Civil War Round Table Attributes Growth to Quality Speakers

Originally published October 2017 · p. 27

SOUTHPORT, N.C.—The current season of monthly meetings of the Brunswick Civil War Round Table ended recently with a standing ovation for returning guest speaker, Chris Mackowski, Ph.D. The title of his presentation was, “Spotsylvania’s Bloody Angle.” Over 360 members and guests attended to hear his informative and entertaining presentation about Generals Grant and Lee in a battle that cost the Union 18,000 casualties and the Confederates 11,000 as the fighting ended after two weeks without a clear winner. Guest speakers and topics are the key to Round Table growth. This meeting, with Mackowski’s animated and dynamic presentation, was typical of the quality of all guest speakers to the Round Table over the years who included renowned historians, authors, battlefield guides, docents, history professors, and Civil War reenactors speaking on a wide range of Civil War-era subjects. A few examples include frequent guest speaker and Round Table Lifetime Charter Member, Chris Fonvielle, Ph.D. Chris is a popular and well-respected local historian and Associate Professor of History at UNCW who spoke about the African American experience during the Civil War. Ron Beavers, seasoned docent and reenactor clad in Civil War attire, talked about Civil War logistics. A few years ago when the planned guest speaker failed to show, Dr. Max Williams, Professor Emeritus of History at Western Carolina University, and at that time, program coordinator and senior advisor of the Round Table stepped in with an impromptu presentation at the Round Table’s 3rd Anniversary meeting and received a standing ovation after his talk on the causes of the Civil War. Renowned historian, Dr. Craig L. Symonds, Professor Emeritus of History at the U.S. Naval Academy, spoke about the Civil War at sea. In Civil War uniform, actor and performing historian Patrick Falci portrayed Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill, Jr., with a presentation entitled, “The Man in the Red Shirt: The Life of General A.P. Hill.” One of the most distinguished names in Civil War history, prolific author and lecturer of national acclaim, Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr., spoke about “The Untold Civil War,” focusing on little known human events during the war. Even Abraham Lincoln attended the Round Table in December last year when veteran actor and Abraham Lincoln portrayer, James Hayney, with his lean, tall body, and sporting the trademark Lincoln beard, discussed the myths and legends of Abraham Lincoln. The Round Table’s most famous and popular guest speaker, Ed Bearss, known by his fellow historians as a “living national treasure,” has returned every year for yet another outstanding presentation. Ed’s unique presentation style and knowledge amazes his audiences around the world with the endless facts, figures, events, and dates he has memorized and shares during every speaking engagement. His next Round Table engagement is scheduled for January 2018. These and many more outstanding speakers and presentations over the years are thought-provoking, enlightening, and entertaining, covering subjects that go well beyond battles, military personnel, and armament. Members and guests alike agree that quality guest speakers and their interesting topics are major reasons for the organization’s incredible success since its first monthly meeting in May 2010. Since the Round Table’s first meeting at Trinity United Methodist Church in Southport with approximately 50 attendees, this non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization has grown every month. It now boasts a total of over 1,150 members, both men and women, making it by far the largest Civil War Round Table in the country. This membership growth and its ever-increasing attendance necessitated a move to Hatch Auditorium on the grounds of the North Carolina Baptist Assembly, Caswell Beach, N.C., in March 2015. In addition to overall growth, acknowledging the large number of females attending monthly meetings, led Round Table Board and vice president Charen Fink to create the Ladies’ Civil War Forum. Their first meeting was held in March 2013. It usually meets twice each year. According to Ms. Fink, women played a vital role in so many ways during the war, yet received little, if any, acknowledgment when the Civil War was discussed. As a result, the Forum reached out to female Round Table members and others by inviting well-known female Civil War enthusiasts to share topics of interest to women, how they contributed to the war effort, as well as how they experienced their trauma and frustration during this trying period. All meetings have attracted 100+/- attendees, and have been considered a hugely successful complement to regular monthly Round Table meetings that are open to all. Plans for future Ladies’ Forums are currently under consideration at this time.

An exceptional schedule of guest historians is planned Looking ahead to the upcoming 2017–2018 meeting season, Round Table president, Mike Powell is pleased to announce that they once again have commitments from celebrated guest speakers, some of whom have previously visited the Round Table and are returning by popular demand. The schedule includes: Tuesday, Sept. 5: Kristopher D. White, author, co-founder and chief historian of Emerging Civil War, Education Manager at the Civil War Trust. White has spoken to more than sixty round tables and historical societies. His topic: “Winter of 1862 – 63: Valley Forge and the Army of the Potomac.” Tuesday, Oct. 3: Phillip Peckinpaugh, retired school teacher and author of five books, four of which deal with Civil War prisons. “Civil War-era Prisons: North and South.” His presentation involves the establishment of camps, escapes and attempts, rations, and prisoners’ attempts to combat downtime during captivity. Tuesday, Nov. 7: Will Greene, former executive director of Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier in Petersburg, Va., returns. His topic: “Irrepressible Conflict or Avoidable Tragedy: Was the Civil War Inevitable?” Tuesday, Dec. 5: Also returning, Col. (Ret.) Wade Sokolosky, award-winning author and one of North Carolina’s leading experts on the 1865 Carolinas Campaign. His topic: “Kiss Him for His Mother: Confederate Hospitals in North Carolina in 1865.” Wednesday, Jan. 10: Returning for the eighth time, the incomparable military historian, Civil War battlefield guide and television commentator, Ed Bearss. As noted above, his unique presentation style and commanding narrative captivates audiences. His topic: “Reflections on the Civil War.” Ed will share his ideas and perspectives on over 60 years of Civil War study. Tuesday, Feb. 6: Chris Fonvielle Jr., Ph.D., popular and well-respected local historian, author, and dynamic speaker, returning for the third time by popular demand. He has a vast knowledge about the Civil War in Southeastern North Carolina and the Lower Cape Fear region. His topic: “Unlucky in War: Confederate General Braxton Bragg.”

Wednesday, March 6: Noah Andre Trudeau, author of numerous military history articles and eight history books including the Revolutionary War, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish Civil War, and World Wars I and II. The title of his presentation is, “Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg.” Tuesday, April 3: Dr. Richard J. (Dick) Sommers, award-winning historian and author of over 100 books, articles, chapters, entries, and reviews on the Civil War. His topic: “Thucydides and the coming of the Civil War.” Thucydidies was an Athenian historian and general during the Peloponnese War, a civil war between Greeks which took place between 431–404 BC. Sommers compares this war with the American Civil War. Tuesday, May 1: Steve Davis, renowned Civil War historian, author, Book Review Editor for Civil War News and the Blue & Gray Magazine, speaker and consultant for TV documentaries, and popular speaker. His topic: “The Atlanta Campaign and Confederate General John Bell Hood.” Tuesday, May 29: Susannah Ural, Ph.D., Distinguished Alumni Professor of the Humanities, and co-director of the Dale Center for the Study of War & Society in the History Department, University of Southern Mississippi. Her topic: “Letters of Hood’s Texas Brigade.”

Meetings encourage attendance and participation As noted above, meetings are usually held at Hatch Auditorium on Caswell Beach, the first Tuesday of each month except during June through August. Registration and refreshments begin at 6:15 p.m.; programs begin at 7 p.m. and usually end by 8:30. Registration is now computerized to speed the process. Guests are always welcome. The visitor fee is $10, and can be applied toward the $25 annual membership dues for a single person or both spouses. Prior to the start of each meeting, attendees can enjoy refreshments, visit the Sutler’s Table to purchase books, caps, T-shirts and Round Table decals, take a chance in the 50/50 drawing, select periodicals from the lending library, participate in the guest speaker book signing, and say hello to friends and neighbors. It’s a most festive atmosphere. The income realized by the Round Table significantly impacts other historical non-profit organizations according to Round Table co-founder, past president and advisor, Wally Rueckel. The organization is totally committed to adhering to its mission; i.e., to financially support, promote interest in and disseminate knowledge about the Civil War, including the support of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation. In that regard, the Round Table has donated over $30,000 to thirteen organizations, including Brunswick Town/Ft. Anderson, Ft. Fisher, and the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport. These donations are made possible largely from annual membership dues, guest fees, Sutler’s Table and 50/50 income, and individual gifts to the Round Table in remembrance of family members who participated in the Civil War.

The new season will commence on a “musical note” Looking ahead to the first meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 5, attendees are in for a special treat. In addition to guest speaker, Kris White, the evening will begin at 6:00 pm with the music of John Bennett and his local Masonboro Parlor Band playing Civil War-period songs. Back by popular demand, John and his band’s program will include an audience sing-along and a few dances that were popular during the Civil War period. After the band’s performance, Kris will take center stage speaking about the bitter winter of 1862-1863 for the Army of the Potomac, comparing the army’s trial outside Falmouth with the Continental Army’s winter at Valley Forge. For more information about the Round Table or upcoming programs, contact President Mike Powell at 910-278-3545, or email to mikepowell260@ gmail.com. The organization’s informative website is Brunswickcivilwarroundtable. com. You are also invited to visit their Facebook page for interesting Round Table developments and announcements.