Dana Lombardy
Dana presented diagrams and data to show how the artillery evolved in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War, and compares its effectiveness to the guns used by their primary opponent, Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Gun types, numbers and organization, plus a look back at Napoleon’s artillery at Waterloo were also covered. Continue reading
Carnival Inspiration
This year’s West Coast Civil War Roundtable Conference will be held on a cruise ship! The dates are November 1–4, 2013, departing from and returning to Los Angeles. Information about the registering for the cruise, as well as details of the very impressive speaker lineup, are available at http://civilwarcruise.org/
Cavalry Orderly, Rappahannock Station, Va., by Edwin Forbes (Wikipedia)
John provided a detailed look at the regiment of his great-grandfather, the 4th U.S. cavalry, covering its history in the Western theater and a look at some of its tactics, primarily the saber.
The life and career of Confederate General Johnston, the Western theater commander who was killed at the Battle of Shiloh.
Albert Sidney Johnston (Wikipedia)
Howard Jones
In the December 2012 meeting, our members voted to change our meeting site because of expenses associated with the golf course restaurant in San Mateo. The new meeting location, effective in January 2013 is Harry’s Hofbrau restaurant in Redwood City. Click on the MEETING INFO menu tab for the new meeting times and directions.
R.T. Smith photo, 1942. Hell’s Angels, The Flying Tigers – China
In the early days of what was to become WWII in the Pacific, a small group of Americans began training for what was going to become one of the most heroic efforts of the war. The Chinese had been invaded and needed an air force to protect their supply lines and allow them to survive the unceasing onslaught of the Empire of Japan. This presentation covered the formation of the American Volunteer Group, the perils of Flying the Hump, and the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. This was the American Air War in China that lasted for the time it took to defeat the Japanese. The foundations of the Sino-Japanese War was presented along with the strategy that was put in place to allow the Chinese Nationalist Government to survive the war. Continue reading
Bob’s presentation detailed the Holly Springs Raid, which occurred in the Vicksburg Campaign, December 1862, and review Grant’s greatest challenge. Grant’s strategy, offensive and defensive, for the capture of Vicksburg and the final phase of the Anaconda Plan were introduced. The first campaign for the capture of Vicksburg and the ramifications of that effort were presented. Grant’s reaction to his Army’s incompetent response to the attack by Van Dorn and his cavalry and the capture of Union troops and the destruction of supplies and equipment at Holly Springs, Mississippi. Why the Holly Springs raid and connected events were worse than any of the other events in Grant’s up and down, always changing life.
Bob recounted the story of the C.S.S. Shenandoah from when she was the Sea King, being built in English docks, fitted-out in the Azores, her various escapades, as well as her final battle with the New England Whaling Fleet of the Arctic.
Honor in 18th and 19th Century America, an examination of dueling and a study of a family that lost honor and then regained it.
Our loyal secretary presented a program of how the British Raj eliminated this hereditary tribe. An entire Hindu religious group of murdering thieves was given a 19th-century Final Solution. Charlie notes that the wonderful 1938 movie Gunga Din, was a fictional account of Thugee.