New book will be coming out the world war ii memoirs of major russell. To ourive our attention speaker, dr. Lawrence kaplan. [applause] thank you. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Discussing civil war artillery today, if it were possible, john tidball, who is one of theidered foremost experts on the topic, would be speaking to you today. Tidball died in 1906, thats not possible. The will be discussing topic based on his writings, which i edited, and were the title the Artillery Service in the war of the rebellion by Westholme Publishing in 2011. The main point that tidball makes is that Field Artillery was most effective in the civil war when it provided mass. Tration and he argues convincingly that the inability of the army to organize its Field Artillery prior to the battle of contributedille significantly to its defeat in a number of major battles. Byill illustrate his points book. G excerpts from his writings. Tidballs first, a word about john tidball. He was a career army off
Artillery during the civil war, with a focus on the role played i artillery. Editor of as the book that compiles the postwar writings and analysis of noted union artillerist. The Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee hosted this hourlong event. Todays speaker is dr. Lawrence kaplan. He served as the historian for the u. S. Army artillery center. The u. S. Army center of artillery history, and the Cyber Command historian. Of the bookthor the 2010, and the editor of book came out in 2011. In november of this year, the new book will be coming out. He will be the editor of purging the 30th division. Welcome to our speaker, dr. Lawrence kaplan. [applause] thank you. Good afternoon. In discussing civil war artillery today, if it were possible, john tidball, who is widely considered one of the foremost experts on the topic, would be speaking to you today. Since tidball died in 1906, thats not possible. [laughter] so i will be discussing the topic based on his writings, which i edited, and were
Confederate armies were still active in the field, the surrender of the souths most put remaining fighting force effectively ended the civil war. Next, we tour the National Historical park to learn more about the events surrounding that day. This is the oldest building in the village. It was called clover hill before it became Appomattox Courthouse. This was one of the later counties formed. They took price of the four surrounding counties and formed appomattox county in 1845. This county had 18,000 people in it. More than half were slaves working on the tobacco farms. As of 1860, 120 people lived here in Appomattox Courthouse. Folks would stay at the Clover Hill Tavern as they traveled. The courthouse building was built in 1846, may be in 1847. The jail burned and a new one was built across the road. When people come to Appomattox Court house, they learned the surrender took place at Appomattox Courthouse. It did in the town of Appomattox Courthouse. The surrender meeting took place a
Play polka, not polka, poker. And lynched to john gibbons play an accordion on his wooden leg. You had the sense of people having come over if not in mass by a great number to this other place with a kind of echo of that place being transposed into the world that became my world. So that of my mothers side of the family. My fathers side was more mysterious. Over time i heard stories of lost aunts and saint john new found land which is not where they are from and a deeper echo further back. I had my grandfathers passport from 1918, you could smell the must on it. All of the mysterious presences were there. My fathers side was a mystery which we will get to eventually. And the third component is similar to what margaret was talking about. I Irish American. I didnt know what a pure american was. None of my friends were pure americans. A lot of my friends were lebanese and from syria. I had yewish and Irish American friends. All of our identities were mixed. My sense of being american was
I want first to introduce Margaret Cooley who writes nonfiction and poetry. Also with us from boston but having stepped off the plain from dublina daniel to be lynn a writer at emer son college. I want to start by reflecting back that those of you folks endeavored to reveal hidden histories of your family lives. We have spoken in advanced of todays conversation. Its clear to me you pursued the stories of your families histories for decades through genealogical work and writing and reflection. Im wondering if can describe how you dot work you do and where the seeds of your curiousity, how they were planted and want compelled you to do this work. I would say that i was have much inspired since i lived in San Francisco, california. We are a country of immigrants. In San Francisco in particular, we have so many first generation americans. My husband is just became an american citizen a couple of months ago. I have friendlieds who are first generation from vietnam. Palestine, israel. Mexico