OW HOLMES AWARDS DINNER---

THE CAPTAIN OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, Jr. AWARD was originally created by the combined Executive Boards of The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston and The Civil War Round Table of Central Massachhusetts in 1987. It was created to Honor someone in the Civil War Community who has achieved major efforts in the Education, Preservation, and Perpetuation of The American Civil War, and has grown in stature and significance with each passing year and with each recipient. Just as Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. performed "above and beyond" during The Civil War, so too have all of the recipients done to preserve The American Civil War in the hearts and minds of all Americans.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was born in Boston in 1842, and graduated from Harvard University in 1861. He immediately enlisted in the Mass. 20th, 2nd Corps, in the early moments of the War. He rose to the rank of Captain, and was promoted to the rank of Brevet Colonel while assigned to General Horatio Wright, serving as Aide-de Camp. Holmes was seriously wounded three times at Ball's Bluff, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. He served almost to the very end of the War, terming his service as a "mission to save the Union".

After The Civil War was over, Holmes went on to serve as The Chief Justice of The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and later as an Associate Justice of The United States Supreme Court, serving from his appointment in 1902 until his death in 1932. He now rests in Arlington Cemetery among his fellow soldiers of the War, which he always claimed was the single most profound event of his life, and upon which he based many of his views. In the true tradition of Jefferson and Jackson, he considered himself an ordinary soldier and a citizen in the fight to maintain the rights of the people. As an Associate Justice on The U.S. Supreme Court, Holmes would render more dissenting opinions, many of which would later become our way of life.

So too, in that same tradition, have each of our recipients earned the right to this prestigious Award, and to have their names attached to it. When the ROLL CALL is heard, the names of Jerry Russell (06/20/87), Edwin Cole Bearss (09/30/88), Annie Snyder (09/30/89), James Fahey (11/03/90), Ken Burns (09/28/91), John Hennesey (10/30/92), Dennis Frye (10/16/93), Robert E. "Ted" Turner (04/20/96), James I. "Bud" Robertson (04/10/99), Dr. Robert Pamplin, Jr. (04/13/02, The Civil War Preservation Trust (04/02/05), and Professor James McPherson, in abstentia, (04/26/2009).

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The Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Award was held on Sunday, April 26, 2009 and hosted by The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston. It began the 52nd birthday celebration of the Greater Boston Round Table, which was established in 1957. ........ ......Our Honoree was to have been Professor James McPherson of Princeton University. He is a noted author and speaker on all aspects of American History, with emphasis on the American Civil War. He is recognized as one of the foremost experts in these areas, and his "Battle Cry of Freedom" must be considered to be the "bible" of understanding this tragic event in our History. Professor McPherson was unfortunately diagnosed with a serious heart condition with 'erythmias' just days before he was to come to Boston. As a result, his Doctors had him cancel everything on his schedule from that point on until further notice!!!...........This was the TWELFTH (12th) Holmes Awards Dinner, and fulfilled the promise to be as SPECIAL as the previous eleven. The National Archives & Records Administration (Frederick Murphy Center) at 380 Trapelo Rd. in Waltham, Ma. hosted this for us. Also speaking at the Dinner was Mr. Thomas Mills who is the Assistant Archivist for Regional Records Services at The National Archives in Washington. He will be spoke about these Civil War Draft Records that are being returned to the regional facilities across the country.....Thomas Reed Turner did a FANTASTIC job of stepping in at the last minute to give us this great program on Lincoln In New England!!! GREAT JOB Tom!!!!.....We were also honored to have Jack Williams of Channel 4 CBS-TV here in Boston, who was our Master of Ceremonies and did a FANTASTIC job for which we are totally gratefully!!!......................Let's also give a TRIPLE HUZZAH to the 54th Mass. Vol. Regiment Co. "A" (The Glory Brigade)... because they were the first to agree to be part of our ceremonies as The Color Guard at our Holmes Awards Dinnere. They were recently Reactivated as a The Ceremonial Unit for The Mass. National Guard. They were joined by members of The MassSUVCW Color Guard and The Salem Zouaves. A young lady named Jaimie Flanagan with this incredible and beautiful voice sand several songs fo rus. We also had a Flag Presentation to honor the memories of two of our fallen members, Denis Griffin and Frank Tucker. Al Smith presented one flag to Frank's son Kevin of The MassSUV and Dave Smith FedEXed the other to the Griffin family. The room was filled to capacity and all of the 160 meals that the Caterer allowed us were served. No one wanted to cancel out and demand a refund!!! That is the true tribute to this organization and the people who are a part of it!!!....Central Mass will host the next Holmes Awards Dinner. Stay tuned for details.

Photos shown here( left to right & top to bottom) are:Opening Flag Ceremony,Amoskeag Musicians,Sgt. Gerard Grimes of The Mass. 54th Regiment, Jack & Marci Williams with CWRTGB President David L. Smith, Robert Hall making official Awards Presentation (in abstentia to Prof. James McPherson), Jack Williams as Master of Ceremonies, Flag Return Ceremonies at Dinner's finish.

This is a photo (taken by DLS) of the very special Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Award that was specifically designed and created for Professor James McPherson. The work was done by Mission Trophy Co at 455 Mass. Ave, Arlington (Joseph Morello). I received word back from prof. McPherson after he received it by FEDEX, that he was completely 'blown away' by it. The two (2) small photos that were etched onto a silver plate are of Captain Holmes and Professor McPherson.

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