The Outpost THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SALT CREEK CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE VOLUME XLIV No. 6 February 2007 398th Regular Meeting DATE: 2nd February 2007 PLACE: Fairview Village, 200 Village Dr., Downers Grove, Il. TIME: 8:00 P.M. SPEAKER: Norman Stevens TOPIC: “The Flower of the Southern Army: The Army of the Valley and the 1862 Shenandoah Campaign” “Stonewall” Jackson’s Valley Campaign is among the most studied and admired chapters of the entire Civil War. This month’s presentation is a look at the officer corps of the Army of the Valley, and Jackson, in comparison with their adversaries, as well as considering the ’62 Valley Campaign as a component of overall Confederate strategy. Norman Stevens has a BA from the Virginia Military Institute and a BA &Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. He is the current Executive Director of the Kankakee County Museum. Formerly, he was Director of Museum Operations for the 1st Division Museum, and Exhibit Designer at Fort Mackinac MI. Michigan State Historic Parks. He was Assistant Professor of History at VMI and Lynchburg College, and Adjunct Professor of History at: Southwest Virginia College, Northern Michigan College, College of DuPage, Lake County College, and Kankakee Community College. He is the author of: Antietam: The Civil Wars’ Bloodiest Day, The Court Martial of Major General Charles Lee & the Monmouth Court House Campaign, An Encyclopedia of the 18th and 19th Century British Empire (contributing author), Kankakee 1853-1910, Kankakee 19111953, Kankakee Railroads 1853-1956, Kankakee Postcards 1900-1916. The SCCWRT is honored to welcome this accomplished historian to our fellowship. 1 JANUARY MEETING BY CINDY INTRAVARTOLO On January 5th, Richard T. Crowe, founder of Chicago Supernatural (Ghost) Tours, presented, “Civil War Ghosts”, before 74 members and guests at the 397th regular meeting of the Salt Creek Civil War Round Table. What constitutes a ghost? Crowe said the word “ghost” is common vernacular for contact with a spirit, a soul, or a disembodied entity. This can take on many different forms. The most common forms, he noted, include olfactory (a scent of roses, etc.), aural (a disembodied voice), tactile (the feeling of a cold spot), or a visual apparition (either full bodied or transparent). According to Crowe, the spiritualistic movement that began in this country in 1848 became very popular as a means to contact, and communicate with, the spirit world. He commented that spiritualism and beliefs in ghosts would be something quite popular during wartime or times of great loss of life, such as epidemics. He discussed many haunted houses of the Civil War period. One of the most haunted houses in the south is known as the Myrtles Plantation, a bed and breakfast, located just north of Baton Rouge in St. Francisville, Louisiana. The plantation dates back to the 1790’s, but it wasn’t until 1817 that the ghost stories began to surface. Crowe recounted several happenings in the house that not only happened to people he knew but also, to himself. Although the house is booked with guests all the time, he said the staff never spends a night there and many guests either leave when they first see the building, or leave during the night. Crowe believes that Gettysburg, PA, is probably the single most haunted battlefield area in the country. He discussed many reported hauntings in or near Gettysburg such as the Cashtown Inn. There are numerous reports of Confederate soldiers haunting the inn. Other haunted sites in Gettysburg include the George George house, Devil’s Den, Little Roundtop, and the Farnsworth house, where Crowe also had an encounter with footsteps pacing back and forth outside the door to his room. For more information on the psychic happenings in Gettysburg refer to Mark Nesbitt’s series of books on the ghosts of Gettysburg. The most famous haunted house, according to Crowe, is the White House. Many people claim to have either seen or felt the presence of Abraham Lincoln in the House, including: Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Grace Coolidge, Winston Churchill, and Harry Truman. Crowe said Lincoln is not the only ghost haunting the White House. The spirits of Abigail Adams, Dolly Madison, Zachary Taylor, and Willie Lincoln have also been known to share the house. The SCCWRT wishes to thank Richard Crowe for sharing with us the ghostly tales of the Civil War and 2 enlightening us on a subject area often neglected by most Civil War historians. PRESERVATION REPORT BY LEN OVERCASH SR. HARRISBURG, PA.-During a public hearing today, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board rejected a proposal to build a 3,000-machine slots parlor one mile from the Gettysburg Battlefield. James Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT), issued the following statement in the wake of the vote: “This is a great day for Gettysburg and for preservationists throughout the nation. By not allowing gambling to encroach on this famous town and battlefield, Pennsylvania has sent a clear message that it cares deeply for its historic treasures. It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most significant battlefield preservation victory since the defeat of Disney’s proposed theme park at Manassas in the early 1990’s. Together with the thousands of Americans who have anxiously awaited this decision for some 20 months, I applaud the members of the Gaming Control Board and thank them for recognizing that Gettysburg and gambling don’t mix” Source: Civil War Preservation Trust DC-Bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Senate and in the House during the opening days of the 110th Congress that, if passed, would designate the 175-mile corridor encompassing many historic lands in four states along U.S. Route 15, including Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, a National Heritage Area. (Press release). VA-Orange County supervisors have let go of the idea of a four-lane road through the Wilderness battlefield. The corridor plan stirred controversy by recommending that State Route 20 be widened on its present alignment, or a new road built west of it next to Lake of the Woods to accommodate the expected increase in traffic. The county Planning Commission added language, however, to “discourage development that would necessitate construction of a four-lane highway over any portion of the route in Orange County. It is the intent of the county not to undertake improvements that would encourage more non-county related traffic,” the commission’s language continued. “The study did not seriously explore options other than realigning Route 20 through one of the most significant historical resources in the county." Source for the above articles: Civil War Interactive (www.civilwarinteractive.com) “The Daily Newspaper of the Civil War” Editor’s Additions-Also on the preservation front, the SCCWRT has received national recognition for its generosity. It is noted in this month’s edition of the newsletter, “Save the Franklin Battlefield” that out of 25 roundtables that have made donations to the Franklin Battlefield, Salt Creek is tied for first in number of contributions with five. South Bay CWRT of Los Gatos, CA is the other five-time contributor. Well done, Comrades! 3 ALL FOR THE UNION Archive of Knowledge II-In response to an item in last months newsletter, our Historian has discovered that the longest serving officer in Salt Creek history is Don Sikorski with 25 years in posts such as Secretary, Newsletter Editor, and President. Congratulations, Don! 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. Travellers Rest Plantation and Museum will host the Third Annual Nashville Civil War Conference on Saturday, March 10, 2007. The day begins at 9AM and ends at 4PM. A lunch is included with the conference fee of $38. All events are onsite and a tour of the antebellum home is also included. The theme is Cavalry Operations in the Western Theater. It includes speakers such as: Eric Wittenberg, Myers Brown, Brian Wills, and Greg Biggs. For registration, details and directions go to www.travellersrestplantation.org EDITOR’S NOTES The next board meeting will be held at the home of Mary Lord, 200 Village Dr., Apt. 341, Downers Grove, Illinois at 7:30 P.M., 2/27/07. Phone No. 630-769-6182. We need speakers for 2008. If you hanker to get something off your chest contact any officer or board member to get scheduled! CALENDAR OF EVENTS March 2-Mary Carol Farber-Women’s Movement during the Civil War. March 30-Gordon Ramsey-Hot Air Balloons and the First Air Force -400th Meeting! 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 Co. Historical Society. The Salt Creek Civil War Roundtable www.saltcreekcwrt.org. President: Rick Zarr Vice-President: Gil Mitchell Treasurer: Brenda Grazis Secretary: Jan Rasmussen Historian: Cindy Intravartolo 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