“Fighting the Civil War: Historical Treasures of the Conflict in the Collection of the National Civil War Museum”
Opened in 2001, The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is one of the largest museums in the country dedicated to telling the complete story of the war from the viewpoint of both sides. The museum holds more than 4,000 three dimensional artifacts and over 21,000 archival items including manuscripts, diaries, letters, photographic images, newspapers, and correspondence dating from 1861-1865. Join the museum’s CEO Wayne Motts on a journey of the history of the war illustrated by some of the nation’s rarest surviving Civil War artifacts in the museum’s collection.
President’s Report
The 2019-20 Season is coming upon us, and what a season it will be! Let me give you our speaker schedule:
On September 23, 2019, Ron Maxwell, the Writer and Director of the movies “Gettysburg,” “Gods & Generals,” “Copperhead,” “Parent Trap,” and other fine films you all know and love, will be making his debut at the Roundtable and his first ever visit to Kentucky! He will speak on the making of “Gettysburg” and “Gods & Generals.”
Believe it or not, on November 18, 2019, James I. “Bud” Robertson will be making his 51st appearance at our Roundtable after an amazing recovery and clearance from his doctor to travel to Kentucky! Bud will speak on Robert E. Lee’s superintendency at West Point, the lecture he had planned to give last November.
On January 27, 2020, University of Kentucky’s own Dr. Amy Murrell Taylor, author of “Embattled Freedom: Journeys Through the Civil War’s Refugee Camps,” will speak on her fascinating book. Historian Steve Davis, an Atlanta native, businessman, and freelance writer who serves “Civil War News” as its book review editor, will speak on March 16, 2020 on the remarkable George Barnard photographs of Atlanta during Sherman’s occupation. Then, our season will conclude on May 18, 2020 with a fascinating talk by Gordon Jones, the curator of the Atlanta History Center, who will share with us the drama behind the preservation, relocation, and restoration of the magnificent Atlanta Cyclorama.
I hope all of you have enjoyed the past season of the Kentucky Civil War Roundtable. We have had some marvelous speakers. I look forward to seeing everyone next year; it will be terrific!
Kent Masterson Brown | President
Secretary’s Report
MEETING RSVPs: As we noted in our previous newsletters, we started with the last meeting – our March 2019 KYCWRT meeting – by “changing the way we do things” to make the meeting RSVP process more reliable and more cost effective.
Unless you have affirmatively opted out of our new process, you will not be receiving a copy of this Newsletter by U.S. Mail (and, as a result, you will also not be receiving an RSVP card for the May 20, 2019 meeting through the mail). To RSVP for the May 20, 2019 meeting, please either RSVP online through the KYCWRT’s website, kycivilwarroundtable.org, or alternatively, by timely contacting Susie Morton, our Administrator, by email at kcwrt.susie@gmail.com or by phone or text at (859) 221-7199.
If you affirmatively request to receive the Newsletter by mail, you will still receive the traditional RSVP card. Please note, however, that even if you receive the RSVP card in the mail, it is still preferred that you RSVP through the KYCWRT website or by contacting Susie at the email address or number above. Doing so will avoid the possibility that your RSVP card is lost in the mail or not timely received. It will also provide you the comfort of knowing that your RSVP has, in fact, been timely received.
RSVPs Generally: We must still receive your RSVP by the Wednesday before the meeting; otherwise, you (and your guests) are not guaranteed a spot (or a meal). Members (and guests) will not be seated (or presented a meal) without a timely-made reservation.
We must provide the Embassy Suites with our RSVP numbers by Close of Business the Wednesday before the meeting – i.e., 5:00 pm on May 15, 2019.
Guests: Starting with the September 2018 meeting, the guest fee (in addition to the $29 meal charge) is $25 per guest, for a total of $54 per guest. Payment is due in advance or at the door.
Cancellations: Any RSVP cancellation needs to be received no later than 4:00 pm of the Friday before the meeting (in this case, by May 17th, 2019). If you need to cancel, please contact Susie at (859) 221-7199 or by email at kcwrt.susie@gmail.com. If you do not timely cancel your reservation or miss the meeting, you will be charged $29 per person for your reserved meal.
EMAIL ADDRESSES: If you have a new or different email address and/or your physical address has changed, please remember to share that information with Susie at kcwrt.susie@gmail.com and/or me at aj.singleton@skofirm.com so that we can update our records accordingly.
CIVIL WAR FAMILY PHOTOS AND STORIES: To add content to both the KYCWRT Website and our Facebook Page, we would like to know if you have any photographs of ancestors who fought in the Civil War. If you have any such photos (and any accompanying stories) that you would be willing to share with us so that we could share with others, please let Susie or me know by email. This could prove to be a fun, educational, and rewarding project for our KYCWRT.
Treasurer’s Report
The Kentucky Civil War Roundtable finished the 2018 year at a near breakeven thanks to a reduction in missed meals expense and increased income from members’ dues, guest fees, auctions and charitable contributions. Let’s hope this trend continues in 2019 as we attempt to increase membership and hold the line on expenses.
If you’ve been invoiced for missed meals we’d appreciate your prompt payment as we are committed to the Embassy Suites to pay for meals at the time of your reservation.
We want to reinstate any members who have not paid dues for 2019. Membership dues are $100 for singles and $120 for married couples.
Our membership to date is 320 with the goal of reaching 400. Please consider bringing a guest to an upcoming meeting or recruiting a member to join to help us achieve the 400.
Administrator’s Report
Hello, Members! This upcoming meeting is a bit of an anniversary for me. I attended my first KCWRT meeting in May 2018! That meeting was for observational purposes so I could witness the registration process and experience the meeting atmosphere. Well that meeting, and the wonderful people I met that night, convinced me to join this Organization as Administrator and what a first year it’s been! This year has seen us update the Website and introduce online registration and pay options as well as electronic Newsletter mailings! These are big changes that have helped reduce our administrative costs and I, along with the Executive Committee, appreciate your support.
In August, I will be emailing 2020 Membership Dues invoices. If your email address changes, please contact me ASAP to update my database. For those members who are receiving their RSVP cards and Newsletters through the USPS that is how you will receive your Dues invoice. Have a wonderful summer and see you in September!
