Local ACW events: October 2009 Archives

"How Lincoln Came to Be 'Under God' at Gettysburg" is the topic for the November 20 meeting of the Harrisburg Civil War Round Table. Charles Teague, a seasonal Ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park, will explore how the President, who as younger man was an avowed atheist, inserted the words "under God" into his Gettysburg Address.

During this sesquicentennial of his birth, Lincoln's profound thoughts continue to intrigue Americans. At various points in his life, he espoused almost every possible point of view on religion. Few people have ever gone through such a dramatic transformation in matters of philosophy and faith as did he. In his mature years Lincoln was circumspect about his deepest thoughts, but intimate acquaintances who closely observed him and listened to him during his presidency witnessed this change. When the evidence is viewed chronologically, a distinct pattern of growing conviction appears.

Twice a year Gettysburg's All-Star Sports Complex on Emmitsburg Road hosts the Gettysburg Militaria, Relics, and Book Show, an event that usually is packed with all sorts of interesting Civil War artifacts. As usual, I perused the tables looking for a dealer might have one of the Knights of the Golden Circle membership tickets that so many Confederates wrote about after their invasion of southern Pennsylvania.

For $1, con artists from New York sold these worthless certificates to unsuspecting farmers who were told that the papers and a series of strange hand gestures would notify any Rebel invaders that the farmer was a friend of the Confederacy whose personal property would be protected. Quite the opposite actually occurred, as the Rebels mocked the farmers who performed the hand gesticulations and waved the KGC golden tickets. Their horses were taken with far higher frequency than Unionist neighbors who headed for the hills when Jubal Early's and J.E.B. Stuart's Southern soldiers came calling.

For more photos of the Gettysburg relics sale, please continue reading. Click on the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing of the artifacts.

You're invited to join the Lancaster Civil War Round Table as they welcome Licensed Battlefield Guide Roy Frampton.

Reverend Frampton has been a Civil War "buff" since the age of nine years old. He became a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg in 1968, and is currently the President of the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides. The Gettysburg National Cemetery has been passionately studied by Roy for many years, and he concentrates on the personal lives of the soldiers buried in the cemetery. Roy Frampton is the co-author (with Licensed Battlefield Guide Jim Cole) of the book Lincoln and the Human Interest Stories of the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Roy's topic for the evening will be "Battlefield Curiosities." Ever wonder if there could possibly still be living witnesses to the Battle of Gettysburg? Did you know that there are rock carvings left behind by Civil War soldiers all over the battlefield? Have you seen the 5-inch, three-toed dinosaurs foot print on one of the stone bridges on the battlefield? Licensed Battlefield Guide Roy Frampton will be your guide through the curious, little known secrets of the Gettysburg Battlefield.

Lancaster Civil War Round Table will meet on Thursday, October 15th at 7:00pm at the Lititz Public Library in Lancaster County. These programs are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Micky Kraft at 717-392-4976.

Historian Roger S. Durham will speak on Sherman's capture of Savannah, Georgia, at the Friday, October 23, meeting of the Harrisburg Civil War Round Table. Entitled "A Great Lion at By: William T. Sherman Storms Fort McAllister," the talk focuses on the final phase of the general's legendary and controversial "March to the Sea" in late 1864. The program will include a "then-and-now" examination of twenty-four historic photographs taken of Sherman's army shortly after the fort's capture.

Mr. Durham is the former director of the Army Heritage Museum in Carlisle. He is the author of six books, including two on Fort McAllister. His latest effort is entitled Carlisle Barracks: A Pictorial History. A Viet Nam veteran, he earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin and his master's degree from Georgia Southern University

The Harrisburg Civil War Round Table meets at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel & Convention Center, Camp Hill, PA, Camp Hill Bypass @ Routes 11&15. An informal reception starts at 6:00 PM, followed by dinner at 6:30. The cost of dinner is $20.00 and reservations must be made by no later than Tuesday, October 20, by calling 717-938-3706. The program begins at 8:00 PM and is free to the public.

Contact Douglas Gibboney, Publicity Chairperson, for further information @ 717-243-1738.

Heritage Day will be celebrated October 18th at St. John's Franklin Lutheran Church for the community and the three churches comprising Faith United Lutheran Parish near Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. The public is welcome to this celebration.

Among those groups participating in the historic traditional worship service at 10:30 AM will be members of the 11th Pa. Volunteer Fife and Drum Corps from Gettysburg, members of the 42nd Pa. "Bucktails," and others visiting in the Dillsburg area this weekend. In tribute to early members who continued their native language service into the latter 19th century, a portion of the readings will be in German. About 11:30 attendees will gather at the gravesite of some Civil War soldiers for a short memorial service.