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February 2009 CANISTER Newsletter Website Version of Our Monthly Newsletter |
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February 2009 CANISTER Newsletter Website Version of Our Monthly Newsletter |
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CANISTER From The Chattanooga Civil War Round Table www.chattanoogacwrt.org |
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| VOLUME XXV1 | FEBRUARY 17, 2009 | NO. 2 |
VISITORS AND GUESTS WELCOME |
| DATE: | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2009 | TIME: 7 PM |
| TOPIC: |
“'...immortalize the scene and the mountain...:' Lookout Mountain Civil War Photography"
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| SPEAKER: | PRESTON BROWN, PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORIAN |
| PLACE: |
MILLIS-EVANS ROOM, CALDWELL HALL, ACADEMIC QUADRANGLE, THE McCALLIE SCHOOL, HISTORIC MISSIONARY RIDGE |
| (Directions to Caldwell Hall-Enter the McCallie School campus off of Dodds Avenue opposite the end of Bailey Avenue. Take the main drive into the campus and follow the signs for the Academic Quadrangle. There is a parking area there beside the Chapel and you will have passed Caldwell Hall on the right as you approach the parking area. Find a place and park. Caldwell Hall will be behind you as you park. Come in either the first or second floor doors and follow the signs to the Millis-Evans Room.) |
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| FEBRUARY MEETING |
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"Another beautifully Spring like warm day...we went out to the point to have a group
picture of the Hospital Attendants taken, which we could not because of the numbers ahead of us.
Crowds are constantly being ambrotyped at the point, the Operator charging the enormous price
of $3.00 per picture, which I regard as an imposition to the soldiers." -Surgeon James T. Reeve, 21st Wisconsin, Lookout Mountain, January 23, 1864 Surgeon Reeve and his companions might have been frustrated on the 23rd in getting their picture taken on the increasingly famous Point of Lookout Mountain, but they would have success the next day. As he records in his diary, "numbers" and "crowds" daily in the Spring of 1864 made their way to the Point for the same purpose. And, Lookout Mountain, with its grand views, battlefield features, and natural points of interest, like the City of Rocks (Rock City) and Lula Lake (see below), itself was a popular subject for photographic artist of the day. There are dozens of images of Lookout Mountain scenes and probably thousands of images of soldiers at the Point. In Civil War collecting, it is possible to specialize in just Lookout Mountain images. And, our speaker and presenter this evening, Lookout Mountain resident Preston Brown, does just that. There are some commonly seen views, but through careful study, dozens more come to light and provide glimpse of yet another part of the mountain during the war years. Images of soldiers on the point might look much the same, but closer examination reveals noteworthy detail in almost every one. And, in this second month of 2009, this subject is a fitting one for it was 145 years ago in the winter and spring of 1864 when the greatest number of these Lookout Mountain images were taken. The Army of the Cumberland lay in camp largely in the figurative shadow of the mountain and its peak beckoned to the men as they awaited the beginning of the Atlanta Campaign in the Spring. They trekked to the summit in the "numbers" and "crowds" Surgeon Reeve found when he went to have his picture taken. Historian and Lookout Mountain Photo Collector Preston Brown will bring many of his ever growing collection of Lookout images and allow us to see these period views of Lookout's famous places. Preston Brown is a Lookout Mountain resident and has and does work at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park as a seasonal employee and as a volunteer. |
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SPEAKER'S FUND SUPPORT OF THE MONTH There are four items this month for the Speaker’s Fund. The first this month, to go along with our speaker’s subject, is a copy of Tennessee historian James A. Hoobler’s Historic Photographs of Chickamauga-Chattanooga. The second item is a copy of a book on one of the most widely used carbines of the war, the Burnside, Edward A. Hull’s Burnside Breech Loading Carbines, 1853-1866. The third item is a paperback copy of Volume 1, Manassas to Malvern Hill, of Dr. Douglas Southall Freeman’s great Lee’s Lieutenants. The fourth item is two copies of Civil War Times Illustrated from 1976 with articles on such subjects as William F. “Baldy” Smith, the man who played a key role in opening the Cracker Line, and the great snowball battle at Dalton. Three of the four items this month were donated to the Round Table to support the Speaker’s Fund. To those donors go our thanks. Proceeds from the Speaker’s Fund go toward bringing speakers in from outside the area. Your support of the Speaker’s Fund is appreciated. |
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SCOUTS REPORTS! There were a couple of Civil War related programs in the last month here locally and in the region. Did anyone go out for a hike on Jan. 31 at Lula Lake? Some of our speaker’s pictures this month will probably be from Lula Lake. If you didn’t brave the weather on the 31st, check www.lulalake.org for other up-coming “open gate” days. With warmer weather just around the corner, you might look for any “open gate” day and take the lake in as Spring blossoms. The Dalton Civil War Show was the 7th & 8th. I know a number of folks made it down for that because I saw at least some folks there while I was there Sunday morning. As always, there was some neat stuff to look at. Other than our speaker, did anyone take anything home other than the ink on the back of their hand showing you’d paid your admission? If you were able to attend any of these events or another one of note since our last meeting and you’re at our February meeting, give us a report. Good intelligence is one of the keys to military success! |
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OUR MEETING PLACE AT MCCALLIE As most of you all know by simply attending our meetings, the campus of The McCallie School on Historic Missionary Ridge is frequently a very busy place; many evenings, there are a lot of activities going on at the same time and this has only increased in the last couple of years. In the interest of being considerate “house guests,” we’re going to reduce our impact just a little bit. The Millis-Evans Room where we usually meet is now often used first thing in the morning, so we’re going to help by doing the “re-set-up” of the room after our meeting. We want folks to still have a few minutes to ask questions of our speakers informally and to converse amongst themselves, but we would like to have a couple of folks volunteer after a few minutes to help in putting the folding chairs away in the closet and putting the tables and other chairs back out in the room as they “normally” are. So, if you’re able, and can spare a few minutes after the meeting, we’d greatly appreciate the help. As a number of us have learned over the years when we’ve done it occasionally, it’s not a great amount of work and goes pretty quickly. |
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CHICKAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN As has been discussed several times over the last couple of years, the National Park Service is “beginning” the process to develop a new General Management Plan (GMP) for Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. That “beginning” is upon us again and this time for real. You should have noted in last month’s CANISTER that the “Up-coming Local Civil War Events of Note” column included notice of the dates of the first two public open house meetings for the GMP effort—March 10, 4-8 PM at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center in Fort Oglethorpe, and March 12, 4-8 PM at the Walker Pavilion, Coolidge Park, on the “North Shore” in downtown Chattanooga. Except the locations, the meetings will be the same. There will be brief presentations given at 4 PM and 6:30 PM each evening, but the real focus is to come in and visit the several stations, learn about the process, and provide information to the GMP team members. Those interested in the National Military Park and the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District and their continued preservation as the nationally significant historic sites that they are are urged to attend and participate in one or both of these meetings and in the overall process over the next couple of years. The National Park Service uses General Management Plans to, ideally, provide the framework to guide the achievement of a given site’s specific purpose—in Chickamauga and Chattanooga’s and Moccasin Bend’s case, “…preserving and suitably marking for historic and professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable maneuvers and most brilliant fighting…,” the Campaign for Chattanooga’s Battle of Chickamauga and the Battles for Chattanooga, and, “…to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit of the public the nationally significant archeological and historic resources located on the peninsula known as Moccasin Bend….” The developed plan looks ahead typically twenty years and lays the groundwork for more detailed plans where necessary. Chickamauga and Chattanooga’s last GMP was completed in 1988 and needs up-dating for a number of reasons, including the addition of significant new areas of the Lookout Mountain Battlefield and of Moccasin Bend. A newsletter explaining more about the process has been developed and is now being distributed. Some may have received it by mail. All can find it available on-line at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/chch
Most importantly, the National Park Service needs to hear from folks who are interested in the history commemorated and protected by the National Military Park about how it is important for the National Park Service to achieve those missions and how you want to see that accomplished. So, come to the March meetings and voice your opinions; fill out the comment cards that will be there. The newsletter includes a comment card; fill that out and send it in. Or, comment though the system on-line at the website above. Or, write a letter to Superintendent, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, P. O. Box 2128, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742. Or, use several of those formats. I hope many of you all will be involved. |
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STRINGER'S RIDGE PRESERVATION EFFORT Almost certainly, you've seen in the paper or on the news or heard on the radio that The Trust For Public Land (TPL; www.tpl.org, 202 Tremont Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37405; 423-265-5229) has put together a deal to purchase and preserve the 92-acre tract of land on Stringer's Ridge that late last year and early this year was being considered for a high-rise condo development. These hill tops are the backdrop to downtown Chattanooga when viewed from downtown northward and are some of the ones occupied by Union soldiers in June of 1862 and August of 1863 in their first direct attacks on the "Gateway to the Deep South." The view from some of them is quite enlightening and instructive. TPL has and is putting together a coalition of community and conservation agencies, activities, groups, and individuals to make the purchase possible. Part of their effort is a grass roots appeal. They would love donations small or large to help show the public support for the project. There will be more information on this effort available at the meeting. |
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TENNESSEE LICENSE PLATE TO HELP PRESERVATION To support Civil War preservation activities in the Volunteer State as a part of the Sesquicentennial commemoration, the Tennessee General Assembly has authorized the creation of a “Civil War Sesquicentennial” specialty license plate. The sale of the plates and the distribution of the funds raised through them is being handled by the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association, the statewide non-profit dedicated to preserving Tennessee’s Civil War battlefields. The distinctive tags are $35.00 and half the fee goes to preservation. For more information, see www.tcwpa.org or write to TCWPA, P. O. Box 148535, Nashville, Tennessee 37214. |
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FUTURE ROUND TABLE MEETINGS
March 17, 2009 - To be announced. |
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UP-COMING LOCAL CIVIL WAR EVENTS OF NOTE NEW ENTRIES:
February 28, 2009 - UP-DATED--"Hoofbeats in the Heartland: Civil War Cavalry
in Tennessee" Seminar, East Tennessee Historical Society's Museum of East Tennessee History, Knoxville; speakers
include Dr. Earl J. Hess, “Civil War Cavalry in the West,” Dr. William Garrett Piston on "A Family Affair: The
Carter Brothers and Their Raid on East Tennessee, December, 1862 - January, 1863, Tennessee State Representative
Steve McDaniel on "Forrest's 1862 West Tennessee Raid and the Preservation of the Parker's Crossroads Battlefield,
Dot Kelly on "The Yankees Pay a Visit to Knoxville: Sander's 1863 East Tennessee Raid, and Jim Ogden on "'...break
up all his lines of communication and retreat...:' Fighting Joe Wheeler's October, 1863, Raid. The Seminar is in
conjunction with the opening at the Museum of East Tennessee History of the Tennessee State Museum special exhibit
"Hoofbeats in the Heartland: Civil War Cavalry in Tennessee." For the exhibit's presence in Knoxville, new panels
on the cavalry in East Tennessee have been added as well as some new artifacts. The Seminar on Feb. 28 is 9 AM to
3:15 PM at the East Tennessee History Center in downtown Knoxville. The cost of the seminar is $35 and includes
lunch and admission to the “Hoofbeats in the Heartland” exhibit in the Museum of East Tennessee History. Registration
deadline if Feb. 24. For more information or to register, see
www.eastTNhistory.org or call 865-215-8824. PREVIOUS ENTRIES:
March 10, 2009—Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park General Management Plan Development
Public Open House/Drop-in Informational Meeting, Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center, Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia,
4 PM to 8 PM, for more information, eventually, see www.nps.gov/chch. |
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www.chattanoogacwrt.org |
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President -- Jim Ogden Vice President -- Ansley Moses |
Treasurer -- Harvey Scarborough Secretary -- Neil Greenwood |
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If you or a friend would like to join the Chattanooga Civil War Round Table, send
your check for dues, made out to Chattanooga Civil War Round Table, to Chattanooga
Civil War round Table, c/o Jim Ogden, 4 Gala Drive, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742.
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Regular Membership $20.00 Senior Citizen (62+) $15.00 |
Family Membership $30.00 Student $15.00 |
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The Round Table dues year is October 1 to September 30. Membership fee for new
members joining after October is pro-rated, being reduced by $1.50 per month for
regular membership, by $2.50 per month for family membership, and $1.00 per month
for Senior Citizens and Students. Members up-dating their dues or rejoining are
expected to pay the full rate. [Note from the webmaster: a chart with the appropriate dues can be found at: Membership Dues. An application can be found at: application] |
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