Adjutant’s Call October 2026
Circular Memorandum #578, October 2026
“Moments of Contingency and the Rise of U.S. Grant”
Presented by: Chris Mackowski
Date: Friday, October 9 Location: Big Spring Country Club
Cocktails: 6:00 PM Dinner: 7:00 PM Program: 8:00 PM
Meet Our Speaker: Chris Mackowski
Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is a professor of journalism and mass communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, NY, and Historian-in-Residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania Battlefield in central Virginia. He has also worked as a historian for the National Park Service at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he gives tours at four major Civil War battlefields (Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania), as well as at the building where Stonewall Jackson died. Chris has authored or co-authored a dozen books on the Civil War, and his articles have appeared in all the major Civil War magazines. Among the books Chris has authored or co-authored are, “The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson: The Mortal Wounding of the Confederacy’s Greatest Icon-and the Birth of Its Greatest Legend”, “Fight Like the Devil: The First Day at Gettysburg July 1, 1863”, and “That Furious Struggle: Chancellorsville and the High Tide of the Confederacy, May 1-5, 1863”. He was a 2014 finalist for the Army Historical Foundations' Distinguished Book Award for “Chancellorsville's Forgotten Front: The Battles of Second Fredericksburg and Salem Church”. Chris has had six of his plays produced and he serves on the national advisory board for the Civil War Chaplains Museum in Lynchburg, Virginia. His latest book is “A Tempest of Iron and Lead: Spotsylvania Court House”. He frequently partners on projects with the American Battlefield Trust, the nation’s largest battlefield preservation organization. Chris serves as vice president on the board of directors for the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, on the advisory board of the Civil War Roundtable Congress and the Brunswick (NC) Civil War Roundtable, the largest in the country, and is a supporter of the Antietam Institute.
“Moments of Contingency and the Rise of U.S. Grant”
Ulysses S. Grant's rise is often seen as an inevitable arc of victory after victory, taking him from humble beginnings along the Mississippi River Valley all the way to Wilmer McLean's parlor to accept Robert E. Lee's surrender. However, Grant's rise was anything but smooth, obstructed not only by Confederates but Mother Nature and jealous rivals. Victories didn't always matter, nor did his dogged perseverance. He sometimes required luck and the well-timed support of a few good friends. A closer look at "The Rise of Grant" reveals just how remarkable—and unlikely—that rise turned out to be.
Buffet Dinner - $40
Big Spring Country Club has raised our buffet dinner price to $40. This includes the cost of our meeting room. It has been several years since the cost of our meal has increased, so this should not come as a surprise. In today’s economic environment, inflation and rising costs are just part of our life. We have looked at other options, but nothing comes close to Big Spring in providing a very nice place to meet, consistently good food and service that we can count on.
Make Your Meeting Reservations Online!
We are encouraging members to make your reservation using our website. It is easy, secure and makes checking in at the meetings much smoother. You can click on this link and make your reservation and payment for the September meeting.
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/chris-mackowski
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED!
Reservations Are to be or Made on Our Website or Sent to Doug Krawczyk
If you do not make a reservation, you may not get fed!
The Round Table must give Big Spring an accurate count of reservations no later than Thursday before our Saturday meeting. Reservations can be made by emailing Doug Krawczyk at rdklou1@gmail.com or by calling Doug Krawczyk at 502-592-6864.
When making a reservation for more than yourself, please list the names of everyone for which you are making a reservation. If you are calling Doug, and get his voicemail, please spell your name so he can properly identify the reservation.
If you wish to join us for just the program, you must still make a reservation so we can assure you have space and a seat. If you are attending just the program, you can call Doug anytime up to 4:00 PM the day of the Meeting.
Reminder for Table Reservations: Tables for parties of eight (8) can be reserved. When making a Table Reservation, please list the names of everyone in your party. That will ensure everyone in your party will be at the same table and enable us to manage our meeting space in a more efficient manner.
It is Time for Membership Renewals
**** Patron Memberships Are a Major Boost to the Round Table ****
The annual membership fees of the Round Table are now due and there is good news! Any amount you give above the basic or family membership fee is tax-deductible, since the Round Table has tax-exempt status as a 501 (c) (3) organization!
There are Two Ways to Renew Your Yearly Membership Dues
(1) You can mail your renewal check made out to LCWRT directly to Louisville Civil War Round Table, 9462 Brownsboro Road - #142, Louisville, Ky., 40241.
(2) Or, you can go to our website https://louisvillecwrt.com by clicking on this link or by Googling “Louisville Civil War Round Table” which will bring up a link to our website. On the home page of our website click on “Join” at the top. This will take you to “Membership”, scroll down and you will find options to renew your membership using your credit card. You can click on one of the links below and it will take you directly to your renewal choice.
There are seven levels of membership:
1. Single Membership: $50.00 (Basic Membership One Person)
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/single-membership
2. Family Membership: $60.00 (Allows spouse or family member to join. $5 for each
additional family member living at the same address.)
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/single-membership-sf9rc
Patron Membership: (Single or Family Membership, plus financial gift to LCWRT; the gift portion is deductible for income tax purposes.) Please select the Level of Patron Membership you wish and know that the LCWRT is most appreciative of your generosity
3. Click the Link Below for Patron Bronze Level Membership ($75)
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/single-membership-hfe6a-3nrmy
4. Click the Link Below for Patron Silver Level Membership ($100)
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/single-membership-hfe6a-3nrmy-8lnft
5. Click the Link Below for Patron Gold Level Membership ($150)
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/single-membership-hfe6a-3nrmy-8lnft-jw59m
6. Click the Link Below for Patron Platinum Level Membership ($200)
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/single-membership-hfe6a-3nrmy-8lnft-jw59m-rtx2c
Student Membership
7. Click the Link Below for Student Membership ($10)
https://www.louisvillecwrt.com/store-2/p/single-membership-hfe6a
Harold Holzer is Coming to the Louisville Civil War Round Table!
Mark your calendars for our meeting to be held on May 8, 2027. Harold Holzer helped us celebrate our 65th anniversary and our 600th meeting last May, and we are very excited to announce that he will be returning this coming May. Harold Holzer is the country's leading authority on Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era. A prolific writer and lecturer, and frequent guest on television, Holzer served for six years (2010–2016) as Chairman of The Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation. Stay tuned for details as this will be a meeting you will not want to miss!
The 2027 Field Trip Will Be to Antietam
Our 2027 field trip will be to Antietam, April 21- 25. We will visit Harper’s Ferry, South Mountain, and the Antietam battlefield. Our guide will be veteran Antietam historian and tour guide Tom Clemons. We will begin taking your non-refundable reservations in December. This is an increase from previous years. Reservations will be made on-line or you may give your check to John Davis or Patrick Wilbourn.
Tom Clemons
Thomas Clemens received his BA and MA degrees at Salisbury University, and his Doctorate in History Education from George Mason University, studying under noted Civil War historian Dr. Joseph L. Harsh. He taught for 34 years at Hagerstown Community College, retiring as Professor Emeritus in 2012. Tom edited and annotated General Ezra A. Carman’s 1,800 page hand-written manuscript, the Maryland Campaign of September 1862, which was published in 3 volumes by Savas Beatie LLC. These books received the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Writing Award, Reprint Category. His new multi-volume work, The Carman Papers, will be released in Fall 2026. He has written numerous articles included in the Civil War Times, Columbiad and other magazines, as well as several monographs. He appeared as an on-screen historian in episodes of Civil War Journal and in the Emmy-Award winning “Maryland’s Heart of the Civil War”, 2012. Tom is a founding member, and current president of Save Historic Antietam Foundation Inc., and a retired Antietam Battlefield Guide
Name Badge Policy
We are implementing a new name badge policy. Each member will be responsible for keeping their name badges. No longer will the name badges be brought to the meeting and placed on racks. There will be a box with the name badge sorted alphabetically and you can check this box. When you leave the meeting do not leave your name badge, take it home with you and bring it to the next meeting. New members will be given a name badge and if you lose your name badge you can email John Davis at jddavis1122@gmail.com to get a new one
2025 – 2026 Schedule
Friday October 9 Chris Mackowski “The Rise of U.S. Grant”
Saturday November 7 William C. Davis “The Orphan Brigade”
Friday December 11 Phillip Seyfrit and George Ridings “The Battle of Richmond Kentucky: History and Preservation”
Saturday January 16 Kent Masterson Brown “The Battle of Perryville”
Saturday February 13 Tim Johson “The Mexican War as a Civil War Training Ground”
Saturday March 13 Tim Smith “U.S. Grant: America’s Napoleon”
Saturday April 10 Cecily Zander “Braxton Bragg and Confederate Defeat”
Saturday May 8 Harold Holzer “TBA”
The Emerging Civil War Website
Our October speaker, Chris Mackowski, is one of the editors of the Emerging Civil War Series which serves as a public history-oriented platform for sharing original scholarship related to the American Civil War.
The primary audience is the general public, so scholarship is defined broadly: historical research, memory studies, travelogues, personal narratives, essays, book reviews, and photography. Journalistic-style coverage of current Civil War-related events and the Civil War in pop culture are also included. Furthermore, ECW encourages respectful discussion about that material. ECW does not publish fiction or poetry.
The Mission of the Emerging Civil War
ECW seeks to encourage a diversity of perspectives in the scholarship it presents. It does that, in part, by identifying and spotlighting the next generation of Civil War historians and the fresh ideas they bring to the historical conversation.
As a collective, the individuals who comprise ECW are encouraged to share their own unique interests and approaches. The combined collection of material—and the respectful discussions that surround it—forward ECW’s overall effort to promote a general awareness of the Civil War as America’s defining event. This is a link to their website emergingcivilwar.com.. You can subscribe and receive daily emails that will contain a variety of articles by historians that will be of interest to you.
Jack Davis to Speak at the Kentucky Civil War Round Table
The Kentucky Civil War Round Table (organized in Lexington in 1953). William C. “Jack” Davis will be speaking at their Nov 9th meeting. Info and registration link: https://bit.ly/4hG6VwN
Definitely, a meeting NOT to be missed! Use their day-pass option during registration. Note their new meeting location: The Signature Club at Lansdowne.
Dedication of New Interpretive Panels at Perryville
On October 3, 2026 at 3:00 P.M., the Blue and Gray Educational Society will dedicate 56 new interpretive panels in a special ceremony at the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. The dedication ceremony is free and open to the public. Representing BGES will be staff members Bob Jenkins, Wade Sokolosky, and Burford Smith along with Board members Laurie Burgett and Dr. Bill McKinnon. Bob Jenkins and Wade Sokolosky have recently led field trips for us.
The 56 new interpretive panels will give visitors to the battlefield a fresh and more unified way to explore on the Civil War’s most important Western battlefields. BGES has partnered with the Perryville Sate Historic Site to replace all the existing panels across the battlefield. The project began modestly, says BGES project manager Doug Cummins with initial plans to only refresh a handful of the aging signs. “then we got to talking,” Cummins said. “Instead of refreshing a few, just do them all.” That proved more complicated than expected because the signs had been created over many years using different software and designs, and the original files could not be easily edited. Finally, all 56 panels were redesigned, retaining largely the same text, photographs and maps while giving them a consistent look. Park staff also made updates where recent scholarship has changed the understanding of the battle.
One thing that made the project more affordable was that the Kentucky Sate Parks had kept the existing sign frames in good condition so that only the panels needed to be replaced. For Cummins, good battlefield interpretation is important for visitors exploring a battlefield on their own. Unless you have read a book or have a guide, interpretative panels are a good way to find out what happened at a particular site. With 56 signs, visitors could spend an entire day following the battle across the landscape. Maps help orient the visitors to what happened around them while one panel uses a labeled panoramic photo to connect the historic action directly to the terrain visible today.
The new panels will be formally dedicated at 3 P.M. on October 3 during Perryville’s annual battle commemoration. The public is invited to attend the ceremony which will include remarks about the project and the unveiling of one of the signs. You can click on this link to see some of the new signs.
https://blueandgrayeducation.org/projects/battle-of-perryville-interpretive-signs/
Our thanks to the BGES for sending us this information and for doing this project!
Attest: By Order of:
John Davis Bob Glass
Adjutant President