SWFL CWRT Defends Arlington's Confederate Memorial !

The Southwest Florida Civil War Roundtable (Naples, Ft. Myers)--after a thorough investigation--saw fit to send to its Congressional delegation (Rep. Daniels, Senators Rubio & Scott) the following letter as to why the "Naming Commission" of the Department of Defense is wrong to secure the removal of the Confederate memorial in Arlington Cemetery. Chief among their reasons is that far from being thought of as divisive today, that memorial was designed and celebrated as a symbol of national UNITY at the time. Virtually all Americans, including each and every one of our Presidents for many decades afterward thought so. Should we today, in another time of disunity and division, remove what was conceived in the early 1900s as an instrument to unite us as a people? This effort is an especially contentious proposal in light of today's Pentagon being itself a cause of disunity within our nation.  Its massive indoctrination of "white privilege," "Critical Race Theory," and its view--based upon little evidence--that "white supremacy" poses the greatest threat to our nation is very likely the reason recruitment is at an all time low!  Note that our military is weaker today than ever and it does not consider Russian or Chineses attempts to weaken our military, our nation, or our people's resolve. The very top Pentagon spokesperson for diversity has repeatedly referred wo our nation's white population in what can only be described as racist terms, yet the woman faces no criticism from her superiors. 

Few Americans are aware that the family of U.S. Grant held a Black female slave belonging this his wife throughout his campaigning with the army and for months AFTER the Emancipation Proclamation. Robert E. Lee, on the other hand, had not only freed approximately 200 slaves of his wife's family but paid for their education and even their repatriation. to Liberia, Africa, if they so choose. (Only 2 of approximately 200 of his slaves chose to return to Africa. What would today's leaders of Diversity and Equity explain that?)

For more details and still other reasons for their position on this divisive proposal, please refer to the Roundtable's letter "HERE."  To review the life and contributions of Robert E. Lee as an American as well as a defense of him against the common  charge of his "racism" and "treason" we recommend the following Powerpoint "HERE."  (Well over 25 sources were consulted for this Powerpoint and the "Notes" section for each slide contains additional information. For a PDF version [will not have access to the 'notes'] click "HERE." 

Silent Sentinel Program--Erie Cemetery, May 30, 2022

Members of the Isaac Eaton Camp, Sons of Union Volunteers of the Civil War participated in a "Silent Sentinel" program at the Erie Cemetery this past Memorial Day. This program honors past Civil War heroes through the cleaning and beautification of selected Union veteran gravesites and by posting a temporary honor guard vigil in full uniform to pay homage to their sacrifice. The sentinels remain 'silent' while accompanying Camp members make available to interested members of the public brief biographies of some of the interned men at the cemetery who fought to preserve our Union. Click HERE to download a copy of three such local heroes' stories. (Our thanks to local historian Verel Salmon's exhaustive research in his book on the 145th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment entitled "Common Men in the War for Common Man" for helping us to memorialize the contributions of this year's featured soldiers.)

Call to Save Historic Battlefield Properties!

 

For those interested in Gettysburg, this short video describes some important areas of fighting on July 3rd which are NOT yet part of the official battlefield part. We'd encourage your watching the film both to get a better appreciation of the many facets of this battle, but also for the need to send a small contribution to the goal of preserving these lands for future generations.  

Thoughts of Pvt. James T. Miller, 111th PA Vol. Inf. Reg't.

     James T. Miller was a soldier from the Warren area who enlisted early in the war in response to President Lincoln's call for three-year volunteers. Older than the average enlistee, he was almost 32 years old with a wife and three young children when he enlisted in the fall of 1861. James operated a small farm in northwest Pennsylvania, but his sense of patriotism and duty led him to place his life in harm's way. The 111th PA Volunteers would fight in dozens of battles--including Antietam, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge--serving in bloody campaigns in both the eastern and western theaters. They would be the first troops to enter both Atlanta and Savannah and at the end of the war would be assigned the task of guarding the Lincoln Conspirators. James would not live to see the conclusion of the war--he was among the many men killed in the bloody fighting that took place at Peach Tree Creek outside of Atlanta. We know of his ordeal and his innermost thoughts thanks to the hundreds of letters he wrote home and to the editorial efforts of Jedediah Mannis and Galen R. Wilson. Their book, Bound to be a Soldier (2001), reveals the depth of American patriotism during the mid-nineteenth century. James--a mostly self-educated farm-boy--often wrote home about the impact of Democratic Copperheads who wished to see the nation permanently divided with slavery permitted to exist. He vented his anger against the "cowards" in the North who hired substitutes so that they could avoid military conscription and possible injury or death in the bloody fight to reunite the country. These strong feelings were expressed even against his own brothers. When James learned from the family that his brothers William, Joseph, and John had all joined the association formed for such purposes in their township, he railed against the practice and his brothers in a letter to William, dated September 7, 1863.* 

Dear Brother   yours of [the] 29th inst i got on the fifth and was glad you were well . . . my health is good and the health of the regiment is good   i am glad to hear the draft is over but i am sorry to hear that you joined that white livered thing which you call the Club.    but i think the best name for it would be the Cowards retreat for i cant help but think that when men that think the war is a just one and pretend to want to see it finished take such a course as that to get out of doing their share of the duty that they care but very little about thier Country.    and i have no doubt but what you all would like to see the war closed by those of us that are in the field . . .   your friends of the club would be very much pleased and would pat us on the back and call us good fellows as long as you can stay at home and have some one else do the fighting marching and dieing.  it is not pleasant i admit to be deprived of enjoyments of home and it does not seem funy to have bulletts sing close to ones ears and [it is] still more disagreeable when one of them brakes a leg or an arm.  i know it is like tearing ones eyes out to leave wives and children . . . and endure the hardships of a soldiers life.    still you wife is no dearer to you than mine is to me.  i hope the government will make another draft and drop the commutation clasue . . .  our reg[imen]t have got 276 conscripts or more properly substitutes for i believe there is not one drafted man among the whole lot of them.  i guess you will think i am quite harsh but i have written just as i feel on the subject . . .   

Bound to be a Soldier is an excellent portrayal of one family's ordeal during the American Civil War. Readers will find James Miller's letters not only touching but inspiring. That our region produced the quality of such men during this national crisis is a tribute to our ancestors and Northwest Pennsylvania.

* James was one of seven children. Another brother, Robert E. Miller, served with the ill-fated 151st Pennsylvania Volunteers, and survived the war.

Recommended Videos of the SWFL CWRT

Click here for the list of links. A variety of documentary videos, movie excerpts from famous Civil War films, animated maps of battles, and historical lectures may be accessed here. [Note: you may have to download the file for the links to work. Viewers should also note that YOUTUBE may have deleted certain links.]

Erie County CIVIL WAR T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE!

We've a limited number of T-Shirts available for two of the famous Civil War Regiments from the Erie area--the 83rd PA Volunteer Inf. Regiment (of John McLane and Strong Vincent fame) and the 111th PA Volunteer Inf. Regiment (Col. Loomis Brown and Lt. Col. David McCreary fame).  The shirts come in all adult sizes and sell for $20.  Interested persons can contact Jack at: jsbovee@aol.com to purchase one of the shirts below.  

                  (Note: spelling of Kennesaw has been corrected on the above sample.)

The 'Australian CWRT Bugle Call' -- a great resource!

  One of the most amazing things related to the study of the American Civil War period is how it has inspired individuals and groups across the entire world. Among the groups best known for carrying on such research are the Australian Civil War Roundtables--part of the International Roundtable association. There are several of these and the Queensland, Australia CWRT editor, Mr. Taylor, has edited an excellent newsletter over many years. He has compiled--through his bi-monthly publication--a wide array of articles,  done some amazing research, and put together some neat tidbits of information that is sure to appeal to all ages. Even better, he's posted an archive of the group's newsletters on the internet for all to see! Check out his publication and see for yourself by clicking HERE:         https://www.dropbox.com/sh/93geeg6qz9scvzc/AACLqnbpTERpPEEd28FgMOMUa