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April 2009 CANISTER Newsletter Website Version of Our Monthly Newsletter |
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April 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 | APRIL 21, 2009 | NO. 4 |
VISITORS AND GUESTS WELCOME |
| DATE: | TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009 | TIME: 7 PM |
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TOPIC: |
“LaGrange Military Academy: The Other 'West Point of the South'"
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| SPEAKER: | RANDY MORRIS, 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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| APRIL MEETING |
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Lots of Confederate leaders were graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
If they weren't West Point men but were military school grads, that the Virginia Military Institute
or the South Carolina Military Institute are the places that most easily come to mind as the school they
likely attended. In fact, it is often suggested that these were really the only military academies for
Southern leaders. But, in actuality, there were a number of more, including the Military Department of
the University of Nashville. Another was the LaGrange Military Academy in North Alabama. It was
typical of a lot of like institutions in the South -- smaller, perhaps not quite as old, or with
an only recently adopted military program. The Georgia Military Institute and the University of
Alabama are also examples. While few of these "other" West Points turned out many ranking or
recognized officers, they did help provide the Confederate States Army with some leaders at the
lower grades who had some training. This starts to become clearer when you start looking at the
leadership of individual units. And that is what our speaker tonight, Round Table member Randy
Morris, recognized along the way too. Long interested in his ancestor's 41st Mississippi and
researching it extensively, he found a connection to the LaGrange Military Academy. In fact, as
the Army of Tennessee wintered in Dalton and prepared for the spring campaign, it was almost like
the alumni of the LaGrange Military Academy were having a reunion. LaGrange men were scattered
throughout the army. In his talk this evening, "LaGrange Military Academy: The 'Other West Point'
of the South,'" Randy will relate the history of this Deep South military school and show how LaGrange
men were helping to keep the Army of Tennessee in the field.
 LaGrange Military Academy, ca. 1860. Ala. Dept. of Archives & History |
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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 is a copy of a North Alabama history that includes the story of the LaGrange Military Academy. The second item, recognizing that we are entering the 145th anniversary dates of the Atlanta Campaign, is a copy of Albert Castel's wonderful Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864. The third item is a copy of Dr. Nat and Bucky Hughes' Quite Places: The Burial Sites of Civil War Generals in Tennessee. If you win it, you could take one of these nice spring weekends and take a drive to some part of the Volunteer State and hunt up a few of these fellows.........or at least their graves. The fourth item is two copies of Civil War Times Illustrated from 1977 and 1978 with articles on such subjects as the Battle of Brandy Station, Fredericksburg, and Robert E. Rodes. 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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BIGGER GUNS AT CHICKAMAUGA Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is pleased to announce a special horse-drawn Living History artillery program on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, 2009. The programs will be held on the Chickamauga Battlefield in Fort Oglethorpe at 10 AM, 11 AM, 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM on Saturday, and at 11 AM and Noon on Sunday. "Special Program" signs will lead you to the program areas from the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center on the LaFayette Road. Seven months after the Battle of Chickamauga in September, 1863, elements of another Union army marched onto the ground hallowed by their comrades the previous fall. This Union army too was expecting a fight; but not there in the valley of the "River of Death" this time. They were expecting to meet their Rebel foe further south, on the road to Atlanta, on the roads that led from Chickamauga. These Union soldiers in the spring of the war's fourth year, in the last days of April and the first days of May, were being staged in preparation for that drive. And this Union army was stronger not only in numbers but also in material. Amongst their cannon were now some larger, longer range guns like the 20-pounder Parrott that were capable of throwing bigger shells. One of these guns, and the eight, not six, horse hitch that is required to move it, will be the center of this weekend's programs. The Living History artillerist will demonstrate the greater effort required to put these bigger guns in action and with National Military Park Historian Jim Ogden also relate the preparations the Union army was making 145 years ago even on the Chickamauga Battlefield to exploit the advantage of then controlling the "Gateway to the Deep South." For more information, call the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241 or see www.nps.gov/chch. |
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STONES RIVER BATTLEFIELD HIT BY TORNADO The storms we endured last Friday afternoon, the 10th, as I'm sure you all know, spawned tornados in Middle Tennessee and took two lives. One of the places struck was the Stones River National Battlefield at Murfreesboro. Hundreds, if not thousands of trees were blown down or badly broken up on the battlefield park. Much of the historic fencing was damaged. Fortunately, though, no visitors or staff were injured and no serious damage was done to the historic Hazen Monument (oldest surviving Civil War monument) or the National Cemetery. There are weeks of clean-up to do and years before the recovery is full. The Visitor Center has re-opened and some of the outlying units of the National Battlefield are open, but the main portion of the battlefield park is closed and may be for sometime while the roads and trails are cleared. If you are headed that way in the near future, make sure you check their website, www.nps.gov/stri/parkmgmt/tornado.htm, for up-dates. Civil War dealer Larry Hinklin, who has a shop next door to the battlefield park, has some photographs on his website, www.midtenrelics.com/update.htm. Look under "New Items" for the pictures. |
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SCOUTS REPORTS! There were several Civil War related programs here locally and in the region in the month between our March and February meetings. What did anyone think of the three Chattanooga episodes of Antiques Roadshow when they aired on March 30, April 6, April 30? Did anyone go down to Port Columbus Civil War Naval Museum's RIVER BLAST ? Anyone volunteer at one of the area Civil War Preservation Trust Park Day work sites on April 4? Or see the Civil War panel from the Virginia Festival of the Book on C-SPAN's BookTV with Peter Cozzens or the presentation to the New York Civil War Round Table by the author of the new Thomas bio, both aired over the Easter weekend? If you were able to attend any of these events or another one of note since our last meeting and you’re at our April 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 The initial date, April 13, for providing the National Park Service comments for the new General Management Plan (GMP) for Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park has passed, but, at this stage in the process, it really isn't too late yet, particularly if you send your comments to Superintendent, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, P. O. Box 2128, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742. Hence, if you have sent in comments but have thought of some more or just want to send some in, go ahead. 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:
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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
May 19, 2009 - To be announced. |
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UP-COMING LOCAL CIVIL WAR EVENTS OF NOTE NEW ENTRIES:
April 26, 2009--—145th Confederate Memorial Day, Kingston Baptist Church, Kingston,
Georiga, Dr. Thomas Scott, Professor, Kennesaw State University, is speaker, 2:30 PM; the Kingston Museum
will also be open that day. Sponsored by the Kingston Woman's History Club. PREVIOUS ENTRIES:
April 25, 2009—Civil War Genealogy Seminar presented by Dr. George K. Schweitzer at the East Tennessee
History Center, 601 South Gay Street, Knoxville, for more information,
see www.knoxlib.org or call 865-215-8824 |
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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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