About reading

My friend Oren's mother was an avid reader. She would return from the library with a trunk load full of books, mostly murder mysteries if I remember correctly. Then she would devour them. At the pool you can see people with feet up on the stools, lazily spending the day under the umbrella relaxing with a book, a real book. My friends Barb and Rich seem to read as a duo, mostly history or historical fiction or other illuminating texts that they share when we are together. My niece, like many of her generation, loved the Harry Potter series, all 7 volumes.

But I have had a difficult time in the last 25 years with the physical skill that it takes to read a book. My eyesight took a turn for the worse in the 80s that resulted in not being able to maintain focus or do the necessary scanning across the page that reading requires. Then the computer and the internet and Google deccimated any sense of relaxed sustained reading power that I had.

Except for the New Yorker. For some reason, the joyously complex, sometimes sarcastic, but always to the point writing style has held my attention from the first time Michael and I used the long articles as read aloud materials for long road trips. First, of course the cartoons. Then both the short Talk of the Town pieces and longer reports intrigue me with their wit.  Going in and out of subscribing, they pile up in my living room, available for subway or commuter train rides and long hours at the pool (though this year that honor has gone exclusively to my Civil War reading)

So what a revelation to step into a library, a university library and walk down the  EE aisle to browse the Drexel stacks. From Lincoln to the total collection of the chronicles of the War of the Rebellion  I have to quickly decide how I am going to approach choosing books to read. My first goal is to get the overview of the timeline, which helps me become familiar with the personalities and their  motivations. I start with battles that I plan to visit, and other books that give me more insight into the war as a whole, then to the strategies of the generals. These books are page turners, written as detective stories.

I check out 4 books, hitting the jackpot with  Desperate Engagement by Marc Leepson,  about the  months before during and after the battle of Monocacy which is my next road trip on July 12.
Other books that draw me in are Five lectures on the American Civil War by Raimondo Luraghi, When General Grant Expelled the Jews by Jonathan Sarna  and The American Civil War by John Keegan. Then Victors in Blue and A soldiers diary. Each has a tale to tell, a view of the prism that is this complex war.

I shake my head, at times gasp, at other times look out into space pondering the calamity of it all and how current so much of it seems to me.

Resources

Desperate Engagement
Marc Leepson (Drexel University)
This history of the battle at Monocacy Maryland and it's aftermath as the Confederates traveled down through Rockville, Wheaton and Silver Spring prepared me for my trip to Ft. Stevens and Monocacy July 11 and 12, 2014

Five Lectures on the American Civil War
Raimondo Luraghi Translated from the Italian by Sean Mark 
Lectures that trace the origins of the culture and politics of the North and South and describe several battles and their importance for a sweeping view of the war from a non US historian, an 'outsider' with no investment in either side.

Victors in Blue How Union Generals Fought the Confederates, Battled Each Other and Won the Civil War
Albert Castel with Brooks Simpson
A look at how ambition and rivalry influenced the styles and decisions of the Union Generals, with a new view of the major generals to give a more nuanced sense of how these men led or didn't.

Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library
Hugh Boyle President@verizon.net
4278 Griscom St
Philadelphia, PA 19124
215 638-4244     215-498-3354 C
hb1865

Ft. Stevens and Monocacy Commemorations

Learning about these two battle grounds has been eye opening since Monocacy is 35 Miles north of Silver Spring and Ft. Steven's is just down the road from where I grew up. Yet, none of this was ever presented in school. I am glad now that I have found the time and passion to delve into these remarkable events, that include The battle of Silver Spring.

Monocacy was a stalling battle for the Union, which didn't stop the Confederates, but held them at bay until reinforcements could be sent up from Grant to defend Washington DC. This one battle was one domino that helped prolong the war for another 9 months.

Here is the program for the weekend that I will attend, though the battles were fought in reverse order. Commemorations have been going on all week.



150th Anniversary Commemorative Activities at Ft. STevens
12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Historic Fort Stevens, 13th & Georgia Ave. NW, D.C. 20011
Music, Civil War living history demonstrations, 19th century crafts, music, and children's activities; historic talks and walks; soldiers' encampments.



Sunday, July 13
Battle Orientation
Brief talks throughout the day will explore the story of the Battle of Monocacy and its impact on the course of the war. Location: Visitor Center. Length: 45 minutes.

10:00 am: The Revolution is Complete: Emancipation in Maryland *
In November 1864, over a year after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, more than 80,000 slaves in Maryland were finally freed. This talk by noted author Gail Stephens will explore how the efforts of Lincoln, Maryland Union commander General Lew Wallace, Maryland politicians and those most affected, Maryland slaves, all combined to make this happen. Location: Thomas House. Length: 30 minutes.



10:00 am & 2:00 pm: Archeological Stories of a Slave Village
On July 9, 1864 the Best Farm was scene of fighting during the Battle of Monocacy. However, from 1794-1827 the land was part of a much larger farm called L'Hermitage, which in 1800 was the home of 90 enslaved men, women and children. Learn what archeological research shows life was like for these enslaved people. Location: Best Farm. Length: 45 minutes.

11:00 am & 2:00 pm: Fighting for Freedom: United States Colored Troops
Monocacy National Battlefield will honor a unique facet of its history revealed through recent research. Monocacy Junction was the site of a United States Colored Troops (USCT) recruiting station in 1863. The battlefield will commemorate the bravery of those who joined the ranks of the Union Army through living history. Location: Visitor Center. Length: 30 minutes.

12:30 pm: Recruiting Maryland Colored Troops
Unlike most Union states, Maryland had the distinction of still being a slave state until November of 1864. When the call came for colored troops in 1863, recruiters had to be careful not to initially recruit slaves. Find out how this was handled, the recourse that Maryland slave owners had and the hardships that colored soldiers encountered. Location: Visitor Center. Length: 45 minutes.

1:30 pm: Kim & Reggie Harris Concert
Husband and wife duo, Kim & Reggie Harris sing their way through African-American history, from slavery to Civil Rights. Location: Gambrill House front porch. Length: 1 hour.



3:00 pm: Emancipation in Maryland
Professor Sharita Jacobs Thompson of Gettysburg College will present a lecture on Maryland emancipation at the Urbana Library. Location: Urbana Library. Length: 1 hour.