Welcome to the website of the South Bay Civil War Round Table, Silicon Valley California’s own Round Table. Meetings are usually held at 6:30 PM on the last Tuesday of each month. Meetings in 2025 are held at Jack’s Restaurant & Bar, located at the northern corner of the Westgate Shopping Mall in San Jose, near Campbell (1502 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129), as well as via ZOOM. See the UPCOMING MEETINGS/MEETING INFO tab for specific times and meeting details.
Upcoming meetings:
Join us at 6:30 PM, May 27, at Jack’s Restaurant & Bar, located at the Northwest corner of the Westgate Shopping Mall in San Jose, near Campbell (1502 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129) and via ZOOM. This month’s topic is
William Thomas Foster was only three years old in the fall of 1860 when he witnessed the first signs of an impending civil war. After April 1861, he would see two of his older brothers Eratus D. Foster and Stephen M. Foster join up with Capt. Cantrell’s Company C, 23rd Regiment, Tennessee Confederate Infantry. His third brother John B. Foster would go on to join the 15th Mississippi Regiment.
In William’s personal account of his family’s experiences during the civil war he shares the hardships felt by many families during those tumultuous four years. Even more disconcerting is the stories he shares about his family’s encounters with a group of Confederate guerillas led by a young man by the name of Pomp Kersey.
Pomp Kersey and his gang spent the majority of 1863-1864 terrorizing the town of Smithville, but Pomp particularly liked harassing the Foster family due to the knowledge that William’s father was a known Union sympathizer. Pomp eventually found himself on the wrong end of a gun in July of 1864, but the wrong end of whose gun?
Kirstein Hansen-Ta is a new student of the Civil War. In July 2024 she inherited ten six-inch binders that contained her family history dating as far back as 1630 to present day. As incredible as all this history is, she found none as interesting, or as fascinating as the family’s experience in the Civil War. There were several men on both sides of her family that fought for the Confederacy. This included her second great grandfather, in addition to a number of uncles. She is happy to report that with the exception of one they all returned home.
Amid the hundreds of pages inside these binders Kirstein came across what she considers the most valuable four pages of them all. These four pages are a type-written letter from an uncle describing all three of his older brothers, and their time in the Confederate army. Additionally, he goes on to describe what life was like for the family during the Civil War, as well. What Kirstein realized after reading these stories was that the most intriguing part of the civil war wasn’t necessarily the battles, or the politics, but rather about the people who lived through it.
Wanting to learn more about the Civil War, Kirstein came across the website for the South Bay Civil War Round Table, and she officially became a member in October 2024. She looks forward to learning more about this significant time in our country’s history.
Q#1 – What was France’s initial justification for invading Mexico in 1861?
Q#2 – What was French Emperor Napoleon III’s secondary reason for invading Mexico in 1861?
Q#3 – Who in Mexico provided support for the French invasion of the country?
Q#4 – Did France ever officially recognize the Confederate States of America?
Q#5 – What justification did the Confederate Government provide France (and other European countries) for recognizing the Confederacy and providing economic and military support?
Q#6 – Why did France and other European monarchies hope for a Confederate victory?
Q#7 – In 1863, what caused the famine du coton in France?
Q#8 – What was the economic impact on France of the famine du coton?
Q#9 – French Emperor Napolean III was eager to help the Confederacy. What prevented him from doing this?
Q#10 – What actions were taken in France to lessen the impact of the loss of cotton sales from the Confederacy?
Q#11 – For What was the position of French Newspapers regarding France’s possible support of the Confederacy?
Q#12 – How did Confederate Texas play a role in enabling France to invade Mexico in 1861?
Q#13 – In 1861, after the Confederate attack on Fort Sumpter and all 11 states had seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy, what did France think would be the outcome of the war?
Q#14 – In 1861, what actions did France take to support the Confederate war effort.
Q#15 – At the start of the Civil War, the Confederacy sought closer relationships with Mexico to obtain supplies from France, (this was before France invaded Mexico), but Mexican President Benito Juarez turned them down. How did the Confederacy circumvent this?
Join us at 6:30 PM, June 24, at Jack’s Restaurant & Bar, located at the Northwest corner of the Westgate Shopping Mall in San Jose, near Campbell (1502 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129) and via ZOOM. This month’s topic is
The Battle of Big Bethel was the first battle of the Civil War. While casualties were relatively small, there were several participants whose names would become well known.
Ron Vaughan has an MA in History and a Secondary Teaching Credential. His MA thesis was entitled “A Comparison of the Military Effectiveness of the US Army and Mexico, in 1846.” He has written two published books: Viva Juarez, A Source Book for the French Intervention in Mexico, and Handbook for the Spanish Civil War, plus many magazine articles in military history related publications, most recently “Joe Shelby’s Odyssey in Mexico” in the “North & South” December 2022 issue. Ron has also been a re-enactor for periods of Roman times, American Civil War, WW I, and WW II. He is the Head Docent at the Tulare City Historical Museum and Secretary and Editor for the San Joaquin Valley Civil War Roundtable.
William B. Franklin is a largely forgotten figure today, but he contributed to three of the worst defeats the Union army suffered. His military career began on a stellar note, graduating first in West Point’s 39-man Class of 1843, but the Civil War was to show he was no combat general. Appointed by George McClellan to command the 6th Corps, Franklin’s worst moment came during the Antietam campaign when he was charged with relieving the besieged Federal garrison at Harpers Ferry. Through his own timidity, Franklin failed in his mission, resulting in the surrender of over 10,000 Union troops. He continued to display poor generalship at the Battle of Fredericksburg, for which he became a political scapegoat. Transferred to Louisiana, Franklin committed an error that worsened Union losses at the Battle of Sabine Crossroads, a Federal defeat that led to the collapse of Nathaniel Banks’ Red River campaign.
Alan Sissenwein has been a member of the South Bay Civil War Round Table since 1997 and currently serves as its vice president. A professional writer, he holds a bachelor’s degree in history from UC Berkeley and a master’s in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He is currently writing the second draft of a book on the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Q#1 – Was the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act the first law of its kind in the United States?
Q#2 – What actions did the States identified as “Free States” take regarding what actions to take when runaway slaves were discovered in their State?
Q#3 – Before the passage of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, what rulings by the Missouri Supreme Court circumvented Federal laws regarding the return of enslaved people?
Q#4 – Why were the rulings by the Missouri Supreme Court regarding the return of enslaved ruled as being Constitutional?
Q#5 – Why in 1847 and 1849 did planters from Bourbon and Boone counties, Kentucky, lead raids into Cass County in the state of Michigan?
Q#6 – What was the general reaction by Southerners regarding how the “Free States” were dealing with slaves in their states?
Q#7 – What was the name of the politician who drafted the language for Fugitive Slave Act of 1850,?
Q#8 – What penalties were imposed on those found guilty of not arresting a suspected runaway slave?
Q#9 – What were the penalties imposed by the Act on any one who aided a slave in escaping slavery?
Q#10 – In 1850, what legislative action did the State of Vermont implement that rendered the federal 1850 Fugitive Slave Act effectively unenforceable in Vermont?
Q#11 – What is “Jury Nullification” and how was it used regarding criminal cases related to the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act?
Q#12 – What was the first state to declare the Fugitive Slave Act unconstitutional and how did the US Supreme court rule?
Q#13 – In 1855, what law did the Michigan legislature pass that dealt with the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act?
Q#14 – Why did many Northern businessmen support the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act?
Q#15 – When was the Fugitive Slave Act formally repealed?
In the heartbreaking 19th century ballad “Paddy’s Lament,” a young Irishman – “Paddy” or “Patrick” – leaves Ireland, where he faces hunger and poverty, to go to America, where he hopes to make his fortune. Instead, upon his arrival, he is given a gun and told to “go and fight for Lincoln.” He soon finds himself fighting for a man named “Meagher,” who promises his troops that “if they get shot or lose [their] head” in battle, they will be given a pension. After “hard fighting” and losing his leg, all Paddy gets is “a wooden peg,” and he curses America. He wishes he were “home in dear old Dublin,” and he warns others not to come to America, for “there is nothing here but war and the murdering cannon’s roar.”
So, how accurately does this song represent the Irish experience in the Civil War?
In the ten years following Ireland’s Great Famine (1845-1850), approximately 1.5 million Irish emigrated to the U.S. Most settled in large cities such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, where they often faced significant prejudice due to their poverty, Catholic beliefs, cultural practices, and language. Many of those new Irish immigrants, however, chose to fight in America’s Civil War – approximately 180,000 in the Union army and 20,000 in the Confederate army. An estimated 30,000 Irishmen died in the conflict. Those who fought under the “General Meagher” referenced in “Paddy’s Lament” primarily did so as part of the Irish Brigade.
Three all-Irish volunteer infantries formed the core of what would become the Irish Brigade: the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York Infantry Regiments. They were later joined by the 116th Pennsylvania and the Irish-dominated 28th Massachusetts. Most were recent immigrants; many, not yet citizens. Some, as described in “Paddy’s Lament,” were fresh off the boat. In the first two years of the war, the Irish Brigade had the highest casualty rate of any comparable unit in the Army of the Potomac.
In this month during which we celebrate St. Patrick, come listen to the song “Paddy’s Lament” and learn more about the history of the Irish Brigade and how accurately this ballad represents their experience in the Civil War.
Tonya Graham McQuade is the author of A State Divided: The Civil War Letters of James Calaway Hale and Benjamin Petree of Andrew County, Missouri, 1862-65, and is a contributing writer to the Emerging Civil War website. She has a love for both history and historical fiction, as well as a passion for writing, music, travel, and genealogical research.
In the summer of 2023, Tonya visited Ireland and Scotland with her husband Mike. Her first night in Dublin, she heard a live performance of the ballad “Paddy’s Lament,” and the song planted itself in her brain. She continued to think about the song’s haunting lyrics as she visited Dublin’s EPIC Immigration Museum, viewed the nearby Famine Memorial, and climbed aboard the replica Jeanie Johnson famine ship. Once she returned to San Jose, she began researching the song’s history, listening to its various versions, and studying the Irish experience in the Civil War, particularly as part of the Irish Brigade. She eventually wrote two related articles for the Emerging Civil War website. This presentation expands on those articles.
A long-time English teacher at Los Gatos High School, Tonya lives in San Jose, California. She is an active member of Emerging Civil War, South Bay Civil War Round Table, South Bay Writers/California Writers Club, National League of American Pen Women, and Poetry Center San Jose. You can learn more about Tonya on her website at tonyagrahammcquade.com, as well as find photos related to the book and to her research trips to Missouri. You can also find links to her Chasing History and Emerging Civil War blog posts, her poetry and photography, and her social media sites.
Q#1 – Following the election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860, a special secession convention was called by Florida Governor Madison S. Perry to discuss secession from the Union. What was the official name of this convention?
Q#2 – When did Florida secede from the Union?
Q#3 – In Florida’s secession document, what reasons were documented justifying the secession from the Union?
Q#4 – Approximately how many soldiers did Florida provide the Confederacy?
Q#5 – What factor was the State’s key importance to the Confederacy?
Q#6 – At the start of the Civil War, Florida seized all but two Union facilities; which ones were these?
Q#7 – Why did the Confederate government in Richmond take the unpopular action in Florida to divide the state into several military districts?
Q#8 – What basic food products were Florida’s major contribution to the Confederate cause?
Q#9 – As Florida was an important supply route for the Confederacy, Union forces operated a blockade around the entire state. Approximately how many miles of coastline had to be blockaded? How many miles of rivers, streams, and waterways that proved a haven for blockade runners and a daunting task for patrols by Federal warships also had to be blockaded?
Q#10 – What reasons did the Confederacy attempt to use the close proximity of Florida with Cuba?
Q#11 – Florida was the first state to take what action regarding utilization of its slaves for military action?
Q#12 – Growing public dissatisfaction across the south with Confederate conscription and impressment had what impact on Florida?
Q#13 – In 1862, what action did the Florida House of Representatives take regarding the large Seminole Native American population in the State?
Q#14 – Where did the majority of Florida’s Confederate troops fight?
Q#15 – What was the name of the largest battle fought in Florida during the Civil War?
John Buford possessed an amazing ability to grasp the importance of a situation. Buford displayed a keen ability to recognize where the good ground was, and knew what his role was. These were all critical components that eventually enabled Buford to become a critical element in the Union victory at Gettysburg. John Buford left an enduring imprint on 19th century mounted operations, a precursor of the mobile mechanized warfare of today. And once he achieved high rank, Buford almost single-handedly overturned the practice, prevalent in virtually every theater of operations, to cast the mounted forces of the Union in the mold of European heavy cavalry.
Tom Roza has been a student of the American Civil War since December 1960 when he received as a Christmas present The Golden Book of the Civil War, adapted for young readers from the book entitled the American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War. Tom’s main interest in the Civil War has focused on what type of people fought in the war and its human aspects as opposed to the actual battles, politics, and weaponry. As a result, Tom has made presentations on Winfield Scott Hancock, Jeb Stuart at Yellow Tavern, AP Hill, Robert Gould Shaw, the Draft Riots of New York City, among others. Tom has also written two historical novels on the Civil War and Reconstruction: Windows to the Past: A Virginian’s Experience in the Civil War and Lost Cause-Justice Found, both available on Amazon.com. Tom is currently in the process of writing his third historical novel that is entitled Triumph Conquers Tragedy, a post-Civil War story that takes place in 1870s Colorado Territory.
Q#1 – What original territory was the state of Kansas part of?
Q#2 – When was Kansas admitted to the Union?
Q#3 – As abolitionism became increasingly popular in the United States and tensions between its supporters and detractors grew. What compromise would directly affect the issue of slavery in the Kansas Territory?
Q#4 – The Kansas–Nebraska Act was proposed by Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. What assumption regarding slavery did Douglas rely on that would appease Southerners in Congress?
Q#5 – What are the origins of the term “Bleeding Kansas”?
Q#6 – Who were the first settlers of the new Kansas Territory?
Q#7 – What action did President Franklin Pierce take that helped plant the early seeds for a “Bleeding Kansas”?
Q#8 – Who were the “Border Ruffians”?
Q#9 – In 1855, what did a congressional committee investigating the election of proslavery Democratic candidate John Wilkins Whitfield for a nonvoting delegate to Congress discover?
Q#10 – On March 30, 1855, the Kansas Territory held the election for its first territorial legislature. What were the results and what major action influenced which people were elected?
Q#11 – Stating the March 1855 election as fraudulent, Free-Staters elected delegates to a separate legislature and proclaimed itself the legitimate government and called the proslavery government “bogus”. What action did then President Franklin Pierce take?
Q#12 – What was the Wakarusa War of 1855?
Q#13 – What act of violence was initiated as a result of a speech made in the US Senate entitled “Crimes Against Kansas”?
Q#14 – What act of violence was committed when John Brown led his sons and other followers into Kansas?
Q#15 – What was the Battle of Osawatomie that was fought in August 1856?
Most of the research that has been performed regarding the Battle for Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg has focused primarily on the actions of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Even the 1993 movie, Gettysburg concentrated its scenes on the actions of Chamberlain and his 20th Maine. In actuality, Little Round Top was successfully defended by a brigade under Colonel Strong Vincent, who was mortally wounded during the fighting and died five days later. Brig. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren climbed Little Round Top and found only a small Signal Corps station there. He saw the glint of bayonets in the sun to the southwest and realized that a Confederate assault into the Union flank was imminent. He hurriedly sent staff officers, including Washington Roebling, to find help from any available units in the vicinity; Vincent’s brigade was dispatched to take control of Little Round Top. The presentation will focus on how all four of the regiments under Vincent’s command successfully defended Little Round Top
Ron Vaughan has an MA in History and a Secondary Teaching Credential. His MA thesis was entitled “A Comparison of the Military Effectiveness of the US Army and Mexico, in 1846.” He has written two published books: Viva Juarez, A Source Book for the French Intervention in Mexico, and Handbook for the Spanish Civil War, plus many magazine articles in military history related publications, most recently “Joe Shelby’s Odyssey in Mexico” in the “North & South” December 2022 issue. Ron has also been a re-enactor for periods of Roman times, American Civil War, WW I, and WW II. He is the Head Docent at the Tulare City Historical Museum and Secretary and Editor for the San Joaquin Valley Civil War Roundtable.