John Herberich
John cruised to Mexico with other West Coasters for this year’s Civil War Roundtable Conference and presented a report on the program and festivities.
Arthur Henrick
We have all seen the movie Lincoln and can recall the scenes in the telegraph office with the young soldiers. Major Arthur Henrick presented a review of the 1907 book by Homer Bates, Lincoln in the Telegraph Office, a light hearted and interesting view of Lincoln telling stories while reading telegraphs in the War Department.
Based on “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office” by Major Arthur Henrick
Q#1 – What historical document did President Lincoln write in the Telegraph Office?
Q#2 – What was the purchasing power of a $10 bill in 1862?
Q#3 – In what state was Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton born?
Q#4 – What did Union telegraph operators do to mislead the Confederates who had tapped into and were intercepting Union telegraph messages?
Q#5 – What was the name of Lincoln’s trusted personal secretary?
Q#6 – What was the legal age limit to join the Union Army without parental consent?
Q#7 – What was President Lincoln’s favorite color for the majority of the clothes he wore?
Q#8 – What term did President Lincoln use to refer to the Civil War?
Q#9 – How much money was Mrs. Lincoln given to fix up the White House?
Q#10 – By what term did Mrs. Lincoln most often refer to her husband when speaking with him?
Q#11 – What technique did President frequently use to kill a bill that he disagreed with?
Q#12 – What beverage did Lincoln find in the Telegraph Office after news came in reporting victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg?
Q#13 – What insect in the Telegraph Office frequently caught Lincoln’s attention when he visited there?
Q#14 – What phrase did Lincoln use to indicate that he had completed reading all the telegraph messages that had been received that day?
Q#15 – What is the only recorded time when Lincoln used a swear word?
John Herberich on “History of 4th US Cavalry at the Battle of Chickamauga”
John described the 4th US Cavalry actions, primarily on September 18, 1863, at Chickamauga, based on material from his upcoming book about the regiment.
Based on the “History of the 4th US Cavalry at the Battle of Chickamauga” by John Herberich
Q#1 – What major city is within 12 miles of the Chickamauga battlefield?
Q#2 – What was the name of the Confederate Army that fought at the Battle of Chickamauga?
Q#3 – Who commanded the 4th US Cavalry at the Battle of Chickamauga?
Q#4 – What nickname was given to the 4th US Cavalry because of their battle tactics?
Q#5 – Who commanded the Union Army of the Cumberland?
Q#6 – What significant defensive fortification did the Confederates troops construct at the Battle of Shelbyville?
Q#7 – What unit joined the 4th US Cavalry in a charge against Confederate lines at the Battle of Shelbyville?
Q#8 – What Union general’s Medal of Honor picture was shown during John Herberich’s presentation?
Q#9 – What unusual behavior did a majority of the citizens of the town of Shelbyville demonstrate during the battle?
Q#10 – What was Union General Thomas Crittenden’s reaction to Colonel Robert Minty’s report on Confederate troop positions near Reed’s Bridge?
Q#11 – Who was the commander of the Confederate Army at the Battle of Chickamauga?
Q#12 – How many Confederate troops under the command of Bushrod Johnson did the 4th US Calvary hold off for 10 hours at Reed’s Bridge?
Q#13 – Was the 4th US Calvary able to destroy Reed’s Bridge during their retreat maneuver?
Q#14 – What Confederate cavalry general captured Reed’s Bridge?
Q#15 – How many casualties did the 4th US Calvary suffer at the Battle of Reed’s Bridge?
Based on “The Battle of Payne’s Farm, Nov 27, 1863: Command & Competency During the Mine Run Campaign” by Ted Savas
Q#1 – In September 1863, what change significantly weakened Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia?
Q#2 – What two roads did Union General Meade plan to use to get behind Lee’s Army?
Q#3 – What event of Mother Nature caused Meade to lose the element of surprise in getting his campaign started?
Q#4 – On Nov 27, what delayed the III Corps from joining up with the II Corps at the Robertson Tavern as planned?
Q#5 – What road did Confederate Gen. Edward “Alleghany” Johnson march his troops on to confront the Union II Corps?
Q#6 – What maneuver tactic did the 37th Virginia Regiment employ to deceive the Union forces attacking the Confederate left flank?
Q#7 – What were the names of the generals that commanded the two brigades of Confederate General Johnson’s right flank?
Q#8 – What was the significant piece of terrain that bordered on the right side of the Madison Payne Farm?
Q#9 – What was the name of the horse that was ridden by Confederate General Stafford?
Q#10 – When Confederate General Jones led his brigade to attack across the open field of Payne’s Farm, what did they encounter at the base of the hill?
Q#11 – What action did a Confederate sergeant in the 50th Virginia Regiment take when he became so upset that his troops would not attack?
Q#12 – Despite the advancement in the development of bullets used in rifles during the Civil War, what type of bullet were some Confederate soldiers still using at the Battle of Payne’s Farm?
Q#13 – What type of artillery shot did Confederate General Carpenter’s artillery battery use to thwart a Union attack on Confederate lines at the intersection of Ford Road and Jacob’s ford Road?
Q#14 – Two part question: Approximately how many casualties did the Union incur at the battle? How many for the Confederates?
Q#15 – What is the significance of the Confederate victory at Payne’s Farm?
David Woodbury and Ted Savas
Ted was the featured speaker at the August picnic meeting. He was pleased to see a surprise guest, David Woodbury. These two gentlemen were among the founders of the Round Table in 1989.
Theodore P. Savas graduated from The University of Iowa College of Law in 1986 (With Distinction). He practiced law in Silicon Valley for twelve years before moving to El Dorado Hills. He co-founded Savas Woodbury Publishers (subsequently Savas Publishing) in 1990 with David Woodbury, and is the owner and managing director of Savas Beatie LLC, one of the largest independent Civil War publishers in the world. He has been teaching legal, history, and business college classes since 1992, and is the author or editor of fourteen books (published in six languages) including A Guide to the Battles of the American Revolution, Hunt and Kill: U-505 and the U-Boat War in the Atlantic, and Silent Hunters: German U-boat Commanders of World War II. While in San Jose he founded the South Bay Civil War Round Table in 1989; its first meeting of four people was held in his living room.
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Based on “The Monitor and the Merrimack” by James Hollabaugh
Q#1 – How many guns did the Merrimack have?
Q#2 – What was the water draft that the Merrimack required?
Q#3 – What unique characteristic did the Monitor possess for its guns?
Q#4 – What was the water draft that the Monitor required?
Q#5 – What standing order governed the firing capability of the Monitor’s guns?
Q#6 – What was the date when the Monitor & Merrimack fought?
Q#7 – What happened to the ram on the bow of the Merrimack after it rammed the Union ship Cumberland?
Q#8 – After attacking the USS Cumberland, what was the next Union ship the Merrimack attacked?
Q#9 – In what Union Navy Yard was the Monitor constructed?
Q#10 – When the Monitor & the Merrimack engaged in battle, which ship fired the first shot?
Q#11 – What hampered both ships’ ability to accurately gauge their firing range?
Q#12 – During the battle with the Monitor, how many Confederate sailors were killed?
Q#13 – What injury did Captain Worden of the Monitor suffer?
Q#14 – What was the result of the battle between the Monitor & the Merrimack?
Q#15 – After the battle, the Monitor sailed up river to Richmond. Why did this maneuver fail?
Based on “The Red River Fiasco” by Walter Day
Q#1 – Where is the Red River located?
Q#2 – What two major cities are located on the Red River?