The Outpost THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SALT CREEK CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE VOLUME XLIV No. 4 December 2006 396th Regular Meeting DATE: 1st December 2006 PLACE: Fairview Village, 200 Village Dr., Downers Grove, Il. TIME: 8:00 P.M. SPEAKER: Ron Carlson TOPIC: “Citizen Soldier: Alpheus Starkey Williams There were many great citizen soldiers on both sides during the Civil War. On December 1, 2006, Ron Carlson will present a talk about one such soldier, Alpheus Starkey Williams of Michigan. Williams’ Civil War career is as accomplished as those of his better-known contemporaries, John Logan and John Brown Gordon, but his achievements have been largely forgotten. Williams was a general officer in the Shenandoah Valley; at Second Manassas, Antietam, and Gettysburg; and during the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea, and the final campaigns in the Carolinas. He left behind a series of well-written wartime letters, which will serve as the basis for Mr. Carlson’s presentation. Ron Carlson earned a B.S. from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a M.B.A. from Northwestern University, and an M.A. in History from the University of Illinois at Chicago. For the past 15 years, he has taught U.S. History at the College of DuPage, including courses on various aspects of the Civil War. He is a member of both the Chicago and Salt Creek Civil War Round Tables. The SCCWRT extends its welcome to this member and scholar and looks forward to an undoubtedly enlightening presentation. 1 NOVEMBER MEETING BY CINDY INTRAVARTOLO Last month, 48 members and guests attended the 15th Annual Auction for Battlefield Preservation. Before the festivities began, President Rick Zarr announced the slate of officers for 2007. Those souls who are willing to serve include: President Rick Zarr (Note: this will be his fourth term! Huzzah for Rick!) Vice-President, Gil Mitchell, Treasurer, Brenda Grazis and Secretary, Jan Rasmussen. Those nominated for the Board of Directors includes Cindy Heckler, Chuck Kurtz, Mary Lord, Len Overcash, and Paula Walker. We cannot function without the help of our support personnel. Stephen Munier has agreed to continue as webmaster par excellence. Brian Ruxton will continue as Event Coordinator for the 97th Regimental String Band Concert. Mary Lord will continue as liaison for Fairview Village. Dan McCarthy has agreed to another year as the (esteemed?), Newsletter Editor. Cindy Intravartolo will continue as Historian: archiving the newsletters, and maintaining the scrapbook along with the President’s Album. Last, but certainly not least, is Roger Bohn, without whom, all the behind-the scenes jobs the organization requires would suffer greatly. He not only creates the speaker’s certificate and plaque for each meeting, but also gives generously of his time to fulfill many other tasks for the organization. Of course, the auction is not complete without our two master auctioneers, Jerry Feinstein and Dan McCarthy. Their quick wit and detailed description of the items is well worth the price of admission. (I believe that would be $0-Ed.) This year, Kevin Naughton, (Welcome Back, Pard) joined them, and together they helped raise over $2,000 for Battlefield Preservation. A big thanks goes out to Rob Girardi, his son, Eric, (How’s the nose, buddy? Ed.) and, Roger Bohn, who arrived early to set up and categorize the items prior to the auction. The evening was well spent bidding on various items including: books, journals, music, and art prints. The highest bid item was the 1898 Official and Illustrated War Record donated by Doug Ward that went for $250. Since we met our intended goal for the auction, we can proceed with the memorial donations in honor of Bill Thomas to Johnson’s Island, Ron Kumnick to Vicksburg National Military Park, and Steve Stewart to the CWPT for the Perryville Battlefield. In addition, a separate collection was started for Margie Bearss, wife of Ed Bearss, who passed away in October. The collection will be continued at the December meeting and one check from the round table will be sent to the CWPT in Margie's honor at the request of her family. Whether you donated an item or two, or purchased a few to take home, your participation in this event is always greatly appreciated. Thanks to all of you for your continued support and Happy Holidays! 2 PRESERVATION REPORT BY LEN OVERCASH, SR. FREDERICKSBURG, VA. -Working with an unlikely ally-Tricord, a developer-as well as with local preservation groups, the trust (The Civil War Preservation Trust) managed to buy the pristine 208-acre Slaughter Pen Farm. “It’s the largest private-sector battlefield transaction in U.S. history,” said the trust’s president, Jim Lighthizer. The Slaughter Pen, a family- owned farm outside Fredericksburg, came up for sale last December and was described, by the listing agent, as “one of the best industrial sites in the Commonwealth of Virginia.” The trust sprang into action, and using contributions from its 70,000 members, plus matching federal grants that Mr. Lighthizer was able to secure-including $2 million from the Department of the Interior-the group could buy the land for $12 million. (Much of the money had to be borrowed from the Sun Trust Bank, a partner in the effort to save the battlefield; Mr. Lighthizer expects to pay the balance over the next four years through fund-raising. “The trust’s success in fund raising has just astonished me,” said the Pulitzer Prize–winning, Civil War historian James McPherson, professor emeritus at Princeton. He credits “the creative ideas, energy, and widespread contacts” of Mr. Lighthizer, a former Maryland state official, and the organization’s members, whom Mr. McPherson calls “true believers,” for the trust’s record of saving 23,000 acres of Civil War battlefield land in 18 states. Source: The Civil War Preservation Trust. LOVEJOY, GA.-In fast-growing Lovejoy, the City Council had one of its most important choices to make. Heritage or new homes? The council chose heritage. By a 4-0 vote, the council rejected a controversial plan to build 287 homes on 75 acres some say is part of a Civil War battlefield. “ I think this is an example of what happens when people make their feelings known,” said Lauren Burgreen, an area resident against the plan. “It worked out.” (Atlanta GA Journal -Constitution) VA. -The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to support preservation of an additional 74 acres of the First Day at Chancellorsville Battlefield (formerly the Mullins Farm). The vote marks the end of a four-and-ahalf year struggle by the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT), and its partners in the Spotsylvania Battlefields Coalition, to rescue this endangered battlefield from imminent development. Source for above articles is: Civil War Interactive (www.civilwarinteractive.com) “The Daily Newspaper of the Civil War” 3 ALL FOR THE UNION The SCCWRT has been offered participation in a two-day excursion to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Springfield from Fancy Free Holidays. Tour highlights include: A meeting with Abe, New Salem, Old Sate Capital, Lincoln Law Offices, Lincoln Home, and Lincoln Tomb. Departure would be 6/7/07. Interested? Contact Mary Lord at 200 Village Dr. Apt. 341, Downers Grove 60516 Phone: 630-769-6182. From our Archive of Knowledge (Thanks to Cindy I.)-When our RT first started in 1962, the meetings were held on the last Friday of the month. In November of 1966, the meetings were changed to the third Friday and, in December 1979, they were changed to the first Friday. EDITOR’S NOTES The next board meeting will be held at the home of Mary Lord, 200 Village Dr. Apt. 341, Downers Grove, 1/2/07. 630769-6182. A Personal Message from the Editor: EVERYONE! Enjoy a Safe and Happy Holiday season with your friends and loved ones! CALENDAR OF EVENTS December 1-Ron Carlson-Gen. Alpheus Starkey Williams January 5-Richard Crowe-Great Ghost Stories of the Civil War February 2-Norman Stephens- Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign March 2-Mary Carol Farber-Women’s Movement during the Civil War. March 30-Gordon Ramsey-Hot Air Balloons and the First Air Force May 4-What are you Reading? General Book Discussion. June 1-Annual Banquet at Lisle Hilton- Patrick Brennan on the Battle of Nashville September 7-Marshall Krolick-Council of War, July 2, 1863 October 5-Paula Walker-Major General Gouverneur Kemble Warren and the Battle of Five Forks November 2-Annual Battlefield Preservation Auction at the DuPage Historical Society The Salt Creek Civil War Roundtable www.saltcreekcwrt.org. President: Rick Zarr Vice-President: Gil Mitchell Treasurer: Bill Hupp Secretary: Jan Rasmussen Historian: Cindy Intravartolo Sgt. At Arms: Ron Kumnick Meeting Liaison: Mary Lord Newsletter Editor: Dan McCarthy, 4358 Lawn Ave., Western Springs, IL,60558. 708-246-7873, macarthaig@aol.com Newsletter Staff: Cindy Intravartolo, Len Overcash Sr., Jan Rasmussen, 4