American Civil War Museum.

You can follow Lisa on her various social platforms; Instagram: @authorlisasamia or Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorlisasamia.

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

April 4, 2023April 4, 2023

April 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

April 11, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Bradley Gottfried

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to welcome its founder back to discuss his latest book, Lee Invades the North: A Comparison of the Antietam and Gettysburg Campaigns.

Robert E. Lee embarked on two major invasions of the north in 1862 and 1863 that culminated in the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg. While each has been extensively studied, there have been few (to none) comprehensive comparisons of the two. In this presentation, Brad Gottfried will compare and contrast the two campaigns that began with such promise for the Army of Northern Virginia. The presentation will cover the political climate, war effort, the armies, leadership, military intelligence, routes to the battlefield, preliminary encounters, battlefield terrain, the battles, and post-campaign events. Gottfried will have copies of his new book: Lee Invades the North: A Comparison of the Antietam and Gettysburg Campaigns available for sale.

Brad Gottfried was born and raised in Philadelphia and after receiving his Ph.D. in Zoology, he embarked on a 40-year career in higher education. He retired in 2017 as the President of the College of Southern Maryland. He has written 17 books and numerous magazine articles pertaining to the Civil War. Although perhaps best known for his campaign “map books,” he has also written on Gettysburg, the Point Lookout Prisoner of War Camp, and the Hope Antietam paintings. Brad is an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide and a Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide. He is married to his wife, Linda, and they have four children and four grandchildren.

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

February 14, 2023November 7, 2022

March 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table

March 14, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Ron Kirkwood

We welcome our friend Ron Kirkwood back to share with us more stories from the historic George Spangler Farm and Hospital site in Gettysburg, PA. Tonight, Ron delves into the women on site and the various roles they played during and after the battle!

Women worked as nurses at the XI Corps hospital at the George Spangler farm during and after the Battle of Gettysburg. They listened to the dying men talk of their families, gave them water, treated their wounds, wrote letters home for them, held their hands and sang to them as they took their final breath. Others cooked and baked bread and washed filthy and bloody clothes and hospital linens. Most of these women helped save lives, and every single one made a difference.

Ron Kirkwood is retired after a 40-year career as an editor and writer in newspapers and magazines including USA TODAY, the Baltimore Sun, the Harrisburg Patriot-News and the York (PA) Daily Record. He edited national magazines for USA TODAY Sports and was National Football League editor for USA TODAY Sports Weekly. He managed the copy desk in Harrisburg when the newspaper won the Pulitzer Prize in 2012. Kirkwood is a Michigan native and graduate of Central Michigan University, where he has returned as guest speaker to journalism classes as part of the school’s Hearst Visiting Professionals series.

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!

December 13, 2022September 21, 2022

January 2023 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

January 10, 2023

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Bert Stevenson

We start out the New Year with a lecture about the Grand Army of the Republic and the Civil War Pension System from Round Table member Bert Stevenson.

Bert will discuss the simultaneous rise and fall of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and the Civil War Pension System. The GAR was a fraternal organization and the pension was a federal program. They both rose in power and influence just after the war ended. Both declined slowly as the veterans, their wives and children passed away. The process of joining the GAR, creating a local post, political influence are discussed with examples. The process of claiming a pension, appealing a negative decision, why the system lasted so long are illustrated with examples. Some of the examples are humorous and some are sad.

G. Bert Stevenson was born and raised in Shavertown; PA. He graduated from Marshall University, Huntington WV as a physicist and mathematician. Mr. Stevenson worked for the federal government for over 40 years; in the Army and as civilian doing research and development (bomb disposal, counter terrorism; counter narcotics). He has resided in Southern Maryland since 1974.

Mr. Stevenson is a member Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table, the Wyoming Valley Civil War Roundtable, and the Sons of Union Veterans. Because a large number of his relatives served in the Civil War, he has specific interest in several units: 5^th NY Cav; 9^th PA Cav (aka 92^nd PA Vol.); 8^th PA Vol Inf Rgmt (3 months); 112^th NY Vol. Inf. Rgmt; 143^rd PA Vol Inf Rgmt; 53^rd PA Vol Reserves; 3^rd Rgmt. PA Heavy Artillery (aka 152^nd PA Vol.) and 22^nd WI Vol Inf Rgmt.