Letters To The Editor

Originally published July 2017 · p. 3

TO THE EDITOR: “Honor the 14” Memorial Day is a time for reflection on those service members who “gave their last full measure of devotion.” One of America’s founding principles is the supremacy of the individual, that each man is significant, “that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” For all people, our life’s worth is measured not by their country, nor by their community, but by their individual achievements and actions. Over 6,000 service members buried at Gettysburg are appropriately remembered. Their headstones attest to their individuality. For almost 1,000, we see only their number. That is all that remains. We do not know where they were from or what they did, but we know they existed. Our country gave them a number to recognize their individual contributions. We did not bury them in mass graves or jam them altogether in piles but respected each one of them. The Creator formed each one as an individual and our country gave each of them a number because that is all it could do, giving each of them individual recognition and value. Fourteen headstones remain unmarked without recognition. The 14 have no number, no uniqueness, no individuality, no contribution, nothing! These soldiers did exist, but no more. How can a government “of the people, by the people and for the people” appropriately honor millions of service members worldwide and yet ignore these 14? Where is the respect and honor? The 14 soldiers need their numbers. William Hewitt, LTC, USA Retired Gettysburg Pa. TO THE EDITOR: I am a long-time subscriber. I would like to add a dissenting voice to the “Letters to the Editor” complimentary responses from readers about the new format for the Civil War News. While I continue to enjoy CWN (I just renewed my subscription), I am disappointed by the decrease find abundant historical articles in various Civil War magazines and journals. I look to CWN primarily for news of current developments in the Civil War community and field (and the wonderful book reviews). Please don’t forget the “News” in Civil War News. Here are some examples of contemporary articles I was thinking about. (1) More articles about Civil War battlefield preservation efforts beyond what the Civil War Trust does (there are quite a few other groups). (2) I realized it is a very contentious issue (to say the least!), but the recent removal of Confederate statues in New Orleans and the pros/cons (do opposing points of view) would present interesting articles (and I’m sure heated “letters to the editor”). (3) How about a monthly or bimonthly interview of a Civil War battlefield park superintendent? You could use a standard format of questions so that you are not reinventing the wheel each time like (1) what are your biggest challenges and needs; (2) what do you enjoy most about your park; (3) what are some of the interesting aspects of your park; (4) what book(s) about the battle do you recommend to visitors; (5) what are you future plans for the park; (6) why did this battle matter; etc. Almost every week the New York Times Book Review section poses the same set of questions to a well-known author but the responses are always interesting. Something similar might be engaging and not involve a lot of manpower. Flip between wellknown battlefields like Antietam to small battlefields like Johnsonville (a fascinating Nathan Bedford Forrest battle on Tennessee River where his artillery disabled Union gunboats and bombarded a Union supply depot). 1. Articles by those in the trade about Civil War shows in which memorabilia are displayed concerning the value of such shows and interesting stories and experiences they are willing to share. 2. Reenactments are a popular topic among many (not me though I respect what they do). How have reenactors found that their hobby has changed in recent years? 3. It’s been my experience as a veteran of Civil War tours over the last 20-some years that many, if not most, Civil War aficionados enjoy reading about the Civil War. How about using the talents of your interesting book review editors and others to write about the business of Civil War books? Ted Savas posts interesting blogs on the industry on his website and recently did a fascinating explanation on the Civil War Books and Authors website about the editing process employed by his publishing company (responding to complaints about sloppy editing in a recent book published by a major university press). How about an article(s) on books needed in a certain area of Civil War history? How about an article on the best books on a certain subject (it could become a monthly piece)? How about an article by a used Civil War book dealer about his or her business? Sharing the load by asking some of your editors to assist as well as soliciting articles from your readership could help in that direction. John B. Sinclair Baltimore, Md. TO THE EDITOR: Each issue gets better and better and worth a million. (Please see enclosed million dollar bill). Plateau Company Saint Louis, Mo TO JACK AND STEVE: I received the June issue of the Civil War News, and, quite frankly, I was blown away. I don’t think I’d ever seen the “new” CWN and I was very impressed! The paper is as good as some Civil War magazines I subscribe to (heck, it’s practically a soft cover book). The articles and information inside are top-notch! Keep up the good work! I thank you! Greg Sweatt Foster City, Calif.