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 Samia will also present three unpublished letters that she discovered in 2021, which provide a deeper understanding of Asia Booth Clarke’s life and her deep commitment to he Catholic faith.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.

November 8, 2022August 29, 2022

December 2022 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

December 13, 2022

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Tom Belote

Join us this evening, as we welcome Round table member Tom Belote and his presentation, “Rebels on the Rio Grande: The Confederate Campaign of New Mexico 1861-1862″.

While the Civil War raged back east, a Confederate campaign to drive the Yankees from the New Mexico Territory, capture the silver and lead mines of Colorado, and the gold mines and strategic ports of California was well underway. Conceived in the mind of Gen Henry Sibley, this campaign had the aim to extend the Confederacy from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The Confederate advance up the Rio Grande valley achieved some initial successes so that by early 1862, the Stars & Bars were floating over Mesilla, Tucson, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, and the rebels were on the move to capture the new Territory of Colorado. However, at Glorieta Pass, the Confederate advance was stymied due to a loss of its logistics train. The campaign ultimately ended in a humiliating Confederate retreat. Often called “The Gettysburg of the West,” this campaign has been largely relegate to historical obscurity but needs to be told. The objectives, leadership, intelligence, and logistics of the campaign will be discussed.

Tom Belote is a 30-year veteran of the US Army, retiring as a Colonel. He is a 1977 ROTC graduate of Virginia Tech with a BS in Agronomy and also holds a MS in International Relations from Campbell University. He served as an Air Defense Artillery, Foreign Area, Psychological Operations, and Civil Affairs officer in the United States, West Germany, and Cameroon, Africa. As a Department of Defense civilian, Tom served as an Intelligence Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC and as a Military Liaison Officer with the Joint Warfare Analysis Center in Dahlgren, VA where he supported strategic planning at the US Central Command in Tampa, FL; the European Command in Stuttgart, Germany; and the Indo-Pacific Command in Honolulu, HI. Tom volunteers at The National Museum of the US Army at Ft Belvoir, VA and at the Thomas Stone National Historic Site in Charles County. Tom is also a Revolutionary War living history re-enactor. He and his wife Mary have three children and three grandchildren.

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

October 11, 2022September 1, 2022

November 2022 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

November 8, 2022

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Chris Bryan

The II Corps, Army of Virginia suffered a bloody and demoralizing defeat at the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9th, 1862, after initial success where it nearly defeated Stonewall Jackson’s command. This talk will describe the fighting at Cedar Mountain in detail and will also briefly describe the aftermath for the II Corps that summer, which culminated in conspicuous success at Antietam.

Chris Bryan is a native of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. in History, he served as a naval aviator for eight years. He has since worked as a project manager, during which time he earned an M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland and a Masters in Historic Preservation from the University of Maryland, College Park where his studies focused on architectural investigations of antebellum domestic and agricultural outbuildings in the Chesapeake Bay region. He has remained active with historic preservation and architectural investigations following graduation. Chris Bryan lives in Southern Maryland with his wife and two kids.

We eagerly anticipate your attendance as we all learn a bit more about a battle that some classify as the final battle of the Peninsula Campaign, while others refer to it as the initial battle of Second Manassas. Attendance is free, but membership is encouraged. Please contact is with any questions at bsunderland@somdcwrt.org!

September 13, 2022August 29, 2022

October 2022 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

October 11, 2022

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Eddie Roberts

Eddie Roberts and his Footsteps presentations are a unique Civil War learning experience. Not just facts, figures, and dates; Eddie’s personable style livens up Civil War history by giving first-person expression to the feelings, passions and meanings of the period. Each presentation is on-of-a-kind and by encouraging audience involvement, Eddie weaves a compelling story of two of his Civil War ancestors. But it’s not all serious, as Eddie’s style emphasizes the human side of the conflict with insightful anecdotes that hep characterize the social mores, conventions and humor of the times. Understandably proud of his heritage and ever mindful of the sacrifices made by both sides for duty, honor and country; Mr. Roberts drives home the point that now, just as in the past, we should be grateful for the freedoms won at such high cost and not fail to thank all our veterans for their service.

While both of Mr. Robert’s great-grandfathers were from Southern States, they couldn’t have been more different, with one staunchly Union by conviction and the other fighting for the Confederacy according to his duty to home and state. On the Union side, Eddie portrays Infantry Private Jacob Presley, a 28 year-old farmer from the mountains of Eastern Tennessee with a passionate loyalty to the preservation of the nation. Jacob fought and was wounded in a number of actions and made the ultimate sacrifice for his country at Resaca, Georgia in 1864 while serving with Sherman’s army during the Atlanta campaign.

In contrast, Mr’ Robert’s Confederate relative, William Paul Roberts of Gates County, North Carolina, enlisted at the age of 19, and demonstrated such remarkable tactical skill and leadership ability that he rapidly advanced from a Private to the rank of Brigadier General. William served throughout the entire war. and participated in virtually every major battle in the East and was at the surrender at Appomattox. By the end of the war, as at age 23, he was the youngest General officer in the Confederacy. Join us tonight, as we meet the two participants in a program that promised to be different from anything we have experienced before at the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table.

Eddie Roberts has more than 30 years of experience as a Civil War re-enactor of both Union and Confederate forces. A U.S. Army Veteran, Mr. Roberts served in Vietnam and later supported military logistics and transportation operations. An expert in transportation safety matters, he served the U.S. Navy and private industry as a safety officer, consultant and trainer. Mr. Roberts has a keen interest in athletics and has coached extensively in the Washington DC Metro area, most recently at the College of Southern Maryland where he was a member of the coaching staff for many years.

History, particularly the Civil War era, has been a primary interest of Mr. Roberts, and to that end, he currently serves as the Vice President of the Dr. Samuel Mudd Society, Inc. and led the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War George G. Meade Camp No. 5 as Commander for eight consecutive terms. Mr. Roberts is frequently sought after to undertake specialized historic research, create exhibits and lead presentations on Civil War history at the Dr. Mudd Museum, at schools and public events. Responding to the needs of the Boy Scouts of America, Mr. Roberts developed and marshaled the fictional Battle of Zekiah Swamp at the Dr. Mudd Farm. In 2014, the battle drew more than 800 scouts, re-enactors and supporting personnel culminating in
an unforgettable and fun educational experience for all present. Mr. Robert’s leadership and tireless efforts have given thousands of people, both youth and adults, a unique and memorable insight into experiencing first-hand what it was like to soldier in the 1860s.

Most recently recognized by the Sons of Union Veterans at their 2015 Na-
tional Encampment, Mr. Roberts received a meritorious service award for his leadership in planning, organizing, and managing events at the Dr. Mudd Farm in observance of the 150th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Roberts resides in Ellicott City with his wife Angie.

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

August 15, 2022August 15, 2022

September 2022 Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table Meeting

September 13, 2022

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 7:00pm at The Maryland Veterans Museum, 11000 Crain Highway North, Newburg, MD 20664.

Guest Speaker: Michael J. Mazzeo

Rescheduled from January 2022 the Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table welcome Mike Mazzeo from the Friends of Rich Hill as he speaks to us about the Past, Present and Future of Historic Rich Hill.

Located not too far from our meeting location, Historic Rich Hill was built in 1729 by Dr. Gustavus Brown, but played a prominent role during the era of the Civil War. From Samuel Cox to Thomas Jones, Rich Hill took its place in history following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. This presentation will include the history of Rich Hill with a focus on the role Samuel Cox and Thomas Jones played in hiding John Wilkes Booth in April 1865, its aftermath, and the current rehabilitation of this historic site.

Michael J. Mazzeo, Jr. is a retired History Teacher from Charles County Public Schools.

He holds an Associate of Arts Degree from the College of Southern Maryland, Bachelor’s Degree from Salisbury State University as well as a Master Degree from Western Maryland College.

He is the Past President of the Historical Society of Charles County, Charles County Heritage Commission, Charles County Tourism Advisory Board and the Thomas Stone Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution.

He is the author of The Simmons and Welch Family of Charles County, Maryland; Dr. Gustavus Brown of Rich Hill and his Illustrious Descendants; and Dear Aaron, Dear Sarah. He was the Illustrations Editor of Pathways to History, Charles County Maryland, 1658-2008 and Research Consultant and Co-Director of The War of 1812 in Charles County’s Backyard: A Virtual Tour.

Currently, he is a tour guide in the Port Tobacco Historic Village, the Vice-President of the Historical Society of Charles County, Chair of both the Friendship House Foundation and the Friends of Rich Hill and Registrar of the Thomas Stone Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution. In November 2020, he and his daughter, Madelyn, were accepted into the General Society of Mayflower Descendants through lineal descendant of Mayflower Passenger, George Soule.

We encourage you to come out and shake off those post-holiday blahs, while learning about a place with deep ties, not only to the Civil War in Southern Maryland, but to the history of Charles County and the state of Maryland.

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

July 21, 2022

Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table 2022-23 Speaker Schedule

All meetings are held at the Maryland Veterans Museum 11000 Crain Highway Newburg, MD 20664 and begin at 7pm

September 13, 2022 Mike Mazzeo – The History of Rich Hill and its involvement in the Lincoln Assassination

October 11, 2022 Eddie Roberts – “Footsteps Inside: Exploring the Two Sides of Southern Ancestors

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November 8, 2022 Michael Bryan – Cedar Mountain to Antietam

December 13, 2022 Tom Belote – Confederate Campaign of New Mexico

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January 10, 2023 Bert Stevenson – The Rise and Fall of the GAR

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February 14, 2023 Open Discussion Evening

March 14, 2023 Ron Kirkwood – The Women of Spangler Farm

April 11, 2023 Dr. Brad Gottfried – “Lee Invades the North: A Comparison of the Antietam and Gettysburg Campaign”

May 9, 2023 Lisa Gentile Samia – Asia Booth Clarke

Schedule subject to Change