Adjutant’s Call - December 2023
Link to Original PDF of December 2023 Newsletter
Circular Memorandum #551 - December 2023
"Anatomy of a Duel: Secession, Civil War, and the Evolution of Kentucky Violence" Presented by Stuart W. Sanders
Stuart W. Sanders is the former executive director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, as director, he worked for nearly 10 years to preserve and interpret Kentucky’s largest Civil War battleground before coming to the Kentucky Historical Society. He oversees community field services and as History Advocate, Stuart brings his experiences as a preservationist, interpreter, outreach specialist, author and speaker to his current duties, communicating the relevance, value and significance of Kentucky’s history. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and completed Developing History Leaders @SHA. Stuart W. Sanders is the author of several books, including Perryville Under Fire: The Aftermath of Kentucky’s Largest Civil War Battle, The Battle of Mill Springs, Kentucky, and Maney’s Confederate Brigade at the Battle of Perryville.
He has also contributed essays to the books Kentuckians in Gray: Confederate Generals and Field Officers of the Bluegrass State, multiple volumes of Confederate Generals in the Western Theater, and multiple volumes of the forthcoming Confederate Generals in the Trans-Mississippi. He has written essays and articles for a number of publications, including Civil War Times Illustrated, America’s Civil War, MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History, Hallowed Ground, Blue and Gray, Kentucky Humanities, Kentucky Ancestors, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Encyclopedia Virginia, and more. He is the former executive director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association and currently works in the public history field.
"Anatomy of a Duel: Secession, Civil War, and the Evolution of Kentucky Violence"
When the popular musical Hamilton showcased the celebrated duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, it reminded twenty-first-century Americans that some honor-bound citizens once used negotiated, formal fights as a way to settle differences. During the Civil War, two prominent Kentuckians―one a Union colonel and the other a pro-Confederate civilian―continued this legacy by dueling. At a time when thousands of soldiers were slaughtering one another on battlefields, Colonel Leonidas Metcalfe and William T. Casto transformed the bank of the Ohio River into their own personal battleground. On May 8, 1862, these two men, both of whom were steeped in Southern honor culture, fought a formal duel with rifles at sixty yards. And, as in the fight between Hamilton and Burr, only one man walked away.
Anatomy of a Duel: Secession, Civil War, and the Evolution of Kentucky Violence examines why white male Kentuckians engaged in the "honor culture" of duels and provides fascinating narratives that trace the lives of duelists. Stuart W. Sanders explores why, during a time when Americans were killing one another in open, brutal warfare, Casto and Metcalfe engaged in the process of negotiating and fighting a duel. In deconstructing the event, Sanders details why these distinguished Kentuckians found themselves on the dueling ground during the nation's bloodiest conflict, how society and the Civil War pushed them to fight, why duels continued to be fought in Kentucky even after this violent confrontation, and how Kentuckians applied violence after the Civil War. Anatomy of a Duel is a comprehensive and compelling look at how the secession crisis sparked the Casto-Metcalfe duel―a confrontation that impacted the evolution of violence in Kentucky.
Things to Know About the Wilderness – Spotsylvania Field Trip
We will leave the Free Enterprise parking lot at 6:30 A. M. for the 555-mile trip to Fredericksburg. You can park your vehicle in the secure parking lot at Free Enterprise.
We will stop at McDonald’s for breakfast and make another stop for lunch before arriving at the Comfort Inn Suites in Fredericksburg, 4615 Southpoint Parkway, at approximately 5:00.
There are several restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel including a very nice Mexican restaurant next door to our hotel for those who want to partake of the traditional Wednesday night Mexican experience.
We will spend the first one and a half days on the Wilderness battlefield. Much of the core battlefield is preserved in the National Park system. There will be quite a bit of walking as we traverse Saunders field and the surrounding woods before breaking for lunch and then spending the afternoon on the Orange Plank Road section of the battlefield including all the important actions that occurred around the Widow Tapp house and farm. Friday morning, we will cover the transition to Spotsylvania Court House as both armies raced to this important crossroads. Friday afternoon and Saturday will be spent on the Spotsylvania battlefield, the scene of two weeks of dramatic fighting. The famous Mule Shoe and Bloody Angle are well preserved and there are lots of trails to canvas as we cover the fighting at Laurel Hill, Emory Upton’s dramatic dawn attack, the Union break through at the apex of the Mule Shoe and the Confederate attempt to counterattack and restore their line culminating in the 24- hour struggle at the Bloody Angle. We will also see Lee’s new line after he abandoned the Mule Shoe and visit the battlefield at Harris Farm. We will conclude Saturday with dinner at the Stevenson’s Ridge event center hosted by Chris Mackowski and his wife Jennifer. This will be a fantastic buffet dinner and a great way to wind up our trip before heading home on Sunday morning.
The cost of the trip is estimated currently to be $450 per person. The final cost is determined by the number of people who will be on the trip. We have a maximum number of 40 for this trip. We will begin collecting the $200 non-refundable deposit in January that will guarantee your reservation.
What does the cost of the trip cover? In addition to the cost of the bus, the fee includes the fees charged by our guide, Godon Rhea, any fees for admission to the National Military Parks, three lunches, the Friday night pizza party at the hotel, the grand finale dinner on Saturday night, and all gratuities paid to our guide and bus driver.
What is not covered? You will be responsible for your hotel which you will get at the reduced group rate of $120 per night plus Virgina state taxes. You will also be responsible for any meals not covered by the trip fee.
I hope you will make plans to join us on what promises to be a great experience with a great guide and great fellowship! Mark your calendars for April 17-21. You can sign up at the meetings or by emailing John Davis at johnd.davis@twc.com. If you have any questions, please send your email to John or talk to him at the meetings.
Suggested Reading List for the Wilderness – Spotsylvania
There is no better place to start than the books by our guide, Gordon Rhea. These are easily the best studies of these two battles ever written. “The Battle of the Wilderness May 5-6, 1864” and “The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House and the Road to Yellow Tavern May 7-12, 1864” cannot be topped. Bradley Gottfried has written two detailed map studies of the battles that give a map-by-map detailed explanation of these battles. “The Maps of the Wilderness” and “The Maps of Spotsylvania Through Cold Harbor” are highly recommended. For briefer and more recent books, I recommend Chris Mackowski’s “Hell Itself: The Battle of the Wilderness” and his book “A Season of Slaughter: The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House”. Both of these books from the Emerging Civil War Series.
Art Boerner Receives Life Member Award
Art Boerner was awarded the “Life Member Award” at the November meeting for outstanding service rendered to the Round Table over the past 25 years. The Life Member Award is given to those who have made outstanding contributions to the Round Table and is the highest honor given by the Round Table. During his time as a member, Art has served as President four times and has been on the Board of Directors for twenty years where he is the official enforcer of Robert’s Rules of Order in the Board’s meetings. Without Art there would have been no Bourbon and BBQ. When Doug Krawczyk came up with the idea of a Bourbon and BBQ fundraiser some twelve years ago, Art volunteered to host the event at his beautiful home in southern Indiana on the banks of the Ohio river. Art also became the master chef of the event. Starting at the crack of dawn, Art would smoke several racks of ribs for the event and anyone who has attended the event will testify that these were the best ribs ever! It is safe to say there would have been no Bourbon and BBQ without Art. Our thanks to Art for his many years of service! Without members like Art, the Round Table would not be the outstanding organization that we are. We are dependent on those willing to donate their time and energy to making our Round Table one of the best in the country.
Round Table Member Jean Marlowe Has Article Published
Congratulations to Round Table member Jean Marlow who recently has her article published in the Filson Historical Society’s Ohio Valley History publication (Fall 2023. Vol. 23. No 3). The article is “The 1860-1861 Kentucky State Guard amid the Political Struggle over Kentucky’s Destiny”. Jean holds a B.A. summa cum laude, and an M.A. in art history from the University of Louisville and is a member of our Round Table.
NOVEMBER 2023 QUIZ
1. Who was President Andrew Johnson’s Vice President?
He didn’t have one.
2. Who commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Appomattox Campaign?
It was commanded by Major General Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee’s nephew.
3. What was the last battle of the Civil War in Virginia?
The Battle of Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865 was the last battle in Virginia.
4. To whom did General U.S. Grant deliver his famous “unconditional and immediate surrender” terms?
He delivered them to Confederate General Simon Buckner at Fort Donelson, Tennessee in February, 1862.
5. What was Union General William T. Sherman’s attitude toward newsmen?
He was a relentless enemy of newsmen.
DECEMBER 2023 QUIZ
1. Who was the Confederate Secretary of War in April 1865?
2. Who was the United States Secretary of War in April 1865?
3. After Virginia, which Southern state had the largest enslaved population in 1860?
4. Why were Union Generals James Ledlie and Edward Ferrera censured after the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg, Virginia?
5. What famous message did Union General William T. Sherman send to President Lincoln on December 22, 1864?