November 2011 Meeting

Terry Hughes presented a program entitled, "The War Comes Home: 1st Indiana Cavalry from Evansville to Fredericktown". He told the story of the 1st Indiana Cavalry from its formation in Evansville, Indiana, to the going into battle in Fredericktown, Missouri, concentrationg on the first losses our region experienced during the war. Terry retired this year form the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and for several years was involved in Professional Development for the EVSC Information Systems.

October Meeting

The Red Bank Reunion Band presented a new program for 2012. To commemorate the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, they had researched and rehearsed a program using the songs and stories of the Hope Indiana Cornet Band. Much of this music has not been heard in six score and ten years. The presentation melded musical images and memories into a sepia collage that inspired and informed. The Re Bank Reunion Band offered a glimpse into the lives of Indiana bandsmen during the pivotal period in the American experience. This was the first time this complete composition had been heard. (courtesy Wayne Jones and LM)

September 2011 Meeting

Thomas Flagel was our guest speaker for the September meeting. Author and professor, Mr. Flagel teaches American History at Columbia State Community College in Tennessee. He holds degrees from Loras College (B.A. History), Kansas State University (M.A. European History), Creighton University (M.A. International Relations), and has studied at the University of Virginia. Originally from Iowa, he has also lived in Austria and the Czech Republic. Among his ancestors are several Civil War veterans. He has authored the following books: The History Buff’s Guide to the Civil War, The History Buff’s Guide to Gettysburg. The History Buff’s Guide to the Presidents, and The History Buff’s Guide to World War II. His program was “With the Desperation of Demons: How the Press Reported the Battle of Franklin.”

Through their research historians have given us a detailed account of how the Battle of Franklin claimed 10,000 casualities in less than five hours. For the people that lived during that time their main source of news about this and other battles was the newspapers. During the Civil War there were approximately 2,500 newspapers with 800 in the South. Reporters faced a difficult job since many generals did not want them following the troops. Gen. Sherman stated he would rather have spies in camp than have reporters. The Southern presses suffered a great disadvantage as Union troops advanced and destroyed printing facilities, telegraphs, and railroads. These losses could not easily be replaced. Northern cities could get the news from the front very quickly compared to the South. For example, Chicago would get the news about the Battle of Franklin the next day from the New York Times, while the Jacksonville Republican, only 100 miles from Franklin, would take two weeks to reach print. Newspaper reports often contained several inaccuracies. Confederate Gen. Hiram B. Granbury had his named spelled several ways. A General Williams was reported killed in action and he did not exist. In the South it was wrongly believed that Gen. Hood had won and recaptured Nashville. Newspaper reporters were eyewitnesses to one of the most memorable conflicts in history. They left a record that was brilliant, but at other times marred by shoddy journalism. They were however the American public’s primary source of information. (by Larry Morris)

August 2011 Meeting

Our program was presented by Stan Schmitt from Evansville. Stan is an avid researcher of Evansville history. He has spent nearly 30 years reading historic Evansville newspapers and is spearheading the local Civil War research effort of the Vanderburgh County Historical Society. His local research has focused on the Wabash and Erie Canal, transportation, coal mining, the Civil War and other military history. An independent title researcher, Stan received a history degree from Indiana University. He serves on the Board of the Vanderburgh County Historical Society; the History Committee of the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage; and the Critical Review Team of the Feel the History project. He is a past board member of the Canal Society of Indiana and served as editor of the Society’s newsletter. Stan's program was "Evansville in the Civil War". On the eve of the Civil War Evansville and Madison were two of the larger towns in Southern Indiana. Although far from the battlefields Evansville became part of the Federal war effort. Evansville was a Federal Port of Trade and site of a Marine Hospital. A Gunboat Flotilla was cruising the Ohio River. Confederate raiders in Kentucky and Southern Indiana brought the war closer to home. The 11th Indiana, Lew Wallace’s Zouave regiment, were sent to Evansville from Indianapolis. Evansville also had many Home Guard units and Federal camps. As the war came to an end many of the Federal operations closed down and the buildings and assets were quickly liquidated. Today you can see some evidence of the Civil War era. Oak Hill Cemetery has a cannon in the section where some Union and Confederate soldiers are buried. One of the few buidings left from that period is the old Farmer’s Daughter on the walkway. It was the Washington House Hotel. (by Larry Morris)

July 2011 Meeting

Our program which was our annual dinner program, was presented by Robert E. L. Krick. Bobby Krick is an historian on the staff at Richmond National Battlefield Park. In the 1980's he worked at Custer Battlefield (now Little Bighorn Battlefield) in Montana, and at Manassas National Battlefield. His latest book is Staff Officers in Gray. (UNC Press, 2003). HIa program was "Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Staff'. The components of a good general would consist of the following attributes: 1) Supervise subordinates 2) Be an organizer 3) Work with local government 4) Be good on he battlefield. Basically the generals would have a general staff and a personal staff. The general staff consisted of positions like quartermaster, engineers, etc. The personal staff would work directly with the general, but if something happened to the general they might be gone from that position. Lee’s working staff consisted of about six people by 1862. Lee did not adjust his staff to meet the need of commanding a larger army (Army of N. Virginia). By March 1863 President Davis and others realized the Confederacy needed a corp of officers to teach and lead others to follow orders, but this would take to long to implement. (by Larry Morris)

June 2011 Meeting

Our June program was presented by Joe Reinhart. Joe is a native of Louisville, a graduate of Bellarmine College and holds a master’s degree from Indiana University. Joe has been actively researching and writing about the Civil War for 18 years. He is author of A History of the 6th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry U.S.: The Boys who Feared No Noise. He is also the translator and editor of three books of translated and edited letters written by German Americans fighting in the Civil War. His program was "Brig. Gen. August Willich’s Gallant Dutchmen: The 32nd Indiana Volunteers". August Willich (Nov.19, 1810–Jan. 22, 1878) was born in Braunsberg, Province of East Prussia. He was a military officer in the Prussian Army and a leading early proponent of Communism in Germany. He eventually immigrated to the United States and became a general in the Union Army. Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton commissioned Willich as Colonel of the 32nd Indiana, also called the First German (an all German regiment). This regiment was organized in Indianapolis in August 1861. Many German Americans served so they could prove they were loyal Americans and it also gave them a chance to improve their lot in life. Being an all German regiment, many of them could not speak English, so the German language was used in their training, commands and record keeping. German food and beer rations was also part of their routine. (by Larry Morris)

December Meeting - Cancelled

OK, so it really wasn't this bad, but we did have sufficient snow, ice, and low temperatures to warrant cancellation of the December meeting. No sense endangering everyone. See you next month.