April 2014 - rcwrt.org
Bruce Venter, President Gary Cowardin, Editor 2315 Bexley Wood Run 1404 Lorraine Ave. Goochland, VA 23063 Richmond, VA 23227-3735 bruceventer@aol.com cowardin@juno.com
Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr "Louis Froelich- Arms Maker to the Confederacy" 7:30pm, Tuesday, April 8, 2014, at the First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA., 4602 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.
Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr. is a native of Wilmington, North
Carolina. He attended local schools, including UNC Wilmington where he
earned his B.A. in anthropology. He served as the last curator of the
former Blockade Runners of the Confederacy Museum near Wilmington before
going off to graduate school. He received his M.A. at East Carolina
University and his Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina, where he
worked with the late Dr. Thomas L. Connelly, whose works on the Army
of Tennessee are considered classic Civil War studies. After a brief
stint teaching at East Carolina, Chris returned to his hometown where,
since 1996, he has taught in the department of history at his
undergraduate alma mater. That makes Chris a Seahawk, Pirate, and
Gamecock. He is also the author of books and articles on the Civil War
in North Carolina, including The Wilmington Campaign: Last Rays of
Departing Hope and Louis Froelich: Arms-Maker to the Confederacy, the
subject of his talk to the Richmond Civil War Round Table. Chris and
Nancy Fonvielle have been married for thirty-one years, have two
daughters, and live in Wilmington.
Meeting Attendance for: March 2014 = 80
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 Last year, our long-time valued member and former president, Hobson Goddin told me he was thinking of retiring from his annual reading of Robert E. Lee's General Order No. 9. The order was originally issued to the Army of Northern Virginia the day after Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. I was shocked and dismayed that I might be president and have to look for a replacement for Hobbie. I told him that he needed to do it at least one more year because there was no way he could be replaced. He agreed and so I will be happy and honored to introduce Hobbie at least one more time. His rendition is always entertaining (as he adds a story before the order is read.) It is a memorable experience, so don't miss it. To date, no one has stepped forward to pick up the standard carried by Sam Craghead for so many years as our raffle coordinator. Until we have someone come forward, we will have a self-service raffle. I'll leave the tickets, the bucket and the book in front on the piano. Members will be able to help themselves to the tickets and deposit their money in the bucket. Let's see how that works. Bruce
Help Us Save Postage Costs If you have an E-mail address and internet access and are not currently receiving your newsletter notification via E-mail please let me have your NAME and E-mail address. My E-mail address is: cowardin@juno.com (Just click my E-mail address above)
Bermuda Hundred Campaign Tour Saturday, June 21, 8:30 - 4:30 Our tour leader will be George L. Fickett, author, preservationist, and Civil War Trust, NPS and Virginia multi awardee. George is a lifelong resident of Prince George County, Virginia and has been an employee of Chesterfield County for over forty-two years in the mapping and Geographic Information Services section. He has studied this campaign in depth for over forty years. There are two pickup points, one in Northside and the other in Southside. The bus will depart from the parking lot in front of Lowe's Home Store at 8001 Brook Rd, Richmond, at the intersection of Brook and Parham Rd at 8:30 AM. (Please arrive by 8:15.) We will return at 4:30 PM. The other pickup is at 9AM at the the Hardee's restaurant at West Hundred Rd. (Route 10) and Old Stage Rd. just off I-95 at Exit 61A in Chesterfield. Lunch will be at fast food stop or bring your own. Handouts and water will be provided. Please send your check for $35 payable to RCWRT to: Bill Welsch 10708 Rocket Drive Glen Allen, VA 23060 Please include your name and email address and if you'll meet the bus at Lowe's or Hardee's. Address any questions to wmwelsch@comcast.net For any problems on the morning of the tour, please contact Bill at 804-349-8840. See you there! TENTATIVE ITINERARY/TIMELINE for May 5th-May 20th, 1864 Campaign May 5th, Bermuda Hundred Landing May 6th, Historic Point of Rocks 18th Corp Line May 6th & 7th 1st & 2nd Battles of Port Walthall Junction May 9th Battle of Swift Creek May 10th Battle of Chester Station May 13th Battle of Woolridge Hill May 16th Battle of Drewrys's Bluff Fort Stevens/ 39th Ill. Parks May 20th Battle of Ware Bottom Church Battery Dantzler Parker's Battery Ware Bottom Church Battlefield Park Ware Bottom Church Site Howlett Line Park
RCWRT Dues Update for 2014 Thank you to all the members who have paid their dues to date. In addition to new and continuing members, we have had several previous members renew their membership. For the twenty-five members from last year who have not paid their dues to date, please do so. I truly appreciate the large response to meet the deadline for dues. It make my task easier and allows me to be a participant in the monthly meetings instead of sitting on the sidelines doing paperwork. With that said, please continue to send your dues, it helps to fund the speakers, trips, holiday dinner, and other projects that we want to undertake. Rates for dues are as follows: $35 Resident member $25 Resident couple members Resident is defined as an individual or couple who resides within a 50 mile radius of Richmond. $20 Non-Resident member $25 Non- Resident couple Non-Resident is defined as an individual or couple who resides outside of the 50 mile radius from Richmond. Senior Member $20 Senior member is defined as an individual who is over the age of 65 years and has been a RCWRT member for the last ten years (since s/he was 55 years old). Senior Couple $25 Senior couple is defined as a couple who has one partner who meets the definition of a senior member. Checks can be made out to RCWRT. Checks and cash payments can be made at the February 11 and March 11 meetings. Dues can be mailed in check form only to: Sandy Parker, RCWRT Secretary, 2425 Falkirk Drive, North Chesterfield, VA 23236 If you have any questions about your due payment, please contact me at parkersand@aol.com with RCWRT Dues as the subject line or call me at: 804-276-7867 Thanks, Sandy
Civil War: The Untold Story I went to a special screening of one of the 5 episodes in a new Civil War documentary that was held at the Virginia War Memorial this afternoon. I was very favorably impressed. The realistic film is narrated by excellent Civil War historians. Here's some info on this mini-series: Civil War: The Untold Story is a visually stunning and absorbing new 5-hour documentary series that breaks new ground by examining the war through the lens of the Western Theater - battles in the strategic lands between the Appalachians and Mississippi River. The series is set to premiere in Richmond's PBS WCVE Channel (23 or220HD) at 10:00 PM on Monday, 7 April and for the next 4 Monday nights. Jack Mountcastle
Civil War Trust For the latest CWT news visit: www.civilwar.org
Upcoming Events/Links
www.virginiacivilwar.org
Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
NPS Richmond - Sesquicentennial - 1864/2014
Chesterfield Historical Society Winter Lecture Series
Visit The Museum of the Confederacy Online www.moc.org and their Events Calendar for MOC Events Calendar
Richmond Battlefields Association News & Events www.saverichmondbattlefields.org/events.htm
Visit The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar www.tredegar.org and their Events Calendar
Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier www.pamplinpark.org and their Special Events Calendar
RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2014
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