Meeting of October 29, 2024

Join us at 6:30 PM, October 29, 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

David Hsueh on “Let Us Die to Make Men Free: The Story of Antietam’s Union Participants”

The Battle of Antietam was a defining point not only in the American Civil War, but in American history. Fall of 1862 was the crossroads of the war and for the nation. Through the strategic victories during the Seven Days Battles and their incredible triumph at Second Manassas, General Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia had nearly pinned the Army of the Potomac to submission. If General McClellan failed to make a home stand in Maryland, it would cause enormous implications regarding European intervention in the war and in peace talks. During this crucial time, the widening split on the question of slavery further pressured Lincoln to declare this country’s final verdict on the divisive moral argument. The Maryland Campaign, and the bloodiest day in American history at Antietam, ushered in a new beginning to make men free.

Yet, as Civil War scholars, we often get so caught up in studying the biographies of high-ranking officers and memorizing order of battles that we often forget the humanity (or really the ‘inhumanity’) of battle and war. Counts of casualties can just seem like numbers typed on pages. After all, it is hard to imagine all the death and carnage these battles caused. Sometimes when visiting these hallowed grounds we must stop ourselves and contemplate. Being a scholar of the American Civil War isn’t just being knowledgeable of the minute details of military campaigns but also means that we are able to understand, empathize, and share the stories and experiences of the soldiers that fought in it. By visiting these battlefields and putting ourselves in the shoes of these brave fighters, it puts our lives in total perspective. Imagine how the soldiers must have felt, having just a few minutes to process that every defense or every assault may be their last. Would they have thought about their families back home in this final moment: their sweethearts, their brothers and sisters, their mothers and fathers, their wives and children? Would they have experienced guilt that their families would have to struggle to live without their financial support? Or rather, did some express a certain joy in reuniting with their lost comrades again? How would we respond in their shoes? Would we cowardly run for the rear in an attempt to save our own life, or would we obey orders, hoping that our sacrifice would be enough to save our unit and our army? Regardless, we must understand that we would not have the courage, bravery, and fearlessness of these men to make this sacrifice on the harrowing day of September 17, 1862.

Instead of retelling the well-known history of the Battle of Antietam, this narrative style talk, “Let Us Die to Make Men Free: The Story of Antietam’s Union Participants” attempts a different approach by telling the stories and vignettes of one Union regiment, the 12th Massachusetts (I Corps, 2nd Division, Third Brigade); two Union field-grade officers, Major Rufus Dawes of the 6th Wisconsin (I Corps, 1st Division, Fourth Brigade) and Lieutenant Colonel Wilder Dwight of the 2nd Massachusetts (XII Corps, 1st Division, Third Brigade); and the famed “Angel of the Battlefield”, nurse Clara Barton, whose acts of bravery and benevolence displayed that even in the depths of hell, humanity and morality could still transpire. Through the soldiers’ writings and the accounts of others that served alongside them, the talk aims to tell a complete picture of their lives at the outbreak of the Civil War, to illustrate their hopes, courage, worries, and fears while fighting the Maryland Campaign, and how their future memory of the ghastly Battle of Antietam gave them immeasurable grief and trauma.

David Hsueh is currently an incoming junior as a political science student at the University of California, Berkeley. As an avid history learner since kindergarten, his first introduction to the American Civil War came when he read about President Lincoln. However, his true passion for the Civil War began after his first viewing of the movie Gettysburg, and his subsequent visits to the Gettysburg and Antietam Battlefields at age 11. Antietam is his favorite Civil War battlefield to visit, having been there a total of five times. His favorite spot on the Antietam battlefield is Snavely’s Ford, the location where Isaac Rodman’s 9th Corps division forded over the Antietam Creek. His favorite book on the Civil War is Adam Goodheart’s 1861: The Civil War Awakening.

His current research lies with the First Manassas/Bull Run Campaign. Reading Joseph E. Johnston: A Civil War Biography by Craig Symonds, and his studies of the campaign, have led him to develop a strong curiosity for General Johnston because of his controversial standing amongst Civil War buffs and historians alike.

Quiz for October 29, 2024

Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About Union General Daniel E. Sickles?

Q#1 – Daniel E Sickles’ parents were Susan Marsh Sickles and George Garrett Sickles. What was Sickles’ father’s occupation?

Q#2 – Sickles’ official birthdate is October 20, 1819. His year of birth is sometimes given as 1825, and Sickles was known to have claimed as such – why did Sickles give people different dates for his birth?

Q#3 – As a young man, what trade did Sickles learn?

Q#4 – In 1847, what was the first political office that Sickles was elected to?

Q#5 – On September 27, 1852, at the age of 32, Sickles married Teresa Bagioli against the wishes of both families. How old was his bride?

Q#6 – While being a member of the New York State Assembly, why did this governmental organization censor Sickles?

Q#7 – On February 27, 1859, in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House, Sickles shot and killed Philip Barton Key II, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia and the son of Francis Scott Key. What was the motive that led Sickles to shot Key?

Q#8 – In the 1850s, Sickles had received a commission in the 12th Regiment of the New York Militia; what rank did Sickles eventually attain with this unit?

Q#9 – At the outbreak of the Civil War, Sickles was appointed colonel of one what military unit?

Q#10 – While in command of his military unit, what non-battle related action did Sickles perform that won for him the approval of the influential Committee on the Conduct of the War?

Q#11 – For a variety of reasons, Sickles missed significant actions at the Battle of Williamsburg and the Second Battle of Bull Run. What was the reason Sickles missed the Battle of Antietam because the III Corps, to which he was assigned as a division commander.?

Q#12 – How did Sickles become the only Union corps commander without a West Point military education?

Q#13 – At the Battle of Chancellorsville. What two sets of advice did Sickles provide to Army of the Potomac Commander, Joseph Hooker, that Hooker ignored, that historians of the battle believe could have caused the battle to turn out very differently for the Union if Hooker had heeded Sickles’ advice?

Q#14 – What two factors played into Sickles’ decision to move his Third Corp west off the lower part of Cemetery Ridge?

Q#15 – Despite his one-legged disability after being wounded at the Batlle of Gettysburg, Sickles remained in the army until the end of the war. Who prevented Sickles from returning to a combat command?

Meeting of September 24, 2024

Tonya Graham McQuade on “A State Divided—Gaining Insights into Missouri’s Important Role in the Civil War”

Did you know that many people actually believe the Civil War started in Missouri? Missouri was a state torn apart by political disagreements and violence even before the firing on Fort Sumter in April 1861. While the Missouri Compromise of 1820 helped to postpone the Civil War for four decades, the Platte Purchase, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott case, and the “Bleeding Kansas” border wars—all of which played out here—added fuel to the fire. Some of the war’s first blood spilled on Missouri’s soil, and 42% of the battles occurred here during the first year of the war. Missouri even found itself with two competing governments: one supporting the Union; the other, the Confederacy.

Overall, Missouri suffered more than 1000 engagements on its soil. Many of those involved guerrilla warfare – including the Centralia Massacre and Battle of Centralia, which occurred Sept. 27, 1864—160 years ago this month. As it turns out, today’s speaker discovered she has family ties to Centralia on both the Union and Confederate sides.

In this talk, author Tonya Graham McQuade—whose family roots go deep in Missouri—will discuss Missouri’s interesting Civil War history and share excerpts from her new book, A State Divided: The Civil War Letters of James Calaway Hale and Benjamin Petree of Andrew County, Missouri, 1862-1865. The book includes fifty previously unpublished Civil War letters written by two of her ancestors and explains the context in which these two Missouri soldiers and their families found themselves living, both before and during the Civil War, as they watched discord, destruction, and bloodshed erupt all around them.

Originally from Tennessee and Indiana, Hale and Petree each had relatives who fought and died on both sides of the war. Their letters provide vivid details and unique perspectives into their lives and experiences during the war. Tonya will explain how this book came about, read some excerpts from the letters, and show some related maps, family trees, and photos. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

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 and a passion for writing which she plans to continue pursuing. In October she will be going on a book tour in Missouri to discuss her book at many of its relevant sites.

Tonya is the great-great-great granddaughter of James Callaway Hale, who wrote forty of the letters in the book. Hale’s daughter Mary Ann married the brother of Benjamin Petree, who wrote the other ten letters. In A State Divided, Tonya tells the story of these two Missouri soldiers as they march and drill with their regiments, avoid several close calls with guerrillas and enemy troops, witness the buildup to the Vicksburg Campaign, get an in-depth look at wartime St. Louis, overcome illness, trek with Sherman through the Carolinas, ponder the devastation they encounter, celebrate victory in Washington, D.C., and spend a lot of time sitting around, longing to be home, writing letters to their families.

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 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.

Quiz for September 24, 2024

Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About the Gettysburg East Cavalry Battle?

Q#1 – On what date was the East Cavalry Battle fought?

Q#2 – Why was the battle given the name “East Cavalry Battle”?

Q#3 – What was the Confederate forces high level objective in this battle?

Q#4 – What major highway did the Confederate cavalry hope to capture?

Q#5 – Which four Confederate cavalry brigades participated in the battle?

Q#6 – Approximately how many Confederate cavalry troopers were involved in the battle?

Q#7 – From the Union Cavalry Corps commanded by Major General Alfred Pleasonton, which division was involved in the East Cavalry Field battle?

Q#8 – Who were the two original Union brigade commanders assigned to the area given the name East Cavalry Field?

Q#9 – How did Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer become involved in the East Cavalry Field battle?

Q#10 – What tactical error did JEB Stuart make before the battle began that assisted the Union in their preparation for the battle?

Q#11 – What major Confederate battle action began at the same time that JEB Stuart ordered an assault by the 1st Virginia Cavalry?

Q#12 – What was the rallying cry Custer is credited with using when he was ordered to attack the Confederate cavalry?

Q#13 – After Custer’s charge initially caused the Confederate Virginian cavalry to retreat, what happened next?

Q#14 – How long in time did the East Cavalry Field Battle last?

Q#15 – What were the casualties incurred in the East Calvary Field battle?

Meeting of August 27, 2024

Alan Sissenwein on “George Armstrong Custer – Part 2”

Custer is mainly remembered for his defeat and death at the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. Custer’s disastrous end, however, has eclipsed his very credible career in the Civil War, where he initially won the celebrity that made his final defeat a shock to the nation. This talk is intended to present a more three-dimensional view of Custer as both a man and a soldier, examining his conduct in both the Civil War and the Indian Wars.

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.

Quiz for August 27, 2024

Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About Civil War Prisons?

Q#1 – At the start of the Civil War, what system was in place between the Union and Confederate forces regarding prisoners?

Q#2 – What event in 1863 caused a momentous change in the way prisoners were treated?

Q#3 – Approximately how many Union soldiers became prisoners?

Q#4 – Approximately how many Confederate soldiers became prisoners?

Q#5 – Approximately how many Union soldiers died in captivity?

Q#6 – Approximately how many Confederate soldiers died in captivity?

Q#7 – What were the major causes of deaths in Confederate prisons?

Q#8 – During a period of 14 months at Camp Sumter (aka Andersonville) how many Union prisoners were confined there?

Q#9 – During the winter month of January 1865, at Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois, what percentage of the Confederate prisoners confined there died?

Q#10 – At the Elmira Prison in New York state, what percentage of the Confederate prisoners confined there died?

Q#11 – What did prisoners eat during the Civil War?

Q#12 – Where was Libby Prison located?

Q#13 – What prisoners were incarcerated at Libby Prison?

Q#14 – What was Castle Morgan?

Q#15 – Who was executed because of Andersonville?

Meeting of July 30, 2024

Chuck Seekamp on “Civil War Equipment and Miscellaneous Support Paraphernalia”

Chuck will display and discuss the tools used during the Civil War. Some are reproductions that were either bought or made from pictures. Includes one saddle bag with tools and medicines and an actual medical bag, probably post Civil War, but 1800s. The presentation will include tools out for inspection and to look at.

Chuck Seekamp was a volunteer firefighter for 15 years with many medical calls and learned things there. For the Civil War, Chuck started by re-enacting in the artillery. When the doctor who was impersonating the Confederate doctor had to leave, Chuck’s daughter, who playing a nurse, came to Chuck and asked to fill in, Chuck did so and started reading up on Confederate medical procedures. Many were written by Union doctors who had been captured and put to work in southern hospitals and therefore there was much comparison. The unit had in it an actual nurse, X-ray tech, blood drawer, dental hygienist, and a couple of other jobs. These people taught Chuck names and how things were done as well as what to read.

Quiz for July 30, 2024

Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About the Underground Railroad?

Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About the Underground Railroad?

Q#1 – What is the origin of the term “Underground Railroad?

Q#2 – The Underground Railroad was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and from there to Canada. What other destinations were there?

Q#3 – Approximately when did the Underground Railroad begin?

Q#4 – For the fugitive slaves who took the Underground Railroad, many of them considered Canada their final destination. Approximately how many of them settled in Canada?

Q#5 – What was the Fugitive Slave Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3)?

Q#6 – What did non-slave states do to circumvent the requirements in The Fugitive Slave Act that compelled officials of free states to assist slave catchers, granting them immunity to operate in free states??

Q#7 – How did escaped slaves learn how to use The Underground Railroad?

Q#8 – What was the main route for freedom seekers from the South?

Q#9 – There was a western route, used by John Brown among others, as part of the Underground Railroad. Where was it located?

Underground Railroad Terminology

Q#10 – What term was used to describe people who helped fugitive slaves find the Underground Railroad?

Q#11 – What term was used to describe those individuals who acted as Guides?

Q#12 – What term was used to describe the various hiding places along the Underground Railroad?

Q#13 – What term was used to describe those people who hid escaping slaves in their homes?

Q#14 – What term was used to describe people escaping slavery?

Q#15 – What term was used to describe financial benefactors of the Underground Railroad?

Meeting of June 25, 2024

Alan Sissenwein on “George Armstrong Custer”

Custer is mainly remembered for his defeat and death at the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. Custer’s disastrous end, however, has eclipsed his very credible career in the Civil War, where he initially won the celebrity that made his final defeat a shock to the nation. This talk is intended to present a more three-dimensional view of Custer as both a man and a soldier, examining his conduct in both the Civil War and the Indian Wars.

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.

Quiz for June 25, 2024

Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About Canada and the American Civil War?

Q#1 – At the time of the American Civil War what was Canada’s political status?

Q#2 – What was Canada’s position on slavery?

Q#3 – Approximately how many Canadians participated in the Civil War?

Q#4 – What was one of the main reasons that influenced England not to recognize the Confederacy as a legitimate government?

Q#5 – The rent Affair began when an American warship stopped the British mail ship RMS Trent on the high seas and seized two Confederate diplomats, James Mason and John Slidell. What action did England take that involved Canada?

Q#6 – What was the Grand Trunk Railway Brigade?

Q#7 – Who was Benjamin Wier and what was his involvement in the Civil War?

Q#8 – What incident occurred on December 1863, involving the new Union tug Chesapeake that was preparing for service in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron?

Q#9 – Why did a large number of Canadians have a negative view of US President Abraham Lincoln?

Q#10 – The CSS Tallahassee was involved in what incident in Canada?

Q#11 – What was the City of Montreal, Canada’s role in the Civil War?

Q#12 – The St. Albans Raid was the northernmost land action of the American Civil War. Taking place in St. Albans, Vermont, on October 19, 1864. From where was a raid conducted?

Q#13 – Who conducted the St. Albans Raid?

Q#14 – What was the objective of the St. Albans Raid?

Q#15 – What happened to the men who conducted the St. Albans Raid?