Welcome to the website of the American Civil War Round Table (UK)
We’re a growing group of mostly British-based members, who get together and share information about all aspects of one of the greatest conflicts of the 19th century. You will also find here articles taken from our thrice yearly magazine ‘Crossfire’, that is free to members. If after browsing our site you would like to join us we’d be very happy to enrol you, whatever colour you prefer!
Our Round Table comprises people from all walks of life who are interested in any or all aspects of the war, but who also care enough to contribute to the growing number of initiatives to preserve this heritage for future generations. We meet frequently, mostly in London, to hear a wide variety of presentations on the war. Our speakers have included such published historians as Ed Bearss, Amanda Foreman and Gary Gallagher.
Why all this interest in American events of the past with so much history of our own? Surprisingly, we are the first in the line of Civil War Round Tables set up in the 1950s - almost exclusively in the United States. We have maintained a natural affinity with events of the Civil War. With many of its participants hailing from these islands it is perhaps not surprising that British viewpoints have been brought to bear on this all-American affair.
Forthcoming events
Meeting Booking Form download and email to msomervi@blueyonder.co.uk
Details of how to book for the next meeting
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2019 Conference report
Here are the details of our recent conference
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Meeting Dates 2019
26 January Mike Somerville
9th March Rod Gragg
12th - 14th April - Annual Conference - The War in the Carolinas
15th June Rick Hatcher The Ironclad attack on Fort Sumter April 7 1863
27th July Joe Whitehorne The Jackson-Loring Controversy,1861-2;The Campaign Jackson Lost
14th September Derek Young D H Hill
16th November (AGM)
TBA - Xmas Lunch - contact Jim Carroll
27/7/2019 -
NEXT MEETING - The Jackson-Loring Controversy - Joe Whitehorne
"With such interference in my command I cannot expect to be of much service in the field; and accordingly respectfully request to be ordered to report for duty to the Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute … Should this application not be granted, I respectfully request that the President will accept my resignation from the Army." T E Jackson
In our July meeting will hear from one of our most popular American speakers, Joe Whitehorne, speaking on possibly our most popular subject, Stonewall Jackson.
Military operations in western Virginia in 1861 and early 1862 set the stage for a confrontation between Stonewall Jackson and several of his senior officers. These command conflicts and aspects of Jackson's personality resulted in the collapse of his strategic vision to recover control of Virginia's western counties and to threaten the Ohio Valley. This talk examines the situation in what eventually became West Virginia and discusses the events leading to the Romney Campaign. The campaign's failure may be seen as a result of problems with Jackson's leadership style, combined with Richmond's inexperience and inability to coordinate its forces with a clear strategy.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
Joe Whitehorne is a retired United States Army officer who served as a staff historian in the United States and Europe. His last assignment was on the staff of the Secretary of the Army. His duties included primary research, battlefield interpretation, archives development and support to archaeological and casualty recovery operations.
After retiring from the Army in 1989, he was a professor of history at Lord Fairfax Community College until retiring again in 2010. He continues to be a historical consultant to the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at James Madison University, in which capacity he has written the history portions of 16 major reports on Civil War military sites in the Shenandoah Valley. He is the author or co-author of numerous military history articles and 19 books.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he holds a doctorate from George Mason University and an honorary doctorate from Shenandoah University. His honours also include the Andrew Watts Prize from the University of Pennsylvania and the Moncado Prize from the American Military History Institute. His military awards include the Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart and 2 Legions of Merit.
He is past president of the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation and Past President of the Warren County (VA) Historical Society.
Meetings are held at the Civil Service Club London 1:00pm start
Preservation news
Adopt-a-Cannon
Our current $500 preservation pledge is for ongoing maintenance for the cannons at Charleston
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Crossfire magazine
An Officers Pay Slip
In Search of Lieutenant George Washington Ward
By Charles Priestley
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UK People in the Civil War
click image to zoom
by Maurice Rigby
Editorial note: This is the first of many (I hope) small vignettes of Britons who played a role in the American Civil War. Contributions are welcome from any source so get digging!
Webmaster adds: image is Owen Reynold's photo of Joe Hudson's prize-winning 'Blockade Runner'.
Arbuthnot Blain; was a cabinet maker at 35 Paradise Street, Liverpool, and had died at his residence 10, Wheathill Farm, Roby, Huyton, on June 23 1868 aged 72. Born in Donegal about 1796, his firm had furnished the cabins for the Alabama, the fittings and furniture being selected by James Dunwoody Bulloch. The firm of A Blain & son had been established in 1796 by his father, and that his son, William Hughes Blain had now carried on the business around 1864. William was a familiar figure in shipping circles, a portion of which supplied the ships, and the admiralty, with furnishings and upholstery. William Blain passed away at Croft House, Huyton, on February 25th 1909 and was buried in Huyton churchyard.
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