Bernard Fisher, President              Rob Monroe, Editor       
7300 Ann Cabell Lane                   2416 Edenbrook Dr.       
Mechanicsville, VA 23111               Richmond, VA 23228-3040  
bernard.fisher@comcast.net             RMonroe500@comcast.net   
 January 2008 PROGRAM

Nelson Lankford
"The Crooked Road to the Civil War, 1861¦

8:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 8, 2008, at the
Boulevard United Methodist Church, 321 N. Boulevard,
Richmond, VA (corner of Boulevard and Stuart Ave.) Enter
the basement door on the right side under the front steps.

When Abraham Lincoln became  president  on  March  4,  1861,
crisis  had  already gripped the nation.  Perhaps by then it
was too late to avert civil war, but the conflict that broke
out  a  few  weeks  later  was by no means preordained.  The
particular  way  it  unfolded  rested  in   the   hands   of
individuals, not irresistible historical forces.            

Getting  the Round Table's year off to an exciting start, at
our January meeting, Richmond's own Nelson D.  Lankford will
recount    the    quirks    of    timing,   character,   and
place-especially in Virginia  and  Maryland-that  influenced
the  trajectory  of  events  during the weeks from Lincoln's
inauguration  through  the  explosion  at  Fort  Sumter  and
Lincoln's   response  to  it.   A  chain  of  decisions  and
miscalculations, influenced by swollen  vanity  and  wishful
thinking, gave shape to the dreadful conflict to come.      

Nelson  Lankford  is  with  the  Virginia Historical Society
(VHS),  and,  for  the  past  23  years,  has   edited   the
organization's  quarterly  journal, the Virginia Magazine of
History  and  Biography.   He  also  is  VHS's  director  of
publications  and scholarship.  Lankford is an award-winning
editor and author of  several  books,  among  them  Richmond
Burning:  The  Last  Days  of  the Confederate Capital; Last
American Aristocrat: The Biography of Ambassador David K.  E.
Bruce,  1898-1977,  Vol.  1 and the critically acclaimed Cry
Havoc: The Crooked Road  to  Civil  War,  1861!,  which  was
published in 2007.                                          


ACWC to Host Events in January and February

Was Robert E.  Lee one of the  great  captains  of  American
history or a bumbling practitioner of old-fashioned warfare?
American Civil War Center (ACWC) educator Jimmy  Price  will
survey the writings of authors who both deified and vilified
the military  career  of  the  Confederacy's  most  renowned
general.   Price  will  present  his program, "The Fox & the
Statue:  Portrayals  of  Robert  E.   Lee,  1865-2008,"   on
Saturday,  January  19  at  2  pm  at the American Civil War
Center at Historic Tredegar.                                

On Sunday afternoon, February 10, ACWC will take an in-depth
look  at America's most enduring historical figures.  By the
early 19th century, George Washington  had  achieved  iconic
status  in  the  United  States as a soldier, statesman, and
politician.   Heralded  as  a  hero   in   the   fight   for
independence  during  the  American  Revolution,  Washington
became a symbol of freedom for both  Union  and  Confederate
causes  during  the  Civil  War.   Using images and personal
accounts from the Civil War era, "Liberty's  Father:  George
Washington  and  the  American  Civil  War"  is  a 30-minute
program  that  will  explore  how  Washington's  legacy  was
embraced  by  North  and  South  to promote their respective
visions of liberty.                                         

The 1 pm program on Washington will be followed at 3  pm  by
"Liberty's Son: the Presidential Legacy of Abraham Lincoln -
Hero or Tyrant?" Was Lincoln the savior of the  Union  or  a
slayer of state rights?  Price will present a revealing look
at how authors and historians have viewed our nation's  16th
president.                                                  

Admission  for each of these events is $10 or free with ACWC
exhibit admission or membership.                            


Richmond NBP Superintendent
Accepts Position in Philadelphia

The National Park  Service  (NPS)  recently  announced  that
Cynthia  MacLeod  has been selected as the superintendent of
Independence National Historical Park and will  also  manage
other  NPS  sites  in  Philadelphia.  MacLeod will begin her
assignment in late January.                                 

MacLeod has served since 1990 as superintendent of  Richmond
National  Battlefield  Park  and  Maggie L.  Walker National
Historic Site.  Richmond NBP preserves more than 1900  acres
of  Civil  War resources at nine sites in the Richmond area.
During her almost 18-year tenure in Richmond,  MacLeod  lead
her  team in expanding battlefield and resource preservation
and interpretation at both parks.  She was  instrumental  in
park  historic  building rehabilitations and established new
visitor centers for each park, including the Visitor  Center
at Tredegar, the partnership venture that opened in 2000.   

"I  will  miss  the  NPS  staff  in  Richmond, our wonderful
partners, and the vibrant programs that we have  built  over
the  years,"  said  MacLeod.  "Richmond has been a wonderful
home  for  my  family,  and  I  will  always  treasure   the
friendships  and  memories we have made here.  It is a jewel
of a region."                                               

MacLeod has been an active member  of  the  Rotary  Club  of
Richmond   since   1991.   She  has  a  master's  degree  in
architectural history from the University of Virginia and  a
bachelor's degree from Duke University.                     


News from Museum of the Confederacy

The Museum  of  the  Confederacy  is  celebrating  Jefferson
Davis's  200th birthday and his tenure as Commander in Chief
of the Confederate States of America by  conducting  popular
war  games.   On  Saturday,  January  19  Senior Curator and
Director of Collections Robert Hancock will teach the  basic
strategies of war and then split the participants into teams
for competition.  Each team will be given an  objective  and
certain resources to plan its strategy.  This will be an all
day  event  with  lunch  included.   Space  is  limited  and
registration  is required.  The cost is $20 for members, $25
for non-members.                                            

From 1-3 pm on Saturday, February 9 the museum will  present
a  program commemorating the relationship of Jefferson Davis
and his wife Varina Howell Davis.  "Hearts at War" will look
at  Valentine  traditions and courtship during the Civil War
through Valentine artifacts, Civil  War  love  letters,  and
stories.  Light refreshments will follow.                   

Throughout  2008,  the museum will be working on restoration
projects to the White House of  the  Confederacy,  Jefferson
Davis's executive mansion from 1861 to 1865.  These projects
include  replacing  worn  carpets,   installing   draperies,
interior  paint  and  UV  filters,  installing  a  new  fire
suppression system and making repairs to  the  front  porch.
The White House will be closed to visitors during the months
of January and February to allow for completion of  some  of
these  projects.   The  House will reopen for daily tours on
March 1.                                                    


Commission Endorses Plan
for Funding Battlefield Preservation

The Virginia Sesquicentennial  of  the  American  Civil  War
Commission  has  unanimously  adopted a resolution endorsing
the  Civil  War   Preservation   Trust's   (CWPT)   Virginia
Sesquicentennial  Battlefield  Initiative.   The  Initiative
encourages state funding  for  battlefield  preservation  in
Virginia  prior  to  and during the 150th anniversary of the
Civil War (2011-2015).                                      

In the Initiative, CWPT calls for a yearly appropriation  of
$5  million  for  battlefield  preservation to be considered
along with each annual state budget.  If approved, the money
will  be  made  available  in  the  form  of matching grants
requiring two dollars  in  private  funds  for  each  dollar
allocated  by the state.  This mechanism effectively triples
the power of the state's contribution and creates a powerful
public-private  partnership.   Previously,  in  fiscal years
2006-07 and 2007-08, the state legislature  has  approved  a
total   of   $700,000   in  appropriations  for  battlefield
preservation,  funds  that  have  been   used   toward   the
acquisition of the Slaughter Pen Farm in Spotsylvania County
and portions of the Glendale battlefield in Henrico County. 


Election of 2008 Officers

At the December meeting of  the  Richmond  Civil  War  Round
Table,  Jack  Ackerly,  Dan  Balfour  and  Shep Parsons were
elected to the executive board for  2008.   Also,  the  2008
officer  slate  was  approved  by  the  members:  John Coski
(President),  Ed  Wooldridge  (1st  Vice  President),  Davis
Wrinkle  (2nd  Vice  President),  Sandy  Parker (Secretary),
Richard Grosse (Treasurer), Gary Cowardin  (Webmaster),  and
Rob Monroe (Newsletter Editor).                             


RCWRT Dues for 2008

It is time once  again  to  renew  your  membership  in  the
Richmond  Civil  War Round Table.  The 2008 dues reflect the
$5 across-the-board increase approved by  the  members  last
October.   Also,  please  note  the  introduction  of  a new
membership  category,  "Sustaining  Member."  This   is   an
entirely  voluntary  option  for those members who choose to
increase their support of our  organization.   The  Ides  of
March (March 15) is the deadline for payment of 2008 dues.  

Select one category:
o  $50 - Sustaining member (voluntary)                      
o  $35 - Resident member                                    
o  $45 - Resident couple                                    
o  $20 - Non-resident member (75 miles outside of Richmond) 
o  $25 - Non-resident couple                                
o  $20 - Senior member                                      
         (65 and older with at least 10 years of membership)
o  $25 - Senior couple                                      
o  $20 - Student member (age 13-17)                         
o  $35 - International member                               
o  $45 - International couple                               

You can make payment  at  the  January,  February  or  March
meetings or mail your check to:                             

Sandy Parker, RCWRT Secretary
P.O. Box 37052               
Richmond, VA 23234           

Thank you for your continued support for the Richmond  Civil
War Round Table!                                            


RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2008


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simply email the editor at RMonroe500@comcast.net   Thanks! 


Richmond Civil War Round Table Newsletter
Rob Monroe, Editor     
2416 Edenbrook Dr.     
Richmond, VA 23228-3040