Exploring, preserving and sharing the history of the American Civil War The Sentinel Volume 9, No. 6 February 2013 The Gettysburg Sharpshooter Was He or Wasn t He? soldier in a totally different location some 42 yards away, proposed the relocation theory. From that day in 1975 until the present, Frassanito s theory was accepted completely by almost everyone, including the National Park Service who placed a sign at the spot explaining the alleged ruse. But since about 2000, a number of people have disputed Frassanito s theory. Their contention is that it was, indeed, a sharpshooter who died at this spot and was then dragged to the other location for more pictures. Bob took the tack of an attorney arguing a case. Let me present the evidence, he offered, and you, as the jury, make the decision. What follows are just some of the arguments presented: All other photos of bodies on the battlefield are bloated from lying in the hot July sun for three days, but not this fellow. Could it because he was protected by the cooling effect of the boulders and trees around this spot Why would someone want to drag a 130-140 pound body uphill. Downhill makes a lot more sense. There is clear evidence of a cannon strike on the opposite side of the nest that could have been strong enough to stun the soldier, perhaps even delaying his death by hours or days? A Union cannoneer on Little Round Top later described just such a shot he made, and testified that he came down after the battle and actually saw the soldier killed by it 2 days before Gardner got there. The soldiers legs appear to have been crushed by something like the small boulders used to build the sniper s nest. How could that have happened in an open field? A tubular section of the musket s scope can be seen in the nest photo. This could not be compared to any actual weapon as the battlefield was scavenged they day or two after the battle. The musket in the photo is a prop gun used by Gardner in this and other photos. [NOTE: The program originally scheduled for our February meeting, Deborah Cronin on The Causes of the End of the Civil War, had to be cancelled at the last minute due to an unavoidable issue. Another of our members, Bob Willey, volunteered to fill in on very short notice and we truly appreciate his help. We will investigate the possibility of bringing you the originally scheduled program in the future.] Gardner s 1863 Photograph One of the most famous, and for the last 35 years most controversial, photographs to come out of the Civil War is Alexander Gardner s image of the Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter. Civil War buff, collector, storyteller and MCCWR member Bob Willey revisited this photo in a program that he first did almost six years ago for this roundtable. Most of us have been to Gettysburg and visited this iconic site. It is arguable that most of us, including the National Park Service, have accepted the premise put forth by Civil War photographic historian William Frassanito that the photo was staged, that it was not really a sharpshooter but just a regular soldier. He might have been a member of the 1st Texas who fought nearby, with his body dragged to this spot for dramatic effect rather than worrying about historical accuracy. This photo was included in the landmark 100 photograph compendium of the war, Gardner s Photographic Sketchbook of the Civil War, published in 1866. From that time until the mid-1970s, it was accepted that Gardner was correct and the description as a sharpshooter was accurate. But in the late 1960s and early 70s, William Frassanito, a Gettysburg resident, photographic historian and Licensed Battlefield Guide, published his book Gettysburg: A Journey in Time, where he presented many of the post battle photos along with, whenever possible, a contemporary picture taken from the same place. The sharpshooter was one of them. And Frassanito, because of a second series of pictures of the same dead 1 The same soldier 42 yards away from the den. (cont. on next page)
(cont. from page 1) Charleston Trip in September- Reminder! There are many other arguments in far too much detail to take up here. And the proposal set forth by Frassanito in 1975 is very appealing since it is known that Civil War photographs were definitely not taken as any kind of serious or comprehensive historical record, but simply to be sold and make a profit. The argument over this photo will probably never go away completely. One man has even dissected this scenario to over 75 pages of photos and text. His conclusion was the same as Bob Willey s. The original theory was the correct one. This was, indeed, a sharpshooter killed at the spot. But you should take time, review the photos and facts and make up your own mind. As Bob said, You be the jury! One of our members, Dr. Jeff Allen, has arranged a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone wanting to take advantage of it. Next September 12-14, Jeff has gotten Ed Bearss to lead a trip in the area that will get those participating to see areas of the Charleston Civil War experience that are not usually available to the general public. On the either the 12th or 13th, a private charter boat will take participants to such places as Morris Island where the 54th Massachusetts fought their way into history and the home of the Swamp Angel mortar; Johnson s Island, where the first shots were fired early on the morning of April 12th, 1861; Fort Sumter itself, but without the time constraints of the regular tourist boat (and with Ed!); the site of the Battle of Secessionville; Castle Pinckney in Charleston Harbor; Fort Moultrie; a private tour of the Lasch Center in North Charleston where the CSS Hunley is being researched; Magnolia Cemetery where all the victims of the Hunley s three sinkings are buried; and even a couple of Revolutionary War sites tossed in for good measure. A trip like this requires pre-planning. Jeff will need a deposit of about $100 per person for the boat charter by the first of April. The total charge for the boat and Ed s guide services is estimated to be around $220, give or take, depending on the final number of participants. This of course, does not include transportation or lodging. If you are interested, Jeff has invited anyone to contact him at his office at 332-1028 during business hours M-Th. If he is with a patient, just leave your name and number and he will get back to you. Or just contact any officer or board member. [Want to hear more about Alexander Gardner and Civil War photography? Join us at the History Center on March 12 at 7 pm to hear Steve Rolfe talk about the life and entire body of work of this fascinating Scotsman.] Discovering the Civil War Exhibit in Nashville Discovering the Civil War, a landmark exhibition from Washington D.C. s National Archives opened in February at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville, TN. It will run through September. The original Emancipation Proclamation will be on view for a limited time during the exhibition. Timed reservations are strongly recommended as those in an earlier location had to stand in line for up to 7 hours. The exhibit is divided into 12 thematic areas that combine original treasures, touch screen interactive, and social media tools. This will be the only stop in the Southeast of this unprecedented tour and display of the Emancipation Proclamation, the document that altered the course of U.S. history and dramatically changed the lives of African-Americans by proclaiming freedom for millions of slaves. The fragile manuscript signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 can only be exposed to light for 72 hours while in Tennessee. The document will be displayed at intervals during a to-be-determined six-day period in 2013 marking the 150th anniversary of its celebrated signing. For more information, you can go to http://www.tnmuseum.org/ custpage.cfm/frm/45806/sec_id/45806. Elections and Dues Vote Coming in April Our April meeting will have the annual election of officers on the agenda. If you have someone who you think would make a good leader of the roundtable, feel free to bring nominations to the floor at that time. There will also be a vote on a dues increase for next year, so be sure to attend. Bad Weather Policy The History Center will close if the Monroe County Community Schools are closed, thus the Roundtable would not meet that evening. Just listen to the media or call the History Center at 332-2517, for confirmation. Annual Dues/Donation Form Name Date Address E-mail Membership 2012-2013 $15 Speakers Fund Mail to: c/o Monroe County History Center 202 E. 6th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 $ [NOTE: unspecified donations over $15 will be considered as membership first with the balance toward the Speakers Fund.] 2 Thank you!!!
Forrest Park Controversy in Memphis Gettysburg Class Coming to IU Lilly Library The Memphis City Council has voted to change the name of the city's Nathan Bedford Forrest Park and two other parks that honor notable members of the Confederacy. The council voted 9-0 (with 3 abstentions) to rename them. The idea came after it was learned that a state legislature bill would prevent any parks named after historical figures to be renamed. The bill was seen by the MCCWR member Scott Schroeder at the council as unnecforrest statue last April essary interference by state lawmakers. Because a House vote is likely several days away, the council voted on a resolution to remove the military names and go with more generic ones, giving them time to decide on new park names without worrying about state action. The resolution changes the name of Confederate Park to Memphis Park; Jefferson Davis Park to Mississippi River Park; and Nathan Bedford Forrest Park to Health Sciences Park. The name changes upset those who believe the council is trying to change history by downplaying the significance of the Confederacy's struggle against Union forces. It was applauded by at least one civil rights activist. The council already had been considering changing the name of the park honoring Forrest, a CSA general and former slave trader and a member of the early Ku Klux Klan. He also is accused of massacring black Union soldiers who tried to surrender at Ft. Pillow in 1864. The Sons of Confederate Veterans and others in Memphis oppose the name changes, saying that Forrest is a misunderstood figure who was not a racist but a businessman who treated his slaves humanely and resigned from the Klan. "We should cherish the history that we have, we shouldn't cover it up and try to bury it or hide it," said Becky Muska, who spoke against the name change. Muska, who is white, acknowledges that Memphis is racially divided. So does Kennith Van Buren, a civil rights advocate who supports the name changes. "These three parks have a racial history that should be erased, said Van Buren, who is black. These parks are an embarrassment to our city. "I don't care if the name is Nathan Bedford Forrest, he's a dead man," Councilman Harold Collins said. "We need to be focusing on the living. But except for that, I'm going to vote for this and who knows, we may come back and name that Park Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest Park, which is the burial place of the former Memphis resident, has long been a source of argument in Memphis. The shady, city block-sized park features a large statue of the Confederate lieutenant general, who won several key Civil War battles and was always controversial for his brash style, both during and after the war. The park is located a few miles from the old Lorraine Hotel, where civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in 1968. This July will be the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Famous for its bloodshed and the address memorializing it as much as for its decisive role in the war, the Battle of Gettysburg will serve as a focal point to explore the Lilly Library collections related to the Civil War. From Lincoln s election amid growing sectional strife to general Order No. 9 and beyond, the class will examine the people and events of the war through manuscripts, books, maps and sheet music. These items will connect students to history in a very immediate way. Class members will be able to hold in their hands letters written on the battlefield and the same newspapers citizens read to learn about the current war news. Among the documents to be examined are the letters of John Hadley who served with the 7th IN and saw action in several major engagements, including Gettysburg; accounts of Gettysburg and other events in the National Intelligencer; and one of the first printed versions of the Gettysburg Address. The instructor will be Erika Dowell, interim head of technical services at the Lilly Library. She was the curator of the recent exhibition The War of 1812. Class size is limited to 25. It will be held on two Tuesdays, April 23 and 30, at the Lilly Library from 7:008:30 pm. The fee is $50. For more details and to sign up, go to https://webdb.iu.edu/continue/secure/catalog.asp? dept=history%20and%20world%20cultures#13sh400hu or just contact the Lilly Library. Spring 2013 Program Schedule Mar. 12 Alexander Gardner, Civil War Photographer by Steve Rolfe April 9 Nathan Bedford Forrest at Fort Pillow by Cassy Gray May 14 Poetry of the Civil War by Richard Durisen June 11 Battlefield Flag Preservation Project of the Indiana War Memorial by Donna Schmink 150 Years Ago in March 3rd 10th 11th 14th 15th 17th 22nd 24th 26th US passes first Federal Draft Act Lincoln gives amnesty to any AWOL soldier who returns by April 1 CSA blocks Union attempt to by-pass Ft. Pemberton on the Mississippi CSA batteries at Port Hudson fire on and sink USS Mississippi US forces try to pass Haines Bluff on the Mississippi but fail Engagement at Kelly s Ford, VA John Hunt Morgan attacks Union troops in Kentucky US amphibious expedition skirmishes with Confederates at Steele s Bayou, MS. New state of West Virginia approves gradual emancipation 3
MCCWR Roster of Honor Capt. Ephraim Waterman Wiley, Co. H, 8th Maine Inf. Grandfather of former MCCWR President David Wiley. Present or active at Port Royal, Fort Pulaski, Drewery s Bluff, Cold Harbor, Chaffin s Farm, Deep Bottom, Spring Hill, White Oak Road, Fort Gregg, Fort Baldwin, Petersburg and Appomattox. Sgt. Charles Thomas Shanner, Co. A, 63rd Indiana Volunteer Inf.- Great-grandfather to MCCWR board member John Crosby. Chattanooga-Atlanta Campaign, Clay Springs, Battle of Atlanta. Col. James McMannomy, Commander, 63rd Indiana Volunteer Inf.- Ancestor of MCCWR member Matt Hoagland. Second Manassas, fought Morgan s Raiders at Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Pvt. William Nicholas Shiflet, Co. I, 10th Alabama Infantry 2nd Great Grand Uncle to Kevin Shiflet, MCCWR member. Engaged, to some degree, at Dranesville, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Gaines Mill, Frazier s Farm, Second Manassas, Harpers Ferry, Sharpsburg, Hazel River, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Second Cold Harbor, Petersburg, High Bridge, Farmville and Appomattox. Pvt. Shiflet is only one of a total of seventeen of Kevin s ancestors who served the Confederacy, including thirteen cousins, two third great granduncles and two second great granduncles. Jacob Mann, Co. A, 16th Iowa Inf.- Ancestor of Allan Sather, MCCWR member. Fought at Resaca, Adairsville, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, and Bald Hill (Atlanta) where he was captured and sent to Andersonville Prison. Sgt. Miles M. Oviatt, US Marine Corps- Great grandfather of Mary Pat Livingston, MCCWR member. Served aboard USS Vanderbilt, USS Brooklyn. Fought in Battles of Mobile Bay and Fort Fisher. Commended for Medal of Honor for his service at Mobile Bay. Voyages included south Atlantic, Indian Ocean chasing blockade runners and capturing those renegades ships. Pvt. Luther Oviatt, Pennsylvania 14th Cavalry, Co. I- Gr-Gr-Gr Uncle of Mary Pat Livingston, member MCCWR. Harper's Ferry, Monocacy Bridge protection of B&O RR. Died at Hammond Hospital, Point Lookout while on duty. Buried Arlington Cemetery. Pvt. Cyrenas A. Young, 85th New York Infantry, Co K.- Oviatt ancestor of Mary Pat Livingston. Plymouth, Kingston, New Bern, Petersburg, Suffolk. Spent time at Andersonville Prison, then sent to Florence Prison where he died days before the war ended. Cpl. James Dickson- 10th Wisconsin Infantry, Co. D; 3rd great grandfather of MCCWR member Scott Schroeder. His only real engagement was at the Battle of Perryville where he was killed in action. Pvt. William Taylor Neville- 8th Iowa Infantry, Co. A; 3rd great grandfather of MCCWR member Scott Schroeder. Engagements: Battle of Shiloh, Vicksburg, Red River Campaign. Captured at Shiloh in the Hornets Nest. Exch. Oct. 62 and returned to his unit. Reuben Newman 27th Indiana Infantry, Co. I, Putnam County Grays - Great-great-grandfather of member Eric Newman. Wounded at Antietam. Also fought at Gettysburg, Winchester, etc. Served Aug. 61-Nov. 64. Died June 13, 1905. Buried in New Providence Cemetery in Putnam County, IN. Contact Information President Secretary, newsletter ed. Treasurer Hospitality Programs Programs Programs (Chair) Board Rep & webmaster Board Rep & tech help Kevin Shiflet Steve Rolfe Larry Cady Allan Sather John Crosby Ray Beeker Scott Schroeder Rick Watson Randy Stevenson 361-7491 322-0628 935-6124 876-8003 339-2572 331-8925 876-9751 332-4483 824-5284 keshift@aol.com srolfe@indiana.edu pencil66@gmail.com aks0407@yahoo.com marjohn28@comcast.net marvin.beeker4117@comcast.net sts.mccwr@gmail.com rawatson@indiana.edu rks_jfs@yahoo.com [Anyone is welcome to attend board meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 11:30 at the History Center.] c/o Monroe County History Center 202 E. 6th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 812-332-2517 http://www.mccwrt-in.org/ 4
Area Civil War Events Page Upcoming events that might be of interest and are not too far away, and other CW related activities/sites Civil War Trust 150th Events Site The Civil War Trust is an excellent resource for information on both the timeline and upcoming events for the Sesquicentennial of the war. Just go to www.civilwar.org/150th-anniversary/150-events/. The Civil War in Missouri Exhibit Missouri History Museum, St. Louis Now thru March, 2013- Explore the story of the Civil War in Missouri. Through documents, objects, and interactive activities you will get a view of this pivotal conflict in an immersive and engaging way only possible here. http://www.mohistory.org/node/4591 Lew Wallace Study and Museum Crawfordsville, IN, is the home of perhaps the state s most famous general of the war. Wallace, and the Civil War controversy arising from his division s tardiness during the first day of the Battle of Shiloh, was the subject of his biographer, Gail Stephens, when she spoke at our roundtable last year. You can read all about it in her excellent new book Shadow of Shiloh: General Lew Wallace in the Civil War which is available in the Monroe County History center gift shop. Missouri Civil War History The Secretary of the State of Missouri herself, Robin Carnahan, has requested that we pass along the website for the new digital history collections for the state on-line at http://www.sos.mo.gov/mdh/civilwar/resources.asp#coll. These include Community and Conflict: The Civil War in the Ozarks, St. Louis Daily Republican Newspaper: 1861-1865 and St. Louis Area Civil War Digitization Project. Kentucky s Generals- Kentuckians in the Civil War is an ongoing exhibit of portraits of prominent native sons of the state who were US and CS generals Battle of Richmond Visitors Center, Richmond, KY. Contact phillip.seyfrit@madisoncountyky.us. Indiana Historical Society The Civil War from Fort Sumter to the Emancipation Proclamation/part 1 was on display on the fourth floor of the Indiana History Center, 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, (317) 232-1882, through January 26 in recognition of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. This was the first of a two-part exhibit including items depicting the beginning of the war through the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. The exhibit includes photographs of Abraham Lincoln, soldiers and battlefields; lithographs of Lincoln and his cabinet members; maps; sheet music; and engravings of images from the White House, the Emancipation Proclamation and more. And always remember, if you are not an IHS member...you should be! For more details and the dates of the opening of Part 2, call the number above or go to : http://www.indianahistory.org/feature-details/civil-war-from-fort-sumter -to-emancipation To Kill and To Heal Weapons and Medicine of the Civil War - through 2013 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, IL, through 2013. For more info, go to www.presidentlincoln.org. Smithsonian Institution website If you haven t checked it out as of yet, bookmark this website! It has tons of great Civil War info. http://www.civilwar150.si.edu/. Indianapolis CWRT upcoming programs- The next meeting of the Indianapolis Civil War Round Table will be held March 11, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at the Indiana History Center, 450 West Ohio Street. Bob Bain will present The Armies Gather. Go to http:// www.indianapoliscwrt.org/ for more info. After that..april 8, 2013 Harry Bulkeley I Propose to Fight It Out: The Story of Ulysses S. Grant, A One Man Show Hamilton County Civil War Roundtable: -The Carmel-Clay Civil War Roundtable is now the Hamilton County Civil War Roundtable. They meet at the Conner Prairie Interactive History Park located at 13400 Allisonville Road. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and programs will start at 7:30 in the Lilly Theater on the 2nd floor of their main office building. Plenty of free parking. Folks should enter through the main entrance where the ticket office is located. Camp coffee and hardtack is usually available. Meetings will be on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, September through May, excluding December. The February meeting is on the 20th and will be by John Rutherford From Riding with Morgan s Raiders to General Counsel of the L&N Railroad The Adventures of a Southern Rebel from the Hoosier State Discovering the Civil War, a landmark exhibition from Washington D.C. s National Archives opened in February at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville, TN. It will run through September. The original Emancipation Proclamation will be on view for a limited time during the exhibition. For more, see page 2 or go to http://www.tnmuseum.org/custpage.cfm/frm/45806/sec_id/45806. Meigs Marker The Georgia Battlefield Association has recently dedicated a marker in Augusta noting the birthplace of Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs, the Quartermaster General of the Union army during and after the war, and was the man who established Arlington National Cemetery in 1864 so that Lee could never come home again. His father was a physician in Georgia in 1821 when Meigs was born but the family back to the North the next year. His great-great-great-nephew, Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs (USA-ret.) took part in the unveiling ceremony. 5