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May 2014 - rcwrt.org

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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        
Greg Starbuck (Executive Director, Historic Sandusky)
"Hunter's Raid: When the Valley Wept"

7:30pm, Tuesday, May 13, 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.



Greg Starbuck is a graduate of Virginia Tech with degrees in History and
Business  Management.   He  has  worked at the National Colonial Farm in
Accokeek, MD and Old Fort Jackson  in  Savannah,  GA  as  an  Historical
Interpreter.   From  1988  to  1996  he  was  an exhibit builder for the
Virginia Marine Science Museum in Virginia Beach.  In 1996, he moved  to
Savannah,  Georgia  to  accept  the position of Site Manager of Old Fort
Jackson.  In 2000 he was designated  Curator  Emeritus  of  the  Coastal
Heritage  Society.   From  2000-2002  he served as the first Director of
Education at the National Civil War Naval Museum in  Columbus,  Georgia.
Starbuck has done contractual work for the Museum of the Confederacy,The
Mariner's Museum, Jamestown National Historic  Site,  and  The  National
Monitor  Marine  Sanctuary.   In  2002  he  became Executive Director of
Historic Sandusky in Lynchburg, Virginia, the  historic  home  that  was
used  as  headquarters during the 1864 Battle of Lynchburg.             

He has been interviewed on the History Channel, the Travel Channel,  and
CSPAN,  and  worked  on  the  movies Gettysburg, Gods and Generals, Cold
Mountain, and Lincoln.  In 2011 Starbuck received two Emmyr  awards  for
writing  and  directing  "Hunter's  Raid:  Defending Hearth and Home," a
55-minute documentary on the  1864  military  campaign  through  Central
Virginia.                                                               

Meeting Attendance for: March 2014 = 98

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
On a tour I was leading last month, one of the participants  brought  to
my  attention  an  article  that  appeared in the Wall Street Journal on
April 10.  The article decried the lack of enthusiasm the public has for
the  Civil  War's Sesquicentennial.  It reported that Americans are just
not interested in  touring  sites,  attending  re-enactments  or  buying
relics  and  memorabilia.   One  historian  thought  a  major factor was
"widespread ignorance" saying, "Significant numbers of  people  have  no
idea  when the Civil War occurred, let alone what it was about." I would
not disagree.                                                           

I remember the myriad events of the Centennial, fifty years ago, and how
much  those  events  influenced  my  own interest in the Civil War.  The
first adult history book I purchased in 1961 was Edward Stackpole's They
Met  at Gettysburg (and I still have it.) So my point is: please make an
effort to get a young person interested in the Civil War or any facet of
America's  history,  before  it's  too  late.   You  won't regret it and
perhaps you'll kindle a spark that will pay dividends in  future  years.
America's  history  is  an  endangered species.  It needs to be saved as
much as the Karner blue butterfly.                                      

On a positive note, Janette Walker marched forward to take the  standard
of  raffle  purveyor.   She  will  be twisting arms to sell those raffle
tickets as any Southern belle would do for  the  cause.   So  have  your
Greenbacks  ready as she does not give quarter easily.  Seriously, thank
you so much, Janette,  for  assisting  the  RCWRT  with  this  important
assignment.                                                             
                                          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.  I truly appreciate the  large  response
to meet the deadline for dues.  It makes 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
 Richmond National Battlefield Park Tours
Don't miss the bus, seats still open for its bus tours:  
North Anna, May 23
Haw's Shop, May 28
Totopotomoy, May 30
Cold Harbor to Petersburg, June 14
Deep Bottom, Aug 16
Fort Harrison, Sept 27

For prices and details, call 804-335-8100

The Dabbs Hosue is hosting a Symposium on
June 20, see the website below for details:
 
www.dabbshouse.henricorecandparks.com


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