The Outpost THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SALT CREEK CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE VOLUME XLIV No. 2 October 2006 394th Regular Meeting DATE: 6th October 2006 PLACE: Fairview Village, 200 Village Dr., Downers Grove, Il. TIME: 8:00 P.M. SPEAKER: Bill Hupp TOPIC: “Battles for the Border States: Virtual Tours of the Battles of Wilson’s Creek and Perryville” On August 10, 1861, at Wilson’s Creek, the fate of Missouri as a Union or Confederate state was determined in a sharp fight that claimed the life of the head of the Union army, General Nathaniel Lyon. A little over a year later, on October 8, 1862, outside of Perryville, Kentucky, the threat by General Bragg to take the Bluegrass Sate out of the Union ended in a bloody, confusing, struggle that was the high-water mark of the Confederate Invasions of 1862. Both battles were Confederate tactical victories. Both battles were Union strategic victories. Both battlefields are within a 9-hour drive from Chicago and both battlefields are much as they were at the time of the battles. For those of us who can’t get enough of visiting battlefields and experiencing the look and feel of the ground, we can now take a “virtual” tour of the battlefields using the Internet and the good photographic work of our fellow civil warriors. Bill Hupp, long time SCCWRT treasurer, has visited each of the featured battlefields three times and re-enacted at Perryville in 1988. Good as a substitute for a real trip, and also as a pre-tour to make actual tours more meaningful, all that is required is a computer and the Internet to transport us visually to a selected battlefield. Bill will supply these at this meeting. 1 SEPTEMBER MEETING BY CINDY INTRAVARTOLO On September 1, past president Kurt Carlson presented, “Patrick R. Cleburne”, before 46 members and guests at the 393 rd regular meeting of the round table. This talk was a special request as he had previously given this presentation at the 1989 banquet. Patrick Ronayne Cleburne was born in County Cork, Ireland, on March 16, 1828. His father was a doctor and he hoped to follow in his footsteps. When he applied to medical school, he was rejected because he wasn’t sufficiently fluent in ancient Greek and Latin. To escape his failure, he enlisted in the British Army. He served for three years and then used his inheritance to purchase his discharge and emigrate to the U.S. in 1849. He worked for a while as a pharmacist in Cincinnati, Ohio and then in Helena, Arkansas, where he became a partner in a drugstore. By 1856, he began to practice law. He was doing so well that he was able to purchase property in Arkansas and Mississippi and was on his way to becoming a successful landowner when the war broke out. Cleburne was among the first to enlist in the Yell Rifles of Phillips County. He joined as a private, but was soon elected captain. When they became part of the 1st Arkansas, Cleburne was elected colonel. Carlson noted that, almost from the beginning, Cleburne’s commander, Gen. William J. Hardee, recognized Cleburne’s potential as an officer. By the fall of 1862, Cleburne had fought well in the Kentucky Campaign at Richmond and Perryville. He saved Braxton Bragg’s supply wagons during the retreat and, for his gallant actions, he was promoted to Major General. By 1864 Cleburne was regarded as the hero of the western Confederacy, but he always said the credit belonged to his men and not to him. He had a talent for knowing when his men were needed and getting them to perform well. He led by example and never asked his men to do something he wouldn’t do. He expected courage from his men so he made it a point to be in the front of his division during a fight and to remain calm and in control. He genuinely liked and respected his men and they reciprocated this. However, he was also known as a strict disciplinarian. He insisted on cleanliness of camp, person, and equipment and on strict and unquestioning obedience to his orders. He drilled his men constantly until they functioned as a single unit. The result was a well-trained, highly motivated force that responded unquestioningly to orders. Their greatest achievement took place at Missionary Ridge where, outnumbered six to one, they defeated Sherman’s forces. Immediately afterwards, success was achieved at the Battle of Ringgold Gap in north Georgia. Although Cleburne and his division were enjoying great success, the Confederate cause was not. They were badly outnumbered on every front and more manpower was desperately needed. The only available source of this was 700,000 slaves of military age still in Confederate –held territory. To Cleburne the solution was obvious and 2 made common sense. The South had to use its slaves as soldiers. This was not a new concept, Carlson noted. It had been discussed as early as 1861. Cleburne felt it was his duty to develop a proposal and present it to his superiors. He worked up a plan to emancipate the slaves and enlist them as soldiers in the Confederacy. He shared this with his staff. They were stunned and felt that if he went ahead with this it would surely affect his chances for promotion. On January 2nd, 1864, Generals Johnston and Hardee arranged a meeting with other commanders at Dalton, Georgia, to hear the proposal. When it was read, a few agreed, some were non-committal, and others were completely opposed. Ultimately, President Davis rejected the idea. As the war continued, Cleburne was passed over for promotion, many thought because of his suggestion, but, whatever the reason, Cleburne never complained. By year’s end, Davis changed his views and adopted the idea. On March 23, 1865 he issued General Order No. 14 which directed that every black soldier accepted would serve, not as a slave, but as a free man. The first regiment was formed within days, but Appomattox was only three weeks away. Cleburne was not present to witness this. On Nov. 30, 1864 he led his men for the last time in a desperate assault against Union positions at Franklin, TN. He was killed beside his men. The SCCWRT thanks Kurt Carlson for bringing to mind the exploits of the man who is almost universally accepted as one of the best division commanders on either side during the war. PRESERVATION REPORT BY LEN OVERCASH, SR. COLUMBIA, SC-The Folly Beach Planning Commission unanimously rejected plans to build 53 homes on Long Island, which is home to birds, wildlife, and has remnants of a Civil War fortification. Twenty people spoke against the project and about 75 people attending the meeting broke into applause at the decision. Source: Civil War Interactive (www.civilwarinteractive.com) “The Daily Newspaper of the Civil War.” FRANKLIN, TN.-More than 100 people from Williamson County and as far away as Columbus, Ohio, attended the recent first public tour of the city’s 110acre proposed battlefield park site at the former Country Club of Franklin. Participants met at the clubhouse before going out on tours of the property led by local historians. The site was part of the Nov. 30, 1864, Battle of Franklin. Franklin Mayor Tom Miller said the events success and the interest displayed show the potential of the space for tourism. Source: Save the Franklin Battlefield Inc. RICHMOND, KY. -The park commemorating the Battle of Richmond in central Kentucky will double in size after preservationist and private owners reached a $2.1 million deal. The Battle of Richmond Association purchased the 300 acres with grant money from the state and the Civil War Preservation 3 Trust and American Battlefield Protection Program said Ed Ford, President of the Battle of Richmond Association. “That was the land where everything took place that won the battle” for the Confederates, Ford said. Wendell and Dale Combs, who have used it to raise cattle, own the land. “The Combs brothers have had all kinds of offers and a lot of people wanted to buy that land for development,” Ford said. With the purchase, about 600 acres of the battlefield have been preserved. Source: The Civil War Preservation Trust ALL FOR THE UNION The September 16th Civil War Show was a great success! We shared a table with the Chicago and Northern Illinois Roundtable’s and signed up a new member, Mr. Robert Troost of Oakbrook! Welcome pard and thanks to all whom participated in manning (and womanning!) the table! EDITOR’S NOTES The next board meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 3rd 7:30 p.m. Fairview Village. Contact Rick Zarr 708-597-2780 for details. I feel the urge to print this every so often: The opinions expressed in this newsletter arise strictly in the disordered mind of its editor and are not necessarily those of the Salt Creek Civil War Round Table, its Board of Directors or General Membership. CALENDAR OF EVENTS November 17 (Note Date)-Annual Auction for Battlefield Preservation. December 1-Ron Carlson-Gen. Alpheus Starkey Williams January 5-Richard Crowe-Great Ghost Stories of the Civil War February 2-(Tentative)-Wayne Karle- The Signal Corps March 2-Mary Carol Farber-Women’s Movement during the Civil War. March 30-TBA May 4-Book Review Panel-What are you Reading? June15-Banquet at Lisle Hilton. Speaker TBA Sept.7-Marshall Krolick-Council of War July 2, 1863 Oct. 5-Paula Walker-Maj. Gen. Gouverneur Kemble Warren and the Battle of Five Forks. Nov. 2-Annual Auction for Battlefield Preservation. 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