Emerging Civil War

Emerging Civil War — December 2023

Originally published December 2023 · pp. 32–33

From the Editor To most people, a field is just a field. Maybe a person can appreciate the field for its natural beauty, but not everyone cares for flowers and tall grasses and wildlife or mathematically symmetrical rows of corn or whatever it is that field might hold. For some people, that field takes on deeper meaning if they know something about its history. For instance, I just walked across a farm field the other day that had been in the same family for six generations. To me, it was a cornfield; to the farmer, it was a huge part of his personal legacy because of his long family connection. A battle took place in that field once upon a time. To the people with me, the field held a particular meaning because they knew the story of the battle. Walking the ground helped them connect with that story in ways that made the story and the ground all the more meaningful.

That field sits next to a busy state road. Thousands and thousands of cars drive by every day, and to the people in those cars, if they even look out their windows to pay attention to the passing scenery, the field is probably little more than a blur of dried corn stalks. I think of these layers and layers of meaning spread over the landscape. The land has its own story, one that stretches back beyond ecological time into geologic. In that context, these other stories we have layered over the land mean nothing unless someone remembers and shares them. To the passing motorist, the six generations or the Civil War battle essentially don’t exist. And so it’s no wonder that someone could look at such a field and see the potential for new houses or data centers. They see a blank slate, waiting for a new story to be written on it. They don’t know, or don’t care, about the stories already there, and if they write over those stories, they participate in the process of erasing the old ones. The stories need the land just as the land needs the stories. — Chris Mackowski, Ph.D. Editor in Chief

ECW Welcomes Evan Portman Meet our newest member! Evan Portman has been passionate about history for as long as he can remember. He has enjoyed reading, writing, speaking, and learning about the Civil War ever since he took a trip to Gettysburg as a Evan Portman. seven-year-old. Evan majored in history and secondary education at Saint Vincent College and is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Duquesne University. After serving as an intern with the American Battlefield Trust education department, he now works as a video editor helping to create the Trust’s educational content. Evan enjoys speaking at a variety of Civil War roundtables and serves as a continuing education instructor for the Penn-Trafford Area Recreation Commission. In addition to Emerging Civil War, Evan also writes for the Westmoreland County Historical Society and the Catholic Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Evan’s research interests include German American, Catholic, and Pittsburgh connections to the Civil War. He now has his own YouTube channel dedicated to exploring lesser-known sites and of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Tracey spearheaded the efforts, leading a battlefield tour at New Market and creating an 80 minute virtual program for donors! Special thanks to the staff at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War at New Market Battlefield for their partnership and support of the battlefield tour. During the tour afternoon, it was a pleasure to meet and chat with Chris Chapman from Wreaths Across America. There were several interviews for Wreaths Across America’s radio program “A Voice for America’s Veterans” and you can check out those sound clips here: https://soundcloud.com/ wreathsacrossamericaradio/sets/ virginia-museum-of-civil-war

Neil Chatelain and Dwight Hughes spoke at the 2023 McMullen Naval History Symposium at the US Naval Academy.

November 3 at 7 p.m. Bert Dunkerly is excited to finish his French & Indian War book and get it off to the printer Notes & News (Arcadia/History Press). He Sheritta Bitikofer has officially hopes it is well received, even completed her last college class though there is a chapter by Rob and her bachelor’s degree in Orrison. American History with American Frank Jastrzembski placed a Public University will be veteran headstone for Brevet conferred December 1st. She’ll Brigadier General Samuel K. be graduating with Summa Cum Schwenk. Read more here: Laude honors. Her BA capstone h t t p s : / / e m e r g i n g c i v i l w a r. research paper was on how c o m / 2 0 2 3 / 1 0 / 1 9 / s h r o u d e d enslaved women rebelled against v e t e r a n s - b r e v e t - b r i g a d i e rslavery using their roles as wives, general-samuel-k-schwenk/ mothers, and members of their On October 20, Chris enslaved community. She looks Kolakowski spoke at the National forward to returning to “business Museum of the US Army as part of as usual” even while adjusting to a military leadership symposium. her new life as the mother of a Details are at nmusa.org. 3-month-old little girl. Chris Mackowski gave a pair of Neil Chatelain has had quite the presentations over the past month busy month. On September 21, on Ulysses S. Grant. On Sept. he, along with Dwight Hughes, 21, he and collaborator Frank spoke at the 2023 McMullen Scaturro spoke about Grant-asECW Raises $1,870 Naval History Symposium at general to the National Museum to support Wreaths the U.S. Naval Academy. Neil of the U.S. Army. On October Across America! was also named a Claes Nobel 12, they spoke about Grant-asEducator of Distinction by the president to the White House Through the gifts of generous National Society of High School Historical Association. Both donors, Emerging Civil War Scholars. Finally, he recently presentations were based on their has raised $1,870 to support underwent emergency surgery co-edited book of essays, Grant Wreaths Across America. With for appendicitis and is recovering at 200. Chris also presented on these designated donations, well. October 6 at the Art of Command 110 wreaths will be added at Caroline Davis and Bert Conference in Middleburg, Winchester National Cemetery Dunkerly have a book talk with Virginia. His talked was titled on December 16 this year. ECW the Civil War Round Table “The ANV’s B Team: Robert Editors Sarah Kay Bierle and Jon Congress aired on Friday, E. Lee’s Second String in the Overland Campaign.” On October 7, he and ECW co-founder Kris White co-led a daylong tour of the Chancellorsville battlefield for the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust for CVBT’s annual conference, and Kris offered the keynote address, “What if Stonewall Jackson had not gotten shot?” Derek Maxfield recently made a whirlwind tour of Virginia promoting his first book HELLMIRA: The Union’s Most Infamous Prison Camp – Elmira, NY. With stops in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Appomattox, ECW editors Sarah Kay Bierle and Jon Tracey hosted a fundraiser tour at Maxfield closed out his week New Market Battlefield to support Wreaths Across America and chatted with a book signing event at the Gettysburg Heritage Center. It with on the radio program “A Voice for America’s Veterans.”

was a great tour with fantastic, enthusiastic audiences. Next up, a book event at the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable on November 8th to promote Maxfield’s newest book MAN OF FIRE: William Tecumseh Sherman in the Civil War. JoAnna M. McDonald spoke at the Powhatan Civil War Round Table on October 19, sharing about R.E. Lee’s Decision Making during the Maryland Campaign of 1862. Tim Talbott spoke at the First Defenders Civil War Roundtable of Berks County (PA) about the Battle of New Market Heights on October 10.

Gettysburg Movie 30th Anniversary Film Festival Behind the Scenes with Sarah Kay Bierle The weekend of October 13-15, 2023 was the Gettysburg Movie 30th Anniversary Film Festival in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The event brought hundreds of people to the town and battlefield, and local businesses and museums teamed to host various events throughout the weekend, including actor meet-and-greets, movie screenings, exclusive interviews with the cast, and several receptions and dinners. ECW’s managing editor Sarah Kay Bierle attended the weekend and worked on the event team with American Battlefield Trust. She was one of the lucky few with an “All Access Badge,” so we chatted with her to get an inside scoop! So…which of the actors attended the film festival? Tom Berenger (General Longstreet), Stephen Lang (General Pickett), Brian Mallon (General Hancock), James Lancaster (Lieutenant Colonel Freemantle), Patrick Gorman (General Hood), Maxwell Caulfield (Colonel Vincent),

CivilWarNews.com Joseph Fuqua (General Stuart), John Rothman (General Reynolds), Bo Brinkman (Major Taylor), Billy Campbell (Lieutenant Pitzer), Mark Moses (Sergeant Owens), Patrick Falci (General A.P. Hill), and Ron Maxwell (Movie Director). All the actors I interacted with were kind and down-to-earth. They seemed impressed with the planning and organization that went into the festival, and many were pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome and long lines of movie fans at their signings and events. Many commented how much they enjoyed seeing the movie on the big screen after so many years or visiting the historic battlefield again. Did you witness any special moments, connecting the movie and 1863 history? Yes, I had the opportunity to coordinate a meet-and-greet at Lee’s Headquarters which is preserved and maintained by American Battlefield Trust. We hosted Patrick Gorman who portrayed General John Bell Hood and Bo Brinkman who portrayed Major Walter Taylor. Although the scenes at Lee’s headquarters in the movie were not filmed at the actual location, it was pretty cool to welcome the actors into the real, historic building where their real characters could have met or worked with General Lee. The line of fans to meet the actors was consistently out the door and across the porch. Many of the fans I chatted with had not been inside Lee’s Headquarters before, so they had an opportunity to experience the “power of historical place” while they were hunting autographs! Mr. Gorman and Mr. Brinkman were very generous and gracious with their time at Lee’s Headquarters and I think they found the location special, too. The movie Gettysburg was shown twice at the Majestic Theater that weekend. Did you get to attend? What did you notice about the audience during the screening? Yes, I did get to attend! The first screening (Friday) I was working backstage and guarding the back door entrance to the theater. Funny story—I had a list of names and was vigilantly watching the back door. I knew the actors had come in that way and I expected them to depart the same way. By the sound of the soundtrack in the theater, I knew the movie had started and I kept expecting to see the actors. But they didn’t come! Finally, after about 20 minutes, a theater employee confirmed that the actors had slipped out through another exit and were already en route to their next engagements! I had to laugh about zealously guarding the door for so many minutes after the people of interest had long departed. I think they flanked me! The second screening (Saturday) I was able to get a seat and watch the movie, with quick dashes backstage during the intermission to check in with the team. I’ve seen Gettysburg many times, but this was the first time I’d seen it on the big screen. It was interesting to note where the audience responded with applause, gasps, chuckles, and even some cheering. We saw the Director’s Cut of the movie, which has a few more dialogue scenes and more battle scenes with explosions and troop movements, lengthening the film by about 17 minutes. Be honest…which event had the best food of the weekend? Ooh, that’s a tough question. Seminary Ridge Museum hosted a BBQ dinner on Friday night in a huge tent overlooking the first day battlefield. Adams County Historical Society hosted an excellent buffet with local farmto-table fare on Saturday evening, indoors and overlooking Barlow’s Knoll. The food at both dinners was superb, but I’m going to have to choose the BBQ catered by Road Hawg as my favorite. It’s no secret around ECW that I love some good BBQ! Any reflections on what this film festival represents for Civil War history or Civil War Pop Culture? The crowd at the anniversary festival was definitely “Gettysburg Movie Nerds”— and I mean that in a nice way! I found it interesting to overhear conversations among the fans as they talked about history vs. movie. There were some different and historically wrong “history takes” along the way, but a lot of sincere interest about certain aspects of the 1863 history, too. Since I was working at the event, I did not get to hear all the

CivilWarNews.com interviews so I can’t report on all that was said. What I did get to hear had a lot of focus on the past and stories from the making of the movie—some of which were hilarious or poignant. If I had had a chance to chat with the actors, I would have been interested to hear about their ideas about entertainment in the present and future and how that might intersect with historical studies and storytelling now. Gettysburg was clearly an influential piece of entertainment for many people, and many point to it as their starting point into exploring more history. What might that sort of opportunity look like 30 years later with new film projects?

Rapid Fire Questions: Favorite movie scene to see on the big screen? Either Chamberlain’s speech to the mutineers or Pickett’s Charge (in the fields) The movie line that makes you laugh? “Don’t call me Lawrence!” Dialogue scenes or battle scenes? Dialogue for sure. That’s the strength and even beauty of this movie in my opinion. There are some strong monologues or dialogues with big ideas about life, loss, and war. Favorite actor to watch in the movie? That’s a really hard choice, but Stephen Lang’s flair as General Pickett is unbeatable. Did you cry during the movie? Yes, I did—but in a good way. Will you still watch Gettysburg? Yes, of course. But not next week; it’s about a once a year or every other year time commitment for me. Did you get any signatures? Just three actually since I was busy working. Tom Berenger, Patrick Gorman, and Bo Brinkman kindly signed a copy of Killer Angels for me. The movie or 1863 history? Always 1863 history for me, but I can appreciate what the movie did for a brief time to ignite interest in the battle and battlefield.

ECW Bookshelf The newest book in the Emerging Civil War Series is the anticipated account of Culp’s Hill at Gettysburg! Congratulations to Chris Mackowski and Kristopher White on this new addition to the series. Stay and Fight it Out: The Second Day at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, Culp’s Hill and the North End of the Battlefield July 1, 1863, had gone poorly for the Union army’s XI Corps. Shattered in battle north of the Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg, the battered and embarrassed unit ended the day hunkered at the crest of a cemetery-topped hill south of the village. Reinforcements fortified the position, which extended eastward to include another key piece of high ground, Culp’s Hill. The Federal line also extended southward down Cemetery Ridge, forming what eventually became a long fishhook.

The highly anticipated ECW book about Culp’s Hill and the Union’s right flank at Gettysburg is now available! July 2 saw a massive Confederate attack against the southernmost part of the line. As the Southern juggernaut rolled inexorably northward, Federal troops shifted away from Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill to meet the threat. Just then, the Army of Northern Virginia’s vaunted Second Corps launched itself at the weakened Federal right. The very men who, just the day before, broke the Union army resolved to break it once again. The ensuing struggle—every bit as desperate and with stakes every bit as high as the morefamous fight at Little Round Top on the far end of the line—left the entire Union position in the balance. “Stay and fight it out,” one Union general counseled. Confederates were all too willing to oblige. Authors Chris Mackowski, Kristopher D. White, and Daniel T. Davis started their Gettysburg account in Don’t Give an Inch: The Second Day at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863—from Little Round Top to Cemetery Ridge. Picking up on the heels of its companion volume, Stay and Fight It Out: The Second Day at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863—Culp’s Hill and the Northern End of the Battlefield they recount the often-overlooked fight that secured the Union position and set the stage for the battle’s fateful final day.