THE RECALL JOURNAL....A Publication of The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston, since 1957, striving to serve its readers with the latest and best information about its members and their meetings, about upcoming Civil War and other Historical, Reenactor, and Veteran organization events, along with Civil War facts and dates to remember, as well as being a clarion call to ALL who want to protect the Historical Integrity of this great Nation, that once nearly became permanently divided.

The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston, since its beginnings in 1957, has been a leader in Local and National Preservation Efforts, in Local Veterans and Reenactor Efforts, and in the Educational Outreach to our Schoolchildren, by going out into the School Systems and by bringing these youngsters into our organization as equal members. According to the late Jerry Russell of The Civil War Round Table Associates, Greater Boston is the 13th OLDEST CWRT on the Planet Earth!!!!!

The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston is open to ANYONE, wherever they live, of ANY age, sex, color, gender, or Historical persuasion on this great and tragic event. We welcome ALL who have ANY interest in History, not necessarily Civil War, who would like to join us at our meetings of oral and written Presentations, Four Days In May Battlefield Tours, Seminars, or Veteran and Reenactor Events.

February 2012............................................Volume MMVXI..........No.6

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS.........................................................................

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE of GREATER BOSTON meets every FOURTH (4th) Friday of each month at 7:15 p.m. (PLEASE NOTE the new starting time)This is true except for November and December, which due to National Holidays are now held as a Joint Xmas Party meeting with the Northshore/Lynn Chapter in early December. All meetings are now generally held at The Waltham Community Room (downstairs )at The Waltham Clarke Government Center Building 119 School St./corner Lexington St. (enter from the rear where there is parking). In case of inclement weather, please check local Radio Stations for late news President: David L. Smith 3 Waverley Oaks Rd. #202 Waltham, Ma. 02452-6274 Tel: (781) 647-3332 or Email: cwrtmass@comcast.net

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE of CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS (CWRT, INC.) meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Holden Senior Center on Main St. in Holden, Ma. at 7:00 p.m. along with some meetings at off site locations in Worcester. President: Mark Savolis or email him at msavolis@holycross.edu or call him at 860-923-2777

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE of CAPE COD meets each month on the Third (3rd) Mondayof the month at 1:00 p.m. at The Yarmouth Senior Citizen Center at 528 Forest Drive Yarmouth off Exit 8 on Rte. 6 with more informal meetings duuing the summertimes. President: Fred Wexler at wexfm@earthlink.net or John Myers Programming at Telephone..(508) 896-6421

THE GREATER NEW BEDFORD CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE meets on the fourth Tuesday of each monthat the Fort Taber Military Museum meets on Fourth Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. 1000 S. Rodney French Blvd. New Bedford .....Joe Langlois, President at j2langs@earthlink.net

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE of NORTHSHORE/LYNN meets on the second (2nd) Friday of each month at The Lynn G.A.R. Hall on 58 Andrews St. in Lynn, Ma. at 7:30 p.m. with occasional offsite meetings and Special Events in the Northshore President: Dexter Bishop 387 Old Boston Rd. Topsfield, Ma. 01983 Tel: (978) 887 - 2264 EMAIL: Dexter@cwrtnorthshore.org or genord9@comcast.net or their Website www.cwrtnortshore.org (currently under revision)

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE of NORTH WORCESTER COUNTY/LEOMINSTER meets on the second (2nd) Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Leominster Historical Society 50 School St. Leominster, Ma. 01453 also invites ALL to visit us Information Contact:President, Ed Norris at norris.ed@comcast.net. For information please contact Tom Bailey at TBailey451@aol.com

THE OLDE COLONY CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE meets on the Third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at The Endicott Estate at 656 East St. in Dedham with Mini Bit speakers as well as a regular presentation....go to www.occwrt.org or President Richard Campagna at rjcampagna@comcast.net

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Greater Boston meeting January 27, 2012

Dave began the meeting began at 7:20 with the pledge of allegiance. Dave asked that people going on the Four Days in May trip to send in their money ASAP.  Dave also mentioned about ongoing and future events.  There will be Lincoln day observances in Concord, Hingham and Milton.    Also the Mass Sesquicentennial website is going online   As part of the sesquicentennial, will be a commemoration of the September 22, 1848 Lincoln speech made in support of Zach Taylor at Tremont Temple.  There will be a meeting of the CWRTGB executive board in March.  The new Baseball shirts and Caps are still available.

Dave introduced Professor Kate Larson from Simmons College who was the speaker for the evening.  Professor Larson spoke on Mary Surratt.  She is the author of “The Assassin's Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln”   Professor Larson was also involved with helping the movie company that made the movie “The Conspirator.”  Although, the movie leaves the guilt of Mary Surratt up to the viewer, that is not the case with Professor Larson who makes the case that Mary Surratt was clearly guilty.  

Mary was born in 1822 to a middle-class family.  She was raised by her mother after her father’s death in 1825.  Mary attended a private catholic school where she converted to Catholicism.  Mary married John Harrison Surratt in 1840 after returning to Prince George County Maryland.   They had 3 children including John (in 1844).   Mary was fearful of her husband who was an alcoholic. Mary’s husband built a tavern after turning away from farming. With a husband an alcoholic, the task of running the tavern fell to Mary.   The tavern was a bustling place especially after it became the site of the local post office.  Mary’s husband died in 1862 of a heart attack.  He left Mary with numerous debts.  After his father’s death, John Jr. came home to help as Postmaster.  He subsequently became a confederate courier.  In the summer of 1864, J.W. Booth conceives the plan to kidnap Lincoln in exchange for prisoners.  That fall, Mary gives up the tavern and return to her boarding house in Washington DC.  While still operating as a courier, John Jr. moved into the rooming house.   He was subsequently introduced to J.W. Booth who began to spend time at the boarding house.    John Jr. introduced Booth to David Herold and George Atzerodt .  Booth also met at this time with Lewis Powell. Louis Wiechmann, a boarder at the house noticed much suspicious activity going on.  He notified the authorities, but his suspicions were dismissed.  After the kidnap attempt fails, the conspirators’ disperse, but Booth later meets with Mary at the house. Just before the assignation, She traveled to the tavern where she told her tenant John Lloyd to get guns given him by the conspirators ready to be picked up. After the assignation authorities arrived at the boarding house and asked for Powell but left empty handed.  The following Monday at 11 PM, authorities again returned to the house as Powell knocked on the door claiming that he had been hired to dig a ditch in the morning. Both Mary and Powell were then arrested.  Mary, once in custody was interrogated twice, but revealed nothing, thus sealing her fate.   People pleaded with President Johnson to commute her sentence, but Johnson was unmoved saying “she kept the nest that hatched the eggs."

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DO YOU KNOW THAT??? ------.....by Dick Harrington of The CWRT of Greater Boston (and other submitted pieces)..........

God Bless The Republic. God Bless our service men and women. May all of our honored dead rest in peace.American War. (Editor's Note...As it says at the end of This Month etc.....Let us NEVER FORGET!!

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BETWEEN THE DUST JACKETS-Recently Published Civil War Books.....

FROM YOUR LOVING SON by Mary Ellen Hoover, Elin W. Neiterman and E. Dianne James

In Sudbury, they are remembering and commemorating it with the publication of one of the really good book that is a collection of the Civil War Correspondence and Diaries of Private George F. Moore and his family. George F. Moore was one of four sons in a family of ten children of Mary and Uriah Moore, who along with four of their cousins, enlisted in Mass. regiments like the 13th and 35th Infantries. The four sons would all return home safely, although their oldest brother Francis who had to stay at home did not live due to illness. The book was put together by three of Sudbury great ladies and members of the Sudbury Historical Society and published by iUniverse Inc. of Bloomington and well worth the $35.95 Hardcover or $25.95 paperback price. These ladies, Elin Williams Neiterman, Mary Ellen Hoover, and E. Dianne James, should be commended for their wonderful effort. They did Honor to Sudbury and the many other great Ladies of Massachusetts. The book is available for purchase from the Sudbury Historical Society.

TWO GREAT BOOKS to read, especially if you are taking our Four Days In May Tour next May to Manassas with both of these gentlemen as our Guides and as we visit many of the sites included or discussed in these books, along with The Dogan Farm which is a CWT project that we will be making a donation.

"SECOND MANASSAS: Longstreet's Attack and The Struggle For Chinn Ridge" by Scott Patchan. with photos and maps. Published by Potomac Books from www.potomasbooksinc.com for $26.95 This is the best book on this battle against Pope with an emphasis on Longstreet's attack on the 2nd day and uses a great deal of sources found dealing with the terrain. It has been reviewed by others as a significant view of this battle to add to John Hennessey's 1993 "Return to Bull Run" and is strongly recommended by them.

"MANASSAS BATTLEFIELDS THEN & NOW: Historic Photography of Bull Run" by Garry Adelman of The CWT which is a 64 page book of Photographs and Maps for $12.95 by The Ceneter for Civil War Photography at www.civilwarphotography.org Garry uses the 'then and now' technique of photos of the structures and minuments and includes a discussion of the photographers taking some of those photos. This book has also been reviewed favorably as a welcome addirtion to our knowledge of what it looked like then as we walk these sites today, and the best since Frassanito's Gettysburg Photo book.

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TAPS--

Elvira "Vera" (Picozzi) Campagna of West Roxbury, mother of Rich Campagna(President of The Old Colony CWRT) passed away on January 13th leaving also several other children and grandchildren

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DUES ARE DUE!!!!! DUES ARE DUE!!!!! DUES ARE DUE!!!!! Pay early...Pay Often.... Pay Now... Avoid The Rush...Then Pay More...Pay Until It Hurts...Then Pay Some More...Pay Now...Pay Later...Just Pay...Remeber Folks, this is how we pay for this Organization to run, and pay for the expenses of THE RECALL. None of these funds go to pay any Officer Salaries or Perks (unfortunately). Remember, if you do NOT pay by December 31st of any year, your name will be dropped from the mailing List of THE RECALL, so get that Check in the mail. REMEMBER...our year begins on September 1, 2011 of and ends on August 31, 2012......ALSO REMEMBER that this is how we not only pay for the expense of THE RECALL, but our Administrative expense of running this CWRT and donations to Preservation. There are NO expenses for Officers Pay or Perks!!!! So pay Early, and Pay often!!! Remember, you MUST pay by December 31st of any year to stay on THE RECALL mailing list........Starting this year, each mailing label will show Aug 11-12 which means that you are in fact paid for this current year. If you seee any other date on the label, it means that according to our records, you have not paid Greater Boston or your own Chapter Treasurer, or our records are incorrect. Other than these, are "F" for Family and 'L' and "SPEC' labels for those Lifers and Special individuals or groups as separate folks who receive THE RECALL Also please do NOT forget to let us know as early as posible about address changes...By the way, folks,...if you would like to add a few bucks or so, when you pay your dues, and dedicate those EXTRA DOLLARS to PRESERVATION,...just let us know that when you send the check.....And Thanxxxx in advance. As of today, many folks have already re-upped for the 2011-2012 season and some have added a few extra bucks for Preservation. Now, I can also ask for some of 'few extra bucks' to cover the cost of all of these Flags in Display Cases that I will be giving to the families.......THANXXXXX!!!!

GIVE ME YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR, YOUR HUDDLED CIVIL WAR MASSES!!!! YEARNING TO HAVE FUN THE CIVIL WAR WAY!!!! JOIN US WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!! ATTEND WHEN YOU CAN BECAUSE YOU LOVE HISTORY!!!

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THIS MONTH IN CIVIL WAR HISTORY.......Important dates to remember.....Important People and Battles.....
On Feb. 1, 1861 Texas secedes…..On Feb 1, 1865 - Sherman begins Carolina Campaign…..On Feb. 2, 1803  - Gen. Albert S. Johnston, CS born…….On Feb. 3, 1807 – Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, CS, born……On Feb. 6, 1833 – Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, CS, born…….On Feb. 8, 1820 – Gen. William T. Sherman, US, born……On Feb. 8, 1862 – Battle of Roanoke Island….. On Feb. 9, 1861 – Jefferson Davis elected President of Confederacy…..On February 12, 1809 – Abraham Lincoln born……On Feb. 13, 1862 – Battle of Fort Donelson…….on Feb. 14, 1824 Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, US, born.

...ON ANY DAY, remember our Flag, our Veterans, and our POWs!!! ..LET US NEVER FORGET!!!!!*******************************************************************************************BUGLE NOTES---

These are the new BB Caps and Golf Shirts that we are currently selling. The Golf Shirts come in Blue or Gray with The CWRTs of Mass. Logo on the pocket. The BB Caps are Adjustable one size only in White only with The CWRTs of Mass Logo on the front. The back says Greater Boston (est. 1957). BB Caps are $ 20.00 each Golf Shirts are $ 30.00 each in all sizes and ONLY Blue or Gray. Thes prices will allow for Shihpping and Handling, and allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Payments are to the CWRT of Greater Boston and sent to: David L. Smith 3 Waverley Oaks Rd.
#202 Waltham, Ma. 2452

shirts&caps shirts&caps shirts&caps

******************************************************************************************************************The Mass. Civil War Sesquicentennial is HERE!!!! Along with it will be The new Mass. Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission now that Governor Patrick issues his Executive Order #529 on April 4, 2011 and good until September 30, 2015. The President of The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston is officially one of the members of this new Commission. See The Governor's Executive Order on www.mass.gov under the Governor's page and scroll to his Executive Orders and Proclamations section. If you know about any special Anniversary date about your city or town or Historical Society or Museum or Library or Veterans organization or Genealogy Society, PLEASE let me know ASAP and I will start to put it onto a Calendar of Events for these four years. Pass the word that The CWRT of Greater Boston d/b/a the CWRTs of Mass. and The Mass. CWSC will be happy to help and support it..... In line with this news is the CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS by anyone out there for speakers, Reenactors, and Living Historians to assist in several Sesquicentennial Events already being planned for 2011 and BEYOND!!!!I am seeking Speakers for a Civil War Series in Waltham at The Waltham Library, in Newton at the Jackson Homestead, in Weston at the Weston Public Library for The Weston Military History group, in Lowell in June, at The Plymouth Campus of Quincy College in Plymouth during April 25-29, 2011, in Framingham and many, many other locations and times. Let me know ASAP so that I can start to do some scheduling!!!***************************************************************************************************************.I Laurence and Barbara Bedell of the New Bedford Civil War Roundtable have embarked on a fund raising project involving a photo of the actual flag caried by New Bedford's own hero Sargent William Carney. The flag photo has been placed on a tee shirt. The tee shirts cost $8.60 each, but they will be sold for $20 with $.40 going to the state and $11.00 going to fund speakers for future meetings. The tee shirts are available from the New Bedford Civil War Roundtable. Contact the roundtable at info@newbedfordcwrt.org for more info. or visit http://www.newbedfordcwrt.org/

 

 

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