November 12, 2013

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 7:00pm on the LaPlata campus of the College of Southern Maryland.  The meeting will be held in the Business and Industries Building , Chaney Enterprises Conference Room, Room 113.

Guest Speaker:  Phillip Thomas Tucker

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table will host a presentation by Phillip Thomas Tucker, author of the book, “Barksdale’s Charge:  The True High Tide of the Confederacy at Gettysburg.”  On the 3rd day at Gettysburg, Gen. Robert E. Lee launched an attack unsurpassed for its pageantry, but destined to fail from its outset.  Mr. Tucker sets out to make the case that true high tide of the Confederacy came the day before, July 2nd, when a small Mississippi brigade led by Gen. William Barksdale launched what one Union observer called “the grandest charge that was ever seen by mortal man.”

“Barksdale’s Charge” describes how the exact moment when the Confederacy reached its zenith, and the soldiers of the Northern states just barely succeeded in retaining their perfect Union.

Phillip Thomas Tucker is a prolific writer and historian who has edited and authored nearly two dozen books in the past two decades and has penned over 60 scholarly articles.

Mr. Tucker is particularly recognized for its efforts to unearth and bring to life forgotten events and figures in the annals of American history.  Many of his books recount events during the Civil War, while others detail the Texas Revolutionary period, the Revolutionary War, the Irish War and the efforts of early African American military regiments.

Mr. Tucker’s 2010 book, “Exodus from the Alamo:  The Anatomy of the Land Stand Myth“, unravels what really happened during the most famous event of the Texas War for Independence.  His 2002 book, “Cathy Williams:  From Slave to Female Buffalo Soldier“, explores the hidden life of a woman who was born as slave in Independence, MO, only to refashion herself as Pvt. William Cathay, Company A, 38th U.S. Infantry.  Pvt. Cathay would serve as one the Buffalo Soldiers, patrolling the 900-mile Santa Fe Trail.  After earning his Ph.D at St. Louis University in Missouri in 1990, Phillip Thomas Tucker took a position as a civilian historian with the Department of Defense and specialized in Air Force history.

He has worked on several books related to the Haitian Revolution and has donated to relief efforts both before and following the devastating Port-au-Prince earthquake.  Phillip Thomas Tucker maintains affiliation with Phi Alpha Theta and the National History Society.  We welcome Phillip Thomas Tucker and look forward to his presentation.

October 8, 2013

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 7:00pm on the LaPlata campus of the College of Southern Maryland.  The meeting will be held in the Business and industries Building, Chaney Enterprises Conference Room; Room 113.

Guest Speaker:  Harlan “Gene” Cross, Jr.

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table will host a presentation by Harlan “Gene” Cross, Jr., author of the book, “Letters Home:  Three Years Under General Lee in the 6th Alabama”.  Culled from letters found in a steamer trunk full of family heirlooms and other correspondence, Mr. Cross transcribes the original pen and ink and pencil letters written by his great-grand uncle. Lt. Thomas Smith Taylor, Confederate States of America.  From the rigors and drudgery of army life to his thought’s and attitudes on religion, slavery and the Southern Cause, Lt. Taylor takes us on his journey through the battles of Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and many others.  His sudden demise at the Battle of Cold Harbor serves to remind the readers of the cruel fortunes of war.  While doing his research, Mr. Cross was unable to come across any photos of his great-grand uncle, or find any copies of letters that he received, but did confirm his family’s connection to the former Claudia Alta Taylor, more commonly known as “Lady Bird” Johnson.

Mr. Cross currently resides in Oakton, VA with his wife Carol and their three daughters.  A retired engineer who worked for Harris and MITRE corporations, Mr. Cross now serves as a consultant two days a week.  Since 2005, Mr. Cross has served as a volunteer interpreter at Arlington House, the former mansion of Gen. Robert E. Lee.  He is also president of “Save Arlington House”, a friends group that assists the National Park Service in preserving this national treasure.

September 10, 2013

The Southern Maryland Civil War Roundtable is pleased to announce the first meeting of its second year will take place on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 7:00pm on the LaPlata campus of the College of Southern Maryland.  The meeting will be held in the Business and industries Building, Chaney Enterprises Conference Room; Room 113.

Guest Speaker:  Susan Youhn

The second year of the Southern Maryland Civil War Round table kicks off with a focus on our own backyard, as Susan Youhn will give a presentation on the first Civil War Hospital in Southern Maryland; Hammond Hospital.  Susan will tell us about the trials and tribulations experienced by the hospital staff as the first Civil War medical facility in the Southern Maryland area was established.  This lecture will serve as a preview for our fall field trip on Saturday September 14, 2013.  The day will begin with a tour of Civil War sites in St. Mary’s County and after a break for lunch at the Brome Howard Inn, we will proceed to Point Lookout, where Susan’s husband, TJ Youhn, will give us a tour of Fort Lincoln and tell us about the Prison Pen and the fortifications that remain at Point Lookout State Park.  Meeting times, meeting places and cost to be announced.

We look forward to seeing all of our old friends, meeting new ones and hearing any tales of Civil War adventure from over the summer.

…but that doesn’t mean we’re not around!

Check in throughout the summer for updates on Civil War events across the area, updates to our web site and Facebook page and any other important news.  Let us know if you are going to the Gettysburg sesquicentennial and share some photos if you have any!  And we are always on the lookout for anyone who might want to get more involved in the organization, be it as an officer, helping on a committee, or helping in starting up a Round Table newsletter. Let us know because September will be here sooner than you think.

Have a safe and fun summer and we look forward to seeing you again in September.

March 12, 2013

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 7:00pm on the LaPlata campus of the College of Southern Maryland, in the Business and Industry Building, Room 113.

Guest Speaker:  Georgia K. Chaney Ladd

The Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table joins in the celebration of Women’s History Month with a presentation by Georgia Ladd on “Baltimore Belle, Hetty Cary“.  Hetty Carr Cary was the wife of Confederate General John Pegram, who smuggled supplies into the Confederate states via Southern Maryland. Later in her life, she would marry pioneering physiologist H. Newell Martin.

Georgia Chaney Ladd is a graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County who has presented at the Chesapeake Civil War Roundtable and has written for the Maryland Historical Society’s magazine MDHS News.  She is a thirteen year veteran to the field of education and is currently employed as a United States History Teacher for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Ms. Ladd’s current research reflects her interest in local history.  Recently, she has completed research on Calvert County’s lost cemeteries, namely Shiloh Cemetery in Dunkirk, MD.  Other topics include Confederate memory in Maryland shortly after the Civil War and the influence of Johns Hopkins on John W. Garrett, president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, during the Civil war years.  She is a member of the Chesapeake Civil War Round Table, the Maryland Historical Society’s Teacher Advisory Council and serves as a teacher representative for the Civil War Preservation Trust. Ms. Ladd is very active in the Maryland Council for Social Studies and the Middle States Conference for Social Studies and has presented at Social Studies conferences throughout the eastern region of the United States.

Ms. Ladd was named Gilger-Lehrman’s Maryland History Teacher of the Year in 2009 and continues to be recognized by her colleagues as a master teacher in history.  She has been called to serve the Maryland State Department of Education to create curriculum for students in Maryland, kindergarten through twelfth grade. She also serves as a district level coordinator for National History Day programs.

Ms. Ladd’s passion for researching local history began with a family genealogy project, where she discovered that her entire research could be accomplished by visiting four counties in Maryland; Howard, Anne Arundel, Calvert and St. Mary’s. She continues to support these historical societies by offering her assistance as a researcher. She is drawn to topics of social history, particularly those that focus on women.