San Francisco Civil War Round Table Meeting
Thursday 19th May 2016
at the United Irish Cultural Center
2700 45th Avenue, San Francisco
==========================================================
The meeting commenced at 6:45pm with the Pledge of Allegiance led by
Bob Lawhon.
The President announced Civil War reenactments to be held at Roaring
Camp in Felton on May 28th - 30th and on Angel Island on June 4th - 5th.
Members were reminded that the election of officers for the Board will take
place at the June meeting and that volunteers are encouraged.
President Emeritus Wayne Padgett
and future Board member Bruce Castleman
Our guest speaker was the Pulitzer Prize winning author T.J Stiles who
gave a riveting talk on George Armstrong Custer based on his latest book,
"Custer's Trials." He revealed Custer as a volatile, contradictory person, capable
yet insecure, intelligent yet bigoted, passionate yet self-destructive. His brilliance
as a cavalry officer contrasted heavily with his deficiencies as a manager. Custer
finished at the bottom of his class at West Point and yet became a Brigadier
General at the age of twenty-three. He played a key role in the Union victory at
Gettysburg.
Most of the spirited discussion that followed the presentation centered on
the Battle of Little Big Horn, with several disparate views of Custer's role.
Speaker T.J. Stiles and guest Charles Fracchia
Program Chair Bob Hubbs announced that the May speaker will be his good
self, speaking on "Four Regiments and Four Privates."
The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm.
Thursday 19th May 2016
at the United Irish Cultural Center
2700 45th Avenue, San Francisco
==========================================================
The meeting commenced at 6:45pm with the Pledge of Allegiance led by
Bob Lawhon.
The President announced Civil War reenactments to be held at Roaring
Camp in Felton on May 28th - 30th and on Angel Island on June 4th - 5th.
Members were reminded that the election of officers for the Board will take
place at the June meeting and that volunteers are encouraged.
President Emeritus Wayne Padgett
and future Board member Bruce Castleman
Our guest speaker was the Pulitzer Prize winning author T.J Stiles who
gave a riveting talk on George Armstrong Custer based on his latest book,
"Custer's Trials." He revealed Custer as a volatile, contradictory person, capable
yet insecure, intelligent yet bigoted, passionate yet self-destructive. His brilliance
as a cavalry officer contrasted heavily with his deficiencies as a manager. Custer
finished at the bottom of his class at West Point and yet became a Brigadier
General at the age of twenty-three. He played a key role in the Union victory at
Gettysburg.
Most of the spirited discussion that followed the presentation centered on
the Battle of Little Big Horn, with several disparate views of Custer's role.
Speaker T.J. Stiles and guest Charles Fracchia
Program Chair Bob Hubbs announced that the May speaker will be his good
self, speaking on "Four Regiments and Four Privates."
The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm.
