Events
17th November 2012 - From Calais to Cairo - Confederate Navy Veterans in Egypt
Nearly 50 veterans of the American Civil War (half of them - including five generals - former Confederates) served in the Egyptian Army of Khedive Ismail from 1869 to 1878. Their motives for joining the Khedive’s service were as varied as the men themselves, with love of adventure, lack of opportunity at home and financial pressures predominating. Many of them brought their families with them. Once in Egypt, they performed a wide range of tasks, from training troops to building coastal fortifications, commanding naval vessels, preparing maps and exploring and opening up new territories, and several of their number took part in the disastrous 1876 campaign against Emperor John of Abyssinia. After a brief explanation of the reasons for the presence of these Civil War veterans in Egypt and a general overview of their life there, the talk will focus on the very different experiences of three representative Americans, all former officers in the Confederate Navy who had spent some months of the Civil War in enforced idleness in France – William P. A. Campbell, Charles Iverson Graves and James Morris Morgan.
19th January 2013 - Contrasting Fortunes? Irish Federals and Confederates in 1863
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Speaker: Dr David T Gleeson
NB - MEETING CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER
The year 1863 is often seen as a major turning point in the Civil War, with the Union side finally getting an upper hand in the conflict with its important victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. The story of the Irish who fought on both sides, however, was a stark contrast. Irish Federals became increasingly disillusioned with their side while Irish Confederates drew closer to theirs. This paper examines the reasons for this contrast through examination of the military exploits of the Irish on both sides through 1863 as well as native reactions to their participation in the respective causes. It complicates our notions of the connections between military service and citizenship in Civil War era.
Image: 'Irish Brigade Bummer Forage Cap': acknowledgements to Simply Civil War - see our links page
1st September 2012- The Shadow of Shiloh: Major General Lew Wallace in the Civil War
In the spring of 1862, Major General Lew Wallace was a Union military hero. At the age of 35, he was the youngest major general in the Union Army, rising to that rank from colonel in 11 short months. Devoted to the Union, he was also a romantic about war, pursuing honour, fame and glory in combat.
26th - 28th July 2013 - '1863 - Advance & Retreat’
At The Holiday Inn, Oxford
Speakers
Brigadier General Parker Hills
US Army (retired)
The Vicksburg Campaign & The Battle of Chickamauga
Lt. Col. Joseph Whitehorne
US Army (retired)
The Gettysburg Campaign (2 lectures)
Major General John Drewienkiewicz
British Army (retired)
What If’s? - Gettysburg & Vicksburg
Jeremy Mindell
European Reactions
Click here for more details and a booking form.
2nd March 2013 - Members' Mini Lectures - Focusing on 1863
The theme for our annual conference is Advance and Retreat and to replace our scheduled meetings for January and March we have asked three members to give us their thoughts on some of the themes that caused some controversies in 1863.