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March 2009 CANISTER Newsletter Website Version of Our Monthly Newsletter |
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March 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 | MARCH 17, 2009 | NO. 3 |
VISITORS AND GUESTS WELCOME |
| DATE: | TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2009 | TIME: 7 PM |
| TOPIC: |
“Victory Rewarded: Grant Takes Overall Command"
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| SPEAKER: | JIM OGDEN, 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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| MARCH MEETING |
| It is a date often overlooked. The 17th of March 1864. Frequently, it is related that as a result of his victory at Chattanooga in November, 1863, that Grant's capabilities had been made clear enough to the Northern public that Lincoln could elevate Grant to the command of all Union forces and that that comes seemingly soon after the victory on Missionary Ridge. But, it is really this day, the 17th day of the third month, 145 years ago, a Thursday then, when Grant really stepped into that role--nearly four months after Chattanooga: |
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General Orders, } No. 1. } In pursuance of the following order of the President-- |
Nashville, March 17, 1864 |
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Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C., March, 1864. |
| Under the authority of an act of Congress to revive the grade of lieutenant-general in the United States Army, approved February 29, 1864, Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, U. S. Army, is assigned to the command of the armies of the United States. |
| ABRAHAM LINCOLN |
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I assume command of the armies of the United States, headquarters in the field, and until further orders will be
with the Army of the Potomac. There will be an office, headquarters in Washington, to which all communications
will be sent except those from the army where headquarters are at the date of their address. |
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U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General |
| In his talk this evening, "Victory Rewarded: Grant Takes Overall Command,” Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Historian Jim Ogden will report on Ulysses S. Grant's three months between his victory in the shadow of Lookout Mountain, and that all important day, 145 years ago, in Nashville, when he stepped into that new role that did so much to define the last year of the war. |
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SPEAKER'S FUND SUPPORT OF THE MONTH There are three items this month for the Speaker’s Fund. The first this month is a copy of Major Mark W. Johnson's That Body of Brave Men: The U. S. Regular Infantry and the Civil War in the West. This book is more than just a history of the Army of the Cumberland's Regular Brigade. Some of Major Johnson's captures on some of the battles are some of the best presentations on those engagements or parts of engagements there are. His presentation of the morning of September 19 and the morning of September 20 at Chickamauga is some of the best writing on those parts of that battle there is. The same can be said for some of the Atlanta Campaign chapters too. The second item is a copy of the audio cassette driving tour of the Battle of Lynchburg, June, 1864. It is interesting to listen too even if you aren't able to actually be visiting Lynchburg when you do. The third item is two copies of Civil War Times Illustrated from 1977 with articles on such subjects as soldier newspapers, Stonewall Jackson's raincoat, and the Union Navy battling in the Yazoo bayous. All three of the 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 quite a few Civil War related programs here locally and in the region in the month between our February and March meetings. A couple of members I know attended the February 28 "Hoofbeats in the Heartland: Civil War Cavalry in Tennessee" Seminar at the East Tennessee Historical Society's Museum of East Tennessee History in Knoxville (By the way, if you haven't visited that museum in the last year, consider going back; their new exhibit on East Tennessee, including the War Between the States, is impressive). There were also:
March 2—Chattanooga Area Historical Association's meeting with Chickamauga and
Chattanooga National Military Park Historian Jim Ogden presenting “Making Civil War Chattanooga Important:
The Confederate Military-Industrial Heartland.” If you were able to attend any of these events or another one of note since our last meeting and you’re at our March 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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ANTIQUES ROADSHOW'S CHATTANOOGA EPISODES You'll recall that last summer PBS's Antiques Roadshow was here in Chattanooga. They got enough material for three episodes and they'll air soon, each at 8 PM on:
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CHICKAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN As reported in the last issue, the National Park Service is “beginning” the process of developing a new General Management Plan (GMP) for Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. That “beginning," publicly, came this month with two public open house meetings last week, March 10 & 12. Ere this, I hope I will have seen some of you all at one or both of the sessions. 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 participate in the process. 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:
Copies of the newsletter will be available at the March Round Table meeting too. And, if you would like to be added to the mailing list or email list for future newsletters and notices, we can arrange that too. 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
April 21, 2009 - Randy Morris, "LaGrange Military Academy: The Other 'West Point of the South.'" |
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UP-COMING LOCAL CIVIL WAR EVENTS OF NOTE NEW ENTRIES:
March 27-28, 2009--UP-DATED—Civil War in the Heartland: Cavalry, A Conference on Mounted
Warfare,” Nashville, for more information, contact Myers Brown at myers.brown@state.tn.us PREVIOUS ENTRIES:
March 22, 2009—Tour of Civil War Downtown Atlanta, sites of the depots, factories, and
important buildings as well as the locations of some of the famous photos of the war-torn Gate City, sponsored
by the Georgia Battlefield Association and the Atlanta Preservation Center’s Fhoenix Flies; for more information
and to sign up, see www.phoenixflies.org or call 404-688-3353. |
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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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[Go to February 2009 Issue] - [Return to Top of Issue] |