Davis Wrinkle, Pres. Gary Cowardin, Editor
7741 Rockfalls Dr. 1404 Lorraine Ave.
Richmond, VA 23225 Richmond, VA 23227-3735
dpwrink@verizon.net cowardin@juno.com
October 2010 Program
Henry Simpson
"1,800 Union Troops Captured by 450 Confederates Troops
in an Attempt to Cut the Western & Atlantic Railroad"
8:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 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 left and down a few stairs. (map in August's newsleter)
Henry, a lifelong resident of the postwar town of Birmingham, Alabama,
is the grandson of a Private in the 16th Indiana Volunteer Regiment and
the great-grandson of a Colonel in the 48th Tennessee Regiment. His
interest in the War stems from early visits to Shiloh and Franklin. He
graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in the
distinguished class of 1960. His interest in the War was renewed when
he and a number of law school classmates began annual trips to
battlefields in 1989. They are aptly known as the Poltroons and some
will be at the meeting in preparation for a study of the Seven Days
Campaign with R.E.L. Krick. Henry became a member of the Board of
Trustees of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites
which merged with The Civil War Trust. He is now Chairman of the
Battlefield Preservation Committee of the Civil War Preservation Trust.
It should be noted that Ed Bearss is the Vice Chairman of that
Committee.
Henry will talk to us about an episode which occurred in April of 1863,
primarily in Alabama. It was a raid by an independent provisional
brigade of Union troops consisting of approximately 1,800 men, mounted
primarily on mules, which attempted to traverse the State of Alabama and
cut the Western & Atlantic Railroad near Rome, Georgia, and their
subsequent surrender to some 450 Confederates under the personal command
of Nathan Bedford Forrest. As one writer has described it, "This
incident was not surpassed by any similar occurrence during the
conflict." Another wrote that this campaign "has no analogue in military
history." It was the campaign that gave to Forrest the appellation of
"The Wizard of the Saddle." The story involves Alabama Union troops
fighting in their own backyards, heroines, duels, legislative acts,
trickery, and a surprise ending in Richmond.
Be sure to come early to get a good seat.
2010 Meeting Attendance: September = 138 !
NOTE: Please put on your NEW NAME BADGE on when you arrive for the meeting.
(They will be near or on the raffle table.)
RCWRT's 2010 Annual Dinner Thursday, Nov.11
On Thursday, November 11, the RCWRT's 2009 annual dinner will be held
once again at the University of Richmond's Jepson Alumni Center. We are
pleased to have as our speaker the historian John Quarstein speaking on
Fort Monroe and its future.
The evening begins with a reception at 6:00 pm. Dinner is at 7:00 with
our speaker to follow. The cost is the same as last year, members and
spouses (dates), $40 per person. The cost for guests (non RCWRT members
& spouses) will be $45 per person. Beer, wine or liquor are on a cash
basis at $5 each. There is no charge for soft drinks.
Due to the reputation of our speaker, we expect to have a significant
number of guests; therefore members are encouraged to get their
reservations in early.
This year we will have a buffet. Please print, copy, or clip your
reservation form below or click here and print this form and send it
along with a check (made out to "RCWRT") to David Whitehead.
RCWRT's 2010 Annual Dinner Thursday, Nov. 11
Richmond's Jepson Alumni Center 6:00 - 9:30 pm
#_____ Members & date @ $40/ea, #____Guests @ $45/ea = $________Total
Name ________________________________________________________________
Name ________________________________________________________________
Name ________________________________________________________________
David Whitehead, Jr. Questions, call David:
4305 Cary Street h) 562-2666
Richmond, VA 23221
Civil War Preservation Trust
For the latest CWPT news visit: www.civilwar.org
For Upcoming Events
Visit The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar
www.tredegar.org
and their
Events Calendar
Visit The Museum of the Confederacy Online
www.moc.org
Pamplin Historical Park and
The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier
www.pamplinpark.org
and their
Special Events Calendar
RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2010
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)
