rcwrt.org
Rob Monroe, President Gary Cowardin, Editor 9733 Fireside Drive 1404 Lorraine Ave. Glen Allen, VA 23060 Richmond, VA 23227-3735 rmonroe500@comcast.net cowardin@juno.com4602 Cary Street Road, 23226. A parking lot is available behind the church with an entrance off the parking lot to the right and up a few steps into the DINING HALL on the left.
"Crossing the James" by Edward Alexander 7:30pm, Tuesday, February 12, 2019, at the First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA.,
Edward is a freelance author and cartographer in Richmond, Virginia. His
first book, Dawn of Victory: Breakthrough at Petersburg, March 25-April
2, 1865, was published in 2015. He has worked as a park ranger and
historian at Richmond National Battlefield Park and Pamplin Historical
Park. He is also a contributor for the Emerging Civil War organization.
Edward has a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of
Illinois.
Meeting Attendance for January: 70
NOTE: Please put on your NAME BADGE on when you arrive for the meeting.
(They will be on a table near the back or side of the room.)
Message from Our President In 1998 I was working as a videographer/editor at WVPT-TV, a small PBS station serving the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia. That summer I accompanied a producer as we recorded interviews around the state for a documentary we were doing on Civil War battlefield preservation. Among our interviewees were Greg Mertz, Col. Keith Gibson, Howard Kittell and the elder Bob Krick. About halfway through our production work, my producer left to take a new job in Philadelphia. With our other producers busy on other projects, the battlefields documentary was now mine to finish. But something strange happened as I began researching. My work didn't conclude at 5:00. I went home in the evenings and spent hours online reading about battles and campaigns. My interest in history had always been present, like a flame in the back of a fireplace. But the documentary became a log placed next to that flame. My interest in the past soon became an intense, burning love of history. Now, 21 years later, the fire still burns bright. About two years later, after having married and moved to Richmond, I was attending one of the Civil War shows-at the old Showplace on Mechanicsville Turnpike if I recall correctly. The RCWRT had a table there and I spoke with a couple gentlemen who told me about the group, when and where they met. I attended the next meeting and the rest is history (pun intended). I wish I could identify the two gentlemen I spoke with that day at the Showplace so I could thank them. Fast forward a couple more years and I still didn't know anyone in the Round Table very well despite having been a regular attendee. When then-president Art Bergeron put out a call for a volunteer to take over as editor of the newsletter, I realized this was the opportunity to get involved and meet some people. I haven't always made the best decisions in my life, but I nailed that one. Now, all these years later, I have the opportunity to serve the Round Table as president. Knowing the exceedingly well-qualified people who have had this role in the past, I wonder how it has come to pass that I have landed this role. I consider myself merely a history enthusiast and find it ironic that I stand in front of a room full of men and women who know the Civil War better than myself-more than a handful of them published authors, tour guides and professional historians. But I shall try to muddle through because, well, learning is always fun. I look forward to enjoying the outstanding list of speakers Doug Crenshaw has lined up for us in 2019. I hope you will consider inviting a friend or acquaintance to one of our meetings. I know many of you feel as I do -- the only way to put the present in its proper context is with an understanding of the past. Rob
Our 2019 Updated: Constitution
Below is the list of the RCWRT officers elected for 2019: President: Rob Monroe First V.P. Doug Crenshaw Second V.P. Ulli Baumann Treasurer: Art Wingo Secretary: Andy Keller Newsletter/Editor/Webmaster: Gary Cowardin These three former Round Table Presidents, as elected by the membership comprise the remainder of the Executive Committee for 2019. Dan Balfour, Jack Mountcastle, Danny Witt
A Message from our Secretary Andy Keller To date I have received renewals from 101 members. There are 33 who I have not heard from. With the new year comes not only a new dues year but a change in the annual dues due date. The new due date of February 15 will be here before you know it so if you want to avoid the $25 late fee mail me your dues now or have your bank do it. The dues are still $35 for individual dues and $45 for couples. Make checks payable to RCWRT. I am not requiring you to send in a membership form but if information has changed for you I need to know it so write it on you check or include a note for me. Any dues postmarked after February 15 with incur a late fee of $25.00. Traditionally you were asked to include a new membership form with each due's submission. I am agreeable to waiving that requirement if you have no information to update and your check makes it clear what your dues are for. Since we have reduced the number of member categories that should require little or no explanation. That being the case, I would encourage you to consider using your bank's bill pay service to automatically pay your dues for you on an annual basis each January, so you do not have to worry about it and also save the cost of the postage which is also expected to go up again soon. If you are a current individual member the dues remain $35. If you are a couple your dues are $45. In either case have the dues mailed to: Andy Keller, RCWRT Secretary 9701 Fireside Drive Glen Allen, VA 23060-6280 Again all dues must be postmarked by February 15 to avoid a late fee. I look forward to seeing you at our meeting on February 12th when you may pay your dues in person. Andy
Upcoming Events/Links
National Park Service Richmond
Richmond Battlefields Association News & Events www.saverichmondbattlefields.org/events.htm
Visit the American Civil War Museum at Tredegar and the White House of the Confederacy www.acwm.org
Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier www.pamplinpark.org
Chambersburg Civil War Seminars & Tours civilwarseminars.org
RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2019
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©R.C.W.R.T. 2019