A Television Appearance

The local ABC affiliate, WCPO (aka "Channel 9") has a daily show called Cincy Lifestyle. It airs from 10:00 - 10:30 every morning. 

A couple of weeks ago, I opened an email from the account for the James A Ramage Civil War Museum, where I volunteer, and saw that a producer from that program wanted to film a segment at the museum. 

That sounded like a great opportunity so I shared it with the other museum board members and eventually we realized I was the one available at a time that worked for the producer. I wasn't thrilled about that as I am not the most outgoing person - I much prefer writing than any form of public speaking - but I was ready for the challenge.

A few days ago, I met a lady from the station at the museum. All she had with her was a backpack with her small camera and tripod. It wasn't the big TV camera I expected, but it was probably better, being so small and easy to carry.

We talked for a while and then she interviewed me standing in front of the museum since it was a beautiful day.

It was an interesting experience. She asked me a few questions and I provided answers. I think the questions were  something like "Why is this place important?,"  "What should people expect when they come here?," and "What has changed here in the time you have been here?"   I did my best to answer these. A couple of times, I had to stop, say "Sorry, let me restate that" and then start over, which she had told me was fine. I was nervous about saying "uhm" or "uhh" or having too many pauses, but I avoided that pitfall. I think a couple pauses still showed up after editing, but not many.

Obviously, she, and whoever helped edit and produce the segment, did a terrific job of tying my comments together so that they came off sounding coherent. The segment turned out better than I could have hoped and the final production really did make me look good, certainly better than I felt when I was restating my thoughts, trying to make sense. It was a good event and I thank the people at the show for the opportunity. I now better understand how these interviews work - I'm sure some others I see were similar to mine in terms of being edited/produced to look good. I'm just glad it was not a live shot and don't know how well I would do in a live interview. Yikes! LOL

The interview aired on Tuesday the 16th. It was weird seeing myself speaking on TV, especially a big station like Channel 9 instead of some local community cable channel. It really was surreal.

A copy of the show was put on their Facebook page. I shared this link to it on this blog's Facebook page already. (The link is to the interview on Facebook, so I don't know if you need to sign in to see it. If you do not have Facebook, I do not know if you can see the interview. Maybe it will be on the "Cincy Lifestyle" tab of wcpo.com eventually, but I do not see it there right now.)

Anyway, this was  fascinating and the product turned out well. I really like this museum and wanted to represent it well. I think I did so and that this segment was a very positive one for the museum, myself, and, hopefully, the show and station.

Civil War Park Day

Saturday April 7 - two weeks from today -  is the date for this year's Civil War Trust Park Day, a day for volunteers to help local Civil War sites do some spring cleaning. It is a great idea, one I am proud to have helped with at the Ramage Museum in recent years.  I will be there again this year, though the unfortunate thing is that its Park Day work is taking place at the same time as the work by the Cynthiana Battlefields Foundation work in Cynthiana. Unfortunately, I can be at only one place at a time, as I would like to help both sites out, since both mean so much to me.

The Friends of Perryville will be working on that beautiful battlefield the same day and the Cincinnati Civil War Round Table will be helping at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Cincinnati. All of these are wonderful opportunities for people to help pick up litter, pull weeds, or do other general cleaning and beautification projects at these wonderful sites.

The link in the first line will help you find participating locations close to you and I hope some readers of this will take advantage of this opportunity to help. Find a location near you and ask them how you can help. Many sites rely on volunteers, even ones that are state parks or historic sites, and this type of help and work is very valuable.

Money is not always readily available these days, so for people who cannot make monetary donations, giving time and a little bit of work can be a good way to contribute to a local historic Civil War site. The people at those sites will truly appreciate your assistance and even if the general public does not see you doing the work, the cleanliness and attractiveness of the location will be visible throughout the year. Your work will be noticed and you will have the satisfaction of knowing you contributed to a good, worthy cause.

Black Brigade Ceremony

The good news is that I did get to represent the Ramage Museum at last night's ceremony to dedicate a new monument to the Black Brigade of Cincinnati.

The bad news is that since I had to man the museum's table, and since the historical groups were not very close to the monument or ceremony, I did not actually get to hear the speakers or even see the monument. I did hear some positive remarks from others who attended and did get to see a group of men doing a presentation of some members of the unit, marching around with shovels, picks, etc. and chanting some tune I did not recognize. I wish I had been able to get a picture of them as they were impressive.

I was able to see the seating area and it appeared to be standing room only. They had said they were expecting a crowd of 250 or so and I think they got that, and perhaps a bit more. There were also quite a few African-Americans present; that makes sense with this type of monument, but I have seen stories and other blogs wondering about the lack of interest in the Civil War by African-Americans. I talked with a few dozen people at my table, including some African-Americans, and was pleased with the level of interest in local history and the Civil War. I had several good conversations and met quite a few knowledgeable people. That was a  pleasant part of the evening and hopefully at least a few of them will take time to visit the Ramage Museum or find other ways to study the war, locally or in general.

One cool thing was a local group of re-enactors who fired their cannon to start and end the event. The echo from the buildings in Covington, across the Ohio River, was impressive, and after the first shot, a local water patrol drove up to the Ohio shore to see what was going on. I don't think anything came of that, since the group did fire the ending shot about an hour later.

I also learned of some upcoming Civil War events at other local institutions and will post an entry or two about them in the next few days. It sounds like there will be some very good presentations and talks in the area in the next few weeks, many of them about events in the Cincinnati area. Some may not realize it, but Antietam and the Maryland campaign were not the only events taking place in September 1862. Hopefully at least some of the citizens of this area will understand that the war extended even into Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, even if no major battle occurred.

I do wish I had been able to see the monument (but will find time to go visit and photograph it soon enough) and witness the actual ceremony, but I still had a good evening, being happy with the crowed that turned out for the event and the folks who stopped to visit my table. From what I saw, it was a successful event and a positive step for the study of local history.

Battery Hooper Days, 2012

Well, my summer lull in posting continues, but now that Battery Hooper Days at the  James A Ramage Civil War Museum and all the effort it entails is complete, perhaps I can now spend more time thinking of more topics and doing some more research for interesting subjects and stories.

This year's event was a huge success, with about 1,200 visitors over the 2 days and brisk sales and donations, which will be a big help to the museum. The weather was as good as it can ever be in August in this area - mid 80s for the temperatures, just a few white clouds dotting the blue sky, no rain. Sunday was a bit more humid, but not bad. We have often had temperatures in the 90s with a lot of mugginess, and the way July went this year, with record heat, that is kind of what we expected. Instead, we got the most beautiful August days we could ever dream of.

As usual, the re-enactors, living historians and speakers made the event fun and entertaining. We had 2 new musical groups this year, Chamber Music with Flutes on Saturday and Raison D'etre on Sunday. Both were phenomenal.

We also had a Jefferson Davis impression for the first time and his interaction with Abraham Lincoln was fascinating. They had worked together before and their chemistry was great.

The re-enactors set up a very neat encampment, with several great displays. The cannon fire and musket fire both grabbed people's attention and had visitors smiling and enjoying themselves. These guys also did a great job in the ceremonies we had to remember Bob, showing their appreciation for a departed colleague and fellow re-enactor. I really appreciate the work these guys do in setting up their camp and interacting with the visitors.

Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe impersonators told their fascinating stories again, and generals Lew Wallace and Horatio Wright were kind enough to adjust their speaking times to help fit in the memorial ceremonies for their pal Bob Clements, before delivering their enjoyable talks.

Stuart Sanders from the Kentucky Historical Society was kind enough to drive from Danville to discuss how the battle of Perryville affected the local region. This is also the subject of his fine book, Perryville Under Fire

The Ladies' Living History Society of Greater Cincinnati continued to impress visitors with their dresses and the spinning wheel demonstration. They are always a popular group.

We did feature  Honey Hill Petting Zoo again this year, and people -kids and adults alike - flocked to it to see the various animals they brought. I admit it's not the most "Civil War" aspect possible, but people like it and they come to see it, and that certainly benefits the museum.

Of course, Dr. Ramage delivered a great talk on Saturday and a descendant of one of the members of the Black Brigade of Cincinnati attended and gave a brief talk after Dr. Ramage's remarks. I wish I had gotten more time to meet and talk to him, but someone had to run our used book sale at that time. :)

Last of all, the ceremonies for Bob were very moving. We named the backyard of the museum, where we always have the encampment set up for this event, "Camp Clements" and had a wood signed created by the husband of one of the museum board members. For now, we nailed it to a tree, but will have a more permanent cedar stand set up to display it on a permanent basis.

I've added a couple of my photos below, but you can check out my personal facebook page to see more. If I get them uploaded to photobucket, I will add the link here

Rest in Peace, Bob Clements

I frequently mention that I volunteer at the James A. Ramage Civil War Museum in Fort Wright, Kentucky, just a few minutes south of Cincinnati.  I started there in September 2006 when I responded to an article about a public archaeology dig at the museum, on the grounds of an actual Civil War defensive position known as Battery Hooper. After that dig, I became a volunteer and soon thereafter attended a local festival called Tall Stacks (a really neat experience - hopefully it will be back soon.)

I saw the museum represented there, and a man in a Civil War re-enactor's uniform was giving a presentation. He was very enthusiastic, obviously out-going, and a very effective speaker.

After the talk ended, I went up and introduced myself to Bob Clements, then President of the Board of the Directors of the Ramage Museum and told him I was a new volunteer at the museum. He welcomed me very warmly and since then I have been fortunate enough to call him a friend and even colleague as I became more involved at the museum.

This morning, I woke up and, after getting ready for work, sat down at my computer to check a few things out before heading out the door. One of the sites I checked was Facebook and there I learned that Bob had passed away last night due to a heart attack. He was only 52.

This devastated me and though I managed to get through a whole day at work, this news rarely was far from the front of my mind. It is so sad and hurts so much. I can't imagine what his wife and 2 children are feeling right now, but my pain is bad enough. I certainly will keep them in my thoughts and prayers.

Bob is, was, a great guy and I really loved meeting another person who shared my passion for the Civil War. He really was the first one like that I met and we became good friends, talking about the war, reenacting, museum business or collecting. He was a big collector of Civil War items - nothing huge, but a lot of relics, some swords and bayonets and quite a few items about the Grand Army of the Republic, especially the 1898 and 1930 encampments in Cincinnati. I loved looking at the stuff he loaned to the museum or occasional other items he would show us.

I even got the collecting fever from him. I have quite a few books, including some antique ones, Abraham Lincoln busts and images and other small items. I'm hardly a wealthy collector of big fancy items, but I have quite a few smaller things that I enjoy having. Perhaps I should blame Bob for leading me to spend so much money on stuff like that, but, seriously, I have learned to appreciate these items thanks to my relationship with him.

I know this is a rambling post, with no real relevance to the war itself, but I feel the need to express my feelings and Bob certainly encouraged and helped me discover how far my obsession goes. He encouraged me by complimenting my blog and some of the items I bought and loaned to the museum. He was always very friendly and open, and has more friends than I can imagine. He seemed to know everybody, and I am lucky and happy enough to say that included me.

Battery Hooper Days, the 8th version, is coming up at the museum this weekend. Perhaps I will still find time to write about it and publish the schedule, but that seems less important right now. Bob loved BHD (as we call it) and for him to pass away just before this weekend seems especially cruel, though I guess there is no good time for something like this. Why could he not last just one more week and enjoy just one more BHD weekend?

I'm sure I'll be thinking about Bob a lot in the future, especially the next few days. He was one of the greatest men I knew, far from perfect, but a great friend, open, honest and optimistic. I will miss him greatly but will try to remember how much richer my life has been by knowing him.

Bob - I will miss you, your friendship, your enthusiasm, your love and knowledge of the Civil War.  I hope you can meet Francis Washburn where you're at now and see if you look as much like him as his tintype indicated. I'm sure he has many stories to share with you and will be proud of how you took care of his artifacts that found their way to your hands. People like you who help preserve such items do a favor for all the future history enthusiasts to follow. Thank you for providing an example for me that you do not have to have guns or cannons or uniforms in order to have a collection worth having and sharing. Thank you for adding to my obsession with this war.

Rest in eternal peace, buddy. Rest in eternal, heavenly peace, my friend.

I will miss you

Richard.

Ramage Museum Reopens for 2012!

Springtime view of the Ramage Museum

 
Please excuse the shameless plug, but I really enjoy volunteering at the James A Ramage Civil War Museum and will use this forum to announce our 2012 schedule.

 We re-open tomorrow, March 2, at 10:00 AM and will be open every weekend until mid-December.

We start this year with some new and rearranged exhibits and displays, along with more interpretation to some of our items. We have also created an interactive area for children, where they can try on a Civil War uniform or a period dress (over their clothes.) We plan to expand that interactive section with some more items and activities, and still have a little bit more rearranging of some items to do, but we like how it looks and are excited by the changes.

Our first event on museum grounds will be the Civil War Trust's Park Day on March 31.

Two weeks before that we will have a table at Northern Kentucky Regional History Day at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). It is always a great event. Doors open at 8:00 that Saturday morning and Dr. James Ramage, the museum's namesake, will be the keynote speaker. Both the morning and afternoon sessions have several interesting workshops available.

On April 26, we will have our 2nd Annual Blue & Gray Dinner, our main fundraising event. It will be held at the Gardens of Park Hills along Dixie Highway. This year's event, featuring our silent auction again. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Paul Tenkotte, chair of the Department of History and Geography at NKU. He is an excellent speaker. Tickets are $45 per person and $80 per couple. Please call the museum at 859-344-1145 or email us at ramagecivilwarmuseum@gmail.com for more details.

We will have a public archaeology dig on the weekend of May 18 & 19. This weekend will also feature Dr. Ramage discussing his new book, Kentucky Rising (co-authored with his daughter Andrea Watkins) as well as local author Don Tolzmann an expert on German history who has had several books published.

During late spring and summer, on June 10 and 24 and July 8 and 22, we will hold 4 lectures at the city building in Fort Wright. Details are being worked out, but each talk will feature a military theme, likely to do with local veterans or events. This proved to be a popular idea last year and we hope the interest and support continues to grow.

We will also be represented on June 23 at Roeblingfest in Covington, a great local festival celebrating the Roebling Suspension Bridge that spans the Ohio River from Covington to Cincinnati. This bridge is named for engineer John A.Roebling, who also created the initial design for the more famous Brooklyn Bridge, before his son Washington became chief engineer when the bridge was constructed.

In August, we hold our biggest annual event, Battery Hooper Days, featuring a Civil War encampment with dozens of re-enactors, living history exhibits, music and several children-friendly activities. It is a fun, FREE, family-friendly event and will take place on August 17 and 18. I still love hearing the firing of the cannon and even the shooting of muskets is really cool. Of course, the re-enactment of a court martial that some of the re-enactors performed was fascinating as well. Perhaps they will do it, or something similar again this year. I hope so.

As part of Battery Hooper Days and our fall public dig on September 8 and 9, we plan to focus on the 150th anniversary of the Siege of Cincinnati, when Confederates entered Northern Kentucky and threatened Cincinnati. (Please use the search button to find more about "the siege" in previous blog entries here.)

On September 29, we will hold another edition of our wonderful Antiques Appraisal Fair. People bring lots of neat items for verbal appraisals and all proceeds benefit the museum. This is a wonderful fund-raiser, but it is really cool to see old guns, clocks, works of art and other items. Due to space, we do only accept small items for appraisal, meaning items you can carry or that may fit in a child's wagon.

In November, another popular event, maybe the most meaningful one we hold, takes place when we hold our Veterans Day Ceremony at Highland Cemetery in the neighboring community of Fort Mitchell. This year it will be (appropriately) held on Veterans Day, November 11. Seeing the old veterans gathered there and getting to shake many hands and give many "thank yous" is always a rewarding and humbling experience.

We will close down 2012 with our Civil War Christmas event on December 9. Santa Claus will visit, along with Mrs. Claus, and the museum will be decked out in the style of decorations used in the mid-19th century. We will present displays about Christmas during the Civil War era, and will have lots of stuff for children to do.  They especially like making ornaments out of material like that used 150 years ago.

2012 promises to be another big and fun year for the Ramage Museum, and it all starts tomorrow. If any out-of-town readers happen to be in the Cincinnati area this year, feel free to stop by and Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Cannon at Battery Hooper Days 2011

Good end to year at the Ramage Museum

Yesterday we had our annual Civil War Christmas, the event which closes the museum for the year, and this year's exhibit was a terrific success. We had approximately 300 visitors and had a good day of sales through our gift shop and used book sale. Santa and Mrs. Clause were wonderful in entertaining the many kids who showed up, the ornament-making was popular and the dulcimer music, courtesy of Don,  added a great touch to the event. That style of music is perfect for this time of year.

Thanks also to Judy B. for stopping in and showing kids (and parents) how to use ribbon to make ornaments and decorations. Her table was crowded virtually the entire day.

The group of re-enactors who showed up were terrific too, talking to people and demonstrating how to fire their rifles. Guests always like to see these men in their uniforms and that proved true again today. Their presence was much appreciated.

We had a fine year in 2011 as we transitioned into a financially self-sufficient model and look forward to more success in 2012, with our annual planning and scheduling meeting coming soon.

Thank to everybody who visited or supported us in 2011. Please consider purchasing a museum membership for 2012 as well. We still need your support

Book Review: Gray Ghost, by James A. Ramage

Gray Ghost: The Life of Col. John Singleton Mosby

by James A. Ramage

copyright 1999 

University Press of Kentucky

When I wrote a review of Sickles at Gettysburg I began by stating that "one way to produce a fascinating book is to start with a fascinating story" and I found that James Hessler had done so with his work.

James A. Ramage used the same philosophy with this comprehensive biography of Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the famed head of the "Mosby's Rangers" Confederate unit during the Civil War. Mosby was certainly a far different person than Dan Sickles, but, like the Union general, he lived a long life and earned his fame not only during the Civil War, but also in the several decades after the war ended. (Plus, both were involved in long post-war controversies over the happenings over the campaign and battle of Gettysburg.)

The book begins with a chapter that touches upon many of Mosby's feats during the war and the philosophies Mosby used. This is a very effective introduction to this man and soldier and sets the state for the rest of the book, which starts with a discussion of Mosby's family history and then his youth, when his small size and  health issues often left him a victim of bullies. This early discussion shows how this childhood and its challenges developed Mosby's personality and his attitude about fighting, even when an underdog. Dr. Ramage even claims that Mosby developed two distinct personalities that would remain with him for the rest of his life - a peaceful, studious and kind side, contrasted with the fighter, willing to face any challenge.

Mosby eventually was able to attend the University of Virginiaa where his personality earned him a negative reputation. When he was put on trial for shooting a well-known local bully, most of the jurors sided with him, but his reputation convinced enough members of the jury of his guilt, leading to a conviction of unlawful shooting, with a fine and a 12 month jail sentence. This was a major event in Mosby's life, and the treatment he received in the trial and by the university was something he would always remember. It also is a perfect example of his willingness to face large challenges and challengers, which his small band of rangers would do frequently in his future.


This book describes how Mosby, like many others, experienced conflicting emotions about the coming of the Civil War, at least until Virginia seceded, which ended any question he had about which side to support. It describes his early military days, and how being in the open air actually improved his health, even when he slept in the cool outdoors. He started learning his military values under Grumble Jones before moving to the command of Jeb Stuart, the most famous cavalryman of the war. This work shows how both men influenced Mosby, how he appreciated each and how both valued his services before he ended up on Stuart's staff.

Gray Ghost demonstrates how Mosby learned to scout effectively and gather information that Stuart found valuable and forwarded to Robert E. Lee. When the Confederate Congress passed a Partisan Ranger Act, Mosby  became interested in taking advantage of that opportunity. He eventually got the chance, thanks largely to support from Confederate Secretary of War James Seddon. Dr. Ramage does a fantastic job of showing how this happened and how Seddon's support was vital to Mosby being allowed to form and then keep a company of partisans, despite the poor reputation such soldiers had earned throughout the south.

Included in the discussion of Mosby's development as an effective scout and ranger are a couple of examples where failure taught him lessons, such as in the difficulties of raiding against a railroad or the different responsibilities required in including a cannon with this band of men.  

As the Civil War ended, Mosby avoided surrendering as long as he could, first of all waiting for Joe Johnson to surrender in the Carolinas, then waiting for appropriate treatment and terms from the Union forces in the area. It was during this time that Mosby developed a respect for U.S. Grant, which in turn created a relationship that would serve Mosby both good and bad in the future.

The discussion of Mosby's Civil War career is the essence of this biography. The analysis of the strategies Mosby used in his guerilla warfare is especially valuable.  Dr. Ramage describes Mosby's use of secrecy, how he took advantage of darkness and/or poor weather, how he and his men portrayed Union soldiers even without the use of Union clothing, and how Mosby quickly realized that the days of using sabers for cavalry charges were gone, thanks to the presence of revolvers. His "take-the-offense" approach, even when the enemy seemed to have the advantage, was another common tactic and this book details how and why this worked so often. Mosby and his men practiced a very true form of guerilla warfare, not acting as lawless bands of marauders (though Union citizens and officials may have disagreed) but as an actual military unit practicing legitimate military methods to achieve military goals. Dr. Ramage emphasizes Mosby's desire to use fear and to multiply that emotion among Union soldiers as being a key part of his approach.

Gray Ghost follows its tellling of the tale of Mosby's Civil War career by moving on to the fascinating story of his post-war life, where this Southern hero became almost persona non grata in his home state, thanks to his decision to support the Republican party and many of its leaders. It discusses how he used his Republican party contacts to help find him employment and how he established himself as a reformer in some of these jobs. Despite his fame and his many jobs, he never saved any money, thus whenever one job ended, he found another until he finally retired in his mid-70s, living with some of his children and grandchildren.

During these years, Mosby turned to writing to tell  his memories and sides of the war, especially Lee's second invasion of the North. This was the "Gettysburg War" he waged with many opponents over Jeb Stuart's actions during the days and weeks before the battle. Mosby, the southerner who had lost his Virginia friends due to his support for Ulysses S. Grant, further hurt his reputation in the commonwealth when he dared criticize Robert E. Lee, the ultimate Confederate hero. Here again, his willingness to take on any fight when he thought he was right shows itself, just as it had in some of the reforms he favored from the consuls in Hong Kong to the plains of Nebraska, and as it had throughout his life, starting with his refusal to allow bullies to intimidate him in his youth.

I found the last chapter The Gray Ghost of Television and Film to be an outstanding addition to the book. This discussion of Mosby's image in popular culture, from portraits, silent films, books and television provides an outstanding perspective of his image in popular culture in the final decades of his life, including the ups and downs of his reputation, fame and popularity. This was a wonderful section and a great way to describe Mosby's legacy. 

Following that chapter may be an even more valuable addition, a brief "conclusion" which analyzes and summarizes Mosby's military effectiveness. This may have been the best part of the book. The entire work is wonderful, but adding this recap - after the chapters on Mosby's postwar life and his image - simply wrapped the book up in a wonderful, informative manner.

The book then finishes with end notes and a fine bibliographic essay, revealing the many writings, collections, archives and other sources the author used in compiling this work.

I readily admit that I do volunteer at the James A. Ramage Civil War Museum and have met Dr. Ramage on several occasions. He is man for whom I think the phrase "a gentleman and a scholar" was created. Any comments I have made during this review are my honest thoughts and nothing I wrote was intentionally influenced by my relationship with Dr. Ramage, but I do think it only fitting that readers of this entry know of this

Before reading this book, I knew very little about John Singleton Mosby and did not realize what a long, fascinating and productive life he had, serving for the Confederacy then for the United States. He was not a "scoundrel" like some described Dan Sickles, but, like his Union counterpart, Mosby made the most of life both in and out of the army and always found himself in the center of activity and attention.

Gray Ghost is a very fine cradle-to-grave biography of this southern gentleman, providing an in-depth perspective of this man, his personality, his careers and legacy. Any Civil War enthusiast or student can benefit by reading it and will be better off for doing so. 

Successful Battery Hooper Days 2011

I just wanted to add a quick post to sat that the Ramage Museum had a very successful weekend with Battery Hooper Days 2011, attracting over 950 people, up about 300 from last year. Funds received from donations and gift shop and book sales increased by over 35% as well.

The weather held out just long enough on Sunday. Around 6:00, we had to return the golf carts to Fort Wright's city building, and I was lucky enough to get the assignment to drive one of them. Or I thought I was lucky, but as soon as we took off, a downpour arrived, and given the low speed of the vehicle around city streets, up and down hills, and on the sidewalk of Kyles Lane, a major road, I was totally soaked to the bone by the time I was able to park my cart. It was certainly a memorable experience and I'm sure I looked rather funny when I got back to the museum with water-logged clothes and skin, but it was a fun way to end a fun weekend.

I'll include a couple of pictures of the grounds below. I regret that I did not get a lot of pictures of the many fine presenters we had or of the crowd that showed up, but here are a few images of some of the scenery from Sunday.  Anybody interested in seeing more pictures can "like"t the Battery Hooper Days page on Facebook. That page includes pictures from a lady who got several great pictures, better than the ones I had. Her photograph of Joyce Huggins as Harriet Beecher Stowe is simply wonderful.

Battery Hooper Days 2011

You have probably already seen the "event" information set up on the sidebar, but I wanted to add a few words about this event, which will be bigger and better here in its 7th incarnation this year.

We will still have our Civil War encampment, with several groups of reenactors being represented, including a cavalry group. There should be over 2 dozen such performers here, with various tents and equipment, including rifles, uniforms and other items soldiers routinely carried.

Stan Wernz will again put on his wonderful impersonation of Abraham Lincoln, and this here we have a Harriet Beecher Stowe impersonator for the first time. We look forward to seeing her.

Pat Fan will be back on Saturday as Harriet Tubman and Generals Lew Wallace and Horatio Wright will be on hand as well. Their presentations are always fantastic.

We will have the petting zoo back, as well as our face-painting station, two events that children always love (though I suspect some of the adults like the animals in the petting zoo as much as the kids do)

Admission is free, but we will of course be accepting donations. We will have our gift shop (with several new items) and used book sale open, for anyone looking for a momento or something new to read.

Museum memberships will be for sale too. This is our biggest single fund-raising tool, as the museum is now entering the world of financial self-sufficiency. Memberships - for one year- are just $20 for individuals and $35 for families. Members will receive member cards, discounts to our gift shop and book sale and other benefits throughout the year.

 

Stand up for the James A Ramage Civil War Museum

Please pardon this plug for the Ramage Museum that I enjoy so much. If anybody is interested in helping, as we approach Battery Hooper Days, our biggest annual event, please let me know or see the contact information at the bottom of this press release.

Thanks

Stand Up For History! 
 
The James A. Ramage Civil War Museum is launching its "Stand Up For History" 
initiative as part of the Battery Hooper Days celebration on August 20th and 
21st. "Stand Up For History" is an opportunity for local companies and 
individuals to make an impact at the museum as it begins its first year of being 
self-sustaining. 
 
"Most people don't realize that the James A. Ramage Civil War Museum started 
paying its own way on July 1st" said board President Bob Clements. "While we 
were able to raise almost $10,000 in the last year to cover basic operations, we 
still need to secure funding for every special event held at the museum." 
 
"Stand Up For History" allows both local companies and individuals to sponsor 
events or activities at the museum. "We have been fortunate in the past to have 
some local companies sponsor our ongoing archaeology and the park benches at 
Battery Hooper Park. What we need now are more people to "Stand Up for History" 
and sponsor the activities at Battery Hooper Days in August." 
 
The sponsorships, ranging from $75.00 - $500.00, will enable the museum to bring 
in living history actors portraying Abraham Lincoln, Union Generals Lew Wallace 
& Horatio Wright, Harriet Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom's Cabin author) and Harriet 
Tubman (Underground Railroad).  "Stand Up For History" will also help cover 
expenses including the popular Honey Hill Farm & Petting Zoo and the expected 
operating costs of the two-day event. 
 
"San Juan Romero of Fort Wright, Kentucky has become our first sponsor for 
Battery Hooper Days. He is sponsoring the Harriet Beecher Stowe presentation. 
San Juan's generous donation will allow us to bring in one of the best living 
history interrupters in the area. Mr. Romero's name will be listed on our web 
site, on the Battery Hooper's Day sponsor's banner, and mentioned during the 
event for "Standing Up For History." 
 
Battery Hooper Days will be held on August 20th and 21st. For additional 
information and directions: Visit the City of Fort Wright's website at 
www.fortwright.com and click on the Civil War Museum tab. 
 
To learn more about the "Stand Up For History" sponsorship program contact Bob 
Clements / clem60@fuse.net / 513-901-5539. 
 

History has a Hold on Young Re-enactor

Here is a fantastic story  about a young man who is just starting his re-enacting days. This is really cool, and I'm proud to be a part of the museum that helped him find his inspiration. I am anxious to meet him at Battery Hooper Days next month when members of his unit will be part of a Civil War encampment.

James A Ramage Civil War Museum

Kentucky Civil War Events for April 2011

The following is a list I received from the Kentucky Historical Society.

Let me add to it that the Ramage Museum where I volunteer is participating in the Civil War Trust National Park Day on April 2 and we are also hosting our first Blue and Gray Fund-raising Dinner on April 6 at Twin Oaks in Latonia, Kentucky.

Civil War Events for April 2011:

April 7

6:30 p.m.

HistorySpeaks! presentation at the Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort

Tim Talbott speaking on “Principles Opposed to the Public Peace: Kentuckians’ Reactions to John Brown’s Raid”

For more information, see www.history.ky.gov.

April 8-9

Civil War Seminar

Bluegrass Heritage Museum, Winchester

Join historians and speakers for a two-day seminar about the Civil War in Kentucky.

For more information, contact bgheritage@bellsouth.net.

April 10

2:30 p.m.

United States Colored Troops gravestone dedication, Simpsonville

Dedication of 22 gravestones of African-American soldiers slain by pro-Confederate guerrillas.

For more information, contact jtmiller95@insightbb.com.

April 16

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Alexander Hamilton Society Symposium, University of Louisville Ekstrom Library, Chao Auditorium

“Federalism, the Power of the States, and Adherence to the Constitution”

Speakers include: Hon. Michael O. McDonald (retired) Kentucky Court of Appeals: "Changing the Constitution Through the Necessary and Proper Clause;” Dr. Aaron D. Hoffman, Associate Professor, Political Science, Bellarmine University: "Federalism and the Commerce Clause;" Dr. Jasmine Farrier, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Louisville:  "State Politics and the 14th Amendment;" Dr. Charles E. Ziegler, University Scholar, Political Science, University of Louisville:  "U. S. Federalism In the Comparative Perspective.”  Event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact olympia1231@aol.com.

April 20

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

“Food For Thought” at the Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, reservations required

Sgt. Maj. (RET) Jose Rosario speaking about Medal of Honor winner Pvt. Henry Mattingly.

For reservations, contact Julia.Curry@ky.gov.

 

April 23

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Civil War Walking Tour of Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville

Discover Civil War burials at Cave Hill Cemetery with historian Bryan Bush.

For more information, contact cavehill@bellsouth.net.

Hooper's Heroes, Volume 2

 Here is volume 2 of the Ramage Museum's Hooper's Heroes newsletter.


JARCWM - newsletter 2 -

Siege of Cincinnati / Battery Hooper article in Cincy Enquirer

I had not planned to make this entry, but the Cincinnati Enquirer today published a good description of the "Siege of Cincinnati" that I mention frequently and I found it to be worth sharing.

It is somewhat surprising that the Confederates did not make a more serious attempt to attack Cincinnati during the war, as it  was quite an important city at the time, and the Ohio River was a major transportation route. It was, however, far enough north to be a difficult challenge for the southerners to undertake, and after Heth and his men saw the fortifications that had been built by the time of their approach in September of 1862, they knew a successful attack would not be easy. The bend in the Ohio River, the hills of Northern Kentucky and the skills of U.S. Engineers like Charles Whittlesey and James Simpson combined to create a strong line of defenses.

Within a few weeks of this threat, a major battle took place a few hours south of Cincinnati,  at Perryville and soon after that fight the Confederates would leave the Bluegrass State, virtually for good. Despite later raids by men such as John Hunt Morgan and the grandiose late 1864 dreams of John Bell Hood,  no major Confederate force ever remotely approached Cincinnati again.

 _____

The above image from Google Earth displays my attempt to show the general outline of where the defenses of Cincinnati were. This, of course, is a modern image, but the path of the Ohio River is fairly obvious as it winds its way towards a meeting with the "father of all waters." The yellow pins represent my understanding of where, amongst the modern sprawl, the fortifications were located. I know they are not exact and there were more than I have pinned so far (plus 2 north of the river) but I think this image provides at least a basic bird's-eye view of the how the shape of the river, the topography of Northern Kentucky and the man-made defensive positions worked together to make this a formidable position, almost a "ring," especially for a force as small as Henry Heth's (estimated from 6,000 to 8,000 men.)

The small, dark north/south line almost exactly in the middle of the page is the Licking River, which runs from southeastern Kentucky and empties into the Ohio River across from Cincinnati. (One of Cincinnati's early names was Losantiville, meaning "across from the Licking.") It divides Campbell County (on the right) and Kenton County (the left) in this image, and for an aggressive attacker, this small river could have served almost as a driveway straight into the heart of the defensive lines, but the engineers knew that and designed some of the positions, including Battery Hooper, to overlook this river and the valley it carved out along its route. If anybody gets the opportunity to visit the Ramage Museum, the view from the front yard, where Battery Hooper once stood, is of this valley and is quite spectacular at times. That type of view makes it seem obvious why the engineers put the batteries where they did. The below image shows a slightly zoomed-in view during the middle of summer.

Hooper's Heroes, volume 1, edition 1

Perhaps this falls in the "shameless plug" category, but, if that is the case, I do beg your forgiveness.

The James A.Ramage Civil War Museum, where I volunteer, has started a new membership program and along with that came a brand new newsletter, Hooper's Heroes.

Here's the first edition of what will be a quarterly publication.

Battery Hooper Days 2010 wrap-up

Well, the weather on Sunday was much nicer than the previous day; it was a bit muggy, and overcast at times, but it stayed dry and the sky showed a lot of its beautiful blue color throughout the day, making it very pleasant to be outdoors.

Attendance was down this year, unfortunately, but we'll still end up with close to 600 guests having visited the museum and park over the weekend, and that is still great news.

We're also very pleased with how the kickoff of our new membership program went, as we sold over 20 memberships. They cost $20 for an individual and $35 for a family for a year, and will get the members discounts in our gift shop and used book sale, sneak previews of upcoming events, quarterly museum newsletters and updates and more benefits as time goes on. We're very pleased with the sales we made this weekend, as the James A Ramage Civil War Museum becomes financially self-sustaining starting July 1, 2011, and this program will be a key in us raising the funds to reach our goal.

The performances this weekend were outstanding. The re-enactors had a wonderful encampment and, as always, were glad to interact with visitors.

One highlight occurred Sunday when members of the 9th Kentucky Infantry (Confederate) and other groups co-operated to put together a court-martial over an accused deserter. That was entertaining, with an Union soldier providing damning testimony about the accused.

The Ladies' Living History Society of Greater Cincinnati put on a great fashion show as well. It's amazing how many clothes women at the time had to wear. These fine ladies in their fine dresses always will catch your eye.

Granville Griffith, the "Appalachian Beekeeper" had his wagon present and displayed many aspects of beekeeping and the uses of the products of the bees' labor. He was a new addition to the event this year and his warm, open personality and fascinating display made this station a very popular stop. He will certainly be welcomed back in upcoming years.

 

Stan Wernz did his terrific performance as Abraham Lincoln again, while Tom Kriedler and Bernie O'Bryan showed up as Generals Lew Wallace and Horatio Wright to entertain the crowd with their presentations.

The 5th Ohio Light Artillery unit provided us with several bangs throughout both days. I've heard them shoot the cannons each of the last 4 years now, yet I still find it to be just about the coolest thing I can imagine. (Perhaps that's because I know nobody's shooting back!)

For some of the family entertainment, we invited a new petting zoo this year. The Honey Hill Farms zoo proved to be quite popular and their animals were a big hit with both kids and adults. It was fun seeing alpacas, goats, a miniature horse and a donkey, among other animals, in the park.




All-in-all, the event went as well as we could have hoped, and I truly enjoyed being in charge of bringing it together this year. It was quite a challenge, but the members of the museum's board put in a lot of hours over this summer and I thank them for that. A big, big BIG thank you also goes to the museum volunteers who spent extra hours this weekend making sure the event was fully staffed and visitors could enjoy their experience. It was a busy and tiresome, but rewarding weekend and I now can look forward to Battery Hooper Days 2011.

Battery Hooper Days 2010, day 1

Well, day 1 has ended. The weather did not cooperate too much -the heat and humidity were not as bad, but the rain came down several times, including a morning shower that may have dampened spirits for the day.

We still attracted over 200 guests, and though that is lower than past Saturdays, it's still a good number of people to get into our museum and in the park.

Our show was excellent as the re-enactors and living history presenters did wonderful jobs, as usual. The petting zoo was a big hit and Grandville Griffith, a local beekeeper, also made a great first impression. (Plus, I found out that I went to high school with his daughter and her husband - it is truly  a small world after all.)

Our newly unveiled membership program seemed to be a hit. For only $20 per individual or $35 per family, visitors can help support the Ramage Museum financially. Members will receive benefits like discounts at our used book sale and gift shop, sneak previews of upcoming events, quarterly newsletters and museum updates and others to come, but the main benefit is the knowledge that members our helping the Ramage Museum become financially self-sufficient.

Despite the challenges Mother Nature presented, I feel we had a very good day. I just wish I had remembered to take my camera. Oh well. Maybe I'll do so tomorrow.

Schedule of events for Battery Hooper Days

As with virtually everything else in life, this may be subject to change. 

The Civil War encampment will be open all day for both days and the re-enactors and living history presenters, when not speaking, will gladly interact with visitors. 

The museum itself will also be open all day both days.

Saturday, August 21st 
Noon - opening ceremony, flag raising, cannon firing (5th Ohio) 
1:00 PM - Abe Lincoln speech 
1:40 PM - Stephen Foster music 
2:00 - 4:00 PM - Honey Hill Petting Zoo 
2:00 PM - Cannon firing by 5th Ohio Light Artillery 
2:30 PM - General Lew Wallace 
3:00 PM - Archaeology presentation by Jeannine Kreinbrink 
3:30 PM - General Horatio Wright 
4:00 PM - Cannon firing by 5th Ohio Light Artillery 
4:15 PM - Military Court Martial by Confederates 
5:00 PM - Abe Lincoln speech 
6:00 PM - Cannon firing by 5th Ohio Light Artillery & closing ceremony 
 
Sunday, August 22nd 
Noon - Flag raising ceremony 
1:00 PM Cannon firing by 5th Ohio Light Artillery 
2:00 - 4:00 PM - Honey Hill Petting Zoo 
2:40 PM Abe Lincoln speech 
3:00 PM Cannon firing by 5th Ohio Light Artillery 
3:20 PM General Horatio Wright 
3:45 PM General Lew Wallace 
4:30 PM Abe Lincoln speech - Gettysburg Address 
5:00 PM Closing ceremony 

Battery Hooper Days, August 21 and 22, 2010

Boom! It's just one week away - the 6th Annual Battery Hooper Days, at the James A. Ramage Civil War Museum in Fort Wright, Kentucky, just a few minutes south of Cincinnati, Ohio.


The Ramage Museum, on the location of Battery Hooper, one of the batteries that helped defend the region from the threat of a Confederate invasion in September 1862, hosts this annual free and family friendly event every August, featuring Civil War re-enactors, Living History Displays and other activities for adults and children.

One exciting change this year is that we will begin selling Hooper's Heroes Museum Memberships to help support the museum as we become self-sufficient. For just $20 annually for an individual or $35 for an entire family, you can support us financially. Among the benefits you will receive will be museum newsletters and email updates, 10% discounts off our gift shop and used-book sale prices and opportunities to preview future museum events before they open to the general public.

Our lineup of entertainers and presents is, again, very strong.

Once again, we will have Stan Wernz  (see the picture below) doing his wonderful impression of President Abraham Lincoln. He will speak twice on both days, and will do the Gettysburg Address, of course.

 The Ladies' Living History Society of Greater Cincinnati will also be present, showing their display of period fashions. I have included a picture from their appearance last year

Among the re-enactors scheduled to appear and set up an encampment are the 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the 5th Ohio Artillery and the 9th Kentucky, a Confederate group.

On Saturday, we will have a local man singing some of the music of Stephen Foster.

Bernie O'Bryan will again impressively dress and speak as Major General Lew Wallace, and, for the first time, Tom Kriedler will appear as General Horatio Wright, for whom the city of Fort Wright was named.

For the children, Honey Hill Farm will show up with their petting zoo, which kids will love. We will also have a face painting station and contests for kids to play and win prizes.

Since Battery Hooper was an actual Civil War site, archaeological digs still take place here and we will have a display on that archaeology with several people who have worked on the site present to answer questions.  (For those interested in archaeology, you can sign up for our next public archaeology digs, on September 11 and 12 of this year, starting at Battery Hooper Days.)

Several local historical societies and groups will also be on hand, providing material about their groups. These include the Campbell and Kenton County Historical Societies and the Cincinnati Civil War Round Table.

Detailed driving directions can be found in the museum's link at the top of this page, or at this article, courtesy of CivilWar.com

Admission and parking are both free, though donations are, of course, always welcome. Parking is in the lot at the Community of Faith Presbyterian Church. In addition to our Battery Hooper Days, the church will be having its annual cook-out and ice cream social, with lots of good food to enjoy.

Battery Hooper Days is always a fun event for the history buff, the Civil War enthusiast, for those interested in local events and for families in general.

Please consider coming out and visiting us. You will have a blast.