The OCCWRT meets every third Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm at The NYSUT Building, 4983 Brittonfield Pkwy., East Syracuse, NY.
March 18, 1999 - Donna Payne: "The Lincoln Funeral Train."
April 15, 1999 - Raymond W. Smith, author of Out of the Wilderness: the
Civil War Memoirs of Cpl. Norton C. Shepard, 146th New York Volunteer
Infantry
May 20, 1999 - Joseph Card: "Local Regiments at Culp's Hill"
June 17, 1999 - Bobbi Harris, Syracuse University School of Nursing: "The
Nursing Profession in the 1860s"
January 20, 2000 - Dennis Connors presented a
program on Lt. Benjamin Porter, U.S. Navy, and a native
of Skaneateles, NY.
Feb. 17, 2000 - "Thinkin' Lincoln" with Tom Hunter.
March 16, 2000 - "Halleck and Lincoln," a video and open
discussion.
April 20, 2000 - "Syracuse Industry & Industrialists during
the Civil War," presented by Drew Ellis.
May 18, 2000 - "Story of a Galvanized Yankee," presented by
Acting New York State Historian Joseph F. Meany, Jr.
June 15, 2000 - Annual Meeting and "Show & Tell"
September 20, 2001 - "Tad Lincoln: Tender-hearted Terror of the
White House" - presented by Nancy Graham.
January 17, 2002 - Randy Stearns spoke on the renovation of the
Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument in Clinton Square.
May 15, 2002 - Eleanor Stearns did a first person impression
of Civil War nurse Clara Barton.
September 19, 2002 - Dennis Connors spoke about the life and
career of noted Civil War photographer, George Barnard.
October 17, 2002 - Confederate General Isaac Trimble (a.k.a.
Lee Houser) paid the OCCWRT a visit.
November 21, 2002 - Ohio ex-Congressman Clement Vallandigham (a.k.a. Dick
Crozier)paid the OCCWRT a visit. The congressman, an outspoken Copperhead who
opposed the Lincoln Administration, was a Confederate sympathizer and
anti-war Democrat.
March 20, 2003 - "The Brush-Strokes of Gettysburg," a program presented by
OCCWRT member, Pat Stepanek. Pat discussed (with slides) the work of four
modern Gettysburg artists.
May 15, 2003 - Michael Horigan, author of "Elmira: Death Camp of the North,"
spoke to the OCCWRT. Here's what historian James I. Robertson said of Horigan's
work:
"In this exhaustively researched study, Horigan points several
fingers of guilt at Federal authorities for why "Helmira" had a
death rate almost equal to that at Andersonville. This is the
definitive work on a Union prison compound that should never have
been one of the worst in the Civil War."
Sept. 18, 2003 - Ben Maryniak, President of the Buffalo CWRT, spoke on
Civil War chaplains. Since we heard from him last Ben has co-authored a book
on chaplains called Faith in the Fight. The meeting was held in the
historic Oran Community Church in beautiful downtown Oran (between Manlius and
Cazenovia on Rte. 92).
Oct. 16, 2003 - Cheryl Pula presented a PowerPoint program on the Sultana tragedy.
This is the story of one of the greatest maritime disasters ever, and it involved
Union soldiers just released from a southern prison and on their way home.
November 20, 2003 - "Freedom Bound: Syracuse & the Underground Railroad." This
meeting, at the O.H.A., highlighted the new permanent exhibit at the museum.
Attendees were introduced to this major multimedia event by staff of the O.H.A.
Included were stories, artifacts, and photos from the days when Syracuse was a
significant stop for fleeing slaves on the Underground Railroad.
Feb. 19, 2004 - OCCWRT President Darothy DeAngelo presented a PowerPoint program
called "Henry & Clara: the Slocums of Central New York."
March 18, 2004 - Cheryl Pula, from the Dan Butterfield CWRT, spoke on "Women in
the Civil War."
April 15, 2004 - Wayne Mahood spoke on his latest book, General Wadsworth: The
Life and Times of Brevet Major General James S. Wadsworth.
Thursday, May 20, 2004 - The Round Table was visited by none other than General
Robert E. Lee, aka Dick Crozier. Dick bears an uncanny resemblance to the General. In
fact it's said that Dick looks more like General Lee than Lee himself. He is indeed one of the
area's best living historians.
Thursday, September 16, 2004 - Darothy DeAngelo did a program called, "Edwin V.
Sumner: Who is He, and What is He Doing Here?" The General died in Syracuse in
March of 1863 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery. His career, family, and
circumstances of his demise made for a very enlightening program.
Thursday, November 18, 2004 - "The G.A.R. in Central New York,"
presented by Jerry and Lorraine Orton
Thursday, January 20 - OCCWRT member Sue Greenhagen presented a program called
"The Civil War Letters of Galutia York." Using Galutia's own words and related
images, Sue described the experiences of an 18 year-old soldier from Brookfield, NY
(Madison County), who enlisted in the 114th NYSV.
Thursday, April 21 - Dan Paterson, the great grandson of General James Longstreet,
brought the round table a unique perspective on "old Pete."
Thursday, May 19, 2005 - OCCWRT member, John Rudy, discussed two brigade level
commands at Gettysburg; George Greene's NY Brigade at Culp's Hill and the U.S. Regulars
at the Wheatfield.
Thursday, September 15, 2005 - Professor Ben Dixon, SUNY Oneonta, spoke to the
CWRT on the Gettysburg Battlefield. Ben has an outstanding collection of old images
of the battlefield, and an interesting narrative on its development.
Thursday, October 20, 2005 - Drew Ellis spoke on the Irish in the Civil War.
Thursday, January 19, 2006 - Sam Gruber spoke on Syracuse architecture dating from
the Civil War era.
November 16, 2006 - Edmund Raus, author of Generation on the March, visited
the OCCWRT to discuss his latest book, Banners South: a Northern Community
at War. The community referred to is Cortland, and Mr. Raus' talk certainly had
a local flavor.
December 14, 2006 - Congressman Alfred Ely, aka our own Dick Crozier, visited
the OCCWRT to tell us about his adventures (or misadventures) at
the First Battle of Bull Run. Congressman Ely was one of many that went out
to view what was expected to be a glorious Union victory. Instead the Union
Army was routed and in the process of retreat Congressman Ely was captured
by the Confederates. He then spend some time in a Rebel prison. It's a
fascinating story.
March 15, 2007 - Andy Kitzmann, curator at the Erie Canal Museum,
talked about the resurgence of the canal and canal transportation during
the Civil War.
Sept. 20, 2007 - Dr. Wayne Mahood visited the OCCWRT to discuss his
most recent book, Alexander "Fighting Elleck" Hays: the Life of a Civil War
General from West Point to the Wilderness." Hays is one of the relatively
forgotten Civil War generals. Dr. Mahood presented a revealing look
into the life of General Hays.