volume xxxvii august 2019 no · 2019. 7. 30. · program only $5.00 members $8.00 non-members...
TRANSCRIPT
History comes to us in a myriad of ways. From the silent era to the present day, motion pictures have provided one of the primary means by which people have connected with their past. While historical accuracy often takes a backseat to directorial and production era biases and the twists and turns of plot development, the characters and stories that emerge in film can become indelible parts of our collective experience and culture. Gone with the Wind offers a good case in point. Although that epic motion had more to do with the adventures of a young Southern woman than with the war itself, few
films evoke images of the conflict more powerfully. Over the years a rich mosaic of iconic figures like Scarlett O’Hara has emerged for movie audiences, and the sweep and grandeur of the Civil War has proven particularly well-suited to the big screen. In recent years, the war’s subject matter has broadened to include stories as diverse as that of the 54th Massachusetts in Glory, the small-scale drama set in backcountry Kentucky of Pharaoh’s Army, and the struggle for passage of the 13th Amendment in
Lincoln. Civil War films, despite their inaccuracies, provide us with an introductory platform for learning about the era’s issues, events, and personalities argues historian Brian Steel Wills. Come join us as Dr. Wills takes us on a fascinating tour of the Civil War in cinema.
KCWRT is a non-partisan, non-profit, educational forum for promotion of knowledge, commemoration, and preservation of our American Civil War heritage. Meetings are always open and visitors are always welcome.
The Scout's Report
VOLUME XXXVII AUGUST 2019 NO.2
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 **Buffet at 6:30 PM** **Speaker at 7:30 PM** Dinner & Program $17.00 Members $20.00 Non-members Program Only $5.00 Members $8.00 Non-members
DINNER RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE OR CANCELED BY 11AM, MONDAY, AUGUST 5. CALL (865) 671-9001 AND LEAVE MESSAGE
MENU Beef Tips Over Noodles Char-Grilled Chicken Mixed Steamed Vegetables Mashed Potatoes Rolls Beverages Assorted Desserts
LOCATION Bearden Banquet Hall 5806 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919
THIS ISSUE
Civil War in Cinema.…..….1 President’s Message….……2 Brian Steel Wills bio ………3 2019 Speakers Series………4 Dennis Urban Book ….……5 ETN History Fair …………6 History Fair Photos…….….7
Gone with the Glory: The Civil War in Cinema
Knoxville Civil War Roundtable P. O. Box 52232
Knoxville, TN 37950-2232 KCWRT Website: kcwrtorg.wordpress.com
NOTE!!! THE AUGUST KCWRT MEETING HAS BEEN MOVED TO TUESDAY, AUGUST 6.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Recent travels took me to St. Louis, Missouri, and while there I took advantage of touring a couple of sites I had not seen before. This first was the Old Courthouse, now a National Park Service site.
The Dred Scott decision has figured greatly in the events leading up to the American Civil War. The Supreme Court vote, decided upon by Chief Justice Roger Taney, was pivotal in rewriting laws about the status of slave or free states. I have taught about Dred Scott in my years as a history teacher; and earlier in my career, I puzzled why the man would go back to Missouri if he had been considered “free” in the years he was in the territory with his master. It finally dawned on me I didn’t know the whole story, so I needed to do some research. His original master, Dr. Emerson, had died and Scott was sold to his new master, Peter Blow. Scott wanted freedom not only for himself, but for his family. He was denied the opportunity to buy his freedom; so he sued his
master for his freedom, and eventually the lawsuit reached the highest court of the land, ending in the
master’s favor. We visited Calvary Cemetery to see the grave of the man who dared to strive for freedom in the name of love for his family. He was finally granted his freedom after the death of his master, obtained by Taylor Blow. He is buried in the Blow Family Plot, and a memorial marker has been placed for his
wife Harriet. Not too far from Scott are the graves of
William Tecumseh Sherman and his family. Little “Willie” is buried to the right of his parents, dying in 1863 in Memphis at age 9. He was given the honorary rank of “sergeant” by the 13th battalion. He wore a specially-made uniform, and truly believed he was every bit the soldier, according to first-hand accounts of the soldiers of the 13th. His death affected his father greatly, as he was admittedly Sherman’s favorite child.
Just outside St. Louis is Grant’s Farm, located on the property of his in-laws, Colonel Frederick and Ellen Dent. This is also a National Park Service site. It was here the newly-married couple made their home. This property and the house located in Galena, Illinois are the preserved homes of the Grant Family. Hope you enjoy the ramblings of this taphophile (one who likes cemeteries).
Tammie McCarroll-Burroughs , President
Brian Steel Wills is the Director of the Center for the Study of the Civil War Era and Professor of History at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. Dr. Wills is a member of the Georgia Civil War Commission and current president of the Atlanta Civil War Round Table. He is the author of numerous works relating to the American Civil War. His latest publication, Inglorious Passages: Noncombat Deaths in the American Civil War (Kansas, 2017), received the 2018 Richard Barksdale Harwell Award for the best book on a Civil War topic by the Atlanta Civil War Round Table.
Dr. Will’s biography, A Battle From the Start: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest, reprinted as The Confederacy's Greatest Cavalryman: Nathan Bedford Forrest was chosen as both a History Book Club selection and a Book of the Month Club selection.
His other titles include: The River Was Dyed with Blood: Nathan Bedford Forrest and Fort Pillow (Oklahoma, 2014); Confederate General William Dorsey Pender: The Hope of Glory (Louisiana State University, 2013); George Henry Thomas: As True as Steel (Kansas, 2012), which was the recipient of the 2013 Harwell Award; Gone with the Glory: The Civil War in Cinema (Rowman and Littlefield, 2006); The War Hits Home: The Civil War in Southeastern Virginia (Virginia, 2001); and an updated edition of the James
I. “Bud” Robertson, Jr., Civil War Sites in Virginia (Virginia, 2011).
In 2000, Dr. Wills received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the state of Virginia, one of eleven recipients from all faculty members at public and private institutions across the state. In addition, he was named Kenneth Asbury Professor of History and won both the Teaching award and the Research and Publication award from UVA-Wise.
WELCOME BACK TO THE ROUNDTABLE, BRIAN STEEL WILLS!
THE KNOXVILLE CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE 2019-2020 SPEAKERS SERIES
Sept 10—Chris Kolakowski, Historian & Author, “Perryville”
Oct 8—Chris Mackowski, Historian & Editor, ECW,“The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson”
Nov 12--Ed Bearss, Chief Historian Emeritus, NPS & Author, TBA
Dec 10--Jim Ogden, Historian, Chickamauga/Chattanooga NMP,
“Starving Rosecrans: Wheeler’s Raid of October ‘63”
Jan 14, ‘20—Emma Murphy, Historian, “The Aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg”
November Speaker: Ed Bearss
September Speaker: Chris Kolakowski
January 2020 Speaker: Emma Murphy
December Speaker: Jim Ogden
July Meeting Attendance At our July meeting we had 79 diners, eleven of whom were non-members. In addition, we had 31 who attended the lecture only. - Treasurer Gene Akers
Upcoming KCWRT Community Speakers
August 20 - Gerald Augustus at the Tellico Village Library. He'll be speaking from 11-noon and his topic is "The Big and Little of It: Revolvers and Artillery in the Civil War."
August 27 - Gerald Augustus at the Tellico Village Library. His topic is "Which Sword Should I Carry?" and he'll be speaking from 11-noon.
Book by KCWRT Past President Dennis Urban Coming August 2019
JOIN KCWRT AT THE EAST TENNESSEE HISTORY FAIR!
Saturday, August 17, 2019 , 10-5pm Free
KCWRT will join dozens of other organizations to spread the word about East Tennessee’s fascinating history.
Thousands of people head to Krutch Park in downtown Knoxville each year on the third Saturday in August to enjoy children’s activities, traditional music, a living history timeline, educational displays by historical and genealogical societies, historic demonstrations, a graveyard tour, free bus rides to downtown historic sites, downtown walking tours, author book signings, an antique fair, and free admission to the EastTennessee History Museum.
Call for Volunteers The KCWRT will host a table at the Festival and is seeking volunteers to talk to the public about the organization and provide information staff it. assist in this endeavor. A volunteer signup sheet will be at the meeting on August 6. You can also contact KCWRT President Tammie McCarroll-Burroughs at [email protected].
Volunteer shifts will likely be two hours each.
Scenes From the 2018 East Tennessee History
The Scout’s Report of the Knoxville Civil War Round Table
KCWRT is a non-partisan, non-profit, educational forum for promotion of knowledge, commemoration, and preservation of our American Civil War heritage. Meetings are always open and visitors are always welcome.
President Tammie Burroughs [email protected]
Past President Jack Spiceland [email protected]
Vice President Stan Sech [email protected]
Secretary Steve Dean [email protected]
Treasurer Gene Akers [email protected]
Director of Preservation Eric Wayland [email protected]
Director of Community Activities Tim Vane [email protected]
Director of Membership Jerry Patterson [email protected]
Director of Promotions Sheila Burchfield [email protected]
Director of Programming Jim Doncaster [email protected]
Director of Technology Jim Stovall [email protected]
Newsletter Editor Linda Billman [email protected]
Director at Large Trent Laviano [email protected]
Director at Large Tom Wright [email protected]
The Knoxville Civil War Round Table welcomes any person who has an interest in the American Civil War. New Members are always welcome.
For more information, please call 865-671-9001 or visit our website at https://kcwrtorg.wordpress.com.
Knoxville Civil War Roundtable PO Box 52232 Knoxville, TN 37950-2232 1st Class Postage