The Newsletter of the Salt Creek Civil War Roundtable Vol. XLV11 No.7 19 March 2010 429th Regular Meeting From Manassas to Brandy Station to the farmhouse of Appomattox, horses and mules played a crucial role during the Civil War. They carried their masters through the carnage and confusion of battle, endless marches, wild forays and numerous reconnaissance patrols. They hauled wagons of ammunition, wounded soldiers, food and other supplies. Robert E. Lee once stated that the movement of his army was dependent on the horse. It is long past due for the SCCWRT to receive a comprehensive overview of the role of these "silent soldiers". This is precisely the goal of Dr. Glick tonight. His presentation will be a detailed account on the role of the horse and mule in the Civil War from their procurement, training, feeding and veterinary care, as well as, their use by the various military branches of the Union and Confederate armies including the casualties they suffered. Dr. Glick was raised on a farm in Ohio and graduated from the Ohio State University, School of Veterinary Medicine. He has worked in private practice with both large and small animals, as well as, held senior management positions in the veterinary divisions of 3M, Johnson & Johnson and Boehinger Ingelheim. He is currently the Charter owner of Banfield, the Pet Hospital of Gurnee. We welcome Dr. Glick in his first presentation to Salt Creek and look forward to hearing this subject discussed for the first time at our round table. DATE: 19th March 2010 PLACE: Fairview Village, Downers Grove, IL. TIME: 8:00 p.m. SPEAKER: Ray Glick VMD TOPIC: “The Use and Role of the Horse and Mule in the Civil War” FEBRUARY MEETING BY RICK BENSON On Friday February 19, 2010 Seamus “Jim” Cunningham discussed Nation vs. State: Origins of the Conflict. Jim first attempted to define what each word means. In the 19century, a “Nation” referred to a common heritage group of people – a nationality. This dealt with such topics such as climate, fashion, food, the arts, literature, heritage, religious beliefs, etc., to name a few. Next, Jim defined “State”. This is a sovereign entity. It establishes a currency, deals with issues such as commerce & trade. He then talked about the State of Illinois. Based on his previous criteria, such as “establishing a currency”, the definition of a “State” becomes a little bit confusing. He then talked about France being a “Nation-State”. He then touched upon the original 13 colonies. These each were independent “States”. The word “State” was used then as there was not another word in their vocabulary that could more aptly define these 13 different entities. The one truly common thing these 13 “States” had in common was their desire to be free. Once they had successfully defeated the British, and became an independent entity, they had to figure out where they were to proceed from there. Geographically speaking, the original 13 colonies / states were much larger geographically than France, Spain, Italy, Germany, or Great Britain. This did not include the balance of what now is continuous 48 “States”. How are the 13 colonies / states going to manage what they had then? This is where the legitimacy of the word “Nation” came into play in regard to America. These are some of the issues the framers of the Constitution had to come to grips with. Hamilton related that a “Nation” without a national government is not truly a “Nation”. This was one of the problems the Confederacy had. They were more of a “confederation”, and did not want a strong central government. Jim Cunningham primarily attributed this to literally being a brand new concept. These Confederate “States” were all independent entities. Yes, they had some common heritage, culture, climate, & history – such as slavery. However, they also had differences of opinion they felt strongly about, such as States Rights. Jim then referred to a Louisiana written book that related that the South had not accepted National Consolidation. He said this essentially is a loss of “sovereignty” by the State in becoming part of a Nation. To say this another way, the definition of the words “Nation” & “State” have been literally evolving over the years. th PRESERVATION REPORT BY LEN OVERCASH, SR. VA -- The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has released its biennial report for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, which ran from September 2007 through October 2009. The report highlights successful battlefield preservation projects at Third Winchester and Cedar Creek as well as progress made in interpretive and promotional programs in the National Historic District. * In 2008 and 2009, the Battlefields Foundation protected almost 400 acres at two of the largest battlefields in the region, bringing to almost 3,000 acres the total area owned or preserved by the organization since its inception nine years ago. In July 2008, the Foundation announced the purchase of a 189-acre farm at Cedar Creek and in August 2009, the 209-acre Huntsberry Farm at Opequon (Third Winchester) was permanently protected. Both efforts involved a variety of partners. The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation—a state-funded agency—provided more than $1.5 million for the two projects. The National Park Service’s American Battlefields Protection Program, the Civil War Preservation Trust, Frederick County, and a private donor provided significant funding for the preservation of the Huntsberry Farm. The Battlefields Foundation’s federal funding was used in the Cedar Creek project. In 2008, stabilization work at Star Fort began. Deeded to the Battlefields Foundation in 2007, the fort is in the core area of the Second Winchester battlefield. A management and interpretive plan for the site had been developed by Frederick County in 2000 but had not yet been implemented. Upon acquisition of the property, the Battlefields Foundation began to prepare the site for visitation. Attractive fencing and an interpretive marker were installed in 2008 while internal site work is conducted over the coming years. In 2009, the Foundation began the planning work on a trail project that will ultimately reconnect areas of the Fisher’s Hill battlefield in Shenandoah County. Funded in part by federal transportation enhancement grants, the planning and management of the project will occur over several years and include landowners and other stakeholders in the Fisher’s Hill community. PA- Gettysburg Borough Council newcomer Graham Weaver announced publicly this week that he opposes a plan that would transform a Cumberland Township hotel into an exclusive slots resort. During a Tuesday morning interview with radio host Fred Snyder on 1320 WGET, Weaver became the second council member since the New Year to publicly voice concern over Gettysburg businessman David LeVan’s casino project. The source for the above articles is: © Civil War Interactive "The Daily Newspaper of the Civil War" Save 2 Acres at Gettysburg A Message from Jim Lighthizer, CWPT President Dear Friend, One hundred forty-seven years ago this year, the Battle of Gettysburg, the largest battle ever fought on American soil, became enshrined as part of our nation’s history. Today, to start the New Year, CWPT can turn every $1.00 you donate into $5.00 so you can help save a crucial part of Gettysburg’s hallowed ground! Will you help me start 2010 off with a bang by taking advantage of a $5-to-$1 match to save two key, central acres at the very heart of the Gettysburg battlefield? You know what happened at Gettysburg on July 1 - 3, 1863. You know that this land, for many people, is THE most hallowed ground in America. The source for the above article is: The Civil War Preservation Trust UPCOMING CIVIL WAR EVENTS Kankakee Valley CWRT 21st Annual Civil War Symposium Date: March 20, 2010 David Hinze: “The Story of John and William Black and the Medal of Honor” Steve Cole as “Frederick Douglas” Bruce Allardice: “Baseball in the Civil War” Robert Girardi: “General Impressions of the Civil War” Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For information: (815) 939-1041 Northern Illinois Civil War Roundtable Arlington Heights Memorial Library 500 N. Denton Ave. Arlington Heights, IL Friday, April 2, 2010 Time: 7:30 p.m. Topic: Gale Pewitt www.nicwrt.freehostia.com Chicago Civil War Roundtable Holiday Inn Mart Plaza Chicago, IL Friday, April 9, 2010 5:30 p.m. Dinner 7:30 p.m. Speaker Presentation $40.00 Dinner; $5.00 for presentation only Topic: “The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson” 1-630-460-1865 to make reservation www.thecwrt.org Civil War Collector’s Show DuPage County Fairgrounds Wheaton, IL 60187 Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Breakfast Brunch with General John Buford Pincrest Golf Course 11220 Algonquin Road Huntley, IL 60142 Sunday, April 18, 2010 Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. FUTURE MEETINGS 2010 (3rd Friday of the month) Apr- Brian Seiter/General William Starke Rosecrans May- Panel Discussion (What was the turning point of the Civil War) June-Banquet THE SALT CREEK CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE www.saltcreekcwrt.org President: Jan Rasmussen Vice-President: Robert Girardi Treasurer: Paula Walker Secretary: Rick Zarr Historian: Cindy Intravartolo Meeting Liaison: Mary Lord Newsletter Editor; Jennie Warner, jenniewarner@gmail.com Newsletter Staff: Rick Benson, Rick Zarr, Len Overcash Sr.