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December
2008
December
6 * Guest
Speaker- Louisville Civil War Roundtable
It's mindboggling
to think that I first met Donald Meyer at the Kentucky
State Book Fair in November of 2006. It was at that event
that Don and I first talked about me coming to the
Louisville Civil War Roundtable to talk about Adam R.
Johnson. More than two years later, I finally made it to
the LCWRT. It wasn't easy. The
night I was to speak had a sneak attack of icy weather. As
I was driving over the Ohio River bridge into Louisville I
felt like there was a pretty good chance that this was
going to be my last day on earth. It was very, very icy on
the bridge and I have a relatively light-weight, two-wheel
drive car.
Gratefully, I
survived the bridge and made it in good time to the event.
I spent the time beforehand talking to as many members as I
could. The downside of the evening was that the weather
kept away a good number of members, but there was still
around 25 people on hand to hear my last scheduled talk on
the Newburgh Raid. I really enjoyed myself and the speech
was recorded. Although things haven't worked out for some
previously recorded speaking engagements, maybe this one
will pan out and I will be able to post the recording. I
also briefly introduced my new work - Kentuckians in
Gray. I am a
co-author with a host of other Civil War experts on this
new book.
I stayed
overnight in Louisville and was glad I did as the weather
remained uncooperative. By the next morning the temperature
had come up and I was safely home again by noon. I had a
great time at my last Newburgh Raid speech for awhile and
it was bittersweet to embark on an extended break from Adam
Johnson. I'll be back. My thanks to Don Meyer and everyone
at the LCWRT.
December
12 *
Guest
Speaker- North High School, Evansville,
IN
My
son and I were talking about the Civil War one night and he
got excited about what I had to say. Before I knew what was
happening he had scheduled for me to come in and share some
local Civil War events with his history class. Of course,
my son told me the wrong time to be there. We were set for
2 PM when suddenly he calls me at work at 1 PM and says he
needs me at school now. Mr. Kohlmeyer was very gracious and
simply turned the class over to me after a few minutes. I
had no idea what a class of 17 year-olds might want to
hear. I just started talking about whatever came into my
head. I think I made it interesting. The good news is that
no one fell asleep after almost an hour of me prattling on.
I hope we can figure something out whereby the class could
take up my book and I would act as an adjunct, coming in
for a period to discuss the book, the history, the writing
process, whatever might come up.
My thanks to Mr.
Kohlmeyer.
