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August 2010 CANISTER Newsletter Website Version of Our Monthly Newsletter |
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August 2010 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 XXVII | AUGUST 17, 2010 | NO. 8 |
VISITORS AND GUESTS WELCOME |
| DATE: | TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2010 | TIME: 7:00 PM |
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TOPIC: |
"SHOUPADES, STOCKADES, AND ARTILLERY FORTS: APPRECIATING JOE JOHNSTON'S CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER LINE" |
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SPEAKER: |
DR. KEITH BOHANNON, HISTORIAN & AUTHOR UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA |
| 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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AUGUST MEETING |
| A second month of the Atlanta Campaign was
drawing to a close; Sherman's army had relentlessly pressed Joe Johnston back from Dalton to Resaca to
Adairsville to Cassville to New Hope Church and Dallas to Lost Mountain and now to the Kennesaw Mountain
line. The last seemingly major geographic barrier between the enemy and the "Gate City," the Chattahoochee
River lay not that far to the south. Could it be used to stop the advancing blue army? Could the Federal
crossing of that river perhaps be or be made to be difficult enough that an opportunity to strike at Sherman
be found as he attempted to cross? The Army of Tennessee's Chief of Artillery, Brigadier General Francis
Asbury Shoup thought there might be an opportunity, certainly if a little work was done to help better that
opportunity. Shoup proposed creating a gigantic tete de pont along the river that could be used to potentially
divide the enemy as they struggled to cross the Chattahoochee. Thus was born the River Line. Today, just as in 1864, Joe Johnston's or Shoup's Chattahoochee River Line is not well appreciated. Often it has been written off as just a series of unique, even silly, little forts commonly called Shoupades. But there was more, and less, to the whole River Line and the concepts that it reflected. The lack of appreciation also comes from the fact that today most of the line and its works have not withstood the assault of metro Atlanta. But, while true overall, it is not entirely true. A portion of the southern end of the line survives and is now on land that is and will be a Cobb County park. Our speaker tonight, a Historian familiar to many of you all because of his previous appearances before the Round Table and because of his former residence here, Dr. Keith Bohannon, is part of a team that is working for Cobb County to help the county plan for that "River Line Park." Dr. Bohannon has been pushing the extent of the previous research on the subject to learn more to then help develop the interpretation at the site. At the meeting this month, Keith will relate what he's been learning while at the same time relate the story of another "what if" of the Atlanta Campaign. Dr. Keith S. Bohannon is a Cobb County, Georgia, native. A graduate of the University of Georgia, he holds a Ph.D. in History from Pennsylvania State University. The author of numerous articles and editor of several volumes, Keith is fine battlefield tour guide as well as an Associate Professor of History at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. He, his wife Cyle, and their three kids live in Carrollton. |
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SPEAKER'S FUND SUPPORT OF THE MONTH There are four items this month for the Speaker’s Fund. The first is a copy of the book our speaker edited with Randy Allen, Campaigning With "Old Stonewall:" Confederate Captain Ujanirtus Allen's Letters to His Wife. Captain Allen was with the 21st Georgia. The second item is a copy of Dr. Nat and Bucky Hughes' Quite Places: The Burial Sites of Civil War Generals in Tennessee. The third item is a copy of the cassette driving tour of the Battle of Lynchburg. Even if you're not there taking the tour, the tape is a valuable way to learn about this usually overlooked battle. The fourth item is a copy of the Spring, 2002, issue of Blue & Gray Magazine with articles on the Battle of Mobile Bay and a tour of some its sites. 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 in the last month or so. Did anyone visit with authors Raymond Evans or Rick Baumgartner at their book signings on June 26 and July 2-4 respectively? I know at least two folks went over to Huntsville to hear Ed Bearss speak on Chickasaw Bayou on July 8. Hopefully one of them will be at the meeting to give us a report. If you were able to attend one or more of these, or another one not listed here, and you’re at our July meeting, give us a report. Good intelligence is one of the keys to military success! |
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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 September 21, 2010--IN THE FIELD--"Forrest vs. Old Rosy: The First Days After Chickamauga" October 2010 -- To be announced November 2010 -- To be announced December 2010 -- To be announced |
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CIVIL WAR 150TH PROGRAMS As we enter the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, there will be many opportunities for our Round Table to perhaps have programs that match up with an event from that month 150 years ago. I'm going to try to line up a fair number that way. But, I also want to make sure that any of our members who have a particular interest in a given battle or a prominent person associated with a given battle have an opportunity too. Anyone a particular fan of say the First Battle of Manassas or Mill Springs or want an excuse to learn more about an event or person? If so and you'd like to do a program, let me know. Even '11, '12, or '13 isn't too far out into the future. |
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UP-COMING LOCAL CIVIL WAR EVENTS OF NOTE
NEW ENTRIES:
PREVIOUS ENTRIES: |
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from "Dalton Campaign -- Works At Chattahoochee River -- Interesting History," by Francis A. Shoup,
Confederate Veteran, Vol. 3, 1895, pp. 262-265
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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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